Managing aggression, violence and stalking in the workplace, preparing for major incidents, and promoting the mental health and wellbeing of those who work alone will be among the topics explored at a brand- new theatre dedicated to Lone Working debuting at The Health & Safety Event, at the NEC, Birmingham from the 10-12 April 2018.
The Lone Worker Theatre, which has been developed in association with and will be hosted by the organisers of the Lone Worker Safety Expo, will complement the Health & Safety Event 2018’s key theme of preparing for the future of risk. Addressing some of the most pertinent issues affecting the management of lone workers in today’s fast changing world of work, the programme will provide valuable information for anyone involved in lone working including managers, safety professionals and lone workers themselves.
Nicole Vazquez, the organiser of the Lone Worker Theatre education programme, commented, cWe want to ensure that we offer an educational programme that reflects the variety of risks associated with lone working and that many organisations have to manage. All our speakers bring a depth of knowledge of their subject that is second-to-none. We are excited to be able to bring focus to this important issue for the first time at The Health and Safety Event”.
Throughout the three days of the event there will be interactive sessions and panel debates, starting on the first day with experts from organisations such as the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, SoloProtect and Blackline Safety discussing how to integrate technology with existing practices to achieve practical and effective solutions. Organisations often struggle with assimilating technology into existing protocols and yet this is a vital step to help keep staff safe.
For those interested in lone working technology, Tuesday 10 April sees a session on Considerations when Using Bodyworn Video for Lone Working, presented by Craig Swallow, Managing Director of SoloProtect. He will review how Bodyworn Video may affect the future of lone worker safety and describe the benefits and the considerations from a data protection perspective. There will also be several key lone worker specialists exhibiting at the show including Skyguard, Alertcom, First2HelpYou, Blackline Safety, Lone Worker Solutions, Lone Alert and SoloProtect.
The afternoon of Tuesday 10th April will focus on the impact of stress on lone workers and their mental health and wellbeing when Terry Streather, Director of Oakwood Training, will be looking at proactive ways to help ensure the mental wellbeing of lone workers. The day will be rounded off with Alicia Mathers from First2HelpYou sharing ideas on how to create buy-in across your organisation when implementing vital lone worker safety measures.
Wednesday 11th April sees a full line up of insightful speakers. Honing in on the regulatory side of lone working, Nigel Heaton, Director, Human Applications, will be explaining the implications of the management regulations and sentencing guidelines when implementing lone worker risk controls and highlighting the importance of audits in Lone Working and Legalities – Staying Ahead of the Game.
The rest of the morning will be filled with practical advice and personal safety tips from Chris MacKenzie MBE and a session on the Business Efficiencies of lone working with Clive Wheawall from Lone Alert. The panel debate on the 11 April will be around the important topic of balancing the risk of lone working with the benefits. The discussion will be chaired by Nicole Vazquez and the morning’s speakers will be joined by Rachel Griffin, Chief Executive of Suzy Lamplugh Trust and Christine Morrison from CMA Training who will bring her experience with helping organisations manage the risks of terrorist events to the discussion.
Following on from this, with a rise in aggression and violence in many sectors, the session on Managing Violence and Aggression against Lone Workers, during the afternoon of Wednesday 11 April promises to be another insightful seminar which will urge organisations to take a step back and consider ways to protect their lone workers from this threat.
Sadly, terrorism has now become a part of life and planning for major incidents is an important part of risk management. In Contingency planning and practical advice for major incidents and terrorist attacks when travelling in the UK, Christine Morrison, from CMA Training, rounds up day two of the event by exploring practical advice and support for staff who travel abroad. She’ll present life skills to help staff keep themselves safe, ways to improve your security culture and practical communication strategies in the event of an incident.
Among the lineup of speakers on Wednesday 11th April the Chief Executive of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, Rachel Griffin, returns to examine the serious issue of stalking. Stalking in the workplace will look at the prevalence of stalking, consider why it is an issue for employers and provide tips on how to deal with and get support when stalking occurs.
She will be followed by Mike Steere from Skyguard who will be sharing practical advice on best practice for lone workers who visit clients in their homes. This will include preparation, dynamic risk assessments, warning signs and de-escalation techniques.
Looking to the future
Concluding the programme on Thursday 12 April is a panel discussion on the future of lone working: What does the future of Lone Working look like? The panel will discuss mental health, wellbeing concerns, working hours, working at home and other key issues and consider how we can prepare tomorrow’s workforce.
