Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Health and Safety Authority, which is responsible for workplace health and safety, carried out a number of inspections of the Poolbeg incinerator facility during its construction phase. These inspections focussed on the health and safety management of the workers during the construction phase. As the construction work is nearing completion, the HSA’s primary role relates to the occupational health and safety management of the commissioning and operational aspects of the facility.

The Deputy will be aware of an incident at the facility on the 7th June 2017 where the release of lime used for flue gas treatment resulted in 10 workers being taken to hospital. The HSA inspected the facility on 8th June and subsequently imposed a Prohibition Notice which prohibited all work activities involved in the combustion process until a comprehensive examination of the entire process had been carried out and appropriate remedial plans developed and implemented. Subsequent visits were made by the Authority to the facility and following agreement with the company on the necessary improvements, the Prohibition Notice was lifted on 10th July 2017.

The workers injured in this incident in June were working at the construction site in the commissioning process and their work did not involve any loading bays.

The HSA has confirmed that no concerns have been raised with them from an occupational safety and health perspective in relation to the loading bays at the facility.