RoSPA Press Office : Press Release

June 7 , 2006
SCOTLAND’S FIRST SAFETY AWARENESS EXCHANGE

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents is to stage its first Safety Awareness Exchange in Scotland this month. It will look at ways to improve safety at work while also benefiting people in all areas of their lives.

The event at the Edinburgh Capital Hotel on June 20 will allow safety professionals to gather information in a more flexible way and will also consider the broader application of workplace safety.

The exchange covers a wide range of topics, but delegates only need to concentrate on the issues that concern them by choosing their own programme and dipping in and out of discussion tables, early-bird briefings and presentations as they wish.

Roger Bibbings, RoSPA Occupational Safety Adviser, said: “Many organisations have a tendency to think about workplace safety in isolation without considering other areas of safety such as road, home and leisure.

“Until recently, workplace safety was still seen by many firms as quite separate from road safety, even when driving is part of the job. Safety at home and leisure is regarded by many employers to be completely separate from safety at work. But people should be able to transfer the ‘sensible safety’ approach they learn at work to all areas of their lives.

“If, for instance, someone has an accident at home, they may well have to have time off work, which is bad for both the employee and the employer. Skills learned at work can also keep people safe at home and at leisure.”

Health and safety, car fleet, home and road safety experts will facilitate the exchange of ideas and experiences at the event, which is in association with SASA – Stay Awake Stay Alive.

Roger Bibbings will be talking about developing a 24/7 corporate ‘sensible safety’ vision. RoSPA experts based in Scotland will look at issues such as raising health and safety standards in Scotland, moving and handling, risk assessment and accident investigation and the new legislation on seatbelts and child car seats.

Among other speakers will be: Melvyn Hodgetts of Royal Mail looking at driver fatigue, with a spotlight on obstructive sleep apnoea; Patrick McGuire, member of the Scottish Executive’s expert panel, on corporate manslaughter; Roseanne Nixon of the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives on absence and rehabilitation management; and Chiara Amati, occupational psychologist from the Keil Centre, Edinburgh, on best practice in behavioural safety.

For details call 0121 248 2120, or visit http://www.rospa.com/safetyexchange/ .