Keep up to date with the experts

The British Safety Council has pulled out all the stops to ensure that the issues being addressed as part of the seminar programme at Health & Safety '11 South are topical,informative and expertly delivered,explains Neal Stone

This is the third year that the BSC has undertaken the role of education partner to Western Business Exhibitions for the Sandown Park event and we are expecting attendances to surpass the impressive turnouts in 2009 and 2010. 2011 marks a new addition to the Health & Safety Exhibition calendar. In addition to Sandown Park, Bolton and Edinburgh a new venue has been added for 2011 - Dublin - with the first Exhibition scheduled for 16th & 17th November.

Being the education partner to Western Business Exhibitions for the four major events in 2011 is invaluable. Not only does the British Safety Council have the opportunity to exhibit its wide range of advisory, audit and training services but also to help publicise our considerable charitable work.

We are first and foremost a charity, legally and ethically, with a rock solid commitment to helping ensure that workplaces both in the UK and internationally are safe, healthy and sustainable.

Over the last three years we have devoted considerable charitable resources to assist young people between the ages of 14-19 in full time education gain an entry level qualification in health and safety awareness. The British Safety Council is certain that by helping young people understand and appreciate the risks they will face when they enter the world of work we will help reduce the incidence of workplace injuries and the occurrence of work-related health problems. Keep an eye open at Sandown Park for our 'Speak Up, Stay Safe' campaign which has the aim of given young workers the confidence to speak up when confronted with unsafe working practices.

Talking to those who attend the exhibitions it is clear that the educational and specialist seminars are seen by those involved in managing risks to health and safety as vital to their continuing professional development. With budgets under considerable pressure, including those for training and development, the seminar programmes, which are provided free of charge, are seen as an excellent way to be updated on strategic and legal developments concerning health and safety and hear from the experts on particular risk topics. You will find the investment of your time well worth it.

A rapidly changing landscape It is fair to say that health and safety has seen considerable turbulence over the last twelve months. It was apparent even as early as the Sandown Park Health & Safety Exhibition last February that the Conservative Party, if elected, had plans for major reform of our health and safety framework. This was born out by Lord Young's tub-thumping speech to the IOSH conference in Glasgow in March last year when he set out the barebones of what was to become the programme for health and safety reform endorsed by the coalition government in October.

Although there are considerable differences of opinion among health and safety practitioners and observers concerning the likely impact of the proposed reforms, including the proposed changes to the RIDDOR reporting requirements and an easing of risk assessment requirements for small business, it is clear that the health and safety landscape is changing rapidly.

It is likely that HSE and Local authorities, the regulators for health and safety, will have to change considerably in order to cope with the significant budgetary reductions they are facing. Not only will they have to manage with less resources - and this will inevitably mean cuts in their advisory and information role - but the introduction of charging for certain activities that form part of the enforcement function are being actively explored.

We have rung the changes for the Sandown Park education seminars - with a number of new speakers and new topics.

Whilst there will be extensive coverage of key developments concerning health and safety law and the Government's proposed reforms there will also be a strong focus on safety culture and promoting safe behaviours using a theatre group.

Particular risk topics as noise, fire safety and preventing musculo-skeletal disorders will also receive extensive coverage.

Come and take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to hear from the experts, engage with them and other attendees and share your knowledge and experiences in the question and answer sessions. We look forward to seeing you at Sandown Park.

Neal Stone is head of Policy and Public Affairs at The British Safety Council