The Centre for Safety and Health at Work (CSHW) is part of the School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science (PHPSS) in the UCD College of Health and Agricultural Sciences.
The aim of the Centre is to strengthen our proven record of success in promoting the highest standards of Occupational Safety and Health through excellence in Teaching, Research and Administration.
We will continue to advance knowledge and set the agenda in Occupational Safety and Health in collaboration with national and international stakeholders through excellence in research and in the context of research activities and programmes within the School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science.
Centre for Safety and Health at Work
EIRE Study (nEonicotinoid Insecticide exposuRE research) 
EIRE is a study, among the Irish population, of environmental and occupational exposure to neonicotinoid insecticides using a human biomonitoring strategy. The study is being led by Dr Alison Connolly of the UCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science.
Neonicotinoid insecticides and neonicotinoid-like compounds (NNIs) are the most widely used class of insecticides worldwide. There are numerous types of NNIs, some of these are used to protect plants (e.g. roses) or to prevent insect infestations of crops and increase yield e.g. sugar beet. NNI’s can be found in commonly found insecticide products e.g. Roseclear® and Bugclear®. The EIRE study will use human biomonitoring (HBM) to quantify overall exposure to NNI’s in both environmental and occupational settings. HBM is an ideal tool to calculate exposure to NNI’s where there is the potential for multiple exposure routes e.g. inhalation, dermal and ingestion by measuring the NNI’s and their metabolites (break-down product).
In the EIRE study, we will collect human urine samples and analyse the samples for NNIs and their metabolites (breakdown products). In addition, the urine samples will also be analysed for creatinine (a natural waste product of the human body). This is a measure of urine sample dilution. The analysed urine samples will provide information that we will use to estimate amenity horticulturists, their co-workers and families’ exposure to NNIs in Ireland. In addition, we will measure environmental exposures by giving workers silicone wristbands.
The information collected in this study will generate data on environmental and occupational exposure to NNI’s, information which can be used to support policy-making and examine methods to reduce exposure. Studies such as EIRE are important to evaluate the level of exposure of these chemicals in the general population and in work settings.
The research study will be carried out by researchers based in the UCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science in collaboration with the Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine (IPA) of the German Social Accident Insurance Bochum, Germany. The study is planned to take place from May 2022 – May 2026.
This study is funded by the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) pathway programme.
If you are interested in participating in the study or would like further information, please contact Darragh Doherty, Doctoral Student at the Conway Institute, UCD at darragh.doherty@ucdconnect.ie or Dr Alison Connolly, Assistant Professor at the Centre for Safety and Health at Work, UCD at alison.connolly@ucd.ie.
COVID19 outbreaks in workplace settings: understanding and preventing superspreading (SFI)
- COVID19 prevention and control measures in workplace settings: a rapid review and meta-analysis https://www.mdpi.com/1660-
4601/18/15/7847 -
Development and validation of a multi-lingual online questionnaire for surveying the COVID-19 prevention and control measures used in global workplaces https://bmcpublichealth.
biomedcentral.com/articles/10. 1186/s12889-022-12500-w - ‘Communication, that is the key’: a qualitative investigation of how essential workers with COVID-19 responded to public health information. https://bmjopen.bmj.com/
content/12/7/e061583 - Challenges and Associated Mental Stress during COVID19 Work Adaptation among Employees in Ireland
-
Employee mental health during COVID-19 adaptation: Observations of Occupational Safety and Health / Human Resources Professionals in Ireland.
Recent OSHE Research
- Evaluating Safety and risk awareness in contact sports: development of a quantitative study for elite rugby https://journalsojs3.fe.up.pt/
index.php/ijooes/article/view/ 2184-0954_006-001_0004 - Factors influencing the use of hearing protection devices in Irish mine workers https://ijooes.fe.up.pt/index.
php/ijooes/article/view/2184- 0954_005-002_0005 - The challenge of Depeche Mode in the fashion industry: does the industry have the capacity to become sustainable through circular economic principles, a scoping review https://www.tandfonline.com/
doi/full/10.1080/27658511. 2021.1975916
Research and Consultancy
The Centre provides a focus for research initiatives carried out either entirely at UCD or jointly with other organisations. For further information on the Centre and its activities, please contact us
Contact Information
For application information on OSH programmes, please contact:
Programme Administrator
UCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science
UCD Centre for Safety and Health at Work
Woodview House
University College Dublin
Belfield,
Dublin 4,
Ireland
- Tel: +353 1 716 3420
- Fax: +353 1 716 3421
- Email: cshw@ucd.ie
For application information on all postgraduate programmes in the School, please contact:
Postgraduate Administrator
UCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science
University College Dublin
Belfield
Dublin 4
Ireland
- Tel.: +353 (0)1 716 3429
- Fax: +353 (0)1 716 3421
- Email: public.postgraduate@ucd.ie
See map of UCD Campus http://www.ucd.ie/maps/
Current research is carried out by Professor Anne Drummond, Dr. Conor Buggy, and Dr. Penpatra Sripaiboonkij.