The big picture: using wildflower strips for pest control
They may be beautiful, but these strips prove pretty deadly for every farmer's mortal enemy: aphids
Operations
Dr Sam Benson
HEAD OF HEALTH, SAFETY AND BIOSAFETY
Location
Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, AL5 2JQ
Tel
+44 (0) 1582 938 666
Professional Platforms
Biography
Sam manages Health, Safety and Biosafety on site, leading a small team. The team has responsibility for several areas: health, safety and wellbeing; biosafety & biosecurity, which includes all aspects of handling biological materials, processes related to the use of GM materials in our research; Nagoya Protocol compliance; other systems to enable compliance with legal and environmental regulations or conditions of held licences or grant funding; staff training, development of policies and procedures; and compliance monitoring for all areas. Sam has various skills and expertise: health and safety; emergency response; radiation protection; environmental protection; biological safety, containment and decontamination; working with genetically modified materials; transport of dangerous goods by air. A former scientist, he also has a PhD in Higher Plant Biochemistry and experience in biofuels research.
Awards
- Vocational: 2015 - Emergency Response National Chemical Emergency Centre
- 2014 - NEBOSH General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety
- 2014 - Radiation Protection Supervision
- 2013 - IIA Award in compliance audit and assurance
- 2012 - IOSH Managing Safety
- 2012 -The Carriage of Diagnostic and Infectious Substance by Air
- 2012 - Working with Biological Hazards and Genetically Modified Agents
- 2012 - Containment Level 3 - Practices and Principals Academic: 2002 - University of Sheffield, PhD in Biochemistry
Measures of Esteem
- Member of the Health, Safety and Environment Committee
- Departmental Safety Advisors Group
- Biosafety Committee