Action on Site Health – North; Register Your Place Now!

Register here for the first ever ‘Action on Site Health’ event to be hosted in the North of England.

Similar to our hugely successful London event, which took place in April this year, delegates will be greeted with a well-balanced breakfast and an engaging agenda. We have an outstanding line up of speakers who all share a common objective; to significantly reduce the number of construction workers suffering from work-related ill-health. We are also delighted that the event is being supported by the following organisations;

This event will become known as ‘AOSH North’ and we look forward to expanding the event even further in future.

Focusing on "Site" Health

As with our previous AOSH event, we are calling for action on site health because, as we know, health hazards are not mutually exclusive. Our health can be threatened by a huge range of hazards on site, from uncontrolled dust and fume and the mishandling of heavy objects to debilitating work-induced stress.

The HSE’s latest statistics (2020/21) show why this focus is necessary. This report showed;

• 17,000 workers suffering with work-related hearing problems from 2017/18 to 2019/20.
• An estimated 13,000 deaths were linked to past exposure at work, primarily to chemicals or dust.
  
• 12,000 deaths were estimated to be caused by occupational lung diseases, primarily Mesothelioma, Asbestos-related lung cancer, non-asbestos related lung cancer and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
  
• 822,000 workers were suffering from work related stress, depression or anxiety (new or long-standing) in 2020/21.
  
• 470,000 workers were suffering from work related musculoskeletal disorders (new or longstanding) in 2020/21.
  

Without appropriate hazard control measures in place, construction sites continue to pose significant dangers to workers’ short and long term health.

What to Expect on the Day

Download your full copy of our agenda here.

8am - Arrive at Chester Racecourse and tuck into a tasty breakfast of pastries, bacon rolls, yoghurts, granola, tea, coffee & juices.

9am - Settle down at your table for a welcome presentation brought to you by RVT Group. We will then pass over to your host, Colin Nottage (Construction Dust Partnership, Interesting Health & Safety Podcast).

9.05am - Designing Out; Reducing Exposure Through Planning and Design - Dylan Roberts (Skanska) discusses design for health, offering real life case studies quantifying the reduction in exposure on site through the design and planning of work.

9.30am - Tackling MSDs Head On - George Mosey (Laing O’Rourke) speaks in depth about Musculoskeletal Disorders; how they are caused and how we can work smarter to avoid them.

9.55pm - Preventing Stress in Construction - Mark Ashby (HSE) discusses the importance of preventative measures to tackle the root causes of work-related stress as part of a mental health at work programme, HSE’s Working Minds Campaign and the support available to small construction businesses who to want to start looking at this important issue.

10.20am - Networking & Exhibition Break – Grab yourself a coffee and a snack as you network with representatives from the HSE, HCLG, CDP, BOHS and UKHCA. See a selection of RVT Group’s innovative hazard control solutions on display and learn how they could assist on your projects.

10.45am - Keynote Speech – Dr David Fishwick, Consultant Respiratory Physician and Chief Medical Officer of the HSE, demonstrates the devastating effects of respirable hazards on long term health through hard hitting case studies.

11.30am - Respirable Silica; The APPG Report - Kevin Bampton (BOHS) explains the newly revised report from the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) to which BOHS contributed heavily; "Silica – the Next Asbestos?"

11.50am - The 3Cs; Capture, Contain, Control - Kevin Dupont (RVT Group) outlines the highly effective 3Cs method and how this can be applied to hazards such as dust, fume and noise. He also explains the types of compliant solutions that can be used to protect people and the environment.

12.15pm - Case Study Discussion Panel - Colin Nottage is joined by Ian Strudley (Balfour Beatty), Mark Blundy (Bowmer and Kirkland), Fiona King (HS2) and Steve Hails (Tideway) to discuss site health initiatives and hazard control. Through case studies, the panel will give examples of health being prioritised on site, covering everything from respirable hazard control to mental health first aiding.

1pm to 2pm - Networking Lunch & Close – As the event draws to a close, we invite you to network with colleagues and enjoy some lunch before you leave. Pre-booked meetings will also be held during this time.

Where and When?

AOSH - North will taking place on Wednesday 9th November 2022 from 8am-2pm at Chester Racecourse.

Your closest train station will be Chester (6 minute taxi, 20 minute walk) and the venue offers secure, free parking on the day For more information on how to find the venue and local hotels, please download your full agenda above.

Don’t delay; there are only 200 spaces available, and these are already going fast. We look forward to seeing you there.

This is a free event, but you must make sure to register your place here.