In the spotlight with Thomas Turner

How did you get into the health and safety industry?

Like many in this trade, I never envisioned building my career in the health and safety sector. My journey began humbly, packing boxes in the warehouse for V12 Footwear. Over time, I developed a passion for the products and a deep appreciation for how vital workplace safety truly is. Fast forward 19 years, and I now head up Martor UK, a safety knife company, witnessing firsthand the significant positive shift in how health and safety is valued by both the public and businesses of all sizes. For me, it’s not just a job—it’s a purpose. Knowing that the work I do helps ensure workers return home safe every day is incredibly fulfilling. It’s that simple.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

Driving positive change has always been at the heart of my career. The most rewarding moments come from knowing I’ve contributed to making workplaces safer and healthier, where every worker has a better chance of going home unhurt at the end of the day. Whether it’s helping companies reduce slips and falls, promoting the importance of compliance-driven software, or supporting initiatives to eliminate knife and blade injuries, I’m motivated by the tangible impact these efforts create.

But the true highlight is when health and safety professionals share data showing a real decrease in workplace incidents. To me, those numbers represent more than statistics—they’re someone’s mom, dad, or partner returning home safely after every shift. That’s the core of why I’ve committed my career to health and safety, and it’s what drives me to continue advocating for change. 

What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the health and safety industry in UK?

At a holistic level I have experienced too many health and safety professionals in the UK face an uphill battle in reshaping perceptions. Too often, businesses see health and safety as a bureaucratic burden, a tick-box exercise laden with red tape rather than an essential pillar of worker welfare and productivity. This sentiment is fuelled by cultural resistance to change, amplified by media portrayals that poke fun at the industry. Yet, beneath the stereotypes lies a transformative truth: effective health and safety measures not only protect lives but also drive efficiency, employee satisfaction, and cost savings.

How do you think these challenges can be overcome?

Overcoming these challenges requires a multifaceted approach that reshapes how health and safety is communicated and implemented. First, businesses need clear, evidence-based examples showing the tangible benefits of proactive Health and safety measures, such as reductions in workplace injuries, improved employee morale, and long-term cost savings. Storytelling, paired with robust metrics, can help shift perceptions from health and safety as a compliance burden to a vital contributor to business success. Second, collaboration is key—working with industry leaders, media outlets, and influencers to change the narrative and showcase health and safety as a driver of innovation and worker wellbeing. Finally, empowering health and safety professionals through training and tools, like Martor’s solutions, ensures they can address hazards at the source, aligning their efforts with the Hierarchy of Control to eliminate risks and foster safer, more productive workplaces.

What sets Martor apart from its competitors?

What sets Martor apart from its competitors is its unwavering commitment to innovation, safety, and user-focused solutions. Martor operates at the top of the Hierarchy of Control, focusing on eliminating risks at their source rather than just mitigating them. With precision-engineered safety knives that combine ergonomic design, durability, and cutting-edge technology, Martor ensures workplaces are not only safer but more efficient. 

What are your most memorable successes at Martor?

There have been many successes during my time at Martor, but one that stands out for me personally was working with one of the UK’s largest food manufacturers to solve a critical issue in their supply chain. Workers were using the wrong knives to open bags, which caused tiny plastic particles to contaminate food production, leading to wasted production, downtime, and customer complaints at an all-time high. I took it upon myself to dive into the problem, collaborating closely with the team to identify the root cause and develop a knife specifically designed to eliminate the issue. After overseeing the rollout and training to ensure the teams could use the knives safely and efficiently, I revisited the site a month later and was personally thanked by the company’s owners for the dramatic impact we’d delivered. This wasn’t just about a single order for me—it was about making a real difference by protecting their supply chain and the health and safety of their consumers. It remains one of the most rewarding campaigns I’ve worked on to date.

What’s next in the product pipeline for Martor?

Sustainability is a core focus for us at Martor, and we’re proud to already incorporate recycled polymers into many of our products—a practice we’re expanding across even more of our range in 2025. But that’s just the start. We’ve got an exciting new product set to launch at the A+A and NEC exhibitions, and while I can’t reveal too much just yet, I can promise it’s a true game-changer for workplace safety and sustainability. Make sure to visit our stands at these events to see what’s coming next—you won’t want to miss it!

What’s your vision for the future of Martor?

Simply put, our vision is to be the safety knife of choice in workplaces across the UK and beyond. While Martor is still relatively new to the UK market, over the past year alone we have helped over 500 UK companies build a stronger safety knife policy. We’re finding that many customers who recognise our brand are only just discovering the significant impact our solutions have on reducing blade-related injuries. Over the coming years, our mission is clear: to connect with health and safety professionals across the UK and Ireland and share the message that Martor truly is the safer way to cut. 

What do you think the medium-term future holds for the safety industry globally?

The medium-term future of the global safety industry is shaping up to be pretty exciting. We’re seeing a big shift toward innovation, with technologies like automation and AI helping to eliminate hazards right at the source. Sustainability is also becoming a huge focus—businesses aren’t just looking for safer solutions; they want them to be eco-friendly too.

What health and safety issues are you most passionate about?

I’m really passionate about tackling preventable injuries, especially those caused by using the wrong tools or not having proper training in place. It’s frustrating to see injuries happen when the right solutions could make all the difference. For me, it’s about going beyond quick fixes like continually increasing levels of PPE and instead focusing on eliminating risks at the source. 

How can we entice more young talent to work in the health and safety sector?

With more universities and education providers enhancing their health and safety courses, and businesses offering top-notch training and apprenticeships, it’s never been easier to start a career in this field. The real opportunity lies in showcasing the positive impact health and safety professionals have—not just on businesses and their workforces, but on everyday lives. A career in health and safety is incredibly rewarding because it’s about making a real difference—ensuring millions of workers go home safe every day. And honestly, apart from playing number 10 for Leeds United, what could be more satisfying than that?

Thomas Turner is director UK & Ireland at Martor. For more information, visit https://uk.martor.com/