IOSH chief executive Rob Strange has collected his OBE awarded in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. Rob, 57, received the OBE for services to health and safety.
After receiving the award, Rob said: “This is a real thrill. I’m absolutely delighted. But the award is not about me, it’s about the effort and determination of every single member of staff at IOSH. More significantly, it’s about the dedicated work of the 34,000 IOSH members worldwide.
“Health and safety in the UK is often criticised as being a ‘nanny-state killjoy’ but that’s not what it’s all about — it’s about keeping people safe and healthy, not banning fun activities.”
Rob told the Queen: “About 34 million days are lost each year due to work-related ill health and injury — something that is preventable. My colleagues and I are working together to help reduce that staggering figure.”
Rob, from Great Bowden, near Market Harborough, Leicestershire became chief executive of the Institution in January 2001 having joined IOSH in August 1997 as deputy chief executive. He became an IOSH trustee in 2005, and until recently was also a trustee of RoSPA.
As chief executive, Rob has overseen seven years of unprecedented growth in membership numbers and financial performance, the introduction of individual Chartered membership, and the development and implementation of a new corporate governance structure.
