Features

Pat O’Brien Safety opens new training centre

24 Jan , 2023  

These are exciting times for Pat O’Brien Safety Ltd which is recognised as one of Ireland’s leading safety consultancy and training providers. After seeing its turnover significantly grow during the pandemic due to the high demand for PPE and Covid-19 workplace safety risk assessments, the company has now moved to a new premises at No. 9 Robinhood Road, Dublin 22 (Eircode D22 DT29).

As a one-stop-shop safety solutions provider, Pat O’Brien Safety Ltd is now providing regular inhouse safety training courses at its new premises. Fronted by Pat O’Brien, the company has seven staff – including Pat’s son Colm who is General Manager – followed by a further 30-50 training and consultancy contractors employed on a regular basis. It can count Clancy Construction, PJ Hegarty & Sons, John Paul Construction, Winthrop Engineering & Contracting and Architectural Aluminium among its ever-expanding client-base.

As one of Ireland’s leading safety consultancy, training and products providers, Pat O’Brien Safety Ltd. is firmly established as the one-stop shop for all health, safety and security needs. The Safety Solutions provider of choice to the construction industry (and many other sectors), Pat O’Brien Safety Ltd offers a complete range of safety and security products, safety Training Courses, Safety Consultancy and documentation, Safety Auditing/Safety Management, Safety Statements, Method Statements, Safety Files and Safety Certification to the relevant standards; as well as bespoke Health and safety products.

The company was founded in 2011 by Pat O’Brien, who is Managing Director. Pat has over 30 years’ experience in the critical field of Health and Safety and Management from design through production and installation processes in a variety of specialised product ranges. Throughout his career, Pat has used the process of the “continuous improvement philosophy” from his experience in Japan in achieving excellence in everything he does.

Pat O’Brien Safety Ltd specialises in advising customers on the most appropriate, cost effective – and often simplest approach to creating a safe and healthy work environment and culture. Their aim as a Safety Management specialist is to facilitate clients and to be a renowned centre of excellence for them.

Pat O’Brien Safety Ltd achieves this by providing a one-stop shop solution on all aspects of safety – safe systems of work, safe plant and machinery and safety training, ensuring that companies are maintaining and exceeding their statutory duty under the relevant safety legislation. They service customers on an ongoing basis by providing safety solutions that satisfy and exceed both their own and customers’ expectations.

Particularly prominent within the construction industry, where safety has become a paramount priority, Pat O’Brien Safety Ltd. has a proven track record of delivering exceptional, value-added safety solutions to leading companies across the island, including – but by no means limited to the construction industry. They also service customers in other industry sectors such as Butlers Chocolates, Insomnia Coffee, Ascension Lifts, National Rehabilitation Hospital, TIDL, Essentra, private estates, many logistics companies and manufacturing companies just to name a few.

Offering up to 100 training courses, they also supply safety products like safety tagging systems, LOTO, Working at Height Equipment, tethering products, Tayhope Locks, Slice Safety Knives, First Aid Supplies, Defibrillators, Safety Signage and much more as well as providing Consultancy Services and finally testing & certification of working at height equipment and PAT testing. They sell a large range of Personalised Laser Printing with logos for ID inspection tags, suitable for use in many industries but particularly suited to lifting gear, the working at height testing sectors and provide a fast turnaround service.

It is through his unswerving policy of providing clients with bespoke products and services, tailored to their precise needs, that Pat – who possesses a rare, all-round skillset as his background includes experience in glass / Curtain Walling, Modular glazing, construction, Production and Contracts Management.  Health & Safety has been a primary focus and he has managed to establish his business as a leading safety solutions provider within a relatively short time frame.

“No matter what the customer wants when it comes to Health & Safety, they will always go above and beyond to provide what the client requires” Pat confirms.

“We have become adaptable to customer needs and we tailor the business to suit the needs and requirements of the market. For example, we have a healthy interest in new and innovative products like their new range of Slice safety knives which are becoming very popular in reducing accidents from sharp knives. 

“The business was established during a recession when not a lot of people were spending money on training or consultancy at that time, but we have made a lot of contacts and I’ve managed to build it up the business by constantly increasing the product range and scope of training courses and trying to be different to our competitors in the marketplace.

“We’ve never had to advertise. The business has grown organically through word of mouth and recommendations. Often when we work for a contractor or a client providing one service, we also end up providing other services to them or to a number of their subcontractors, or other businesses and also expanding the range that we offer.

“Training courses are offered across a wide range of areas, providing multilingual training to the everdiverse labour market in Ireland, to include: Chemical, Abrasive Wheel, First Aid, Manual Handling, Working at Height, Food & Hygiene, Horticultural Safety, Machinery/equipment, Fire Extinguisher Awareness and Fire Warden, Working at Height Awareness, MEWP, Forklift, Glass Vacuum Lifters and an array of Vehicle Operated Courses to mention just a few. We now sell a lot of our products online and I can see continued growth in all areas internationally”.

He added: “We also provide many Instructor courses to support management training which can be carried out on their premises or alternatively we can place them on public courses or in our new training centre.”

Safety Consultancy services provided include: Health & Safety Consultancy; Accident Investigation; Method Statements; PSCS/PSDP Safety Planning; Risk Assessment Analysis; Safety Auditing and Inspection; and Safety Officer Support.

Looking forward to a bright future, Pat is confident that continued growth is on the cards for Ireland’s most innovative and progressive safety management provider: “We grew by 20% in 2021 and I would foresee similar growth this year and into next year,” he concludes.

Pat would like to take this opportunity to thank his customers and suppliers for their continued support as well as his staff and consultancy contractors for their dedication and expertise.

Pat O’Brien Safety Ltd

No. 9 Robinhood Road,

Dublin 22,

(Eircode D22 DT29).

Tel: 01 4569415

Mobile: 086 2682683

Email: [email protected]

 Web: www. patobriensafety.com

This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, January 2023, Vol 9 No 1