Navigating the Health & Safety Landscape
In two weeks’ time, Safety, Health & Wellbeing (SHW) Live will return to Olympia London, bringing together safety, health and wellbeing professionals for two days of learning, networking and industry collaboration.
Described by organisers as a place where “safety professionals, leaders and stakeholders unite”, the event (taking place on 1-2 July 2026), will showcase the latest thinking, innovations and best practices shaping the future of workplace safety and wellbeing.
The conference programme will feature a range of CPD-accredited sessions covering key industry topics, including workplace mental health, artificial intelligence, regulatory compliance, fire safety and occupational health. Dedicated content streams, including the PPE Forum – Powered by Workwear Solutions – will provide attendees with practical insights from industry experts and regulatory bodies.
Alongside the conference sessions, the exhibition will bring together leading suppliers, technology providers and service specialists, offering visitors the opportunity to explore new products and solutions designed to improve workplace safety, health and wellbeing.
The PPE Forum is a “technically credible, focused platform bringing together manufacturers, specifiers and end-users” to support informed PPE and RPE decision-making and drive higher protection standards across UK industry. The PPE Forum has been curated by our Founder & MD, Natalie Wilson, and is powered by Workwear Solutions.
Who is the PPE Forum for?
“The PPE Forum is designed for health and safety professionals who are actively engaged in learning, specifying, purchasing, or influencing PPE strategy within their organisations or supply chains – as well as those seeking to expand their knowledge and expertise in PPE selection and best practice”.
What does the PPE Forum set out to achieve?
“The forum aims to be more than a conference – it’s a dynamic showcase and collaborative hub for the entire PPE community. By combining education and innovation, it provides a platform to:
- Showcase the best in PPE design and technology through live demonstrations and product displays.
- Foster collaboration between manufacturers, safety professionals, and suppliers”.
Wednesday 1st July – Day 1 Agenda
1. Presentation 10:50am-11:20am: Natalie Wilson (WSI): Understanding Market Due Diligence Requirements & Technical Product Standards.
This session will explore how organisations can understand and assess market due diligence requirements for complex PPE supply chains against a changing regulatory backdrop. It will also address the challenge that product standards can change with little or no support for product users to understand what has changed, helping to bridge the knowledge gap and improve transparency in the processes used to specify, verify and risk assess PPE.
2. Panel Discussion 11:45am-12:15pm: Chaired by Natalie Wilson (WSI) – Speakers TBC (including public sector buyers): Building Robust Tender Processes for PPE Procurement.
This panel will discuss the key criteria for developing robust PPE tender processes that support effective procurement. Drawing on lessons learned across the public and private sectors, the session will examine best-practice approaches to award criteria, including evaluating cost over life, sustainability and social value elements, alongside wearer trials and sample evaluation.
3. Panel Discussion 13.25pm-13.55pm: Chaired by Natalie Wilson (WSI) – Speakers TBC (including public sector buyers, manufacturers & independent experts): Specifying PPE Standards & Certification Requirements.
This panel will explore how a strong understanding of PPE Standards and Certification can support robust product evaluation and help ensure compliance throughout the contract lifecycle. Discussions will focus on the role of product specifications in PPE procurement, how to align these with the evaluation of supply chains, and the documentation that can, and should, be requested from suppliers to verify ongoing product compliance.
Thursday 2nd July – Day 2 Agenda
1. Panel Discussion 10.50am-11.20am: Chaired by Natalie Wilson (WSI) – Speakers include Sara Gibbs, Rowshi Hussain, Jane Middleton & Kirsteen Sullivan (MP): Understanding the World’s First Inclusive PPE Standard – BS 30417
Drawing on real-world experience, this panel will discuss why the Inclusive PPE Standard (BS 30417) is needed and what it means for future procurement practices. Featuring contributors involved in developing the Standard and advocating for legislative change, the session will explore current information gaps, academic perspectives on the challenges surrounding inclusive PPE, and the wider considerations required to support inclusive practices and meaningful cultural change across industry.
2. Panel Discussion 12.25pm-12.55pm: Chaired by Natalie Wilson (WSI) – Speakers include Sara Gibbs, Amy Beams & Kirsteen Sullivan (MP): Inclusive & Fit for Form PPE – Practical Strategies for Implementing BS 30417
This panel will provide practical guidance on implementing the new Inclusive PPE Standard (BS 30417) through effective product and procurement strategies. Discussions will cover workforce engagement, specifying inclusive PPE within procurement processes, and emerging requirements for public sector buyers, while also exploring how the “fit for form” principle can be implemented and how manufacturers are adapting products to meet the needs of increasingly diverse workforces.
3. Panel Discussion 13.20pm-13.50pm: Chaired by Natalie Wilson (WSI) – Speakers TBC (including industry experts): Technical Innovations & the Future of Smart PPE
This panel will explore how Smart PPE is set to shape the future of worker protection, showcasing the latest technical innovations through live demonstrations and expert discussion. Attendees will gain insight into state-of-the-art developments across a range of PPE categories, including how emerging technologies can support more efficient working practices, enhance PPE design, and help monitor the physiological effects of temperature extremes on workers.
4. Panel Discussion 14.15pm-14.45pm: Chaired by Natalie Wilson (WSI) – Speakers include Oli Willson & Debbie Huntley: Supply Chain Transparency & the Future of Sustainable PPE
This panel will explore innovations in sustainable PPE and ‘examine how DPP requirements are set to transform supply chain transparency’. With DPP implementation expected in 2027, discussions will focus on how prepared supply chains are to disclose sustainability and sourcing information, what this means for buyers, and how technology and innovation are supporting more transparent, ethical and environmentally conscious procurement decisions.
Other sessions across the two days at the PPE forum include:
Presentation 9:55am-10:25am (1/07/26): Neal Hill (Consultant, One Plus One Consulting Ltd): Closing the gap between ‘the SNR says on the tin’ and real-world hearing protection.
Presentation 14:20pm-14:50pm (1/07/26): Gill Cussons (Occupational Noise and Vibration Consultant, UK Hearing Conservation Association): Noise at Work – Making Hearing Protection Work in Practice
Registration for Safety, Health & Wellbeing Live is open! Register Here.
With a packed programme of expert insights, industry discussion and innovative solutions, SHW Live London promises to be an invaluable opportunity to explore the trends shaping the future of workplace safety, health and wellbeing. We look forward to attending the two-day event as a team, connecting with industry peers, gaining fresh perspectives and bringing valuable insights back to help support our clients.
