Leadership on safety and health

How strong leadership on safety and health can benefit both businesses and their employees was a key theme at the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health’s (IOSH) annual conference.

Over 800 senior safety and health practitioners and forward thinking business leaders from 43 countries attended IOSH 2015, making it the institution’s biggest conference staged in London to date.

Delegates were able to take part in more than 30 conference sessions and listen to over 60 expert speakers, with insight into best practice and case studies provided by experts from household names including Thames Water, Heineken International, BAE Systems, American Express and BP.

The conference explored the theme of leadership in action - shaping the future of occupational safety and health, and aimed to directly tackle how to recognise, demonstrate and develop leadership.

IOSH president elect, Dr Karen McDonnell said the conference had given delegates the opportunity to explore the many different facets of what it takes to demonstrate leadership in action. "People at board level are beginning to see the real value of creating healthier, safer, more sustainable workplaces," she said. "Partnership working is so vitally important, and part of leadership in action is forging those partnerships that work for all parties involved. Listening and learning is such an important part of partnership working. It is how we find that common ground on which we can deliver what business needs, communities need, and what we require as occupational safety and health professionals to ensure a project reaches completion safely.”

A total of 58% of attendees were heads of department or managers with the conference attracting a diverse cross industry audience. Around 10% of all delegates worked in manufacturing or industrial sectors, with 9% in building, construction or architecture and 6% working in central or local government.

In his keynote speech to delegates, leadership expert and corporate adviser Dr John Izzo stressed the role that safety and health practitioners can play in ensuring workers at all levels are 100% responsible for their actions at work.

He said: "We want every person when they see something to ask ‘what can I do about it’, rather than ‘I wonder what someone else can do about it’. If you want people to step up and take 100% responsibility of safety you have to help people connect with why safety matters.”

IOSH 2015 also heralded the official launch of the Institution’s innovative new training course, Leading safely, which offers time limited people guidance to lead on safety and health in their organisations.

Tracey Wright, commercial development manager at IOSH, showcased Leading safely to delegates, saying: "Good safety and health gives bosses a sustainable business advantage. Those who look beyond compliance and legislation and put safety at the heart of their operation for their workers are seeing huge benefits – not just in their results but also for their reputation.”

The conference also gave delegates the opportunity to hear case studies, presentations and panel discussions around four themed topics - leadership in action, beyond compliance, managing global risk and occupational health.