The University Health and Safety Office has operated a quality system since 1994.

The Health & Safety Office established quality as a key operating value many years prior to the enactment of the Irish Universities Act, (the latter contains a statutory requirement to conduct QA evaluations). The H&S Office operates quality as an inherent  day to day operating value. We always strive to improve and to learn from every situation and everybody who uses our services.

• Quality, accurate, professional advice is given in all circumstances by competent professionals. All contacts/queries are dealt with in a courteous and efficient manner. 
• All phone calls, emails and letters are acknowledged and responded to promptly and appropriately on a risk priority basis. Generally all queries are dealt with, within the week of receipt, unless queries are complex or requires the attention of expert staff /consultants .  
• An Office quality procedures manual is in operating for 10⁺ years. 
• A quality web page has also been established. This is being regularly expanded/ added to.
• All documentation, H&S training courses and service providers are continuously evaluated.
• All staff attendees at h&s training courses organised by the H&S Office, complete an evaluation of the courses which they undertake.

In the past 19 years, 778 core h&s training courses have been organised by the H&S Office. As of  the 31st Dec 2012, a total of 7121 UCC staff have completed our courses. This has been achieved on very modest resources/ budgets approximating only €18 per staff member per annum.

As part of  our quest for continuous improvement,  the H&S Office UCC was the first Irish University to incoprorate e-learning. Two bespoke e-learning packages were introduced in 2007 and 2009 to facilitate staff users/learners. This complements face to face training courses as a blended cost effective approach. Staff have access to selected e-training from their desk top. This is an extremely cost effective mode of delivery on an as required basis. It also minimises the time and cost on attendees being away from their core duties.

QA assessments are continuous in the H&S office. 

Quality assessment results for  staff training courses delivered in the 5 year period 2008 to 2012 inclusive, as derived from  staff evaluations, were in the range 91- 95 % per annum. (This showed a further increase on the annual QA assessments for the preceeding 5 year period, which were in the range 88 to 95% p.a.)

Staff undertaking h&s training courses organised by the H&S Office in the year ending 2012 was a record brakign 805 staff - a 133% increase on the 2011 year. The introduction of Functional Area annual safety Reports in 2004 and e-learning for workstation ergonomics and a UCC bespoke e-fire safety contributed significantly  to this whilst offset by value for money course staging limits, budget and staff headcount reductions, retirements and no overtime staff release restrictions.

See diagram and table below for a breakdown of the yearly attendance and QA results in the period 1994 to 2012 inclusive.

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H&S training Quality metrics chart

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Yearly Training and QA ratings for staff H&S training at UCC

Footnote: Includes e-worstation ergonomics training since '07 and

e-fire safety ex ' 09.

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