PRAGMA + ASSOCIATES - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Marketing and Sales Manager
Alex is responsible for marketing activities at Pragma. She coordinates our attendance at industry events, looks after our website and social media accounts and builds and maintains relationships with our clients and contacts.
Job Titles:
- Consultant Occupational Hygienist
Andrew has over 32 years of experience in heavy industry including surveying a wide range of chemical and physical hazards. Andrew's particular areas of speciality are asbestos, noise and vibration, thermal environment and volatile organic compounds
His work with asbestos has included surveying buildings for asbestos-containing materials, laboratory identification of asbestos types, evaluating exposures for comparison with published standards and clearance/reassurance monitoring for post-removal reoccupation purposes.
After retiring in 2023, Andrew continues to be available to Pragma on a consultative basis. Andrew continues to work on his ongoing expert witness cases and supports our occupational hygiene consultancy services.
Job Titles:
- Consultant Occupational Hygienist
Bill has helped organisations assess and control their occupational health risks for over 30 years.
During his long and varied career, Bill has carried out more than 500 noise, vibration and dust exposure surveys for a variety range of industries that includes foundries, food production, engineering, power stations, construction, quarries, hospitals and metal processing. Having spent 13 years in different technical roles at British Rail Scientific Services, Bill offers a great deal of specialist expertise in the rail and transport infrastructure sectors.
When working within industry, Bill regularly prepares COSHH assessments and carries out atmospheric monitoring exercises for hazardous substances in a variety of industrial processes. Bill has also prepared numerous reports for use in legal proceedings including the quantification of exposures to occupational health risks and on the measures that should have been taken to control these risks. Bill has also carried out noise assessments in numerous industries.
Bill's practical experience is backed up by an impressive list of academic qualifications. He is a graduate of both Glasgow University and the Royal Institute of Chemistry and also holds a Certificate in Operational Competence in Occupational Hygiene as well as remaining a Licentiate Member of the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS).
Job Titles:
- Certified Stress Management Consultant
Job Titles:
- Consultant Health & Safety Practitioner
Dave has been involved in health and safety for more than 25 years.
He began his career as a researcher at the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL) where he worked on the development of a range of devices designed to monitor exposures to hazardous dusts and fumes (including asbestos) in a variety of industrial settings.
From there, Dave joined the HSE as one of HM Inspectors of Health and Safety. With HSE Dave was responsible for inspecting a variety of workplaces across different sectors including construction, heavy engineering, molten metals, manufacturing and the service industries. Dave worked as a nominated asbestos inspector for his local HSE Division and had responsibility for the inspection and enforcement of both licensed and non-licensed asbestos removal work, as well as the licensing of asbestos removal contractors.
Dave has given evidence and prosecuted at the Magistrates Court in more than 50 cases including those involving manslaughter and multiple duty holders as well as at numerous inquests and tribunals.
He also regularly works closely with solicitors as an expert witness.
To support his industry and consultancy experience Dave has a BSc (Hons) in Applied Mathematics and Physics and a Postgraduate Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health.
Job Titles:
- Health & Safety Practitioner
Dave began his career in the asbestos and health & safety industry in 2006 and held a series of senior positions with some of the UK's leading consultancies before joining Pragma in 2019.
Throughout his career Dave has accumulated a wealth of asbestos experience. He has surveyed and inspected thousands of industrial, commercial and domestic properties, successfully delivered a range of complex licensed asbestos remediation projects, audited dutyholders' asbestos policies and procedures, and consistently driven best practice asbestos management across a range of industries.
In addition to working with industry, Dave has also provided insurers with the specialist advice they need to settle claims involving asbestos.
As well as his experience in providing consultancy and project management, Dave is also hugely experienced in delivering asbestos and health & safety training.
Dave's extensive field experience is backed up by an equally extensive list of professional and academic achievements, including a number of BOHS, RSPH and NEBOSH qualifications. Dave is an active member of The Institute of Occupational Safety and Health and the British Occupational Hygiene Society's Faculty of Asbestos Assessment and Management.
Dave specialises in providing expert reports and opinion regarding liability and exposure levels for asbestos related claims; he accepts instructions from solicitors representing Claimants, Defendants and on a ‘joint instruction' basis.
Job Titles:
- Chartered Health & Safety Practitioner
Dave has also gained a broad wealth of experience in supporting clients across a number of sectors as a result holding senior positions at a number of the UK's best regarded Health and Safety consultancies including Pennington Choices and Ellis Whittam. In these roles he provided Health and Safety support to a range of key clients across the leisure, education, housing, hotel, retail, ecclesiastical and manufacturing sectors.
Elizabeth joined the Pragma team in 2022 to provide Mental Health First Aid England (MHFA) training courses.
Elizabeth has been providing MHFA training for 7 years and has a wealth of experience and knowledge to make sure that delegates get the best MHFA England training. She is a quality assured Instructor Member who has attended the MHFA England Instructor Training programme accredited by the Royal Society for Public Health and is trained to keep people safe and supported while they learn.
Elizabeth can provide MHFA training for both adults and young people and can deliver this at our client's premises, online or at our state-of-the-art conference facility.
You can read more about the training here or contact Elizabeth for further information.
Job Titles:
- Chemical Production, Steel and Fabrications, Manufacturing, Agrichemicals
- Expert
- Managing Director, Chartered Engineer and Chartered Health & Safety Practitioner
Following the merger of Pragma Consulting and Pragma Asbestos Ltd in 2018, Ian became Managing Director of the newly formed Pragma and Associates Ltd.
Ian has over 30 years of industrial health and safety experience including 2 years as an HM Inspector of Factories. After working on the expert evidence in the British Coal Respiratory Disease Litigation and other high profile legal actions, Ian founded Pragma Consulting in 2000 with the aim of delivering high quality health and safety advice to legal professionals and industry.
Ian has worked as an expert witness for over 25 years, principally providing advice and evidence in relation to claims involving respiratory diseases (asbestos related disease, asthma, silicosis, COPD), physical agents (noise and vibration) and occupational accidents.
Altogether Ian has provided expert evidence in over 1000 occupational disease and other personal injury cases and continues to prepare reports and give oral evidence for both Claimant and Defendant Solicitors, either on a single or joint basis.
Ian's industrial experience is supported by a Postgraduate Diploma in Occupational Safety & Health; he is a Bachelor of Mining Engineering in addition to being both a Chartered Engineer and a Chartered Health & Safety Practitioner. Ian is also a Member of the Academy of Experts, the Institution of Occupational Safety & Health, the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and Metallurgy and the Institute of Directors.
Job Titles:
- Consultant Forensic Scientist
John has prepared expert reports on occupational exposure for 20 years. His career started in manufacturing and petrochemical industries before moving into occupational and environmental consultancy in 1996.
John has been instructed in claims relating to work with asbestos-containing materials within the majority of industry sectors since he became an expert witness. He has particular first-hand expertise of work in foundries, construction, contaminated land, waste management, power generation, pharmaceutical manufacture, general manufacturing, mineral extraction, offices and public-sector buildings.
As our Business Coordinator, Laura is responsible for ensuring our clients receive the best possible service.
She acts as liaison between our clients and our experts and is the best person to contact if you require any information about our experts' turnaround times and availability. Laura can also help you find the expert with the most relevant experience for your case.
Laura is responsible for the smooth running of the business and making sure our clients' expectations are met. She is also a member of our stress team with hands on experience of managing stress risks in practice.
Her responsibilities include business development, client liaison, recruitment and finance. Laura also works closely with all members of our team to make sure that Pragma's high standards are consistently achieved.
If you have any questions regarding Pragma and the way we operate, please call Laura on 01302 499054 or email her at lauranaughton@pragmaandassociates.co.uk
Job Titles:
- Occupational Hygienist
- Principal Industry Experience: Chemical Production, Steel and Fabrications, Manufacturing
Job Titles:
- Consultant Occupational Hygienist
Steve can provide advice and evidence based on 40 years of experience. Having spent the majority of his career in the rail industry, Steve has developed various specialisms including noise, vibration, respiratory diseases and occupational cancer. However, given the length and breadth of his career there are very few occupational hygiene issues he has not been involved with.
Steve draws on all of this expertise to help our clients identify and assess the health and safety risks they face and, more importantly, to offer the clear and practical advice they need to tackle those issues.
In addition to working within a diverse range of industries, Steve is also regularly instructed to provide expert advice in occupational disease cases and has accepted instructions in over 1000 personal injury cases.
Steve's industry experience is supported by a number of academic and professional qualifications. He is a Chartered Scientist and Chartered Chemist and has been awarded the Certificate in Operational Competence by the British Occupational Hygiene Society.
Tim has carried out thousands of asbestos surveys in a wide range of industrial and commercial properties, including long-running projects on a former ICI site, local councils and the power distribution network. This has provided Tim with the specialist expertise required to identify and implement actions when asbestos containing materials are present, including the management of in-situ materials and the precautions necessary when removing asbestos containing materials. Such projects have also provided Tim with extensive experience of reviewing historical asbestos records, including management, refurbishment and demolition reports, along with historical records of asbestos fibre monitoring and abatement/removal works.
Tim now employs all of his experience in his role as an expert witness to assist the courts to understand the circumstances surrounding cases in which it is suspected that ill health has been caused by asbestos.
Tim's extensive industry experience is supported by an impressive academic history: He graduated with distinction from Newcastle University with an MSc in Clean Technology and from The University of Leeds with a BSc (Hons) in Environmental Energy Science. In addition, Tim also holds W504 - Asbestos and other fibres, P402 - Building Surveys and Bulk Sampling for Asbestos, P403 - Asbestos Fibre Counting with Phase Contrast Microscopy and P404 - Air Sampling and Clearance Testing with Asbestos.
Following a successful career in the steel, chemical and agriculture industries, Tina joined Pragma in 2017 as a Chartered Occupational Hygienist. Her knowledge and experience includes recognising, evaluating and advising regarding measures to control a wide range of hazards in the workplace and writing, implementing and auditing strategies on a local, national and international platform.
Tina's areas of expertise include respiratory diseases (lung cancer, COPD, asthma), skin diseases (skin cancer, dermatitis, sensitisation) and physical agents (noise, vibration, ionising radiation, thermal).
Tina's depth of knowledge and understanding in these areas is most regularly employed in her role as an expert witness helping the courts to analyse the specific circumstances surrounding cases involving occupational and environmental health hazards. Tina also remains active in the field of Occupational Hygienist and supports Pragma in delivering consultancy services.
In addition to holding a Masters Degree in Chemistry with Study in Industry (MChem), Tina also holds the BOHS Diploma of Professional Competence in Occupational Hygiene (2015), BOHS Certificate of Operational Competency in Occupational Hygiene (2011), NEBOSH General Certificate (2013) and City & Guilds Level 3 Legionella Management and Control (2014).
Tina has also been a Chartered Member of the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) since 2015 and is actively involved as a regional organiser.