Hilton highlights
SHP editor, Nick Warburton, writes up his account of the SHP-IOSH awards that took place at the Hilton Park Lane last night (24 October).
And what a night it turned out to be! Less than two months into the role, and having put the first issue of SHP out in nine days, I must admit I approached my first awards ceremony with just a whiff of apprehension.
The stakes were high (and I am not talking about the casino’s roulette wheel at the after-awards bash). Readers hold SHP in such high-regard and stepping up to the plate (with my predecessor seated right in front of the podium) certainly kept me on my toes.
Taking advice from my personal script advisers, I followed the Motown Motto of KISS (keep it simple stupid), and cranked out my 2 minutes and 35 seconds to the captivated crowd, waiting with baited breath to soak up a long line in chart topping health and safety achievements.
Unbeknown to guests, the evening had started on a somewhat frantic note! With less than two hours before the biggest show in the health and safety calendar swung into action, the award’s host Rufus was€ᆭso to speak “hounded” from the Hilton.
But rather than spoil the festivities, the evening turned out just “Vine” as the esteemed author, journalist and BBC broadcaster Jeremy Vine parachuted in at the last minute to ensure the awards were a resounding success.
IOSH’s chief executive Jan Chmiel set the perfect scene for the night’s festivities, outlining key challenges for the industry. In a rallying cry, he called on the health and safety community to “build a world of work which is safe, healthy and sustainable”.
Joining Jeremy on stage, it was time to hand out the prized awards. With the honours coming thick and fast, the worthy winners were clearly delighted, and sometimes, a little shocked, to scoop the ultimate prize in health and safety achievement.
With the presentations over, everyone headed to the casino hall to try lady luck. With the room buzzing, it was also time to get down to the serious business of networking. Everyone agreed that the evening had been a roaring success€ᆭalthough there will be some sore heads waking up today!
Hilton highlights
SHP editor, Nick Warburton, writes up his account of the SHP-IOSH awards that took place at the Hilton Park Lane last night (24 October).
Safety & Health Practitioner
SHP - Health and Safety News, Legislation, PPE, CPD and Resources Related Topics
New workplace review hones in on health and wellbeing
Navigating the world of modern safety advice
Short-term fix? Mental Health First Aiders