BUILDING SAFER: UK CONSTRUCTION WEEK SPOTLIGHTS BUILDING SAFETY
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Ahead of its return to the NEC this September, UK Construction Week Birmingham (UKCW) is putting building safety centre stage as part of The Construction Reset - a bold new theme focused on Building Better, Building Smarter and Building Responsibly.
The award-winning exhibition will provide valuable insight and the practical steps needed to create safer buildings and work sites by spotlighting a range of topics, from the Building Safety Act, safety by design and working at height to organisational leadership and culture. Over the three days, expert speakers and real-world case studies will highlight how organisations can turn building safety commitments into meaningful action.
Leading voices in the construction industry will be sharing their expertise and the latest regulatory updates. The programme of talks on the Building Safety & Occupational Safety Stage at the show includes:
Tuesday 29th September
12.30pm - 1.15pm
The importance of organisational leadership and culture in addressing building safety
Building safety starts with strong organisational leadership and a culture where safety is embedded in everyday decision-making. This session will explore what good leadership and culture look like in practice, the role of building safety champions, and the benefits of creating a proactive, accountable safety culture. Featuring company case studies, the session will provide practical insight into how organisations can turn building safety commitments into meaningful action.
Speakers: Lorna Hagan (Building a Safer Future), Tom Paterson (Considerate Constructors), Tom Weller (Persimmon Homes)
2.30pm - 3.15pm
Getting It Right First Time: Why Quality Is the Foundation of Building Safety
Building safety depends on far more than regulatory compliance. It starts with eliminating the avoidable errors, rework and information failures that compromise quality throughout design and construction. This panel, led by the Get It Right Initiative (GIRI), will explore how its research into error causation, project case studies and collaborative learning is helping the industry reduce defects, improve competence, and embed a culture of getting it right first time.
Speakers: Alison Kilby (Arup), Jack Smith (Platform), James York (Morgan Sindall), Lindsey Ions (Urban & Civic)
3.20pm - 4.00pm
The Consistency Challenge: Aligning Regulation, Testing and Building Design
As the industry adapts to the Building Safety Act and Gateway regime, questions remain about how consistency is achieved across regulation, testing and building design. This panel will discuss the challenges of aligning regulatory expectations, product testing standards and system-level assessments while navigating varying interpretations of compliance.
Speakers: Allesia Scola (T P Bennett), Darren Brennan (Siderise), Victoria Millward (Paddock Johnson), Will Pit (Laing O’Rourke)
Wednesday 30th September
12.30pm - 1.15pm
Compliance to Confidence: Strengthening Organisational Capability under the Building Safety Act
The Building Safety Act marks a significant step in the evolution of building safety, placing greater emphasis on accountability, competence and demonstrating effective management of risk. More than 20 years ago, Dr Zsuzsanna Gyenes experienced a similar transition while implementing the Seveso Directive for major hazard industries, where many operators questioned the value of another regulatory framework. Looking back, the organisations that gained the most were those that moved beyond compliance by strengthening four organisational capabilities: competence, management of change, organisational learning and effective safety management systems. This session explores why those capabilities mattered then and why they remain relevant today.
Speaker: Dr Zsuzsanna Gyenes (Global Industrial Safety Solutions)
1.30pm - 2.15pm
Safety by Design: Raising the Standard for Temporary Works
Temporary works remain one of the highest-risk aspects of construction, making effective planning, coordination and oversight essential to keeping people safe on site. This session will examine the latest approaches to managing temporary works, from stronger design and competency requirements to better communication, digital processes and site assurance. Hear how contractors, engineers and clients are reducing risk, improving compliance and embedding safer practices throughout the temporary works lifecycle.
Speaker: Siu Mun Li (Construction Siu-lutions)
Thursday 1st October
11.30am - 12.15pm
Professional Practice on Site: Safety, Competence and Compliance
Many architects, engineers, surveyors and consultants only visit site occasionally, but they still need the right knowledge to work safely and meet industry requirements. This session introduces the CIC's fully online Health & Safety course, designed specifically for construction professionals, covering the latest updates on the Building Safety Act, competence requirements and the practical responsibilities of anyone working on site.
Speaker: Paul Jenkinson (Accredex)
12.30pm - 1.15pm
Working at Height: Why Are We Still Falling Short?
Falls from height remain one of construction’s biggest causes of serious and fatal injury, so what needs to change to make working at height genuinely safer? This panel will bring together contractors, safety professionals and independent experts to look beyond compliance and examine the practical issues around planning, competence, equipment, supervision and safety culture.
Speaker: Josh McNicholas (Evalu-8 Software)
Martin Hurn, UKCW Birmingham Editorial Director, said: “Building safety is much more than just meeting regulatory requirements, it’s about creating the right culture and approach that keeps people safe. At UK Construction Week, the Building Safety & Occupational Safety Stage will be a hub of activity as we provide an invaluable platform to ensure safety remains at the heart of every project, bringing together industry experts to share their experiences and challenge current thinking.”
Sponsored by Barbour ABI, Wyre, HotelPlanner, Zutec and Build Warranty, UKCW Birmingham will feature over 250 leading brands; 200 speakers and over 150 hours of CPD accredited seminars across four stages, alongside a series of built-for-purpose sections. Architect, TV presenter and UKCW ambassador, George Clarke will officially open the show and also host discussions on the Construction Reset Stage on Day One (September 29th).
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