Established in July 2012 by Helena Ryan, Cooga Safety Services Group (CSSG) Ltd in Doon, Co. Limerick is an award-winning company which provides an exceptional Health & Consultancy Service to a wide range of clients across the construction and event management spectres.
Best known for her role as Health & Safety Advisor on the hit RTÉ show DIY SOS: The Big Build Ireland, Helena has 23 years’ experience as a Health & Safety Consultant. She was recognised with an AIBF (All-Ireland Business Foundation) Fellowship in 2025 and will travel to Croke Park in early 2026, not to support her beloved Tipperary, but to pick up the AIBF’s prestigious Health & Safety Business Person of the Year Award.
The AIBF is an autonomous national accreditation body tasked with enterprise development and the promotion of Best-in-Class Irish businesses. As the accreditation body for the Business All-Star mark, the AIBF recognises Best-In-Class Irish businesses, i.e. companies that merit recognition based on an independent audit of their performance, reputation and customer-centricity.
“I was deeply honoured to be named a Fellow of the All-Ireland Business Foundation,” Helena reflects.
“While this is a huge personal achievement, this accolade is the direct result of the hard work and dedication shown by our entire team in our efforts to raise safety standards in the Irish construction sector. We are honoured to be part of the Business All-Star TRIBE which is made up of so many talented businesses and their leaders and we are proud to display the AIBF Marque as a powerful symbol of trust and quality.”
Under Helena’s leadership, Cooga Safety Services has grown into one of Ireland’s leading consultancy services and training providers. The Cappawhite, Co. Tipperary native’s commitment to excellence and industry best practices has enhanced safety standards across all of the projects under Cooga’s remit. Helena’s passion for safety, coupled with her academic background, has driven positive change in health and safety practices across Ireland.
Helena has expertise in ISO 9001, 14001, 45001 and 50001 Management Systems as well as Safe T Cert Management System run by the CIF and is a strong business development professional with a degree focused in Safety, Health & Welfare at Work from UL. Furthermore, she is a trusted source who moves and inspires people with innovative ideas which she turns into reality. The Limerick-based entrepreneur knows and shows how to replicate her success.
Putting your safety first with a practical approach, CSSG employs a 10-strong team of Master and degree-qualified Health & Safety Advisors who are supported by the same tried and trusted subcontractors. The company boasts an impressive client list consisting of Shanley Engineering, Feakle Gas & Plumbing, BOBF, AVS, Flynn Construction, DNCF, PBC Builders, Coffey Construction, Jacobs Engineering, Premier Paving, John Sisk & Son, Maylim, Daltech Solutions, Harcourt Developments, EMF Controls, Eco Pro Group, Lagan Homes, McMahon Builders’ Providers, WW Electrical and Marlhill Construction Services to name but a few.
“We provide consultancy services, training and specialise in ISO and Safe T Cert for companies,” Helena explains.
“We help companies to achieve ISO 9001, 14001, 45001 or 50001 accreditation and their Safe T Cert. That is our ‘bread and butter’.
“We do Safety Advisor placement across the country for the construction, event management and pharmaceutical sectors. We complete various training from Manual Handling, Patient Handling On-Site and Virtual, Work at Height courses for both employees and instructors, MEWP, CSCS courses, Chemical Awareness, HACCP various levels and Abrasive Wheels, Infection Prevention & Control, PHECC and FAR courses.
“We are all Mental Health first aiders and work with companies regarding Mental Health Awareness. We also provide training in Confined Space, Fire Training & Risk Assessments, RTITB Forklift Handling, Pallet Truck and Roller & Gantry Crane Training. In addition, we do PAT Testing, GA1 Certification and certify Slings and Chains. We also supply companies with fire extinguishers and harnesses.
“Paperwork wise, we complete Health & Safety Packs for Site and carry out AF2 notifications for New Builds, Health & Safety Plans, Health & Safety Statements, Method Statements & Risk Assessments, Inductions, Temporary Works Design for Scaffolding and Traffic Management Plans. We’re a one-stop shop for all your safety requirements.”
Event management safety and planning is a rapidly-growing area for CSSG. Helena and her team have provided their expertise to major public events such as the St Patrick’s Day Parades in Dublin and Limerick, Samhain (Limerick’s Halloween Festival), concerts at Slane Castle and Thomond Park as well as the KPMG Women’s Irish Open at Carton House in conjunction with Proactive Safety Services.
Other major public events the consultancy has been associated with are the St Patrick’s Festival Quarter in Collins’ Barracks, Electric Picnic, St. Anne’s Park Festival, Musgrave Park Cork, Fairview Park, Independence Music Festival Cork, Tipperary Town Festival, Macroom Festival and Cullen Music Festival in Co. Tipperary.
In addition, the company offers a ‘build and break’ safety service to the event management team which is done with military precision.
Helena is a familiar face thanks to her role as Health & Safety Advisor on DIY SOS: The Big Build Ireland, which rebuilds people’s lives by rebuilding their homes. As a series, DIY SOS is famous for bringing out the very best in people and the more they build, the more this becomes evident.
Every volunteer, contractor and member of the team are constantly amazed by the massive amounts of goodwill and generosity that come forward on every single build, and the more episodes they create, the more Motive as a production team are struck by the power of the Irish community when it comes to solidarity for our neighbours in need.
“I’ve been ever-present since the series began in September 2019, having been involved in all 16 shows alongside Chief-Motivator Baz Ashmawy,” the Managing Director says.
“I was asked to get involved by Dermot Carey, who was the CIF’s Director of Safety at the time. I knew that the show was meant for me when the first episode was shot in Dundrum, which is only a stone’s throw from my homeplace, and brought together the communities of Dundrum, Cappawhite and Annacarthy like never before.
“It’s very humbling to help people in this way and for the team leaders to be able to call on all their contacts. We’re a last resort and the buy-in is unbelievable. The number of volunteers wanting to sign up is getting bigger all the time.
“People come from all over the country to help out. We’ve become the best of friends and part of the DIY SOS family. I’ve met some fantastic people through it, including Mary Ryan who I met on the first show. We’ve been the best of friends ever since!
“On this year’s DIY SOS, I worked alongside JJ Rhatigan in Wicklow, Custy Construction in Clarecastle, Clancy Construction in Mooncoin and Vision Contracting in Tallaght. We’re already planning for 2026!”
Helena is also actively involved with the Julian Benson Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (JBCFF), contributing her expertise to support the foundation’s mission of providing much-needed services to individuals with cystic fibrosis and their families.
The foundation’s flagship project, Tranquility House, offers a ‘home away from home’ for families of CF patients undergoing treatment in Dublin hospitals. This sanctuary, which featured on RTÉ’s ‘Room to Improve’ during its refurbishment, provides comfort and support during challenging times, reflecting Helena’s dedication to community welfare.
As CSSG continues to go from strength to strength, the affable Tipperary woman would like to take this opportunity to thank her clients for their support and loyalty as well as her team for their hard work, dedication and skill. She is also grateful for the support of her husband Donal Ryan, and teenage sons Dylan and Ethan.
Cooga Safety Services Group (CSSG)
Cooga Upper,
Doon,
Co. Limerick.
Mobile: 087 6822 050
Web: www.coogasafety.ie
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, March 2026, Vol 12 No 3
Cooga Safety Services Group, featured
