Biography:
1st Option Management Team |
Bob Forster; BSc CFIOSH MInstLM
Bob is the Managing Director of 1st Option Safety Services. Bob is a Chartered Safety and Health Practitioner. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. A risk management professional with over 20 years experience of providing consultancy and operational and strategic support to complex, multi-site operations including broadcasting, television and film, commercial activities, mechanical and electrical engineering, public events, production process, construction, aviation, facilities and premises management.
Prior to establishing 1st Option Safety Services, Bob was Head of Health and Safety at the BBC leading a multi disciplined team of Safety Advisers, Occupational Health Physicians, Nurses and Physiotherapists and specialist security advisers.
He has represented the Health and Safety Executive on various industry working groups including the chairmanship of committees responsible for drafting health and safety guidance for the broadcasting and entertainment industry.
Matthew Vyze; BSc (Hons) CMIOSH
Matthew is a Director of 1st Option Safety Services. After graduating with a 1st class honours degree in Health, Safety & Environmental Management, Matthew worked as a risk management consultant undertaking liability assessments and devising practices to minimise litigation for a range of clients.
Before becoming a Director of 1st Option Safety Services Matthew worked for the BBC where he led a team of Occupational Health Nurses and Safety Advisers providing operational and strategic support to all Drama, Film, Entertainment, Factual & Learning, Events and Commissioning departments. Matthew was instrumental in designing and developing the key production safety training courses. He was also responsible for designing and implementing safety management systems for live events, which has now been adopted by a number of other organisations within the Broadcast Industry.
Matthew is an active and influential member of both the Broadcast Industry Safety Group and the Joint Industry Stunt Committee.
Guy Lunn; Grad IOSH
Guy is a Principal Health and Safety Consultant within 1st Option Safety Services. Guy has worked within the Broadcasting, Television and Film Industry for over 20 years. Before becoming a qualified safety and health practitioner Guy worked for many years within the BBC special effects department carrying out the full range of SFX.
His work in the television industry has included support to BBC, ITV and independent production companies in drama, entertainment, factual productions and newsgathering. Guy has in depth knowledge of the day to day workings of film and television, supporting safety critical activities, in the UK and abroad.
Anne Shanley; CMIOSH
Anne is a Principal Health & Safety consultant within 1st Option Safety Services. She is a Chartered Safety & Health Practitioner.
Before joining 1st Option Safety Services, Anne was a Safety Advisor at the BBC providing health and safety support to all Drama and Entertainment productions. As a BBC specialist Anne represented the BBC on the Joint Industry Stunt Committee (JISC). Anne was also the BBC lead on the health & safety commissioning process for Independent production companies. Prior to supporting Drama and Entertainment Anne provided safety support to BBC regional output – working out of BBC Birmingham and Manchester, covering a wide range of areas such as Factual & Learning, Local News, Current Affairs and Radio.
Before becoming a qualified safety & health practitioner, Anne worked for the BBC in various production support roles, giving her a wide knowledge of how the TV industry works and an understanding of production needs.
Vittorio Vanloo; CMIOSH
Vittorio is a Principal Health & Safety consultant within 1st Option Safety Services. He is a Chartered Member of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (CMIOSH) and has worked for over fiftteen years as a health and safety professional across various industries. Before joining 1st Option Safety Services, Vittorio managed the BBC's occupational risk training programmes for three years and prior to that, provided safety support to many BBC productions including Drama, Sport, Radio, Entertainment, Childrens and Factual/Learning. Previous work experience includes computer programming, business planning, business administration and asset management.
Jamie Fewster; Tech IOSH
Jamie is a Health and Safety Consultant within 1st Option Safety Services. Jamie joined us from the BBC where he was responsible for advising BBC factual, drama and children's television production teams in all aspects of safety management. Much of Jamie's work involved overseeing the health & safety commissioning and vetting process for Independent production companies at the BBC.
Jamie has a good working knowledge of the TV industry and considerable experience of live broadcasting in particular, having worked as both a Floor Manager and Studio Manager for an independent production company for nearly 10 years and advising on safety aspects of live broadcasts at the BBC.
Glenn Hunt; Nebosh Cert
Glenn is a Health and Safety Consultant within 1st Option Safety Services. A highly skilled health and safety professional with multi site experience in the broadcasting, television, leisure and facilities industry. Also experienced in providing support to crews working in foreign locations and extreme climatic conditions.
Ex- military, Glenn has operational experience of working in foreign locations and areas of major conflict. He also has significant experience in organising and supervising expeditions and outdoor sporting activities such as, diving, canoeing and mountaineering (Mountain Leader - British Mountaineering Council).
Glenn is a very experienced and engaging safety and first aid trainer.
Ben Harding; Tech IOSH
Ben is a Health and Safety Consultant within 1st Option Safety Services. He is an experienced production, technical and safety manager with comprehensive experience of all aspects of production including event planning, health and safety, electrical, lighting design programming and AV, working on outdoor events, site specific productions, theatre and TV.
Before becoming a Health and Safety Adviser Ben had considerable experience in events supporting licence applications, leading Safety Advisory Group meetings for outdoor events, Joint Agency meetings for licensable productions, safety management, planning, advice and support for site specific productions, events and concerts. Ben has considerable experience of dealing directly with local government and enforcement agencies to ensure that production needs are met.
Steve Ryan
Steve is our Head of High Risk. Twelve years in the British Army saw Steve working operationally in Iraq, Bosnia and Northern Ireland. After leaving the army he moved on to the BBC’s High Risk Team where his role was to advise journalists travelling into and often living in Hostile Environments. He also advised on situations like riots, natural disasters, remote areas and under cover reporting. The role saw him travel all over the world and work on programmes as diverse as 20th Century Battlefields in the Middle East, News Night in Somalia and the World Service just about everywhere else! Steve’s principle client at 1st Option is ITN; producing news for ITV and Channel 4.
Andy Bilby; Nebosh Cert
Andy is a Health and Safety Consultant within 1st Option Safety Services. Before joining 1st Option, Andy worked for 7 years as a Studio & Facilities Manager for talkbackTHAMES where he was responsible for all aspects of studio and premises safety including fire risk assessment, contractor vetting, asbestos management, mechanical and electrical inspection and portable appliance testing.
Andy’s role as Studio Manager has given him experience of working in a safety capacity with productions in a variety of television genres including drama, entertainment, comedy, documentary as well as films and commercials.
Sarah Fuller; BTch Ln
Sarah is the 1st Option Office Manager. A New Zealander, Sarah travelled and worked all over the world as a croupier and on cruise ships before coming to the UK.
Working in the banking, hospitality and entertainment sectors before moving to 1st Option, Sarah has considerable experience of customer support, office management systems and processes. Sarah also has significant knowledge and experience in training and development and in planning and running promotional events.
Michelle McMullen
Michelle is the 1st Option Office Administrator. Michelle joined the 1st Option team in July 2008 after a long and varied career within television. She began her career within the BBC where she remained for many years, working within Facilities Management, Health & Safety and Training, and finally moving across to BBC Drama. Michelle continued her journey working as an Assistant to several BBC Producers and then moved into Drama Production where she worked on various productions as a freelance Production Secretary / Production Co-ordinator.
Michelle has a solid PA and Administrative background.
Lenny May
A Registered Medical Technician (Paramedic) for over twenty five years. A former Royal Navy Commando, supplying Paramedical support to the Royal Marines. Lenny has served as a Paramedic and worked in every climatic condition in the world. He earned the respect of the men from the Special Boat Service Royal Marines receiving specific recognition for medical support during operations in the Gulf War.
Lenny is a Health and Safety Executive Approved instructor for First Aid and the Hyperbaric Medical Technicians Courses.
His work over the past fifteen years has been to develop and supply medical support to all major news agencies, production companies, construction, tunnelling and police forces worldwide. He has developed many medical training programmes including the medical element to the BBC Hostile Environment course, which has since been adopted by other training organisations worldwide.
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