Sponsored by:

2026 International Safety Awards UK Celebration
This year, the 2026 International Safety Awards brings together an inspiring daytime conference, creating a full-day celebration of excellence in health, safety and wellbeing.
The daytime conference, themed “Designing Safer Workspaces”, will explore practical and strategic approaches to improving health, safety, and wellbeing performance. Key topics include culture change, health and safety leadership, best practices and award-winning approaches to safety management, offering valuable insights for organisations committed to protecting people and driving positive change.
We are pleased to confirm that both our conference keynote speakers and evening host will be announced soon. Attendees can look forward to respected and inspiring figures who will help make the day and evening memorable and impactful.
Ticket options
This is for Daytime Conference tickets only. To purchase tickets for the Daytime Conference, please click 'Buy Now'.
*If you would like to attend both the Daytime Conference and Gala Dinner, click here.
Event Information:
Visa Invitation Letters
Upon request, British Safety Council will provide an invitation letter to assist with visa applications. However, we cannot advise on or guarantee visa issuance. Please apply as early as possible; we cannot refund tickets if a visa isn’t obtained.
Tickets
No physical tickets are issued. Confirmation emails will be sent to the contact provided on the booking form.
What is the dress code for the evening?
- Black tie
- Evening dress
- National dress
- Honours may be worn.
Dietary Requiements
Please indicate any dietary needs on the booking form. The venue is prepared to accommodate a variety of requirements, and we will contact you if additional details are needed.
UK Daytime Conference Agenda
- 10:00 AM - 10:10 AM | Opening speech | Mike Robinson
- 10:10 AM - 10:20 AM | Sponsor slot
- 10:20 AM - 10:55 AM | Culture Change | Audrey Flemming
- 10:55 AM - 11:10 AM | Break
- 11:10 AM - 11:45 AM | Digitalisation & Artificial Intelligence in OSH | Karl Simons
- 11:45 AM - 12:20 PM | Session Title - to be confirmed | Matt Hall
- 12:20 PM - 13:05 PM | Lunch
- 13:05 PM - 13:50 PM | Panel Discussion - Leadership/best practice | Moderator: Ian Cooke | Duncan Davies, Paul Mahoney, Dylan Skelhorn
- 13:50 PM - 2:25 PM When Tolerance Replaces Prevention | Julie Riggs
- 14:25 PM - 15:10 PM | Panel Discussion: Awards best practice
- 15:10 PM - 15:20 PM | Closing and remark | Peter McGettrick
Meet our speakers
Michael Robinson - Chief Executive
Mike has been the Chief Executive of British Safety Council since September 2015 and was the driving force behind the establishment of the mental health charity, Mates in Mind. Mike is passionate about safety leadership, the need to take a holistic approach in managing health, safety and wellbeing, and the importance of safety culture. Mike has spoken at conferences around the world on these topics, and also with the Boards of many organisations in the UK, Middle East and in India.
Mike’s first involvement in safety related organisations was in 2006 when he became the Chief Executive of the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, a Trading Fund within the Ministry of Defence. Over five years he grew the business substantially allowing it to better meet its aim of supporting safe, secure and thriving oceans. After this he co-founded Global Navigation Solutions, the worlds’ leading provider of navigation products and services, supporting the safety of commercial shipping.
Before moving into the maritime services sector, Mike had a successful 15-year career in Financial Services, building HBOS's European Financial Services business and sitting on the Boards’ of HBOS Europe & North America and the Clerical Medical Investment Group.
Mike is a qualified Chartered Accountant and spent a number of years at the start of his career in Audit and Consultancy.

Dr Julie Riggs - Education and Membership Director
Dr Julie Riggs joined British Safety Council in 2020 as Senior Head of Education, promoted to the Director of Education in 2024. Julie has worked for over 30 years as an OSH practitioner and trainer, operating as a leader in strategic, corporate and global roles with broad cross-industry experience. Julie has an MSc and Doctorate in her field and a Chartered Fellowship with IOSH, she is an established writer, published author and active blogger; her work has featured in the national press and on media programmes such as BBC Radio 4. She has acted as a viva examiner for doctorate candidates and mentors degree students. Julie has also contributed to commercial and Government research projects and advisory standards, including presenting research in the House of Common. She has also volunteered for numerous global charities protecting vulnerable workers.
At British Safety Council Julie works with individual and organisations to build knowledge in safety, sustainability and wellbeing, using targeted education to drive long-term behavioural change, support sustainable development goals, and contribute to building safer, healthier and more resilient societies, with the intent to creating meaningful change to make a difference.

Ian Cooke - Audit, Consultancy and Culture Change Director
A strategic and results-driven leader, Ian brings a strong track record in health, safety, and wellbeing compliance across training, consultancy, and auditing services. Known for blending commercial acumen with deep technical expertise, Ian delivers measurable business outcomes while championing a proactive and people-focused approach to compliance.
An engaging and confident public speaker, skilled at inspiring teams and influencing stakeholders at every level of an organisation.
With extensive knowledge of legislation and industry standards, Ian specialises in developing high-impact compliance solutions that strengthen organisational resilience. Ian is also highly customer-focused, experienced in designing tailored programmes and services that meet client needs and generate tangible value.

Dr. Audrey Fleming - Wellbeing Health & Safety Auditor
Dr. Audrey Fleming is a Chartered Psychologist and Well-being, Health and Safety practitioner with over 25 years of expertise from elite sport, academia, public and private sectors. These roles have included health and well-being assessment and promotion for NHS and local governments, mental skills support with sports and work teams, through to global corporation coaching and supporting strategies to improve psychosocial safety climate and reduce workplace stress.
Audrey has specialised experience in transport, construction, critical industrial services, manufacturing, mechanical engineering and petrochemical industries in the UK, and around the world.

Dylan Skelhorn | Motivational Safety Speaker
Dylan Skelhorn worked as a Solid Fuel Heating Engineer for a small company who specialised in Chimney work and Roofing where most of his work was at height. In June 2011, he was deployed to service a chimney and while standing on the chimney stack, it collapsed from underneath him. He fell headfirst down a pitched roof, knocking over an unsecured extension ladder and fell a total of 33 feet, landing on a brick wall and sustaining severe, multiple, life-changing injuries.
His pelvis was broken on both sides, he broke two ribs and punctured his right lung, which have left him in severe lifelong pain. He now takes a cocktail of drugs every day to control his pain and hasn’t been able to return to physical work since.
Dylan has been working as a Motivational Safety Speaker since 2014, sharing his story to try and prevent others having life-changing accidents, which he is very determined and passionate about. He is involved in projects to prevent Working At Height injuries and deaths but his story is relevant in any sector because it is about a life-changing accident and not just about a fall from height. His story is a harsh reminder to those in all industries and at every level that, unfortunately, these incidents are still happening today.

Karl Simons OBE | Chief Futurist and Co-Founder of FYLD AI
Karl Simons OBE is Chief Futurist and Co-Founder of FYLD AI,
an artificial intelligence solution transforming field services management, impacting health, safety, quality and productivity across complex, high-risk industries. He has served as a long-term advisor to British Prime Minister’s Cabinet Office, the Department for Science,
Innovation & Technology, and the Department for Work & Pensions,
providing strategic guidance on workplace mental health, occupational safety, and the responsible adoption of AI.
With over 38 years of domestic and international experience, Karl has
worked across defence, oil and gas, construction, rail, highways and utilities. His career spans senior engineering, digital transformation and safety leadership roles, supporting governments and global corporations in delivering large-scale physical and digital infrastructure programmes.

Paul Mahoney DipNCRQ CertIOSH MIIRSM | Safety Advisor Lead for the Midlands at Tri-Wall
Paul got into safety by accident (literally). He is the first person to suffer an amputation above the elbow and have the arm (left) reattached. The incident he was involved in was part of the BBC 999 program in 2002. When Paul returned to where he worked in the paper industry, he was taught how to write safe operating procedures and deliver them to the people he worked. You could say Paul was the 'carrot and stick' for work colleagues to follow them.
In 2012, Paul met Dan Terry, who asked if he would tell his story about the incident, injury and impact on family, friends and the workplace. This has taken him around the globe, about how every person, team, company and industry are on the journey of complacency and getting them to have honest and open conversations about the issues they face, with the ultimate goal of changing directions to a safer workplace. Paul has written two books, one about his incident and the other on how to improve safety culture using LEGO Serious Play methodology.
Since 2021, Paul has been a health and safety advisor for various companies in different industries. Presently, he is the SHEQ Lead for the Midlands at Tri-Wall, a multi-option packaging company.

Duncan Davies | Co-Founder and CEO of Notify Technology
Duncan is Co-Founder and CEO of Notify Technology, a health and safety software provider focused on helping organisations reduce risk, streamline compliance, and improve safety outcomes.
With a background in Finance and the Tech Sector, Duncan’s work has focused on using software to automate and improve business processes that deliver meaningful improvements. He is a strong advocate for the role technology can play in tackling productivity challenges and employee experience across several industries - from workplace safety & compliance to communication, connectivity, and wider digital transformation.
At Notify Technology, Duncan works with organisations to help them understand the power of data-led insights and the need to move from reactive to proactive safety.
Duncan qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PwC Newcastle, after gaining a degree in English & Psychology from Newcastle University. He spent 4 years at Sage, the Accounting Software business followed by 8 years as Finance Director with National IT Services business, TSG where he completed over 30 acquisitions. As well as Notify, Duncan is a Non-Executive Director at Zen Internet, and was previously a Trustee at The Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art.

Matt Hall | Associate Director of Health, Safety and Working Environment at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
Matt is a leader in health, safety, and wellbeing, with extensive experience across healthcare, higher education, and research sectors. He has worked on safety improvements in many areas including violence and aggression, sharps, CoSHH, biosafety and more. His innovative programmes have delivered long-term change in safety culture, and he was awarded the SHP Trailblazer in Health and Safety Award for his work on staff safety during COVID-19.
He a chartered member of IOSH (Institution of Occupational Safety and Health) and is the chair of the IOSH Health and Social Care Community and co-chair of the NHS Staff Council Health, Safety and Wellbeing Group.

Hear what our past guests had to say:
"“The British Safety Council's Gala Dinner is an excellent opportunity to celebrate our organisation's success in health and safety. It is a brilliant night and is a great way of rewarding the team for a year’s worth of hard work.”"
"As a practitioner I would recommend the Awards and Gala presentation to all organisations that are seeking some well-deserved recognition of their efforts in managing this essential business requirement that is the health, safety and welfare of its people."
Enquiries
Should you have any queries, please contact our customer service team on +44 (0)20 3510 8355 or email [email protected].