Dr David Thomas


Dr David Thomas
NameDr David Thomas
Job titleSenior Lecturer in Occupational Health and Safety Management
Research institute
Primary appointmentNatural Sciences
Email addressD.Thomas@mdx.ac.uk
ORCIDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1209-7025
Contact categoryAcademic staff

Biography

Biography

An all round professional with joined up thinking in organisational resilience, health and safety and operational management from with managerial and leadership experience in the private, public and university sector I have just completed my Senior Leader MBA here at Middlesex University. My main interests are around entrepreneurship in Higher Education, fusing practice with education, indeed andragogy not pedagogy at MSc level. My main activity is closing the divide between university and work.

I thrive on trying new things and challenging the status quo and am a highly pro-active person- my experience has included hands on industrial experience. I am driven by the global world and developing international links, with my 3 year role as Chair of the IOSH EWMG giving me opportunity to bridge between industry and academia. I have a passion for improving competence and believe in doing the simple things well, by coaching others and working cross functionally both externally and internally with stakeholders at all levels to jointly find practical solutions to real problems.

I have successfully worked with a number of local authorities in the UK developing and advising on Health and Safety improvement strategies within the waste sector and have worked internationally, teaching in China, Hong Kong, Trinidad and Tobago and consultancy in Georgia. 

Teaching

Programme Leader MSc programmes - Occupational Health, Safety and Environment/Wellbeing Management

Also teach on undergraduate programme

Additional teaching on Project Management, Risk management and Leadership/Management

Supervising two PhD students looking at Leadership- Followership Dynamics and looking at the roles and influences of Health and Safety Professionals 

Education and qualifications

Grants

Prizes and Awards

External activities

Chair IOSH Environmental and Waste management Group
External comittee
Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH)

Chair

01 Dec 2019
01 Oct 2023

IOSH Vice President
External committee
Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH)

Vice President

01 Nov 2015
01 Nov 2016

IOSH Member of Council
External committee
Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH)
01 Nov 2009
01 Nov 2019

LAWS - Local Authority Waste Safety and Health Forum
Chair
LAWS

Founder and Chair

01 Dec 2004
05 Oct 2016

Research outputs

Occupant complacency in workplace fire evacuations

Gold, D., Thomas, D., Vincer, N. and Pitkin, M. 2024. Occupant complacency in workplace fire evacuations. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications. 11 (1). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-03665-3

Complacency in fire evacuation from buildings: A technical research report into evacuee complacency, an overlooked component of fire safety management, from the IOSH Fire Risk Management Group

Gold, D., Thomas, D., Vincer, N. and Pitkin, M. 2023. Complacency in fire evacuation from buildings: A technical research report into evacuee complacency, an overlooked component of fire safety management, from the IOSH Fire Risk Management Group. LinkedIn.

Applying safety investigation standards to occupational health incidents

Thomas, D., Volmink, O., Donnelly, S., Rifá, M. and Michell, K. 2022. Applying safety investigation standards to occupational health incidents. ICOH/IOSH webinar. Online (London) 29 Sep 2022

Care of our people - manual handling of recyclables and waste? Should we be concerned?

Thomas, D. 2010. Care of our people - manual handling of recyclables and waste? Should we be concerned? Zero Waste Conference - Scottish Waste & Resources Conference. Glasgow, UK 06 Oct 2010

Resource and recycling – collaborative working and the EWMG

Thomas, D. 2020. Resource and recycling – collaborative working and the EWMG. Resource and Recycling: Midshires Branch and EWMG. Online - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTtLmEQkZGU 12 Nov 2020

The effects of outsourcing work activity and use of agency staff on ill health absence: the case of local authority waste collection services (in the UK)

Thomas, D. 2022. The effects of outsourcing work activity and use of agency staff on ill health absence: the case of local authority waste collection services (in the UK). Ergonomics and Hygiene 2022 - https://conference.ieh.sg/about. The Fullerton Hotel Singapore 31 Aug - 01 Sep 2022

Examining the role of the occupational safety and health professional in supporting the control of the risks of multiple psychosocial stressors generated during the COVID-19 pandemic

Gold, D., Sharman, A. and Thomas, D. 2022. Examining the role of the occupational safety and health professional in supporting the control of the risks of multiple psychosocial stressors generated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications. 9 (1), pp. 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-022-01079-7

Perceptions, experiences and opportunities for occupational safety and health professionals arising out of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Gold, D., Hughes, S. and Thomas, D. 2021. Perceptions, experiences and opportunities for occupational safety and health professionals arising out of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications. 8 (1), pp. 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-021-00955-y

Safety ownership

Thomas, D. 2021. Safety ownership. LinkedIn.

A comparison of manual handling risks in different domestic waste collection systems using three separate evaluation methods

Thomas, D., Hare, B. and Evangelinos, K. 2021. A comparison of manual handling risks in different domestic waste collection systems using three separate evaluation methods. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics. 83, pp. 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ergon.2021.103111

Corporate psychopaths - included in your risk assessment processes?

Thomas, D. 2020. Corporate psychopaths - included in your risk assessment processes? Wellbeing Joint event with the Yorkshire Branch. On Line - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCIzNlXxM2k&feature=youtu.be 16 Sep 2020

The business case for human sustainability

Thomas, D. 2019. The business case for human sustainability. The 4th International Symposium on Business Cooperation and Development in South-East and South Asia under B&R Initiative. International Business School, Yunnan University of Finance & Economics, ChinaKunming , PRC 24 Nov 2019

An investigation into the prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDS) within trades’ in high rise property development and the effects of age

Thomas, D. 2019. An investigation into the prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDS) within trades’ in high rise property development and the effects of age. APOSHO 34 Conference. Guiyang (Guizhou) PRC 06 - 07 Sep 2019

Development of the LAWS Forum for Local Authorities (10 year journey!)

Thomas, D. 2019. Development of the LAWS Forum for Local Authorities (10 year journey!). Hampshire CASH Forum of Local Authorities. INTECH (Winchester Science Centre) 03 Sep 2014

The identification of the domestic waste collection system associated with the least operative musculoskeletal disorders using human resource absence data

Thomas, D., Mulville, M. and Hare, B. 2019. The identification of the domestic waste collection system associated with the least operative musculoskeletal disorders using human resource absence data. Resources, Conservation and Recycling. 150, pp. 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.104424

What do we mean by “Wellbeing”?

Thomas, D. 2018. What do we mean by “Wellbeing”? Hong Kong SPACE Open Conference. Admiralty Campus, Hong Kong 03 Dec 2018

Independent review of building regulations and fire safety: next steps

Thomas, D. 2018. Independent review of building regulations and fire safety: next steps. Building Maintenance Advisory Group - (Southern region). London Borough of Tower Hamlets 19 Oct 2017

Can HR and H&S work together to bring about sustainable rehabilitation?

Thomas, D., Corby, S. and Tsay, C. 2018. Can HR and H&S work together to bring about sustainable rehabilitation? 33rd Asia Pacific Occupational Safety and Health Organization annual conference (APOSHO 33). Regal Kowloon Hotel, Hong Kong 04 - 05 Dec 2018 APOSHO/IOSH.

Enhancing health and safety in the workplace

Thomas, D. 2017. Enhancing health and safety in the workplace. Enhancing Health and Safety in the Workplace - "Inside Government". Congress Centre, London 24 Jan 2017

Experiences from industry: Health and Safety effects and challenges on older people

Thomas, D. 2017. Experiences from industry: Health and Safety effects and challenges on older people. The Ageing Workforce: Implications for the Occupational Safety and Health Professions. Queen Anne, University of Greenwich 19 Feb 2017

Fire safety in construction management

Thomas, D. 2017. Fire safety in construction management. APSE Housing, Construction & Building Maintenance Advisory Group - (Southern region). London Borough of Tower Hamlets 19 Oct 2017

Using body mapping as part of the risk assessment process - a case study

Thomas, D., Hare, B. and Cameron, I. 2018. Using body mapping as part of the risk assessment process - a case study. Policy and Practice in Health and Safety. 16 (2), pp. 224-240. https://doi.org/10.1080/14773996.2018.1491146

The need for closer OSH and HR collaboration

Thomas, D. 2017. The need for closer OSH and HR collaboration. IOSH Magazine.

Prioritising Health and Safety- Soundbite-

Thomas, D. 2016. Prioritising Health and Safety- Soundbite-. The Loop.

Relationships between waste collection systems and MSD’s

Thomas, D. 2016. Relationships between waste collection systems and MSD’s. IOSH West of Scotland Joint Meeting. Hampden Park , Glasgow 28 Jan 2016

Relationships between Waste Collection Systems and MSD’s

Thomas, D. 2013. Relationships between Waste Collection Systems and MSD’s. LARAC Conference 2013 - The Annual Forum for Waste and Recycling Officers. East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham 16 - 17 Oct 2013

MSD and approaches to management

Thomas, D. and Aptowitzer, S. 2012. MSD and approaches to management. IOSH Conference. Manchester Conference Centre 08 - 09 Mar 2012
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