Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) chief executive Rob Strange will make the case for health and safety, as the tough economic climate puts pressure on the profession to prove its worth when he addresses the IOSH 10 conference in Glasgow on 25 march.

Mr Strange will be urging health and safety professionals to challenge preconceptions, drive forward meaningful debate and think hard about how they can build a strong case for the industry as it squares up to tough economic conditions and some negative press.

IOSH 10 takes place at Glasgow’s Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre on 24 and 25 March. The conference will provide a forum for debate, encouraging attendees to find new ways to convince employers of the value of health and safety, combat hostile press attention, and drive forward debates on the political agenda.

“IOSH 10 is about making the case for health and safety, and I’ll be discussing the key role that IOSH, the world’s largest single community of health and safety professionals, can play in that,” said Rob.

“It’s no secret that these are challenging times for our industry. As we emerge from the recession, it’s more important than ever to show employers the true value that competent health and safety professionals can bring to their business. Our profession is facing media hostility, tightening budgets and, with a UK general election coming soon, a changing political environment. But those challenges have also brought us opportunities to drive the debate forward, and really make the case for good health and safety.

“The professionalism and commitment of IOSH members is well known, and we all hold some answers to the challenges we face. By demonstrating the value of employing competent health and safety professionals, sharing a positive and constructive image of our profession, and driving forward the important debates, we can build an unbeatable business case for health and safety.”

Visitors to the conference will be able to hear Rob’s views on the role of IOSH in making the case at 10.15am on Thursday 25 March.