The Invisible Risk Awards
What’s the story behind the awards?
We held the very first Invisible Risk Conference at Cranfield University in November 2022, generously supported by my good friend Alisdair Couper, managing director of Terberg DTS. Then, in March 2024 at Manchester, the second conference ran at the Lowry, both unlikely to have run without his fantastic support. In total, those two events reached some 400 delegates.
I was privileged to be asked to speak at two events at Biggin Hill Airport in 2024 by another champion of the cause, Andy Slater of PGI Safety. Both were successful, and the third event, this month, seemed a great spot to launch the awards with the agreement of Andy and his co-sponsor Jo Taylor of De Wipe. The Biggin Hill events have been attended by over 250 people.
My director team, Becky and Michael, secured for ten years the Invisible Risk domain for the website and coined the phrase when I was writing an article about what we take home without knowing. They built the website, a hub going forward for information, sharing, and supporting my voluntary work in the field of raising awareness on contaminants and responder cancer. You can find this at www.invisiblerisk.co.uk.
Why the awards?
To encourage and reward those trying to make a valued and needed difference with something tangible that allowed them to showcase great work.
I have been fortunate to work with so many sites and connect with people across the UK and overseas, rising to the challenge of contaminants. We in the UK set off in the fight much later than other parts of the world. Some great work done by Professor Anna Stec and the resulting FBU decon program were a catalyst for change; however, it missed other key groups such as aviation and industrial firefighters and other responders.
But we have made fantastic progress so far, and we have no room for complacency—no room for dealing with this in silo working. This year, I chose the winners based on first-hand knowledge of what was done and how it was done. It was about ethos, passion, and buy-in, not just about equipment or process. My company designed and bought the trophies. Next year, a whole new process is now in place—more on that later.
This 2025 winners
- Biggin Hill Airport RFFS for a station-wide approach and change in all areas.
- Surrey FRS for innovation and driving change with passion.
- National Ambulance Resilience Unit for significant change to processes for HART teams on contaminants (non-fire responder category).
I created a special award to remember a true champion of this campaign, sadly lost to cancer last year—Martin Green.
The Martin Green Award is for an individual who made a difference and was presented by the widow of Martin, Letitia Green, with his son present and Dany Cotton, retired London Fire Brigade commissioner.
This year, the award went to Robbi Burns, Watch Manager at Hampshire Isle of Wight FRS for his work on awareness and changes to make the workplace safer while fighting his own significant health issues.
So, for 2026?
I have recruited a fantastic awards committee to provide a better structure to the process. The committee will review the nomination forms individually and score them as they see them. The scores will be collated, and the top three in each category will be invited to the awards day.
The Committee
- Myself as Chair and my two directors, Becky and Michael.
- Alisdair Couper
- Andy Slater
- Dany Cotton representing Women in the Fire Service
- Letitia Green
- Michelle O’Toole, Ireland Mental Health Expert
- Terry Dent, Ireland, retired Dublin FB
- Duncan J. White, Editor, IFSJ
- Robbie Burns
This year’s winners will be seconded for one year but cannot vote or score in their own category to ensure transparency and fair play. The nomination form will go live on 1st September 2025 for one month and is open to any site in the UK, Ireland, and the Crown Dependencies. We may, in future years, include an international award.
The Award Categories for 2026, with 3 new additions, are:
- The Martin Green Award for an individual making a difference, influencing others.
- Aviation RFFS Champion
- Fire and Rescue Service Champion
- Non-Fire Service Responder Champion
- Police, Ambulance, Coastguard, Charities supporting cancer reduction in responders
- Training Centre Champion: Any centre providing safer, contaminants-aware training.
- Innovation: Anyone, site, or service using great innovation, design of equipment, and/or software to reduce the risk.
- Industrial: Any industrial site or response team working in oil and gas, nuclear, power generation to reduce the impact of contaminants and improve awareness.
Next steps
I hope to complete the formation of the Invisible Risk Foundation by summer; health issues delayed that last year. It is a not-for-profit organisation to further develop awareness training and support to responders. Training and support will be delivered by survivors with lived experience. We aim to develop links with key organisations and charities.
Who am I?
My name is John Lord. I joined the fire service in 1979 and retired from Ops in 2011 after 32 years on the front line. My wife developed cancer three months after my retirement, and I, 18 months later. We have had a total of 11 tumours between us—6 malignant and 5 benign. Both very happy to be here, helping others, saving lives.
I have, with my tutor team, been delivering training since 2011 to 70 airports, 26 fire services, and other sites as an accredited ICS training provider. I love my job.
As a survivor, it is my reason—and my only reason—for doing the voluntary work on awareness. I do not have any political agenda, nor seek to scare anyone—just open and honest information and support. I am happy helping anyone.
I have been campaigning now for many years, and in the last 12 months, have delivered 55 talks and seminars to sites to raise awareness on contaminants and cancer in responders. I was honoured and touched to be given an award myself by the PGI team at the Biggin Hill event. However, I know none of us in the field of contaminants are seeking plaudits—just a safer world for all responders.
If you wish to contact me, visit the www.invisiblerisk.co.uk website and use the contact us form.
