Network with industry peers at Sandown ‘09
February 1st 2009 Health & Safety ‘09 – South, comes to Sandown Park, Esher,Surrey for the third year running on 24th and 25th February. Georgina Bisby takes a look at what’s in store for visitors to the show
Following the success of the regional Health and Safety events of the last two years and with the addition of the British Safety Council as its Official Educational Partner, Health and Safety ‘09, sponsored by Dupont, promises to provide visitors with even more in the way of educational content via a comprehensive seminar programme that rivals that of any national exhibition.
Health and Safety ‘09 - South at Sandown Park will represent a great use of time for readers of HSM. Not only is the venue easy to get to by car or by public transport, but parking is free too and those arriving by train into the local station will also be able to catch a free shuttle bus to the event making the whole experience relatively stress free and easy to fit into a busy schedule. As in previous years, potentially the most rewarding element of the event for HSM readers is the free seminar programme delivered by industry experts. The mix of both educational and practical seminars is designed to address the most topical and pressing questions of both safety and health professionals and anyone else who has a need to meet safety requirements.
New education partner for ‘09
For the first time in 2009 the seminar programme will be organised by the new Official Educational Partner, the British Safety Council (BSC). Elements which the organisation has said that it will concentrate upon in regards to the seminar programme include focusing upon ‘health’ as well as safety. The BSC intends to develop the educational content over time and hopes to include, in the future, more interactive elements such as workshops and debates. The BSC believes that one of the most important educational elements for health and safety practitioners when they visit the events in 2009 will be chance to meet like-minded people. Isolation, it says, can be an issue for those involved in health and safety as they battle lethargy or sometimes even worse, outright hostility, to what they are trying to achieve within their organisation. The new educational content aims to give visitors the chance to re-charge their batteries by networking with their peers and discovering new ways of working, communicating their value to the bottom line or even learning about new technology to make their task simpler.
Constructing Best Practice
The educational programme takes place on both days of the event and seminar highlights on the first day, 24th of February 2009, include Constructing Best Practice by Michelle Aldous of Constructing Better Health. Constructing Better Health is the 'not for profit' organisation set up by the construction industry to implement a national scheme for the management of occupational health across all sectors. Michelle’s presentation will give an update of the progress made to date in the implementation of this important national scheme and outline future developments. Central to her presentation is the Construction Health Assessment Toolkit (CHAT) which demonstrates 'best practice' in the management of work related health issues at site level.
Corporate Manslaughter/Homicide – The Impact
Also taking place on the first day is Corporate Manslaughter/Homicide – The Impact by Kevin Bridges of the law firm Pinsent Masons LLP. This seminar will introduce the Act and the new statutory offence of corporate manslaughter/homicide for those who are unfamiliar with its content and its anticipated impact on corporate and personal liability. Kevin will also look at how the Sentencing Advisory Panel has suggested that those convicted under the act (which came into force on 6 April 2008 with the stated aim of making it easier to convict companies and other large organisations where serious management failures result in death) should face a substantive fine - between 2.5 and 10% of their annual turnover. Asbestos - The Hidden Killer Another interesting seminar on the first day is Asbestos - The Hidden Killer presented by Stephanie Beach of the Health and Safety Executive. Stephanie will provide an update on current asbestos issues and recent initiatives including a summary of the HSE's recent, national, media campaign - a campaign designed to raise awareness amongst tradesmen (i.e. those engaged in building repair, maintenance and refurbishment, such as plumbers, electricians and joiners) of the risk of exposure to the substantial amounts of asbestos still contained in many buildings. It will also focus on the work that HSE has done nationally with key stakeholders (such as Trade Unions, Trade Associations, DIY chains and Victim Support Groups) to promote the campaign, its messages and to distribute campaign materials. Finally, the presentation will look at the impact and evaluation of the national campaign.
Top 10 Noise Control Techniques
Seminars on the second day of the event, 25th February 2009, include Top 10 Noise Control Techniques by Peter Wilson of the Industrial Noise & Vibration Centre. The presentation provides details of the 10 engineering noise control techniques that can be applied to some of the most common noise problems. Complete with multi-media case studies, they are low cost, applicable across a wide range of industries and can be implemented inhouse. Moreover, in some cases, the noise control measures will actually save money, making the process self financing.
Working at Height
Covering a subject which continues to be responsible for the most number of deaths in the construction industry on the second day is Working at Height by David Thomas of William Hare, the structural engineering company. David will cover all aspects of safety when working at height, setting out the simple hierarchy for managing and selecting equipment for work at height and outlining some of the fundamental measures required for a safe system of work as required by The Work at Height Regulations 2005 that apply to all work at height where there is a risk of a fall liable to cause personal injury.
Shattered Lives: A STEP in the right direction
Also taking place on the second day is a seminar entitled Shattered Lives: A STEP in the right direction from Mark Thomas of the Health and Safety Executive. Mark’s presentation will demonstrate the new, innovative Slips and Trips eLearning Package (STEP), the latest addition to the HSE's extensive range of guidance and materials available under the 'Shattered Lives' Campaign. Mark will also talk about the second phase of the campaign which is about promoting action in the workplace to address the risks of slips, trips and falls from height. The interactive eLearning package is one of the tools that will help employers take effective action to tackle their risks. Anyone can use it: workers, managers, business owners, and health and safety professionals as it contains three courses: introductory, intermediate and advanced.
Workplace health and wellbeing
Lastly on the second day is The Role of the Health and Safety Practitioner in Workplace Health and Wellbeing by Neil Budworth of energy giant E.ON. Neil, a former President of IOSH explores what the safety and health practitioner can do to play their part and help stem this relentless tide of misery as he believes that today there is an epidemic of work related ill health, with health related absence costing the UK the equivalent of the GDP of Portugal. More articles from Health and Safety Events: | 
