Keynote Speaker
Emma Wilkinson, Former HSE Inspector
Risk Management Consultant, PCR Global
Emma is an energetic and enthusiastic individual whose core values are service, collaboration and authenticity.
Most recently, Emma worked as HM Inspector of Health and Safety at the Health and Safety Executive. Emma was based in the Building Safety and Construction Division, and became very familiar with the regulations and guidance applicable to the workplace, focussing mainly on the construction industry.
Emma has undertaken numerous investigations including a fatal fall from height, exposure to asbestos, and a collapsed mast climbing work platform. Emma is familiar with a variety of accident/incident investigation methods including safety cases and techniques such as fault tree analysis, failure modes and effects analysis and system methods such as STAMP.
Dr Yvonne Waterman
European Asbestos Forum Foundation
Since 2000, Yvonne Waterman has visited and spoken at many asbestos conferences worldwide, from Washington to Yokohama and from Ottawa to Athens. All the time, she learned and wondered why so many countries have the same asbestos problems and at the same time haven’t a clue about the solutions their neighbours came up with.
In daily life, she runs the niche law firm Waterman Legal Consultancy in the Netherlands, which specialises in all things pertaining to asbestos, asbestos law and employers’ liability law. She also teaches liability law classes to lawyers and frequently publishes in legal journals and legal handbooks.
Colette Willoughby
National Organisation of Asbestos Consultants (NORAC)
A highly qualified health, safety and asbestos professional, Colette has an MA in Health and Safety Law and Environmental Law; and holds the Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health along with the BOHS Certificate of Operational Competence in Asbestos.
Colette’s career in the asbestos industry began in 1982: she has experience in all aspects of asbestos control, management, training and legal compliance, in addition to having provided expert witness advice for both civil litigation and criminal prosecutions. Colette is the Managing Director of Asbestos Compliance Limited (ACL) and is also Chair of the trade body the National Organisation of Asbestos Consultants (NORAC).
Colette is passionate about all things asbestos and helping others through development and sharing of knowledge and experience. Over the years Colette has fulfilled many roles such as; a technical assessor for UKAS, for both Testing Organisations and Inspection Bodies, the BOHS’ Principal Examiner (Asbestos), a member of the Management Committee of BOHS’ Faculty of Asbestos Assessment and Management (FAAM) along with current roles such as the Chair of the Female Analyst Working Group plus other relevant HSE and UKAS stakeholder group memberships.
Graham Gould
Thermal Recycling
Graham Gould is Chairman of Thermal Recycling and has been responsible for its development from its early days until now. He has a long and varied career during which he has successfully founded and run a number of successful businesses in different sectors including strategic consultancy, property development and management and fund management. He considers Thermal Recycling to be the most interesting and worthwhile business in which he has been involved.
Sam Johnson
Vertex Access
Sam is a seasoned professional in the drone survey industry, boasting nearly a decade of expertise. With an unwavering passion for innovation, he remains at the forefront of the field by continuously updating his knowledge of drone technology. Sam’s commitment to excellence is evident in his meticulous approach to every project he undertakes. His proficiency in leveraging drones for surveying has not only streamlined processes but also yielded accurate and insightful data for clients across various sectors. Through his dedication and proficiency, Sam has established himself as a trusted authority in the dynamic realm of drone technology and surveying.
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Mesothelioma UK
Mairead qualified as a Nurse in 1992 and has worked with patients with Lung cancer and Mesothelioma the whole of her nursing career, this included managing an inpatient oncology unit and outpatient chemotherapy suite treating both lung and mesothelioma patients for 12 years prior to her current role as a Mesothelioma UK Specialist Nurse.
Mairead joined Mesothelioma UK in 2016 when she became the Mesothelioma UK Clinical Nurse Specialist Lead at the Wythenshawe Hospital, which is part of the Manchester University Foundation Trustand sees patients from Greater Manchester , East and Mid Cheshire areas.
Manchester has a quite a high incident level for mesothelioma and so she and her team are kept very busy supporting mesothelioma patients on a daily basis. Mairead also attends the monthly local asbestos support group where she can continue to help patients and their families outside of the hospital setting which is a vital resource for them being able to tap into her expert advice and support.
Michelle Spencer
Mesothelioma Patient
Michelle will share her personal experience of mesothelioma, emphasising the importance of support from family and friends. Her message hopes to spread awareness of this disease and the dangers of asbestos exposure.
Cristian Ramirez & Prof. Roger Willey
BRISA SA
Cristian Ramirez Lynch and Prof. Roger Willey are leading figures in the field of asbestos management and environmental safety. Cristian, the Managing Director of BRISA SA in Santiago, Chile, has over a decade of experience in environmental services, focusing on industrial waste management and asbestos risk control. Under his leadership, BRISA SA became the first South American member of the UK Asbestos Training Association (UKATA).
Roger Willey, Managing Director of the ACS Group in Glasgow, brings over 40 years of expertise in asbestos management. He has been pivotal in establishing international safety standards and collaborations, including the setup of an ISO-standard asbestos test house in Santiago with BRISA SA.
Together, Cristian and Roger have forged a strong partnership, working to enhance asbestos safety practices and training globally. Their combined efforts are dedicated to promoting safe and responsible asbestos handling, ensuring the protection of workers and the public from asbestos exposure.
