The Health & Safety Event 2026

Effective environmental management reduces exposure to pollutants, hazardous materials, and unsafe conditions, creating cleaner, safer, and more sustainable workplaces. By controlling waste, emissions, and resource use, organisations not only protect ecosystems but also prevent health hazards such as respiratory problems, chemical exposure, and accidents. 

Learn how environmental stewardship strengthens occupational health and safety systems, fostering a culture of responsibility and long-term well-being.  This event will include two inspiring case studies on the synergies between health and safety and good environmental practice. Environmental permitting plays a key role in regulating how businesses and industries interact with the environment, protect workers, the public, and the natural environment, and the event will include updates from Defra on latest environmental permitting changes.

In this talk, Richard Broad, Technical Director at RPS TetraTech, will address the technical and operational imperative of futureproofing Health and Safety Management Systems across multi-site, multi-discipline estates by drawing on combined service experience in Fire Safety, Health and Safety, Legionella Control and Asbestos Management. The session will set out pragmatic, systems-led strategies to ensure resilience, regulatory alignment and continuous improvement in an evolving risk and compliance landscape.

What real incidents teach us about the human cost of safety failures.

As the construction sector adapts to new regulatory frameworks like the Building Safety Act, the expectations of safety professionals are changing fast. This session explores how the role of the safety advisor is evolving, and what competence really means in today’s construction landscape. Drawing on lessons from major UK projects, we’ll look at how CDM and Building Safety Act duties intersect, the new pressures on dutyholders, and the practical skills safety leaders need to stay ahead.

Fast-paced, high-stakes industries like Formula One demand sharp safety management. This session explores how two global teams balance innovation, speed, and risk management, and what lessons “everyday industries” can take from environments where mistakes can cost millions or lives in seconds.

Exploring the new frontier where human intuition meets machine precision in safety-critical environments 
 Every year in the UK, dozens of workers don’t return home from warehouses and construction sites that had policies, training, painted lines, and all the necessary documentation. A painted line. A training certificate. A risk assessment. We check the boxes; we follow the rules. And still, someone gets hurt. 
As AI-driven safety systems become more sophisticated – from forklift pedestrian detection and driver monitoring to predictive maintenance and impact analytics – the question isn’t whether machines can help us stay safe but how far we should let them take the lead.  
AI can now identify a pedestrian faster than any operator can react. It can detect fatigue that a driver doesn’t even realise they’re experiencing. It can predict which piece of equipment is likely to fail next week. The technology exists.  
However, it becomes uncomfortable: when the algorithm and the experienced operator disagree about what’s safe, who should have the final say?  
Key Takeaways: 
•       The hidden reasons why preventable accidents still happen - even in “safe” sites. 
•       How AI is already preventing incidents in warehouses, factories, and yards. 
•       When to rely on human judgment, and when to let AI take the lead. 
•       Five practical actions to start using AI responsibly in your safety strategy. 
•       Why the future of safety isn’t man or machine - it’s both, working smarter together.