NEWS ROUND-UP
Lone Worker Safety Live 2020 goes virtual
"Has home working become the new lone working?" is one question delegates at 2020 Lone Worker Safety Live may have uppermost in their minds as the event goes virtual for the first time on 13th October as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The ‘live’ physical event was due to take place at Lords Cricket Ground on the same day, but current risks and restrictions gave conference organisers Worthwhile Training no option but to take the conference online.
Managing director of Stratford-upon-Avon based Worthwhile Training Nicole Vazquez, said: “We were going to move the event to later in the year or early 2021, but made the decision to stick with the date and host a virtual conference over a few hours so that we could bring some of the key content to delegates, albeit not face-to-face.
“We are also working hard towards having the full event back up and running at Lords Cricket Ground on 12th October 2021.”
Nicole, who works with organisations to manage the safety, security and wellbeing risks surrounding remote and lone working, is opening the virtual event at 13:40 with an aptly-named presentation: "Has COVID Changed Lone Working?", during which she will explore the changing face of activities being undertaken and the risk they present.
She will be followed at 14:00 by Barbara Hockey, head of the vulnerable workers team at the Health and Safety Executive who is talking about the HSE’s approach to managing the risks of lone working and exclusively previewing a new HSE video on the subject.
This will be followed at 14:20 by Jayne Crowe, investigations and security manager for the Co-op who will explore the Group’s change in focus around lone working.
Two other 20 minute presentations will look at the future of lone working and its impact on mental wellbeing before a panel discussion around how technology can be introduced to minimise the associated risks.
Nicole added: “This half-day session is free to join and will explore some of the ways of engaging with the lone working community, especially at a time when the majority rather than the minority of us have been working from home.
“The event offers a flavour of topics, and while it can’t replicate the networking of the physical event, it is the closest we can get to it until 12th October next year.”
To register for the Lone Worker Safety Live free virtual conference, click here.
