In January, IOC/NAS UK Skills Lead, Amanda Scott was elected and subsequently accepted the appointment as the new Chair of the nationwide Wood Safety Group. (WSG)
She replaces the late, respected and much missed John Gibson, founder of the WSG, a man who set the benchmark for safety application in the wood occupations and worked tirelessly for our sector safety throughout his career.
Amanda states, although no one can replace John, it is an honour to Chair the WSG who continue to drive the mission he founded – to advocate for safe operations, create and maintain the best practices, build the important guidelines, and bring meaning to new safety regulations for those in or those connected to the UK Wood Industries.
It is those values and guiding principles she intends to build on as Chair into the next two years as the WSG drives a new strategy into the second half of this decade.
She adds, “In representing the WSG the mission is clear, to prevent death, injury, and ill health including mental health through the strong and effective delivery of health and safety management systems, including the promoting the delivery of improvements while monitoring the progress of the strategic activity, and the management of associated industry engagements and working groups.”
Amanda is supported by a strong secretariat and guidance from Scott Wayne of the Health and Safety Executive and Nick Boulton of Timber Development UK, who also form part of the WSG Committee of 12 representative organisations including; Institute Of Carpenters, National Association of Shopfitters and Interior Contractors, DIDAC, Wood Recyclers Association, Wood Work Machinery Suppliers Association, Wood Panel Industry Federation, British Wood Federation, Confederation of Forest Industries, and the Jersey Health and Safety Executive.
