Health & Safety South 2012 which takes place at Sandown Park Racecourse on the 28th-29th February 2012 aims to help you improve your health and safety policy by giving you access to a wide range of suppliers of products and services and a seminar programme that deals with the most relevant topics in the health and safety sector
With event partners 3M, Ansell, Arco and Dupont, Health & Safety South 2012 is supported by the British Safety Council and Safety Groups UK and officially endorsed by the International Institute of Risk & Safety Management (IIRSM).
As well as the educational content of the event there is also a substantial exhibition where some of the biggest names in health and safety are situated. Major equipment vendors, service providers and distributors will all have experts available to answer direct queries regarding application.
Core areas will be well covered at the exhibition with Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) represented by well-known names such as: 3M, Specsavers, Ansell, Bollé and DuPont. There is much concern currently about PPE equipment that is essentially a cheap copy of original equipment or equipment that comes with falsified CE certificates. The exhibitors at Health & Safety South 2012 are said to represent best practice in the industry and can give advice on how to spot this counterfeit and illegal equipment as well as discussing individual specialist applications.
This year’s seminar programme content has been organised by the British Safety Council. A presentation from Sarah Page, of research & specialist Services at Prospect, entitled ‘Business Benefits of Worker Participation’, gives guidance on the positive impact that health and safety representatives make in organisations.
Also focusing on the benefits of health and safety to an organisation is a presentation from Jane Saunders, occupational health manager at Selex Galileo called ‘Business Benefits and Implementation of an Occupational Health Service’. Using the Selex Galileo delivery model as an example, the presentation will demonstrate how to achieve organisation-wide buy-in from the top down, how to create and maintain employee engagement and interest – ultimately proving the business benefits of Occupational Health initiatives.
Dr Paul Almond, a senior lecturer in Law at the University of Reading will deliver a presentation on ‘Current Directions in Government Policy’ looking at how government health and safety policy and law reform is set to change following the publication of the Löfstedt Review. The review was announced as part of the Government’s plans to reform Britain’s health and safety system, by reducing the burden of legislation on UK businesses.
Also confirmed to speak at the two-day event is Mark Tyler, a solicitor and chartered safety and health practitioner, whose experience includes many high-profile Health and Safety Executive prosecutions. His presentation entitled, ‘The Legal Scene in 2012’ will highlight how health and safety law and policy is set for its greatest changes in two decades. Tyler will also explain the increasing liability risks that safety managers face if they fall short of professional standards.
Howard Dawes, environment portfolio manager at the British Safety Council, will deliver a presentation on ‘Environment and Sustainability Management – Duties, Strategies and Developments’. This seminar will provide a strategic overview of environmental and sustainability issues nationally and highlight the main requirements for duty holders. It will also address the key developments and policies likely to affect organisations in the future.
Part of the conference programme will also be more practical seminars hosted by the event partners such as Dupont Personal Protection, which will be hosting the seminar entitled “Is Your Chemical Protective Clothing Really Protecting You?” Presented by Professor Victor Tytonius, this question will be answered during a series of videos shown in the seminar. The professor will discuss some revealing experiments on the three most commonly used materials in chemical protective clothing Tyvek, Microporous film and SMS.
One of the overall messages of the event is that safety should not be thought of as restrictive, but considered as a positive approach to good business management. One seminar that encapsulates this is the event partner seminar entitled ‘Safety is a “Can Do” Business’ and it is aimed at anyone with responsibility for health and safety in their business.
Delivered by Ken Smith, divisional director consultancy services from Arc Associates, the seminar will challenge the misconceptions and discuss the benefits of doing safety right to avoid any risks. Smith says: “Safety should not be restrictive but be concerned with a positive approach to good business management; it isn’t about can’t do but can do.”
Fit testing is a legal requirement for all tight fitting respirators and a challenge across many industries. Addressing these issues will be Alan McArthur from 3M Occupational Health & Environmental Safety, with the seminar entitled “Are you fit enough? A practical guide to fit testing and competency”. The seminar aims to give practical advice to anyone who is implementing a fit testing programme. It will cover topics such as: When and why to fit test; fit testing methods and fundamentals; a practical guide to fit testing including hints and tips; how to handle failures; judging competence to fit test and the Fit2Fit accreditation scheme.
Health and Safety South is free to enter, has free parking and it is highly recommended that visitors register in advance for entry tickets and especially for seminar places which are popular. You can register online or by calling the event hotline.
T: 0870 4866816
