Healthier Highways - Changing the Culture of Health Protection
Covid-19 isn’t the only pandemic to affect the highways sector. For decades construction workers in the UK have experienced hazardous exposures resulting in thousands of deaths and new cases of ill-health each year. At the root of the issue is a lack of effective control, underpinned by poor awareness and understanding of health hazards at work. The M25, managed by Connect Plus, is one of the busiest motorways in Europe. In partnership with Steve Perkins Associates, Connect Plus has embarked on a ground breaking initiative called ‘Healthier Highways’ to raise awareness of health risks and improve control of exposures through occupational hygiene. Elaine Gazzini, Technical and Programme Director at Connect Plus and Steve Perkins, Managing Director at Steve Perkins Associates, will unpack the strategy and approach behind ‘Healthier Highways’ and introduce some of the early findings.
Our Speakers....
Steve Perkins MA CDir FIoD FInstP AFOH
Steve is an Executive Consultant and Coach working nationally and internationally in occupational health and safety. He is the Managing Director of Steve Perkins Associates Limited, an occupational hygiene and health consultancy specialising in strategic workplace health solutions.
Prior to this he served as the first CEO of BOHS – the UK’s Chartered professional and awarding body for occupational hygiene.
He is an experienced business leader having worked in the corporate and charitable sectors as an exec and non-exec director and as a trustee. Originally trained as a physicist with an Oxford MA, Steve is a Chartered Director, a Fellow of the Institute of Directors and the Institute of Physics, and an Associate Member of the BOHS Faculty of Occupational Hygiene.
He is a regular conference speaker and writer on worker health protection and is passionate about the human and economic benefits of tackling the burden of occupational disease.
Elaine Gazzini MEng CEng
Elaine is the technical and Programme Director at Connect Plus (M25). She is a Chartered Civil Engineer and has over 25 years’ experience working on major highway developments in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia, developing significant expertise in leadership of multi-disciplinary teams. Her expertise stems from her previous responsibilities including design development and feasibility, concept design, procurement, detailed design, contract administration and construction supervision of contracts, as well as the day-to-day management of engineering teams for highways projects. Elaine is responsible for technical assurance of the renewals programme and delivery of the Asset Management Forward Plan, the Improvement works for the DBFO Co and Highways England, and the performance and development of the Connect Plus frameworks for the 30 year DBFO Co responsible for the M25 orbital motorway and its associated Link roads.