Over the years, David Ball has carried out research and consultancy for numerous agencies on many different kinds of hazard.

Following his achievement of a PhD in physics, David spent a few years at Bell Labs in the USA and the National Physical Laboratory in Teddington. He transferred to the Greater London Council's Scientific Branch where he started a career in risks posed by environmental pollution. This led to an interest in risk issues more generally, and after the demise of the GLC he moved to the University of East Anglia's Centre for Environment and Risk Management for a decade prior to joining Middlesex University.

Currently, David's main activities are teaching an MSc in risk management at Middlesex, and acting as an expert witness in legal cases. In 2011, he co-authored the book 'Public Safety and Risk Assessment' published by EARTHSCAN. He has a website at http://davidjball.com.


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John Watt is a senior lecturer in decision analysis and risk management at Middlesex University, where he is programme leader for the MSc in Risk Management. He is a member of the Institute of Risk Management and the Association of Local Authority Risk Managers. For many years he specialised in environmental science and has publications in multiple fields - on lead exposure of young children, pollution of surface waters, soiling and corrosion of built cultural heritage. Recently John's research has covered a number of topics including risk management of public safety, cultural heritage and risk education. He has a number of PhD students researching topics such as risk communication, expert decision-making, political risk, environmental science and workplace stress.

His recent work on public safety included being part of the drafting group for the National Tree Safety Group's industry guidance 'Common sense risk management of trees'.

Presentation: Restoring balance: Safety management and public spaces

The Löfstedt recommendations promoted a risk and evidence-based approach to health and safety legislation, thereby ensuring action is proportionate, effective and sensible. Much in the same way as interpretation of regulations has resulted in over compliance in many businesses, it can be argued that these same issues have branched out of high-risk industries to encompass more and more of public life.

What is good practice for safety and risk management and how might it differ between the factory environment and public space beyond the factory fence? Is it time to factor in a risk benefit assessment to aid decision-making around safety management and public space?

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Ragnar E Lofstedt is Professor of Risk Management and the Director of King's Centre of Risk Management, King's College London, UK, where he teaches and conducts research on risk communication and management. Previously, he was a Reader in Social Geography at the University of Surrey, UK. He is also an adjunct Professor at the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis, Harvard School of Public Health, where he co-directs the Risk Communication Challenge Course for continuing education professionals with Professor Jennifer Lerner, he is Adjunct Professor at the Department of Engineering and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University, and he is a Visiting Professor at the Centre for Public Sector Research, Gothenburg University, Sweden.

In March 2011 he was asked to chair a government-wide review of UK Health and Safety Regulation by Minister Chris Grayling, UK Department of Work and Pensions. On the 28th November 2011 his review 'Reclaiming health and safety for all' was launched, at which time the UK government accepted all of his 26 recommendations.

Ragnar is the author/editor of 10 books and over 90 peer-reviewed articles, is the editor-in-chief for Journal of Risk Research, editor of the Earthscan publications' Risk, Society and Policy book series, and is on the editorial boards of Journal of Health Communication, Risk Analysis, International Journal of Risk Assessment and Management, and Risk Management. He is the previous Chair of the Society for Risk Analysis' Risk Communication Specialty Group. He has consulted widely for industry and regulators in Europe and North America. He is presently advising BBC News on how the corporation should communicate risk to the general public. In December 2000 Ragnar was awarded (as the first non-American) the Chauncey Starr Award for exceptional contributions to the field of risk analysis for someone under the age of 40 by the Society for Risk Analysis. In 2005 he was made a fellow of the Society for Risk Analysis, and in 2006 he received the Outstanding Service Award from the Society of Risk Analysis.

Presentation: Health and safety regulation-what do we need to do now?

Professor Löfstedt has been asked to review the government's progress in implementing the recommendations of his report, Reclaiming health and safety for all. The report set out a number of risk and evidence-based recommendations to reduce regulatory requirements for workplaces, enabling them to reclaim ownership of the management of health and safety.
A review of progress on the report one year one was published in January 2013, making this an ideal time to hear what impact the recommendations have had so far and what more can still be done.

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Alison Fryatt joined the civil service in 1987, working in local jobcentres before moving to head office in the then Department for Education and Employment to work on finance and performance issues. In 2003 she transferred to the Treasury for five years, leading the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) spending review process for 2004 and 2007, before returning to DWP in 2008 to concentrate on corporate governance within the Department's arm's-length bodies. In 2009, Alison became head of the Health and Safety Sponsorship Team, providing the Departmental stewardship function for the Health and Safety Executive and the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council. This has included providing support to Professor Löfstedt's independent review of health and safety legislation and one year on progress report, and overseeing the implementation of the recommendations of both Professor Löfstedt's 'Reclaiming health and safety for all' and of Lord Young's 'Common Sense, Common Safety'.

Presentation: Curbing the burden of red tape – simplifying health and safety compliance and liability

From April 2013 the government is looking to introduce binding new rules on both the HSE and local authorities that will exempt thousands of businesses and workplaces from the burden of regular health and safety inspections. Draft legislation is also aiming to ensure that only employers that have been shown to have acted negligently will be liable for civil damages in health and safety cases. How will a common sense approach work in practice and what will workplaces gain from implementing change?

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Thomas Martin is the joint Managing Director of Arco, the UK's leading safety company and a fourth-generation, family-owned business. After several years in London working in advertising and direct marketing, Thomas joined Arco in 1988 having applied for a role in the product marketing team. He gained experience in telesales, product management, purchasing and branch operations before being appointed Supply Chain Director and then Joint Managing Director. Headquartered in Hull Arco reaches customers through an extensive product catalogue, award-winning website and a national network of over 40 Trade Counters across the UK and Ireland, Arco now leads the way in providing high-quality, innovative products and services that make work a safer place.

Thomas is actively involved in B2B fundraising and contributing to the local business community through his involvement with the Yorkshire & Humber CBI Council. He is also on the Bondholders Advisory Board and is a BSIF Council Member. The Entrepreneurs Group and Young Enterprise are amongst other diversions away from his desk.

Presentation: A Vision for the Future: The time has come to set out a positive vision of the future of health and safety, and the part it has to play in business today

Economic times are difficult, budgets continue to be cut and a Comprehensive Spending Review is looming. Against this backdrop, rhetoric on health and safety from government and business alike has been too much about cutting red tape and not about preventing injury. Good health and safety makes business sense and saves businesses money in less lost working days.
A positive vision for health and safety in the future is critical to the government as it is government that makes the difference in setting and policing the regulatory framework.
How can we get involved and make a difference to this important agenda? And what should government be doing in this incredibly challenging environment?

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Neal Stone has responsibility for the work of the British Safety Council's communications, policy and research team of 10 people. The British Safety Council has recently expanded its policy and research capability with the goal of being an independent, expert and influential contributor to the shaping and direction of UK and international health and safety policy and law. Central to the work of Neal's team is engagement with key players critical to the effective management of health and safety including our member organisations, government, the regulator, other health and safety organisations, trade unions and trade associations.

Neal joined the British Safety Council in May 2008 initially as Head of Policy and Research. Prior to this, he worked as policy adviser in the Health and Safety Executive. From 2005 to 2007 he served as policy adviser to Sir Bill Callaghan, Chair of the Health and Safety Commission, and to Commission members. Neal led HSE's policy work between 2001 and 2005 on director responsibility, management of health and safety, worker involvement and employer liability insurance. He previously worked for Acas as a conciliation officer and the employment service as an employment adviser.

Neal has a law degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science, an MSc in politics and public administration from Birkbeck College and an MPhil research degree in government and public administration.

Presentation: Health and safety: a burden or a benefit?

Health and safety is too often portrayed as an obstacle to economic growth and job creation. Evidence of the social and financial benefits that proportionate and sensible health and safety management bring to society is ignored by critics. Will the health and safety reforms currently being implemented assist business by significantly reducing burdens or result in no change?

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As Head of First Aid Education at the British Red Cross, part of the world's leading first aid provider, Joe Mulligan has spent over 25 years working in emergency care and educating the public in the importance of learning first aid.

He began his career in 1985 as a qualified nurse before working as an emergency ambulance crew member. A qualified teacher, Joe's written and co-authored many first aid publications. He sits on various committees setting first aid standards and regulating practice.

Joe's fronted the Red Cross' contribution to first aid education policymaking. He's worked closely with the Driving Standards Agency and successfully campaigned for first aid to become part of the nursing curriculum. He's currently exploring the best ways for children and young people to learn first aid through the school curriculum and recently delivered a key note address at the Westminster Education forum.

Presentation:

Joe Mulligan will talk about the wider benefits of first aid training to the employer and the employee and the implications for workplace first aid post the Löfstedt review. In addition, he will explore the challenges facing first aid training providers in customising first aid education related to the identified risks.

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Simon Lowe is the Managing Director of Handsam Ltd, the UK's leading supplier of cloud-based management systems and consultancy advice to the education sector.

In 2013 Handsam is also branching out into the construction, leisure and health service sectors, providing unique and innovative systems and solutions to give 21st Century support to these ever-changing and ever-challenged sectors.

Handsam's E-Training Centre has been recognised as one of the most innovative recent solutions for the problems faced by any large organisation that is faced with the challenge of training large numbers of staff, in a benchmarked way, on topics that are vital, but not central, to their job role. The system can be completely tailored for any individual organisation or sector and has the benefit of saving time, money and managerial effort as well as delivering vital training in a way that has never before been achieved.

Simon invites you to Link In with him via LinkedIn and subscribe to Handsam's Twitter and Facebook pages to keep up to date with everything that is going on at one of the UK's most important and growing businesses, which supports the public sector in achieving the results it needs.

Presentation: Credible online training: reality or pipedream?

Training is one of the most challenging aspects of public sector management today. How does one find the time in the schedule, create the desire amongst staff and, more and more importantly, fund quality, benchmarked training across a wide range of topics for huge quantities of staff, whilst retaining control?
Handsam Ltd has come up with a unique and innovative option. Working with public sector organisations in the education sector such as the Academies Enterprise Trust, E-ACT and Cardiff Council, Handsam has produced a cloud-based e-training system that not only answers all the above questions, but can be tailored to suit the demands of the sector, or even the individual organisation.

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As RoSPA's occupational safety adviser, Roger Bibbings advises the Society on all matters related to work related risk and helps it expand its contribution to the UK's world-renowned 'health and safety system', which has proportionality at its heart. He contributes to RoSPA's journals, helps organise the Society's Congresses and Awards, services its National Occupational Safety and Health Committee, has oversight of 'key issue' policies including occupational road risk and director action on safety and health, and is Secretary of Safety Groups UK.

Before joining RoSPA in 1994, Roger was for 17 years health and safety adviser at the TUC. In 1990, he was made an MBE for his services to occupational safety and health. He is a Chartered Fellow of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and has received the RoSPA Distinguished Service Award. In 2006, he received the IOSH President's Distinguished Service Certificate and in 2011 he received the IOSH Lifetime Achievement Award.

Presentation: Will a leaner and fitter health and safety regime actually deliver improved H&S outcomes?

In tougher times, how does the health and safety community begin to generate a new sense of ambition to save lives, reduce injuries, incidents and work related health damage and harness workplace H&S culture to build a safer society?

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Subash Ludhra is a qualified occupational hygienist, now specialising in risk management and loss control. He has a wealth of experience gained from industry and commerce, both in the UK and overseas. Having started his career in local authority he moved into the brewing industry working for Grand Metropolitan and Courage. He spent a further eight years working for Rentokil Initial, the last two as a board Director within Initial Catering Services.

In 2002 Subash established Anntara Management Ltd, a risk management and loss control consultancy providing services in the UK and overseas.

Subash is a chartered safety and health practitioner and an experienced trainer. He is also a contributor to several health and safety publications and has been involved with the production of several health and safety documents for Trade Associations and the Health and Safety Executive.

Presentation: Health and wellbeing: understanding the importance of occupational health and working safely

HSE statistics for 2010/11 show that 26.4 million days were lost, with work related stress being the biggest single cause. Occupational health should be a key consideration, to not only prevent serious injury and illness, but also to help improve productivity and absence management.

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Richard Evens is Commercial Training Director at St John Ambulance, the nation's leading first aid organisation and market leader in workplace first aid training. Each year St John Ambulance first aid training reaches 800,000 students through workplaces, schools, voluntary organisations and initiatives to train the public.

Responsible for training programmes and educational standards, Richard has been regularly in consultation with the HSE since the early development of guidance for the content and structure of workplace first aid training, introduced in 2009. Richard chairs the committee of the Voluntary Aid Societies to publish definitive clinical standards for first aid. To apply collective expertise in first aid to the HSE plan to implement the recommendations of the Lofstedt Review he has liaised widely with expert organisations, government and other stakeholders.

Before joining the charity sector 12 years ago in a development role for Oxfam, Richard worked in marketing and logistical roles with Shell and Total Oil. He lives in north west London spending time with his family, trying to keep up with two energetic young children.


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