The inaugural session focused on managing violence and aggression in retail, an issue that is increasingly affecting workers, organisations, and communities across the UK.

The session was led by Professor Sheena Johnson and Dr Kara Ng, who shared insights from their research within the Institute’s Violence and Aggression Research Network (VARN) - a collaboration between the University of Manchester and the Health and Safety Executive.

During the session, attendees explored:

• The growing scale of violence and aggression faced by retail workers
• The impact on employee wellbeing, job satisfaction, and retention
• The wider organisational and economic costs
• Practical, evidence-based guidance to help organisations respond

Research presented during the session highlighted the increasing frequency of incidents in retail, alongside a growing awareness of their impact on frontline staff. A key focus of the session was a set of practical guidelines developed in partnership with the Retail Trust, designed to support organisations in preventing incidents and supporting employees when they occur.

These guidelines introduce a simple, structured framework covering areas such as:

• Reporting incidents effectively
• Supporting staff following incidents
• Learning from data and implementing improvements

The session also provided an opportunity for open discussion, with participants joining from a range of sectors including policing, local government, retail and academia - highlighting the cross-sector relevance of the issue.

The Institute will continue its Lunch & Learn series in the coming months, providing accessible opportunities to engage with cutting-edge research and practical solutions to real-world challenges.

Our first session, Managing violence and aggression in retail, will be delivered by Dr Kara Ng and Professor Sheena Johnson from Alliance Manchester Business School.

Work-related violence and aggression is a growing issue across the retail sector, with frontline staff facing increasing levels of verbal abuse, intimidation and physical risks. These challenges not only affect individual wellbeing but can also impact staff retention, organisational performance and workplace culture.

This session will showcase new best practice guidance developed in collaboration with the Retail Trust, drawing on research, industry data and insights from employers and practitioners. Attendees will gain a clearer understanding of the challenges facing the sector, alongside practical strategies that organisations can adopt to prevent incidents and better support staff.

Date: 25 June

Time: 12:30 – 13:30pm

Location: Online

Register here

We welcome attendees from academia, policy, industry and beyond.

About the Violence and Aggression Research Network (VARN)

This work builds on the Thomas Ashton Institute’s ongoing activity through the Violence and Aggression Research Network (VARN)

VARN brings together researchers, policymakers and practitioners to share knowledge, explore best practice and develop solutions to address work-related violence and aggression across sectors. The network provides a platform to connect evidence with real-world challenges, helping organisations better understand and respond to these issues.

Find out more about VARN Violence and Aggression Research Network

The Thomas Ashton Institute for Risk and Regulatory Research brings together the strengths of the University of Manchester and the Health and Safety Executive to do exactly that—combining academic excellence with regulatory insight to tackle real-world problems and deliver meaningful impact.

By working across disciplines, sectors and perspectives, the Institute creates a space where research doesn’t just sit in isolation, but actively informs policy, shapes practice, and improves lives.

A different approach to research
The Institute was established to respond to a clear need: traditional, siloed approaches are no longer enough to address today’s interconnected risks. Instead, we:

• Bring together academic, regulatory and technical expertise from across disciplines
• Co-produce research that is both rigorous and grounded in real-world need
• Translate evidence into practical solutions that make a measurable difference
• Use system-level insight to identify emerging risks and opportunities

This approach allows us to move beyond theory—ensuring research leads to action and impact at pace.

Join a growing community
We are building a collaborative community of colleagues from across the University of Manchester who are interested in risk, regulation, safety and wider societal resilience. There are many ways to get involved:

• Join one of our research themes or platforms
• Contribute to existing or developing projects
• Help shape future research priorities
• Connect your work to interdisciplinary and policy-focused activity

Whether your expertise lies in engineering, health, social sciences, policy, data, or beyond, there is a place within the Thomas Ashton Institute to collaborate and contribute.

Why it matters
Working with the Institute means becoming part of a partnership that:

• Tackles complex, real-world challenges
• Connects research with policy and practice
• Accelerates routes to impact through strong national networks
• Helps create safer, healthier and more resilient workplaces and societies

Get in touch
We are keen to hear from colleagues who would like to get involved or find out more.
• Contact us at: ashton@manchester.ac.uk
• Or explore our work online: www.ashtoninstitute.ac.uk

The Thomas Ashton Institute’s Violence and Aggression Research Network (VARN) has contributed to the development of new evidence-informed guidance aimed at helping retailers better prevent and manage work-related violence and aggression.

Developed in collaboration with the Retail Trust and researchers at Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS), the guidance – Managing violence and aggression in retail – provides practical strategies to support organisations in protecting their workforce and improving workplace safety.

Addressing a growing challenge

Work-related violence and aggression is an increasing concern across the retail sector, with staff frequently exposed to verbal abuse, threats and physical harm in the course of their work. Recent research underpinning the guidance highlights the scale of the issue, with many incidents going unreported and a significant impact on staff wellbeing, safety and retention across the industry.

Evidence from the Retail Trust’s Let’s Respect Retail campaign shows that the problem is widespread, with a substantial proportion of retail workers reporting experiences of abuse, stress and anxiety linked to their work.

Evidence-based solutions for employers

The new guidance brings together academic research and industry insight to provide retailers with practical, flexible approaches to tackling WVA. It focuses on areas including:

• Improving reporting systems and encouraging staff to report incidents

• Strengthening training and prevention strategies

• Supporting colleagues affected by abuse

• Fostering a culture of respect and safety in retail environments

By equipping employers with actionable recommendations, the guidance aims to help organisations create safer workplaces while improving staff wellbeing and organisational resilience

The role of VARN

The work is underpinned by research led through the Violence and Aggression Research Network (VARN), which is hosted by the Thomas Ashton Institute for Risk and Regulatory Research.

VARN brings together researchers, policymakers and industry partners to better understand the nature and extent of violence and aggression in the workplace, and to develop strategies to improve reporting, prevention and response.

By creating a space for collaboration and knowledge exchange across sectors, the network plays a key role in translating research into real-world impact.

Driving safer workplaces through collaboration

This collaboration between the Retail Trust, AMBS and VARN highlights the importance of interdisciplinary research and partnership working in addressing complex workplace challenges.

Through initiatives like this, the Thomas Ashton Institute continues to support evidence-based approaches to improving workplace safety, health and wellbeing—helping organisations across sectors respond to emerging risks and create safer, more supportive environments for their people.

This year’s distinguished guest speaker is Professor Gillian Leng CBE, Chair of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council and former Chief Executive of NICE. She will deliver a talk titled:

“The Evolution of Evidence and the Changing Nature of Employment: What this means for the work of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council.”

The programme includes:

4:00pm – In‑person registration (with complimentary tea and coffee)

4:30–6:00pm – Main Lecture & Q&A

6:00–8:00pm – Post‑lecture reception with refreshments

The event is free to attend and open to colleagues, researchers, policymakers, students, and the wider public. Both in‑person and online attendance options are available. Please note that online participants must complete both Eventbrite registration and the additional Microsoft Webinar registration link provided after checkout.

This annual lecture, delivered in collaboration with the Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, will explore how shifting evidence landscapes and employment patterns are shaping future approaches to worker health, policy, and regulation. 

Register now

This is a major new initiative hosted within SALIENT, which sits under the Institute’s wider mission to improve safety and resilience across society. The announcement from SALIENT showcases an ambitious, interdisciplinary programme led by The University of Manchester, designed to accelerate the UK’s response to one of its most pressing societal challenges.

VAWG remains widespread and underreported in the UK. Police in England and Wales recorded more than 200,000 sexual offences in 2024/25, while 2.2 million women aged 16+ experienced domestic abuse in the year ending March 2025. These stark figures underpin the UK Government’s Safer Streets Mission and Freedom from Violence and Abuse strategy, which jointly set an ambitious goal: to halve VAWG within the next decade. 

The RISE project - funded through UKRI’s R&D Missions Accelerator Programme - has been designed to help drive the evidence, innovation and national coordination needed to support that mission. RISE brings together experts in criminology, data science, public policy, and VAWG prevention. 

The team is led by Professor Rose Broad, supported by colleagues including Professor Mark Elliot, Dr Richard Kirkham, Dr Caroline Miles, Professor David Gadd and Dr Reka Solymosi. This breadth of expertise reflects the complexity of understanding and preventing violence at scale.

The project’s research spans several cutting‑edge strands. These activities aim not only to deepen the evidence base, but to deliver practical tools and insights for policing, community safety, and public policy. They including: 

• A rapid evidence review on primary prevention of VAWG
• Development of a safety‑focused mobile app informed by the experiences of women runners
• Evaluation of multi‑agency perpetrator prevention models aimed at reducing reoffending
• Analysis of Domestic Homicide Reviews, with current work including cases involving matricide

A defining feature of RISE is its commitment to cross-sector collaboration. This systems‑wide approach reflects SALIENT’s mission to bring diverse expertise together to address complex risks and create real‑world impact. This means engaging charities, policing partners, academics and other specialists to:

• Share best practice
• Strengthen relationships across disciplines and services
• Identify gaps for innovation
• Build momentum for future funding and research opportunities

As part of its wider work, SALIENT has also announced a Call for Projects to fund up to ten short research projects between April and August 2026, supporting further innovation across the VAWG prevention landscape. These grants will help broaden the national community working on prevention, response and system reform. The RISE programme exemplifies the Thomas Ashton Institute’s commitment to advancing research that protects communities, supports vulnerable groups, and strengthens the evidence base behind national policy. By hosting SALIENT within our institutional ecosystem, the Institute continues to champion interdisciplinary collaborations that lead to safer, more resilient futures.

If you would like to learn more about RISE or SALIENT’s broader work, please visit the SALIENT Hub for full details. 

Hosted by Dr James A. Malcolm, Assistant Professor at the Centre for Peace and Security at Coventry University, Security at Sea examines how international security issues unfold at, on, and beneath the world’s oceans. Through conversations with maritime communities, practitioners, and leading academics, the podcast explores both the challenges and opportunities facing those who work to protect critical maritime systems

A Pilot Episode on Subsea Infrastructure Security

The first episode, “Exploring Subsea Infrastructure Security”, delves into the vulnerabilities of subsea infrastructure. Dr Malcolm is joined by experts including Dr Robert McCabe (Centre for Peace and Security) and Dr Anna Butchart, a national security specialist and independent consultant. Together, they discuss emerging risks, the consequences of disruption, and how governments and industry can better safeguard these vital assets.

The Thomas Ashton Institute looks forward to sharing further episodes as the series develops and continues to showcase interdisciplinary research that shapes safer, healthier, and more resilient workplaces and societies.

Listen to the podcast 

Over the past two years, SALIENT has become a cornerstone initiative in the UK’s efforts to understand, anticipate, and address the complex risks shaping our society. Led by a consortium of universities and supported by partners across government, industry and civil society, the Hub has rapidly developed a reputation for bringing people together to explore the human, technical and systemic aspects of national security and resilience.

A Hub Growing in Influence and Impact

Since its launch, SALIENT has worked to: 

1. Connect interdisciplinary expertise across academia, public services, and policymaking. Support innovative and collaborative research through its devolved funding calls. 

2. Create opportunities for knowledge exchange between researchers and practitioners

3. Build a stronger, shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the UK

4. These achievements reflect SALIENT’s commitment to inclusive, human‑centred approaches to resilience — an ethos that aligns strongly with TAI’s mission to bridge research, policy and practice in risk and regulatory science.

A Programme Built on Partnership

As a host institute, TAI is delighted to see SALIENT continue to grow in ambition and visibility. The Hub’s work complements our own efforts across occupational safety, public health, regulation, and systems thinking. By bringing together diverse voices and disciplines, SALIENT exemplifies the kind of collaborative research ecosystem the Thomas Ashton Institute aims to champion.

Looking Ahead

SALIENT’s second year has been defined by energy, creativity and cross‑sector engagement — and year three promises even more opportunities to strengthen resilience across the UK.

We invite our colleagues, partners and wider community to read the full birthday story and join us in celebrating this key moment in the Hub’s development. Read the full story. 

Helen’s story highlights:
1. Why inclusion is built through consistent, everyday behaviours rather than one-off events…
2. How administrative roles shape culture, often quietly yet powerfully.
3. Practical examples of inclusive working within the Institute—simple actions that make a big difference.
4. Why compassionate leadership and psychological safety matter in research settings dealing with risk, regulation and complex societal challenges.

Her piece is an honest, personal reflection on what it means to put EDI into practice, and how the Institute strives to model inclusion through the way we work as a team. She says, "EDI means creating a culture where every colleague feels able to contribute, ask questions and be themselves. At the Thomas Ashton Institute, that starts with how we treat each other in the everyday moments.”

We invite all colleagues, collaborators and partners—across the University of Manchester, HSE, SALIENT, and our wider networks—to take a moment to read it. It’s a thoughtful reminder that inclusion is everyone’s responsibility, and that the culture we create together shapes the impact we can have.

👉 Read Helen’s full story on The University of Manchester EDI Blog
 

Victoria Turner, SALIENT and NSEC Hub and Programme Manager, said: “We are delighted to welcome Natalie to the SALIENT team. Her experience in project management and stakeholder engagement will be invaluable in supporting NSEC’s continued growth and impact.” 

Natalie’s appointment strengthens SALIENT’s capacity to support NSEC’s growing community and advance collaboration across the UK’s security and resilience research landscape.

Learn more about Network for Security Excellence and Collaboration (NSEC). 

Professor Sharon Clarke, Organisational Psychology, Alliance Manchester Business School explains:

“While we often think of regulation as a technical or procedural task, human psychology plays a central role in the way decisions are actually made on the ground.” 

Our project brought together inspectors and regulators from across the UK to understand how these “blind spots” emerge — and what can be done to manage them. Through workshops, reflection exercise and practical tools, participants explored strategies for questioning their own assumptions, examining emotional responses and creating team environments where challenge and alternative viewpoints are genuinely welcomed.

The work revealed something important: managing bias isn’t about eliminating human judgement, but about supporting it. Regulators told us how valuable it was to step back, reflect and recognise the thinking patterns shaping their decisions. The research also highlighted that meaningful change requires ongoing practice, not one-off sessions. 

This collaboration has helped strengthen regulatory decision-making by making space for awareness, openness and critical thinking. 

This work matters because it highlights how psychological biases can quietly influence regulatory decisions in safety-critical sectors. By helping regulators recognise and manage these “blind spots”, the project strengthens the quality, consistency, and fairness of oversight. The insights and tools developed through the research support more transparent decision-making, encourage healthier challenge within teams, and ultimately contribute to safer outcomes for the public and the environments regulators protect.

Read the full blog: Managing Psychological Blind Spots.

Led by the Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health and supported by the Thomas Ashton Institute, THOR provides high-quality data on work-related ill-health through its suite of national surveillance schemes. These schemes collect medically diagnosed case reports of occupational respiratory and skin diseases, as well as broader work-related conditions seen by occupational physicians and GPs. This data helps shape national policy, identify emerging health risks, and improve workplace safety across the UK.

The new contract, running until June 2028, will support:

• Continued data collection and analysis
• Identification of sentinel cases and emerging risks
• Enhanced recruitment of reporting physicians
• Dissemination of findings to HSE, stakeholders, and the public

Watch Professor Andrew Curran discuss the importance of THOR to HSE and the future of occupational health surveillance in the UK. Learn more about THOR. 

This continuation of work reflects the enduring value of THOR’s work and its impact on protecting worker health. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with HSE, professional bodies, and our network of dedicated reporters.

We welcome enquiries from clinicians and researchers interested in contributing to THOR or accessing our data for occupational health research.

THOR Contacts:

• Laura Byrne: laura.byrne@manchester.ac.uk
• George McHale: georgia.mchale@manchester.ac.uK
• For general enquiries, please use our contact form: www.qualtrics.manchester.ac.uk/jfe/form/SV_dioFVB0LGLBQRyC
• Learn more about THOR: sites.manchester.ac.uk/thor

“I am honoured to receive this award," says Dr. Clara Cheung. "Leadership is never an individual journey - it is built through collaboration, shared purpose, and the courage to push boundaries together. I am grateful for the trust and support I have received from colleagues across the Thomas Ashton Institute, the University of Manchester, and my national and international partners. This recognition reflects the collective effort to use digital innovation for societal good.”

She leads major international collaborations across the UK, Japan, ASEAN, Europe, and Canada, building cross-sector partnerships that unite academia, industry, and government.

This achievement celebrates Clara’s commitment to using technology responsibly—putting people first while shaping the future of digital work.

Watch the Lane Lecture on YouTube. 

Or, download the presentation slides (PDF). 

If interested, please apply here. 

The Thomas Ashton Institute and the Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health are delighted to invite you to a landmark event marking eight decades of research, training, and impact in Occupational Health at The University of Manchester.

• Date: Wednesday 1st October 2025
• Venue: 18th floor, Hyatt Regency, 55 Booth St W, Manchester M15 6PQ
• Time: 13:00 – 20:00 BST (multi part event - see important info below)
• Register: Register on Eventbrite

From lightning talks and panel discussions to the prestigious Lane Lecture — delivered this year by Professor Malcolm Sim on The Artificial Stone Silicosis Epidemic: Lessons Learned for More Effective Prevention, and introduced by Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester — this is a unique opportunity to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and shape the future of occupational health.

Secure your free place now: Register on Eventbrite (registration closes 24/09/2025)

Important: 

• The event is divided into multiple sessions. Please ensure you select tickets for each part that you wish to attend.
• Due to capacity, attendees without a valid ticket for a specific session may be asked to leave that part of the event.
• View the Full Programme (PDF): 80th Celebration and Lane Lecture 2025
• Accessibility & Queries: If you have any queries, or need to discuss a PEEP (Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan) or other adjustments to support your attendance, please email: ashton@manchester.ac.uk

Richard has played a pivotal role in shaping the Institute’s direction — from strengthening our engagement with Government, to helping secure the SALIENT hub. His expertise, collaborative approach, and good humour have left a lasting impression on the core team and our wider network. We’re incredibly grateful for all he’s done and look forward to continuing to work with him in other capacities.

We’re also delighted to welcome Martie Van Tongeren as our new Deputy Director (UoM), effective from 1st September. We’re confident he will bring valuable insight and energy to the role, and we look forward to working with him as we continue to grow and evolve.

As we mark this transition, we extend our heartfelt thanks to Richard once again and warmly welcome Martie to the team. With fresh perspectives and continued collaboration, we’re excited about what lies ahead for the Thomas Ashton Institute as we build on our achievements and pursue new opportunities to advance risk and regulatory research.

We’re thrilled to share that our colleague Dr. Meini Su, TAI Theme Lead for Living and Infrastructure, has been named one of the Top 50 Women in Engineering (WE50) for 2025. This prestigious recognition, awarded by the Women’s Engineering Society (WES), celebrates the outstanding contributions of women engineers who are shaping a better world through collaboration, innovation, and impact.

This year’s theme, #TogetherWeEngineer, highlights the power of teamwork in engineering - bringing together diverse minds to tackle global challenges and build a more sustainable, inclusive future. Dr. Su’s work exemplifies this ethos, leading interdisciplinary efforts that transform how we design and interact with the built environment.

“It is my great honour to be awarded as one of the Top 50 women engineers in the UK this year,” explains Dr Meini Su. “This award is a great recognition to me and our work on sustainability in construction in the past 10 years. I hope the stories and experiences of all the WE50 winners can inspire more females to join engineering and work together to build a better world.”

She joins an inspiring cohort of engineers whose collective achievements are driving progress across sectors. Her recognition also follows in the footsteps of Dr. Clara Cheung, a previous WE50 honouree - making our academic community truly award-winning.

The evidence-base that underpins respiratory HS has not been reviewed systematically since 2012. This research was commissioned to systematically review and consider any evidence that relates to respiratory HS to ensure that HSE’s guidance on HS remains relevant and appropriate.

The review found no evidence to support changes in HSE’s guidance on respiratory HS, equally no evidence was found to support changes in the frequency of or tools used for respiratory HS. Evidence gaps were identified for the efficacy of respiratory HS, its optimal frequency, variation by disease and exposure, new tools for respiratory HS, economic impact, and other aspects that may improve its effectiveness.

Read the full report. 

We’re excited to share the latest edition of the Thomas Ashton Institute Newsletter, reflecting a year of growth, collaboration, and real-world impact. This issue highlights how the Institute continues to lead in workplace health, safety, and resilience through interdisciplinary research, strategic partnerships, and national influence.

In this edition:

• New research structure: Introducing three core themes and cross-cutting platforms to better address challenges like digital safety, workplace wellbeing, and resilient infrastructure.
• Website launch: Our new site is live, offering improved access to our research, people, and partnerships.
• Funding success: From brain health in professional sport to offshore energy safety, our projects are shaping policy and practice.
• National security leadership: SALIENT and NSEC are now fully integrated, supporting the UK’s resilience agenda.
• Celebrating excellence: Dr. Meini Su named one of the Top 50 Women in Engineering 2025.
• Growing our community: Over 600 collaborators across academia, government, and industry are now part of our virtual faculty.

Read the full newsletter.

Stay connected with us as we continue to deliver research, learning and regulatory insights that widen the global conversation to enable a better working world.

1. Building resilience in international research collaboration: academic awareness and behaviour change - University of Manchester
   How are UK academics adapting to research security risks in global collaborations? This project explores awareness, behaviour change, and resilience in a shifting geopolitical landscape.
2. Addressing and Countering Transnational Repression in the UK (ACT-UK) - University of Bristol
   Investigating how transnational repression affects UK-based communities and institutions.
3. ReSC Mass Casualty Plans for a Resilient Health and Social Care System: What Risks and Impacts do Planners Consider - Durham University
   This project explores how health & social care systems plan for mass casualty events—revealing how hazard perceptions shape resilience and readiness in real-world crises.
4. Cultural Resilience, Religious Faith, and the intersection of Generative and Agentic Artificial Intelligence - Coventry University
   What happens when AI meets faith? This project explores how generative AI is reshaping religious beliefs, practices, and cultural resilience—especially in marginalised communities.
5. Securing UK Subsea Infrastructure: Information-sharing in times of crisis - Coventry University
   Securing the UK’s subsea infrastructure means better crisis communication. This project builds a framework for multi-actor info-sharing during maritime security incidents.
6. Fake in the Community - Royal Holloway, University of London
   ‘Cheap fakes’ are eroding trust in local digital spaces. This community-led project co-designs tools to counter misinformation and support digital resilience.
7. Emerging Drone Technologies: Implications for UK Defence - London School of Economics and Political Science
   Investigating the impact of commercial drones on defence capabilities and implications for UK strategy.

These projects reflect the creativity, urgency, and collaboration needed to build a more resilient future. Learn more: www.salient-hub.org/devolved-funding-calls/project-portfolio

Mental health first aid (MHFA) training has been rolled out in many workplaces across the UK, but without holistic wellbeing support, businesses could be missing crucial pieces to the puzzle.

• To find out more, read the article: The Missing Pieces of Mental Health First Aid.

Amongst the speakers was Dr Sheena Johnson, a key member of MICRA and recently appointed as Research Theme Lead for Social Change and Ageing in the Thomas Ashton Institute.

Sheena’s presentation described the five broad research areas of the Social Change and Ageing theme: sleep/fatigue, shift work/working patterns, skills, violence and health. The presentation also referenced the HSE & TAI collaborative research, and other external collaborations, including the recent MICRA/TAI webinar: COVID 19: Considering the impact on older workers. This webinar featured presenters from the Greater Manchester Ageing Hub & Centre for Ageing Better.

You can view all presentations from the workshop here:

• Social Change & Ageing - Theme Overview
• Transport Sector Overview
• Waste & Recycling Sector Overview
  • Ageing Workforce data
  • Bullets for ageing workforce presentation 2017
  • HSE Foresight Issue 27
• Post expert reports published in May 2020

The Thomas Ashton Institute (TAI) is a unique strategic partnership between the University of Manchester and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). It draws on the combined knowledge and experience of both parties to deliver research, learning and regulatory insights to enable a better working world. 

Dr Johnson’s work with the TAI will focus on how changes in the way society works will impact Health and Safety. This links with the University of Manchester’s leading expertise in ageing, as well as in the social sciences; and with the HSE's science programme on demographics. MICRA has established close links with the TAI and looks forward to exploring opportunities for joint working and collaboration with the Institute and specifically Dr Johnson in the near future.