- 19
- Episodes
- 2018
- First episode
About The ATT Safety Leadership Podcast
Innovators in safety leadership exploring the big issues in workplace health, safety and wellbeing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
- Publisher
- Active Training Team
- Category
- business
- Language
- en
- Explicit
- No
- First episode
- 27 Jul 2018
- Latest episode
- 10 Jul 2025
Latest episodes
19 episodes in the feed.
10 Jul 2025
Episode 16: Attracting young people into a career in rail
In the second of our rail industry-focused episodes to celebrate 200 years of the modern railway, Active Training Team’s Director Adam Christopher explores the challenges and opportunities facing the UK rail industry as it looks to attract its future workforce. Speaking with young apprentices, site managers, and industry leaders at the Transpennine Route Upgrade project, the episode reveals how few young people are aware of careers in rail, the strong role of family influence, and the pride and purpose many find in the sector. Brands/People References: Great British Railways TransPennine Route Upgrade (TRU) Bam Nuttall Network Rail Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
12 Feb 2025
Episode 15: Railway 200 with Mike and Andrew Lamport
In the first of our rail industry-focused episodes, Adam Christopher talks with Mike Lamport and his son Andrew, who work in the railway industry like generations of their family dating back to 1846. They discuss why they’re celebrating Railway 200 and being part of the rail family. Brands/People References: Railway 200 Campaign National Skills Academy for Rail Great British Railways / Transition Team South Eastern Rail South Western Rail + Waterloo Station Thomas the Tank Engine Great Western Railway + Didcot Station West Anglia Great Northern Production Team: Presented by Adam Christopher Produced by Alexandra Quinn Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
1 May 2024
Episode 14: ATT in Scotland. Part 2, Faskally Safety Leadership Centre.
‘Get Home Safe’ – behind the scenes at a new ATT immersive training centre. Director of Active Training Team (ATT) Adam Christopher takes a behind the scenes peek at Scottish and Southern Energy’s (SSE) new immersive Faskally Safety Leadership Centre in Perth. It’s a few weeks till the opening and staff from SSE and ATT are busy with final preparations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
1 May 2024
Episode 14: ATT in Scotland. Part 1, Pitlochry
Ahead of the opening of a new ATT immersive training centre for SSE (Scottish + Southern Energy), Director at ATT Adam Christopher travels to the Pitlochry Dam and Visitor Centre where he meets Gillian O’Reilly, the Head of Heritage and Community Programmes for SSE. Gillian tells Adam about the history of hydropower in the area and why training centres have a long connection to SSE’s work in Perthshire. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
21 Sept 2023
Episode 13: Leadership, communication and grace: on the EDI journey with Dr Ollie Folayan
Dr Ollie Folayan is a chemical process engineer with Aberdeen-based consultancy Optimus and a visiting Professor at the University of Dundee. In 2007, he and his sister founded the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE-UK) to attract and retain BME talent into the industry. Ollie talks to ATT Director Adam Christopher about leadership, changing hearts and minds and his experience at Thrive. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
20 Jul 2023
Episode 12: How are you feeling? How emotions can make safety lessons more memorable
Adam visits UK Construction Week at the Excel Centre in London to talk to people in the industry about what safety means to them and how our emotions impact on our behaviour in the workplace and how we absorb and act on important safety lessons. Paul, a paver ground worker, believes there should be more care and consideration on site; Sarah Meek, Managing Director of the mental health charity Mates in Mind, thinks that when people connect emotionally in safety training, they engage better; and Denise Farquharson, Safety Development and Culture Engagement Officer for HS2, advocates for emotional intelligence as a critical safety skill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
20 Apr 2023
Episode 11: How can story-telling help to keep us safe? The science behind active learning
In this episode, we investigate why active learning might be a key resource for people in hazardous industries to retain vital information and stay safe. Adam speaks with Dr Natasha Sigala, Senior Lecturer in Neuroscience at the University of Sussex, about neurocognitive patterns and memory structures or, put more simply, how story-telling makes us remember better. https://profiles.sussex.ac.uk/p256526-natasha-sigala Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
19 Dec 2022
Episode 10, Part 2: Mental Health in construction – where’s the ‘joined-up’ thinking?
ATT are back with part two of the discussion on construction's mental health crisis, this time focusing on tangible solutions offered by groundworker, mental health advocate and campaigner, Steve Kerslake, who shares his own experience of mental health issues, and Kerry McLeod from leading mental health charity, Mind.HSE's ‘Core Standards’ framework is suitable for employers of all sizes: https://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/mental-health.htm Trigger warning: this episode deals with discussions around suicide and mental health struggles, so please listen with care. Resources for additional support visit:Samaritans.orgMind.org.uk*Mates in Mind Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
26 Oct 2022
Episode 10, Part 1: Listen up! How culture in construction is costing workers’ lives
Three-quarters of deaths by suicide in the UK are men; in the construction industry men are three times more likely to take their own lives than those working in other sectors*, in fact there is a higher rate of suicide in construction than any other UK industry. In the first of two episodes, ATT asks why poor mental health persists in the construction industry, who is responsible and what are employers doing to safeguard the wellbeing of their workers. ATT co-director, Adam Christopher’s guests include Ian Burnham Programme Delivery Manager, Northern line extension - TFL, and Rhoda Smith HR Generalist for Tideway. Trigger warning: this episode deals with discussions around suicide and mental health struggles, so please listen with care. Resources for additional support visit:Samaritans.orgMind.org.uk *Mates in Mind The clips used in this episode are from Jamie Busby at the GMT Union and Paddy (the Baddy) Pimblett from BT Sports Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
20 Jun 2022
Episode 9: Seen and heard - how workers are shaping hi-vis design
What is hi-vis clothing for? Who needs to wear it? Why don’t people wear it? Self-confessed hi-vis geek Adam Christopher explores the social and psychological complexities of one of the simplest, but most effective health and safety measures to keep safe in high-risk work environments. Adam’s guests include Health, Safety and Wellbeing Director at Align, Neil Hancox, Civil Engineering Apprentice, Leena Begum and Constantine Martinov, a slinger signaller on the Thames Tideway Tunnelling project. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
28 Sept 2021
Episode 8, Part 2: Creating equal opportunities in construction for young and diverse people
Young people account for nearly two-thirds of job losses* since the start of the pandemic, while a report published by the National Youth Agency and Youth Employment UK* demonstrated that “without a fundamental change in how young people are supported, far too many will be left behind”. We investigate the benefits of supporting disadvantaged young people into the construction and infrastructure industries and the potential impact on industry, young people, and their wider communities. In part two of this mini-series on young people in construction, we talk to employers, a charity organisation and some young people themselves to discuss how we can support disadvantaged young people with getting into the industry. Featured guests are Lee Davies, Programme Director for HS2 at Costain Group, Carol Lynch, CEO of Construction Youth Trust, and two of Cementation Skanska’s youngest employees, 22-year-old Ike Adobe and 25-year-old Keeron Williams. Our contributors highlight the rewards that come from reducing barriers into the construction industry, for young people and organisations alike. From diversity of thought in the workplace, to communities being involved in the regeneration of deprived areas, we explore the value that can come from creating equal opportunities for young, disadvantaged, and diverse people. * Source 1: Office for National Statistics: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/uklabourmarket/march2021 Source 2: National Youth Agency: https://backend.nya2.joltrouter.net/wp-content/uploads/1013-NYA-employment-report-Digital-Final-version-1.pdf *Source 3: Commons Library: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn05871/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
20 Jul 2021
Episode 8, Part 1: Young people in construction + renewables – what are the risks + benefits?
With more young people and apprentices being encouraged to join the construction and infrastructure sectors, including via the Government Kickstart scheme, what are the safety implications? Research has shown that young workers (within the age group of 15 to 24 years) are 50% more likely to be involved in an accident at work, compared with the rest of the workforce. Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) found that a range of factors contribute to this, which we explore in this episode.* In part one of this two-part episode, we talk to leaders in the field, employers and young people themselves to uncover the facts, the risks, differences in generational needs, and the steps that need to be taken to ensure young people are working safely. Featured guests are Jennifer Webster, Chartered Psychologist and Registered Occupational Psychologist at HSE's Science and Research Centre, Lauren Little, Stake Holder Advisor for the Humber at Ørsted, and Oliver Booth, Apprentice Wind Turbine Technician at Ørsted.Ultimately, this is about more than just young people in construction, renewables, and infrastructure. With the right inspiration, opportunities and work culture, employers can foster environments which nurture a vertical slice of the workforce, from the apprentices to the most senior members of staff. Stay tuned for part two of this discussion. *source: Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Wiki: Young People – Jennifer Webster, Health & Safety Laboratory, UK:https://oshwiki.eu/wiki/Young_workersIf you would like further information on how best to support your younger workforce please go to Young people at work (hse.gov.uk). HSE also has a range of advice and guidance about protecting the health and safety of other potentially vulnerable groups of workers (new recruits, older workers, migrant workers, lone workers, temporary workers, new and expectant mothers) available at Vulnerable workers - HSE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
5 May 2020
Episode 7, Parts 1 & 2: Building the New Normal
Active Training Team kick off Season 2 of their podcast with a special 2-part mini-pod feature that asks the question ‘what now?’ Recorded and produced remotely during coronavirus lockdown in late April 2020, ATT wonder what will be different for the world post pandemic. COVID-19 has exerted a tight grip on the world. We have been thrown into a surreal environment that we could never previously have imagined in our or even our children’s lifetimes. It has left many feeling lost, vulnerable, frightened, alone and grief-stricken. Yes, we’re all in this together - but it’s likely that post-pandemic, our work and our personal lives will in some ways be changed for good. So what will that look like? Focusing on construction, and particularly the much-debated HS2 project, ATT’s Adam Christopher speaks with Lee Davies, Costain’s Key Accounts Director for HS2 and member of the Joint Venture Board for delivering the project. Lee describes how the coronavirus has affected him and how he and his team have been working during lockdown. He tells Adam his predictions for how things will change, not just for this project and for construction, but for industry overall. Lee believes that we cannot expect simply to go back to how things were. We need to extract the positives of what we are currently experiencing, learn from these, make adjustments, normalise a new approach and then make it stick. Lee ponders many questions: Can we accelerate the process of reducing numbers of people at work in danger zones? What technology is out there to enable social distancing? Can we rely solely on remote visualisation in real time using drones? Adam asks Lee what other industries, including healthcare, can learn from the admirable strides construction has made in the last 20 years. Lee’s response is surprisingly simple - and it’s rooted in behaviour. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
29 Aug 2019
Episode 6: Tired to Death – why we need to talk about sleep and fatigue
You’ve worked a 12-hour shift, been up all night with a new baby, and driven back to work to start it all again, grabbing an energy drink before you go on shift. That’s normal, that’s ok, everyone does it, life carries on…You’ve worked a 12-hour shift, slept fine for 8 hours, driven to work, stopped off for a pint before going back on shift. That’s not ok, that’s the way to endanger others and lose your job, with life-changing consequences…Research suggests that 24 hours without sleep is the equivalent of being 25% over the UK drink-driving limit* and yet we don’t recognize how dangerous it is. Why don’t we treat tired driving like drunk driving? A review of international evidence indicates that driver fatigue may be a contributory factor in up to a fifth of road accidents, and up to one quarter of fatal and serious accidents. When you look at the number of deaths of people traveling to and from shift work, the figures should upset us. While data for some sectors is hard to come by, we know that in the decade up to 2018, 30 UK police officers were killed on the roads travelling to or from work, many in the early hours of the morning..*24 hours without sleep equivalent 1.0mg/100ml. UK drink-driving limit 0.8mg/100ml.And yet we still find it difficult to admit to being tired. In this podcast, Adam Christopher goes underground with the Bank Capacity Upgrade Project night shift to find out how shift patterns impact workers. He hears about the devastating effect on John Owens - arrested for dangerous driving after a shift. He also talks to specialist academics and practitioners Dr Ashleigh Filtness, Lecturer in Transport Safety at Loughborough Design School; Judith Devlin, HSE Advisor at Morgan Sindall Infrastructure; and Yvonne Taylor, Police Inspector and PhD research student about technological advances in fatigue management, and their retrospective approaches, observations and suggestions.This podcast contains strong language. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
6 Mar 2019
Episode 5: Women In Construction - Who benefits? What’s the point?
The number of women in professional engineering roles has doubled in the past 5 years and they now constitute around 12% of the workforce*. But that figure drops off dramatically for skilled labour in the construction sector, and women are still very much in the minority on site. In this podcast, Adam Christopher hears about the significant challenges that three women in the construction industry have experienced – from lack of on-site toilets to the reactions of family and friends – and how they have needed to be resilient and confident to move forward in their careers. They are: Cate Anthony, Tunnel Engineer at Dr Sauer & Partners; Kate Cairns, Civil Engineer and road safety campaigner; and Katie Kelleher, Crawler Crane Operator at Tideway. We hear from actor Golda Rosheuvel who plays a site foreman in one of ATT’s workshop scenarios about how to keep strength of character in balance with good communication skills, rather than ignoring, fighting back with aggression or simply joining in with the ‘banter’ that can be present at work. Ultimately these women are improving the working lives of others in the construction sector by challenging the status quo. It takes confidence and assertiveness to force issues onto the agenda, often hindered by an institutional culture where diversity of thought might be missing. Minorities are often left with the burden of creating change, speaking out about childcare, flexible working, parental leave, on-site welfare, mental health - the list goes on. These are issues which affect many workers, irrespective of gender, sexual orientation or religion. This is about more than just getting women into construction. With the right inspiration, opportunities and representation, a wider range of people from all sectors of society will see construction as a great career option. Good outcomes here will have a wide ripple effect on society as a whole. *source: WISE campaignGuardian article: https://tinyurl.com/yckaxxc5 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
11 Jan 2019
Episode 4: ‘Sliding Door' moments – former miners reflect on life and death decisions
ATT’s EPIC safety induction day for Tideway elicited an emotional reaction from a group of Yorkshire miners, now working as tunnellers on London’s £5 billion ‘Super Sewer’ project. Facilitator, Laura Forrest-Hay, was prompted to suggest they share their compelling stories with Adam Christopher. This episode is a powerful endorsement of Active Training Team’s commitment to creating realistic scenarios that reflect the real-life situations that can lead to incidents. Chris, Robbie and Tony reflect on a tragic - and avoidable - fatality which had terrible consequences for the miners at the Maltby Colliery near Rotherham in South Yorkshire. One man lost his life and many others were deeply affected by that loss. They speak about the camaraderie and sense of community which exists amongst those working underground, the importance of effective training and how having a healthy wariness is vitally important, as experience can sometimes lead to complacency. Adam discusses their story within the context of James Reason’s Swiss Cheese metaphor where both latent and active failures at Maltby Colliery contributed to this tragic loss of life.The miners provide a stark reminder that being solely reliant on procedure is not enough; workplace culture, informed by behaviour and attitudes as well as the procedures needs to be strong, robust and importantly, caring, in order to keep people safe and healthy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
19 Oct 2018
Episode 3: An Interview with Kate Cairns - road safety campaigner and founder of See Me Save Me
Thirty year-old Eilidh Cairns was killed in 2009 when she was struck from behind and crushed by a tipper lorry whilst cycling to work. The violent and shocking incident compelled her sister, Kate, to become a leading voice calling for construction logistic risk management and greater safety on our roads. Chartered Civil Engineer, Kate, familiar with on-site control of construction traffic, had to fight for a proper investigation – including for a check of the driver’s eyesight – and exposed the massive chasm between on-site and off-site safety culture. Taking her campaign for safer HGVs to Europe, UK parliament and the London Mayor as well as industry, change is now afoot at all levels with a new industry CLOCS standard, a world first direct vision standard forthcoming in London, and a change to EU law on cab design. Kate talks candidly to ATT’s Adam Christopher about her fight for change; the growing industry recognition of road risk and necessity for the application of management techniques like the hierarchy of control; and how creating empathy is essential in changing culture.This podcast contains content that some listeners may find upsetting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
19 Oct 2018
Episode 2: Exposure to Danger - 'what makes us vulnerable on our roads?'
Adam Christopher tackles the debate around vulnerable road users, and explores what is being done to help reduce the terrible statistics on fatalities when HGVs come into contact with cyclists and pedestrians. What responsibilities do drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, private motorists and professional drivers – and their employers – have? Someone with direct experience of the devastation caused by a fatal accident with an HGV is Kate Cairns, whose cyclist sister Eilidh was killed in 2009 when she was struck from behind and crushed by a tipper lorry whilst cycling to work. Kate, whose career encompasses working as a civil engineer, environmentalist, sustainability consultant, road safety campaigner and founder of See Me Save Me, has become an important voice in road safety invited to speak at industry events, campaigning for greater awareness of the issues and working tirelessly to change outcomes. She shares her expertise and personal story with Adam, and there is an extended interview with Kate available as Episode 3 which is highly recommended listening.Adam meets HGV drivers Barry and Rob to learn about the challenges they face as they go about their jobs. Barry says that he wouldn’t choose it as a career again because he feels vulnerable to the actions of other road users, with potentially lethal results. Rob loves his truck, takes huge pride in it, but also describes it as a ‘blunt weapon’ and has seen the long-term psychological effects of a fatal incident on his friend, who killed someone while driving his HGV in London. Adam also talks to participants on ATT’s new EPIC Logistics training day to show how behavioural change is critical to having much safer roads.This podcast contains content that some listeners may find upsetting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
27 Jul 2018
Episode 1: Wind Power Down Under
Active Training Team Podcast - Episode 1: Wind Power Down Under Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
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