- What do you do for your day job?
I am a Health & Safety Consultant running my own H&S Consultancy and Training Company and have done for 15 years. I provide Consultancy and Training to a variety of clients from Schools and Universities to NHS Trusts to Banks and Accountants as well as Manufacturing and Service companies
- What is a typical day’s work for you?
I spend a great deal of time at the moment running Training courses for many companies and in particular to their Directors, Senior Executives, Managers and Supervisors as well as workers. This involves a great deal of travel and preparation.
- How did you become a member of the London Safety Group committee?
I was approached by a friend Abi Piper who invited me to join. I could not find the time for a while but then I saw the light so to speak and became a full member. About a year later I was invited to apply to join and was elected to the Executive Committee
- What benefits do you feel that the Group bring for you?
Being part of a larger group of professionals is a great help when one works on one’s own. Regularly attending the meetings you build up relationships, friendship and contacts which are of help and whom you can help outside the meetings. It is also a great chance to network and discuss new and current themes / trends.
- What do you find the most interesting part of your role within the Group?
Being able to give something back to my profession and help others from my experience in Facilities Management and Health & Safety
- What presents the most challenges?
Keeping the minutes relevant brief and informative. There is a great deal covered in the meetings and it is important to ensure that the minutes capture the theme and spirit of the meeting whilst not being overlong and complicated.
- What’s your health and safety ‘soap-box’ subject?
The moral and ethical side of Health & Safety and instilling that in to Company Directors and Senior Management
- What is your one piece of advice for a practising safety professional?
Understand the true meaning of competence and admit when you don’t know, but make sure you have the network to know who to contact to find out the answer.
- One piece of advice for someone thinking of becoming a health and safety professional?
Have patience and perseverance but have all this backed up by a good mixture of learning and experience – continuous improvement cycle.
- Finally something personal about you not related at all to h&s or your day job e.g.:-Played Rugby for England / Dated Jude Law before he became famous. No porkeys please and if you have a photo all the better!
I used to play Darts in the City of London Banks Darts League (1974 to 1988) and at one point in the 1980’ies I was approached by a promoter who asked me to consider becoming a Professional Darts player. I declined (after due thought).