It's show time

The Health & Safety Midlands event takes place on the 12th and 13th of September at The National Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham. As well as providing visitors with insights on industry trends and the latest legislation the Midlands event will feature a special zone dedicated to cleaning and hygiene

Neal Stone, director of policy and communications for the British Safety Council will chair the conference programme on 12th September while Joscelyne Shaw, Head of Policy and Influencing, takes the chair on the 13th.

The conference programme, put together by the British Safety Council, will be covering the latest news and legislative updates.

Opening the conference will be Rosi Edwards, Regional Director, Wales, Midlands and South West, HSE, whose presentation is entitled 'What HSE is and isn't looking for from duty holders'. Commenting on her presentation Rosi said, "I am looking to explain what the HSE is, and as importantly isn't, looking for in its interaction with people.

Businesses need to concentrate on what is important for them to be successful as a business and hopefully this seminar will help them focus on what matters from a health and safety standpoint." Her presentation will refer to the guidance issued by the 'Institute of Directors' in relation to the HSE and although the seminar is not just for Directors (it will also benefit managers who want to communicate with directors) it does however cover why Directors need to know what is happening in their business and how to gain this knowledge through honest and open communication with staff.

In addition to the British Safety Council conference stream there are other, more practical, seminars taking place across the two-day event. For example visitors will be able to see NQA, with its presentation entitled 'Using Auditor Training to Achieve Certification to OHSAS 18001'. Delivered by Andrew Burns Warren, health & safety auditor and Jonathan Wilson, health & safety sector manager, NQA, the presentation will cover the process that an auditor goes through to become firstly an internal auditor and then a lead auditor. It will also briefly cover the background of OHSAS 18001 and look at why companies implement a health and safety management system, looking at some potential pitfalls and different structures.

As well as the general educational content of the event, there will also be content aimed specifically at those with responsibility for cleaning. The new 'Cleaning and Hygiene Zone', will provide the latest information for health and safety professionals who are also responsible for specifying and purchasing cleaning products and services. Health and Safety Midlands has partnered with ISSA for the 'Cleaning and Hygiene Zone', and the ISSA will lead the zone's educational programme, which will feature the presentation entitled 'Cleaning for Health: The Critical Role That Good Cleaning and Hygiene Practice Plays in Health & Safety Matters', delivered by Keith Baker, Director of EMEA Services, ISSA and Andrew Dunning, ISSA Europe vice chairman & board representative, UK.

Alongside event partners 3M, Ansell, Arco, NQA and DuPont, Health and Safety Midlands is supported by the British Safety Council and Safety Groups UK and officially endorsed by the International Institute of Risk & Safety Management (IIRSM). Health and Safety Midlands is free to enter and has free parking but it is highly recommend that visitors register in advance to facilitate speed of entry and for guaranteed seminar places as these are extremely popular.

To register online or access the full conference programme timetable visit: www.healthandsafetyevents.co.uk