RoSPA Press Office : Press Release

November 22, 2007
ADDITIONAL DATE AND VENUE FOR SELL-OUT RoSPA CONFERENCE

RoSPA has added a new date and venue for a popular conference in response to growing demand from organisations wanting information about the health and safety role of directors and senior managers.

The leading safety charity has an impressive line-up of expert speakers for its Directors’ Health and Safety Responsibilities Conference in Cheshire on Monday, January 28.

The conference was arranged after a similar event, taking place in London on Monday (November 26), sold out. RoSPA also held directors’ conferences in Birmingham and Glasgow earlier in the year.

The Cheshire event, to be held at the De Vere Daresbury Park in Warrington, will enable those in senior positions to explore the need for strong leadership in preventing accidents and ill-health among their employees and others.

Chaired by Tom Mullarkey, RoSPA’s Chief Executive, it will feature a keynote address by Giles Denham, Policy Programme Director at the Health and Safety Executive.

Patricia Peter, Head of Corporate Governance at the Institute of Directors will give an overview of recent guidance setting out directors’ health and safety responsibilities, and barrister Gerard Forlin will talk about the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act, which comes into effect in April.

There will also be presentations from those working in key health and safety roles at Marks and Spencer, ISG Interior Exterior Plc, and Reliance Security Services Ltd.

Roger Bibbings, RoSPA’s Occupational Safety Adviser, who will talk about the importance of reviewing director engagement with health and safety, said: “There is a growing focus on the health and safety responsibilities of directors and senior managers, shown, for example, through the recent publication of guidance by the Institute of Directors and Health and Safety Commission. It is important for those in senior positions to keep up-to-date with such developments, which also include the recent revision of the corporate manslaughter law.

“Previous RoSPA directors’ conferences have proved immensely popular, demonstrating that many organisations are giving serious consideration to the health and safety duties of senior members of staff. Such organisations have come to realise that accident and ill-health prevention is a key aspect of business strategy and performance, rather than a low-level technical and regulatory compliance issue.

“We hope this latest conference will enable even more people to benefit from the expertise of key players in the health and safety sphere, and will further spread the message that high health and safety standards not only save lives but can contribute to commercial success.”