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 over 20 years’ experience as a Health & Safety Consultant. She has achieved Business All-Star Master Practitioner in Health & Safety 2 years in a row and Safety Services to Media Award from All Star Business Awards in conjunction with the University of Limerick.
Helena also has expertise in Safe T Cert Management System run by the CIF and is a strong business development professional with a degree focused in Safety Health and Welfare at Work from UL.
The Cappawhite, Co. Tipperary native is a trusted source who moves and inspires people with innovative ideas which she turns into reality. She 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, Ross Builders, Feakle Gas & Plumbing, BOBF, AVS, Flynn Construction, DNCF, Nautic Construction, PBC Builders, MCD Productions, Coffey Construction, Pro Stainless, Jacobs Engineering, Premier Paving, STS, Kilwex, Senbar, C-field, John Sisk & Son, SMG Formwork, Maylim and OSS to name a few.
“We provide consultancy services, training and we specialise in Safe T Cert for companies,” Helena explains.
“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 provide safety consultancy services to MCD Productions on many of their outdoor concerts. Among the concerts they have worked on recently were Harry Styles at Slane Castle and Dermot Kennedy at Thomond Park. Other major public events the consultancy has been associated with are the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin, St Patrick’s Festival Quarter in Collins’ Barracks, Electric Picnic, St. Annes Park Festival, Musgrave Park Cork, Fairview Park, Indiependence Music Festival Cork, Tipperary Town Festival, Macroom Festival and Cullen Music Festival in Co. Tipperary.
“We were delighted to provide our expertise this year to the St Patrick’s Day Festival Committee in Dublin who oversee one of the biggest St Patrick’s Day Parades in the world. We have also worked with OSS on Electric Picnic in Stradbally, Co. Laois and MCD Productions on concerts in Slane, St Anne’s Park in Raheny, Thomond Park in Limerick and Fairview Park.
“We offer a ‘build and break’ safety service to the event management team which is done with military precision,” Helena continues.
“We were recently part of the Russell Crowe Movie The Pope’s Exorcist which was filmed at Dromore Castle in Limerick.
“In terms of construction, we’re currently working with SMG on Apollo House which is being developed into a 22-storey tower by Walls Construction and will be the tallest building in Ireland when it’s completed. We’re also collaborating with landscape contractors Maylim on a rooftop garden at Wilton Park Dublin. So we’re very busy.”
Helena is a familiar face to many 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 12 shows alongside Chief-Motivator Baz Ashmawy,” the affable Managing Director says.
“It has been a life-changing experience. Everyone gives their time voluntarily and I’ve met some phenomenal people along the way. Two romances have even come out of it! People come from all over the country to help out. We become the best of friends and part of the DIY SOS family.
As CSSG continues to go from strength to strength, Helena 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 sons Dylan (15) and Ethan (12).
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, October 2023, Vol 9 No 10
