Ron was previously Health & Safety manager for a local hospital trust, where he had responsibility for health and safety management for 3,000 employees. Ron's career is rooted in fire safety, beginning in 1972 when he joined the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm as a firefighter. In 1977, Ron joined the London Fire Brigade, where he spent 17 years. During this time, he attended incidents including the Kings Cross underground fire and the Marchioness disaster. After being injured in 1994, Ron retired from the Fire Brigade and joined the NHS. He was awarded the Diploma in Occupational Safety & Health in 1999. He is a member of the Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (IOSH) and of the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM).
PLASA’s Matthew Griffiths said: “PLASA aims to provide real, practical services to its membership, and Ron’s appointment is an important step in that direction. His expertise will go a long way towards addressing a whole range of requirements identified by our members. We are very pleased to have Ron on board, and we look forward to our members benefiting from having Ron available at the end of a phone line."
Ron comments: "It’s an exciting prospect to work with PLASA members who undertake such a huge range of unusual projects within this industry. I’m looking forward to being able to assist them with health and safety queries, and help to ensure that their personnel are able to carry out their work as safely as possible."
Initially, Ron will be able to offer specialized support and advice covering all aspects of health and safety legislation, for both the UK and the European Union. Ron also plans to build a database of international health and safety issues and solutions, and would therefore welcome discussion on international H&S issues in areas where it is felt that PLASA could play a useful role.
