The British Safety Council, one of the leaders in health, safety and environmental management, is hosting its second annual conference in Bahrain, The Future of Health, Safety and Wellbeing in the Workplace, on February 3, 2019, at the InterContinental Regency, Manama.

Across issues such as automation, ‘any time any place’ work, the impact of modern communication technologies and ‘flexible’ employment contracts, speakers will stimulate delegates to examine the present opportunities and risks for employee safety, health and wellbeing.

They will also explore how excellent management in health, safety and wellbeing can transform organisations. Alos, there will be a discussion about the best approaches to promoting a positive workplace culture. The delegates will have an opportunity to sample the Virtual Reality (VR) technology which the British Safety Council uses to teach the evaluation of health and safety risks.

For over 60 years, the British Safety Council has been campaigning, advising and educating workers and employers worldwide on how to make workplaces safe for everyone, as well as sharing best practice in work-related health, wellbeing and management of environmental risks, it said in a statement. The British Safety Council has strong links with the Middle Eastern region, in particular with Bahrain, and works in partnership with many leading businesses in the country, such as Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco), Bahrain National Gas Company (Banagas), Gulf Petrochemical Industries Corp (GPIC) and Arab Shipbuilding & Repair Yard (Asry).

Mike Robinson, chief executive of the British Safety Council, whose presentation will cover a number of key technological, societal and regulatory trends that will transform the workplace, said: “The world of work is rapidly changing, bringing both opportunities and considerable risks not only to businesses, the economy and the environment but also to wellbeing, health and safety of employees. It is imperative that employers gain an understanding of what’s in store and take a strategic view on how to deal with these challenges. Over the next seven years, some commentators are forecasting that the number of connected devices will grow from less than 50 billion to over 300 billion. This together with the predicted growth in the gig economy, mean that workers will be at much greater risk of accidents and ill-health.”