WIREDGOV

With the health and safety leadership responsibilities of those at the top of organisations now widely recognised, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents is now helping firms understand the part that can be played by team leaders and supervisors.

Part of RoSPA’s “Meet the Experts” series, a half-day seminar on the practicalities and strategic importance of leading teams safely is scheduled for next month. The event takes place on October 11 at the National Metalforming Centre, West Bromwich.

Although the majority of organisations now understand that safety cultures need to start at the top, there is arguably still insufficient understanding of the critical role that needs to be played by line managers, including team leaders and supervisors, in achieving safe and healthy working in day-to-day operations.

The seminar’s keynote address will be given by Shaun Davis, group director of health and safety, the environment and external affairs at Biffa Group and will cover the key role of team leaders and supervisors in delivering corporate occupational health and safety expectations.

The other speakers will be Dr Chris Shinn, force medical officer at West Yorkshire Police, who will give a presentation on managing stress at work, Dr Penny Tamkin, associate director at the Institute for Employment Studies, who will present a case study on leadership at the Olympic construction project, and Dr Stacey Conchie, lecturer in the School of Psychology at the University of Liverpool, who will give a detailed examination of the factors that help and hinder successful leadership in the construction industry.

Delegates will have the opportunity to hear the experts speak then to participate in discussion sessions to find out the best way to promote active safety leadership to managers and team leaders and build safety leadership into the management culture.

Leading safety professionals will showcase their tried and tested methods and strategies for promoting active safety leadership, as well as presenting relevant case studies.

Roger Bibbings, RoSPA’s occupational safety adviser, said: “Effective management of health and safety must be a key business goal in every organisation. And it must be led from the top if it is to be a credible part of the firm’s culture.

“There are clear legal duties for those at the top of an organisation to lead and, in recent years, the focus has been on helping directors and senior managers understand and respond to these duties. But the development of a healthy and safe working culture also depends critically on the role played by line managers and the effective engagement of every employee.”

For more information about this event, supported by the Health and Safety Executive and the CPD Certification Service, visit www.rospa.com/events/leadingteamssafely/ or contact the events team by calling 0121 248 2089 or emailing events@rospa.com.