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Finding a way to press on with accident and ill health prevention during difficult economic times is the theme of this year’s foremost Scottish safety event.

Everyday accident and ill-health issues facing firms will be thoroughly investigated at the RoSPA Scotland Safety and Health Forum, taking place at the Hilton Glasgow Hotel on September 21. The event is an evolution of the popular RoSPA Scotland Occupational Safety and Health at Work Congress and the title reflects a more dynamic learning experience.

Delegates at the forum will explore current and future health and safety issues in the wider context of budget cuts by getting involved with interactive workshops, discussion groups and panel interviews - learning from each other as well as experts.

Chaired by Tom Mullarkey, RoSPA's chief executive, the conference is expected to attract a range of top safety stakeholders, including company directors, senior managers, health and safety advisers and HR professionals.

The event will be opened with a panel of experts taking part in a discussion entitled "A day in the life of health and safety: overcoming your operational challenges", which will provide solutions to real issues raised by delegates.

On the panel will be Tim Clarke, divisional managing director (Scotland) Balfour Beatty Construction Scottish and Southern - this year's winner of RoSPA's highest accolade, the Sir George Earle Trophy, Roger Bibbings, RoSPA's occupational safety adviser and Fraser Allan, head of HSEQ, CBES.

A variety of workshops covering safety leadership, communication, and health and wellbeing will take place, with plenty of top tips and practical advice given by prominent Scottish health and safety professionals.

Two case studies will enable delegates to take away practical advice from the real world of business, focusing on finding opportunities amid budget cuts and a genuine accident autopsy, looking at how it happened, and what it really cost.

Karen McDonnell, head of RoSPA Scotland, said: "This type of event is a valuable opportunity to learn from other firms’ successes - as well as to find out how they coped when things went wrong. Preventing avoidable losses caused by accidents is vital when budgets are being squeezed and so the theme of this forum is highly relevant to the challenges faced by employers the length and breadth of Scotland.

“In 2009-10, there were 23 worker fatalities in Scotland, 2,548 reported major injuries to employees and 7,992 over-three-day injuries to employees. These figures show that our work is not yet done.

"This year's forum is focused on how to get the most from health and safety management systems in terms of communicating the business case for health and safety and maximising any and all opportunities for excellence."

To book a place and see the programme visit Scotland Safety and Health Forum  or call the events hotline on 0121 248 2120. Reservations made before August 10 will benefit from a 20 per cent discount.