Sandown show looks a winner

Comprising an exhibition and free-to-attend seminars,Health and Safety South takes place at Sandown Park Racecourse on 28th and 29th February 2012. With event partners 3M, Ansell,Arco and Dupont, it is supported by the British Safety Council and Safety Groups UK and officially endorsed by the International Institute of Risk & Safety Management (IIRSM)

In these difficult times, most companies are looking for ways to reduce costs and improve the efficiency of their processes.

Ensuring your company has an effective health and safety policy can create a safer and healthier workplace for your employees and can save money in the process.

Seminars The seminar programme at Health and Safety South is always a central attraction for visitors and this year's content has been organised by the British Safety Council. A presentation from Sarah Page, research & specialist services at Prospect, called 'Business Benefits of Worker Participation', gives guidance on the positive impact that health and safety representatives make in organisations.

Also focusing on the benefits of health and safety to an organisation is a presentation from Jane Saunders, occupational health manager at SELEX Galileo called 'Business Benefits and Implementation of an Occupational Health Service'. Using the SELEX Galileo delivery model as an example, the presentation will demonstrate how to achieve organisation-wide buy-in from the top down, how to create and maintain employee engagement and interest, ultimately proving the business benefits of Occupational Health initiatives.

Announced as part of the Government's plans to reform Britain's health and safety system, by reducing the burden of legislation on UK businesses, the 2011 Löfstedt Review was also tasked with maintaining on-going progress in the sector.When announced in May, the review was described as the first step in reducing bureaucracy and bringing 'common-sense' back to Britain's health and safety legislation. To highlight some of the most important topics in this area, including how government health and safety policy and law reform is set to change following the publication of the Löfstedt Review, Dr Paul Almond, a senior lecturer in Law at the University of Reading will deliver a presentation on 'Current Directions in Government Policy'.

Dr Almond researches issues of criminal law, health and safety law, regulations and enforcement and criminological theory. His PhD looked at HSE enforcement policy in relation to work-related fatality cases.

Also confirmed to speak at the two-day event is Mark Tyler, a solicitor and chartered safety and health practitioner, whose experience includes, in addition to many highprofile HSE prosecutions, the BSE Inquiry, the Southall and Ladbroke Grove Rail Inquiries, the Organophosphate chemicals group litigation, MMR vaccination claims and Legionnaires Disease cases. His presentation 'The Legal Scene in 2012' will highlight how health and safety law and policy is set for its greatest changes in two decades.

The presentation will explain the implications of the law reform issues coming out of the Löfstedt Review and look at the future of enforcement and penalties. Tyler will also seek to explain the increasing liability risks that safety managers face if they fall short of professional standards.

Howard Dawes, environment portfolio manager at the British Safety Council, will present on 'Environment and Sustainability Management - Duties, Strategies and Developments'. This seminar will provide an overview of environmental and sustainability issues nationally and highlight the main requirements for duty holders. It will also address key developments and policies likely to affect organisations in the future.

Exhibition As well as the educational content of the event there is also a substantial exhibition where some of the biggest names in health and safety will be located. Equipment vendors, service providers and distributors all have experts available to answer direct queries regarding application. Core areas are well covered at the exhibition with PPE represented by such wellknown names as: 3M, Specsavers, Ansell, Bollé and DuPont. There is much concern currently about PPE equipment that is essentially a cheap copy of original equipment or equipment that comes with falsified CE certificates. The exhibitors at Health and Safety South 2012 represent best practice in the industry and can give advice on how to spot this counterfeit and illegal equipment as well as discussing individual specialist applications.

To register Health and Safety South is free to enter and has free parking. It is recommended that visitors register in advance for entry tickets and especially for seminar places as these are extremely popular. To register online visit www.healthand safetyevents.co.uk or call the event hotline (number below).