The Access Industry Forum, the forum for the principal trade associations and federations involved in working at height, has released details of its second national conference on height safety which will take place on Thursday, 14 November 2019, at the AJ Bell Stadium, Salford.
Supported by the Association for Project Safety (APS), Hire Association Europe (HAE) and the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM), Working at height: Access for life will focus on the latest trends and developments in a sector which experienced 40 fatalities in 2018/19 according to the latest figures released by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
From designing for access and the role of virtual reality to mental health awareness and managing risk, the conference will address a wide range of issues, including the response to the report of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Working at Height published earlier this year.
According to Chris Kendall, chair of the AIF conference committee, the event will bring together an exceptional line-up of expert speakers who will talk about the topics set to shape the future of working at height and height safety in particular. “This is the only conference dedicated exclusively to access and safety and, as such, will make a unique contribution to best practice and keeping people safe.
With an introduction from Peter Bennett OBE, chair of the AIF, speakers include: Sarah Jardine, Head of Construction Division, HSE; Gordon Maddan, Assistant Director, Office for Product Safety and Standards; Steffan Groch, Chair, Health and Safety Lawyers’ Association; Dr Karen McDonnell, Policy Advisor, RoSPA and Chris Debrick, Project Manager, Transport for London.
The conference will feature a panel discussion with Jason Anker MBE, Paul Blanchard and Dylan Skelhorn, ambassadors for the No Falls Foundation charity. They will discuss their personal experiences following falls from height and the impact on their respective families, friends and colleagues.
AIF members ATLAS, BSIF, EPF, FASET, IPAF, IRATA, Ladder Association, NASC, PASMA, SAEMA and WAHSA will be represented in the associated working at height exhibition, together with other organisations working in the sector.
The Working at Height: Access for life conference website is now live. For more information, or to book, go to www.accessindustryforum.org.uk/conference Early bird discounts are available.