The REHIS annual health and safety update, hosted by Lisa McCann, was held on Tuesday 17 September in Edinburgh, offering an ideal opportunity for professionals to increase their knowledge on current topical health and safety at work matters and was a very well received event.
Health and Safety Executive representatives Alex Tsavalos and Frances Kelly started the day providing an update on Local Authority regulatory priorities for the year ahead and the Go Home Healthy initiative from a UK wide perspective. Roderick Duncan from the Scottish Government provided an update on the Health and Work Review. There is a clear focus on tackling mental health challenges, including work related stress both in Scotland and UK wide.
There are numerous organisations that offer support to business in relation to health and safety and at the event Robert Atkinson and Andy Cathro shared information on the LOcHER projects to show how they are developing a health and safety culture with young people, which can be maintained through their working lives. Ian Tasker of Scottish Hazards talked through the support they offer to business to support health and safety improvements.
John Ruddock of ADIPS offered opportunity for questions before the event so these could be built into his presentation and shared beneficial information on the safe operation and use of inflatables.
Brain Auld, former Director of Professional Development with the Institute, now with the Church of Scotland gave a fascinating overview of the challenges working in an organisation with a significant number of older buildings and a non-standard structure of management in the operation of these buildings.
Overall the event provided excellent presentations of health and safety at work challenges and information to assist delegates in their day to day work. The presentations from speakers are available on the members only section of the REHIS website.
