Jim Holmes used to be a Yorkshire miner. Now he's overseeing complaints as workplace contact unit manager with the Health and Safety Authority.
My position is a new one, which just started this month, although we've spent some time putting the systems together with our IT people.
The unit captures all requests from the public, employees and employers and any workplace complaints that anyone wants to make, say where a building site is not operating safely. It's also where we capture any serious accidents and incidents that get called into us, either by the gardaí or directly by the employer.
I came here to Ireland as a mines inspector 10 years ago. I used to be a Yorkshire miner and I was on strike in 1984/85.
"I came here because the mines in the UK were vanishing quickly. Before I started this job, I was involved in preparing the new Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, which comes into force in September.
I live in Athboy, Co Meath. I leave the house at 6.30am to avoid the traffic and I get into Dublin sometime around 7.45am. I check e-mail messages and log onto our new workplace contact unit system so I can see what's come in, what's been dealt with and what hasn't been dealt with.
I'm still doing quality control at the moment, because the people are all on a learning curve. We've got a team of 10 or 11 compared with what used to be one inspector - it should provide a better service.
I'm also responsible for our freedom of information unit. We received 235 requests last year under the Freedom of Information Act - more than any Government department but one.
I have a lot of meetings to attend and I find it the least interesting part of the job. I'm sure some people have meetings for the sake of having them and I seem to be invited whether I want to go or not. We have developed a new IT system and there are a lot of meetings to make sure it comes in on time and that we're keeping the budget together.
The Alexander Hotel kindly gives us permission to use its fitness facilities free because we're planning to do a charity 200km treadmill challenge to raise money for the Irish Heart Foundation. So I spend most lunchtimes running five miles on the treadmill. I've lost three stone in weight since January. I used to play rugby until I came here from Yorkshire, but I put on a bit bit of weight since I stopped.
I try to join the queue of traffic at Pearse Street at 4.30pm if I can, unless someone has me attending another meeting. It's great this time of year actually, because I have it down to two and a quarter hours commuting from three and a half.
I was teleworking when I was involved in the new Act and I'm set up for it at home. When this unit is up and running, hopefully I'll be working a couple of days from home. You start to get tired at the end of the week when you're coming into Dublin every day."
See www.hsa.ie or Lo-call: 1890 289 389
(In an interview with Elaine Edwards)