The Health & Safety Event 2026 returned to the NEC Birmingham from 28-30 April as part of the wider Safety & Security Event Series, bringing together thousands of professionals for three days of learning, networking, innovation and industry discussion.
As one of the leading gatherings for the sector, this year’s event reflected the continued growth and evolution of the health and safety industry, with record-breaking attendance, packed conference theatres and high engagement across the show floor. Across the wider Safety & Security Event Series, more than 58,000 professionals attended the co-located events, exploring the latest technologies, services and solutions from over 1,200 exhibitors.
The Health & Safety Event itself welcomed more than 14,000 visitors and featured over 400 exhibitors, alongside an extensive education programme made up of 150 sessions and 162 speakers. More than half of all attendees took part in conference sessions across the event, highlighting the industry’s appetite for knowledge-sharing, collaboration and professional development.
Throughout the three-day event, attendees had the opportunity to connect with leading manufacturers, suppliers and service providers from across the health and safety sector. From PPE and occupational health solutions to risk management technology, training services and workplace wellbeing initiatives, the exhibition floor showcased the breadth of innovation currently shaping the industry.
This year’s conference programme focused heavily on the people, behaviours and cultural factors shaping health and safety today. One of the most popular sessions of the event was Gen Z at Work: Rethinking Risk, Supervision and Safety for a New Generation, presented by Lauren Mistry and chaired by Shaun Lundy. The session drew almost 200 attendees and explored how organisations can better support and protect younger workers entering the workforce.
Other standout sessions included Bruce Daisley’s discussion on building stronger safety cultures through behaviour and habit, as well as sessions covering lone and hybrid worker responsibilities and the upcoming ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 updates. These sessions reflected the wider conversations taking place across the industry around evolving workplace expectations, leadership and the future of organisational responsibility.
Several key themes emerged across the three days. Conversations around safety culture, leadership and human behaviour continued to dominate, with many attendees looking beyond compliance-led approaches towards creating environments where health and safety are embedded into everyday practice. People-first approaches also remained a major focus, with strong engagement around mental health, wellbeing and the changing expectations of modern workforces. This reflects the value of taking a holistic approach to environmental health and safety.
Beyond the conference programme, the event provided a valuable opportunity for professionals from across the sector to reconnect, share experiences and discover new ideas shaping the future of health and safety.
Following another successful edition, anticipation is already building for 2027, with organisers promising continued growth, innovation and opportunities for collaboration across the industry.
