On stepping step down from my role as Chair of SAEMA in early 2025, I looked back over my time in the position and I can honestly say it has been one of the most rewarding chapters of my career.
Setting the agenda for the suspended access industry trade association, and driving the safety, compliance, technical and competence agendas, have been my professional life for many years, and I’ve been fortunate enough to contribute to quite a few of the UK and European standards that guide our work. Serving as SAEMA Chair gave me the opportunity to take that passion for technical excellence and safety and apply it on a wider stage, helping to shape the very practices and regulations that keep people working safely at height every single day.
Over the seven years or so I served as both Technical Chair and then Chair of SAEMA, I’ve had the privilege of working with some truly brilliant people. From technical experts and industry leaders to dedicated members and committed regulators, I’ve seen first-hand the expertise, integrity and shared purpose that define our sector. It’s that collaboration, the pooling of knowledge and experience, that has allowed us to make real progress.
Together, we have refined existing codes of practice, helped to develop new ones and ensured that SAEMA remains a trusted voice for safety and compliance. I’m proud of the work we’ve done to make sure our industry not only meets legal requirements but embraces a culture of responsibility and continuous improvement. SAEMA has sometimes been referred to as a talking shop, but it seems to me that is only through those detailed conversations that we can get to understand each other and find the paths that we can all move along together.
What I’ve enjoyed most is knowing that our efforts have a direct and lasting impact. Every improvement to a standard, every update to guidance, every training session delivered – they all contribute to safer workplaces and better protection for those working at height.
I am deeply grateful to everyone I’ve worked alongside during my time as Chair. I’ve received invaluable support from members such as Martyn, Barry, Chris, Kyle and Will, and from the wider team, Tony, Becky, Joe, Duncan, Nicola, Simon, Cheryl and plenty more along the way. The dedication, skill and passion of the SAEMA membership have made the role both a challenge and a privilege. I leave the role knowing the association is in safe hands and that the work we’ve started will continue to grow and strengthen.
It has been an honour to serve, and I will always remain an active advocate – as an ongoing Board member – for the vital role SAEMA plays in keeping our industry safe and compliant.