British Safety Council has announced details of its Annual Conference 2026, which this year will examine risks that are often overlooked or underestimated but can have profound consequences for workers' health and wellbeing.
Building on British Safety Council's recently launched Hidden Hazards campaign, the event will focus on practical solutions, policy discussions and real-world examples designed to help organisations identify, manage and prevent long-term occupational health risks.
Called 'Hidden Hazards – From Awareness to Action', the conference will be a free virtual event and take place over two half days on 20 and 21 October. It will bring together health, safety and wellbeing professionals, industry leaders and subject matter experts to explore some of the most significant hidden hazards affecting today's workplaces.
Commenting ahead of the event, Paul Fakley, Marketing and Engagement Director at British Safety Council, who will be chairing the conference, said:
"British Safety Council believes that no one should be injured or made ill through their work. Many of the most serious workplace health risks are not immediately visible, yet they have the potential to cause life-changing harm. Through our Annual Conference this year we aim to bring these hidden hazards into sharper focus and equip organisations with the knowledge, tools and practical solutions needed to protect their people.
"By bringing together leading experts, employers and practitioners at our Annual Conference, we hope to inspire action that creates safer, healthier and more sustainable workplaces for everyone."
The programme includes panel discussions, presentations, case studies and expert sessions on critical workplace issues such as concerns around exposure to respirable crystalline silica and the rise of silicosis linked to engineered stone, the realities of indoor and outdoor air quality, the long-term impacts of asbestos exposure, and the increasing importance of addressing workplace stressors, violence and aggression towards employees.
Day one will seek to explore the hidden hazards and raise awareness about them. Day two will focus on policy, leadership and organisational responses required to tackle them effectively. Delegates will hear from experts about the role of technology, leadership and data in driving meaningful change, and learn from organisations that have successfully implemented initiatives to protect worker health and wellbeing.
The conference will feature a keynote address by Prof. Neil Greenberg, President of the Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM), as well as expert contributions from Sarah Sleet, CEO of Asthma and Lung UK, Kevin Bampton, Chief Executive Officer of British Occupational Hygiene Society, Graham Petersen from the Trade Union Clean Air Network (TUCAN), Livi Elsmore, Senior Campaign Manager at the Healthy Air Coalition, Charles Pickles, Founder of Airtight on Asbestos Campaign, John Pares, Chair of the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM), Emily Agyeman, National Federation of Builders and Aurélie Faugier from the Global Cooksafe Coalition, among others.
The event will also include lived experience of living with the consequences of exposure to some hidden hazards, as well as best practice examples of initiatives to tackle and prevent them.
To view the full agenda and register for a free place, visit: britsafe.org/awards-and-events/conferences/annual-conference-2026