Meet the team: RoSPA's trainers and consultants
RoSPA's team of highly-experienced trainers and consultants deliver a host of occupational safety courses and consultancy solutions to all types of organisations. Whether it's modifying an existing course, delivering a NEBOSH or IOSH qualification or auditing current safety performance, our trainers and consultants' knowledge spans the entire spectrum of health and safety.
All RoSPA's consultants hold CMIOSH status and most are fully accredited members of several professional bodies. Their combined experience, qualifications and teaching skills have earned them their reputation for excellence and a loyal client base. Here’s a few of the sectors they’ve worked with:
- Government
- The Army, Royal Navy and Air Force
- Social care
- The fire service
- Waste management
- Production and manufacturing (including FMCG, cosmetics, chemical plants)
- Aerospace and defence.
So who are they?
This page offers a rare insight into the people behind the training and consultancy and how they've helped organisations across the UK and beyond to improve their occupational health and safety.
Rob Burgon
How long have you worked for RoSPA?
I started at RoSPA in the summer of 2010. I am the workplace safety team leader.
Where did you work/study before joining RoSPA?
I worked at a private consultancy company where my role involved consultancy, delivering training and assessing NVQ candidates. I have also worked in a University as part of an occupational safety team.
What are your primary areas of expertise?
Teaching the recognised health and safety qualifications, such as NEBOSH and IOSH. In addition, CDM is an area where I have a lot of experience.
Which area(s) of health and safety interest you the most?
Fire safety and occupational stress are my two favourite areas to work in.
Where have you travelled while working for RoSPA? Mostly in the UK or abroad?
Since joining RoSPA, I have been kept busy helping our UK-based clients and have yet to venture further afield.
Are you a NEBOSH examiner?
Not at present, but I am currently training to become one.
Have you modified/adapted an existing RoSPA course to the needs of an organisation? Please provide an example.
Part of my role with RoSPA is to design or modify courses to our clients' specific needs. I am currently modifying a Directors' Involvement course for a major player in the property market to give them a better understanding of their responsibilities whilst using their paperwork and their health and safety policy.
Dave Scott
How long have you worked for RoSPA?
I have worked for RoSPA since 2004.
Where did you work/study before joining RoSPA?
I was employed as group health and safety manager for a contract packer and filler of aerosols and cosmetics. Prior to that, I spent 32 years in the Royal Navy as an aircraft avionics engineer.
What are your primary areas of expertise?
My broad-ranging experience means that I am a generalist health and safety practitioner – although I have audited many of the country's power stations.
Which area(s) of health and safety interest you the most?
Auditing health and safety management systems and offering advice to senior managers, plus learning how differing organisations meet the same goal of satisfying health and safety law.
Where have you travelled while working for RoSPA? Mostly in the UK or abroad?
The majority of my work has been UK-based, although I have conducted audits in both Eire and Oman for RoSPA.
Have you modified/adapted an existing RoSPA course to the needs of an organisation? Please provide an example.
I have updated and amended RoSPA's QSA (Quality Safety Audit). This is particularly important when delivering short notice in-company training. RoSPA's consultants are also able to write audit courses to suit the individual requirements of organisations and I have previously created a specific audit course for the Forensic Science Service.
Ian Whyte
How long have you worked for RoSPA?
I joined the business back in 1998.
Where did you work/study before joining RoSPA?
I worked at Rolls Royce Aerospace Derby.
What are your primary areas of expertise?
Mechanical Engineering, Fire Safety Behavioural Safety.
Which area(s) of health and safety interest you the most?
I enjoy running out practical skills courses which run in specialist skills centres. They provide delegates with a realistic working environment and enable practical hands-on experience.
Where have you travelled while working for RoSPA? Mostly in the UK or abroad?
I work mainly in the UK but travel regularly to Southern Ireland (at least times a year) and have also trained in Turkey.
Have you modified/adapted an existing RoSPA course to the needs of an organisation? Please provide an example.
Yes, this happens relatively frequently as it enables us to meet the varied needs of our clients. To date I've adapted the syllabus for the National General Certificate, Manual Handling Instructors and Assessors, Fire Risk Assessors, Abrasive Wheel Setters and Instructors, Behavioural Safety, Personal Protective Equipment, Health and Safety Awareness, Construction Design Management and Working at Height. I have also written various client-specific courses.
Bernie Cerrino
How long have you worked for RoSPA?
Since 2002.
Where did you work/study before joining RoSPA?
I worked for a small consultancy for two years prior to joining RoSPA. Prior to that I was an engineer in the RAF for 22 years. I gained my NEBOSH Diploma qualifications before I left the RAF.
What are your primary areas of expertise?
Amongst other things, I carry out noise assessments for a wide range of clients. I am a trained noise assessor, recognised by the Institute of Acoustics. The majority of my time is spent training candidates in the NEBOSH Diploma and Certificate courses. I also deliver bespoke training courses in clients' premises. Additionally, I carry out QSA audits for a number of blue chip clients throughout the UK.
Which area(s) of health and safety interest you the most?
Engineering and construction.
Where have you travelled while working for RoSPA? Mostly in the UK or abroad?
Extensively all over the UK.
Have you modified/adapted an existing RoSPA course to the needs of an organisation? Please provide an example.
Yes, on numerous occasions. Examples include COSHH, Manual Handling, Accident Investigation and Directors' Responsibilities, amongst others.
Nathan Davies
How long have you worked for RoSPA?
I started in January 2005
Where did you work/study before joining RoSPA?
I completed a BSC in environmental health, and then worked for ARCO, selling personal protective equipment (PPE). After this, I moved into health and safety management with GlaxoSmithKline, managing a team of health and safety professionals. I then moved into consultancy and have worked with a huge range of organisations through National Britannia (now Santia) and Atkins, where I was a senior safety consultant.
What are your primary areas of expertise?
I consider my knowledge of the management systems and the wider demands on organisations a key strength. Organisations rely on my broad technical knowledge and my ability to communicate, reach agreements and create effective solutions. Having worked in the occupational and leisure fields, I have significant experience in identification of the true risks and demands placed on organisations.
Which area(s) of health and safety interest you the most?
My main area of interest is cutting through the raft of theories and guidance available and producing practical solutions. I enjoy identifying the correct balance of legal, practical and economic demands to allow individuals and organisations to manage their risks successfully. The demands on those who run very diverse organisations and those who run activities with and for the public are a particularly interesting challenge.
Where have you travelled while working for RoSPA? Mostly in the UK or abroad?
I have travelled widely around Europe for clients, but the majority of my work is UK-based.
Are you a NEBOSH examiner?
I have been a NEBOSH examiner since 2009.
Have you modified/adapted an existing RoSPA course to the needs of an organisation? Please provide an example.
I wrote the NEBOSH International Certificate for RoSPA and tailored it for BP.
In addition, I wrote Safety at Inland Water Sites risk assessment training and have tailored this for many local councils and organisations. I have also modified our Asbestos Awareness course and IOSH Managing Safely.
Paul Collins
How long have you worked for RoSPA?
I've been here since April 2005.
Where did you work/study before joining RoSPA?
I worked in the financial sector directly prior to joining RoSPA, but had worked with RoSPA in 1999 when I researched my psychology dissertation, which focused on attitudes and beliefs towards safety.
What are your primary areas of expertise?
I deliver a lot of training involving health and safety qualifications; I let my delegates decide how much of an expert I am.
Which area(s) of health and safety interest you the most?
With my psychology background, the focus of my interest is human factors in occupational safety and health. I have a particular leaning towards organisational behaviour and stress.
Where have you travelled while working for RoSPA? Mostly in UK or abroad?
I've predominantly delivered training in England but have travelled to other parts of the UK, including Edinburgh and the Isle of Man, neither of which I'd ever visited before.
Are you planning on joining the OHSCR when it is launched? If not, do you plan to join it in the future?
Having achieved GradIOSH in 2010, my next step is CMIOSH and the OHSCR.
Have you modified/adapted an existing RoSPA course to the needs of an organisation? Please provide an example.
Every course I run is tailored to the organisation and delegates. No two courses are ever the same. This is just one of the reasons I enjoy my job. It keeps the training fresh.
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