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Our Team
Our experienced SHEQ professionals are committed to maintaining safe working environments. We have expertise in niche areas, such as asbestos management and construction safety.
We are members and associates of various professional bodies and adhere to strict codes of conduct and ethical standards. Our strong commercial and operational awareness enables us to balance business needs and objectives with legal and regulatory requirements. Our proactive approach seeks to continually improve SHEQ performance in organisations across the UK.
Click on a team member to find out more…
Richard Bennion CMIOSH CMaPS PIEMA MFAAM
Co-Founder & Managing Director
Throughout his 25-year career in risk management, Richard has advised and mentored senior leaders and fellow health and safety professionals on safe and legal working practices in both the public and private sectors. He co-founded iON Consultants to provide an integrated and progressive SHEQ solution that promotes a positive safety culture, inspires change and supports business growth. His ultimate goal is to transform the way people and organisations view and practice safety compliance through proactive leadership and the delivery of balanced and innovative solutions that foster engagement and understanding.
Richard is a personable and pragmatic compliance specialist who offers clients a unique perspective, having worked as a consultant, technical manager, project manager and client duty holder. He has worked extensively in the construction, facilities management, logistics and industrial sectors. He actively supports business leaders and the iON team in the delivery of asbestos management, ISO certification, auditing and Principal Designer CDM services.
Richard has shared his experience and insights as a keynote speaker at various events, including conferences and webinars for industry bodies. He has also acted as an examiner chair for the BOHS Certificate of Competence and the NEBOSH Environmental Certificate.
Richard is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (CMIOSH), a Certified Member of the Association of Project Safety (CMaPS), a Member of the Faculty of Asbestos Assessment and Management (MFAAM), and a Practitioner of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (PIEMA).
From his home in the borderlands of North Wales, Richard trains with his local triathlon club and enjoys long-distance open-water swimming. He is a lifelong supporter of Wrexham AFC.
John Evison AFAAM TechIOSH
Co-Founder & Director
John is an insightful, commercially minded and improvement-driven risk management specialist. He has been actively involved in SHEQ since 1997. An expert in the design, development and delivery of effective occupational health and safety risk mitigation solutions, John specialises in a wide range of compliance disciplines, including asbestos management, occupational hygiene and general health and safety.
As well as working at senior levels within the asbestos industry in sectors such as facilities management, construction and manufacturing, John has also developed collaborative partnerships with numerous government departments in the UK. He has also worked with a wide range of organisations, including commercial property management agencies, retailers, housing associations, local authorities, health trusts and construction companies.
Social innovation is important to John, and in co-founding iON Consultants, he has created a dynamic and intelligent company that seeks to improve the quality of SHEQ consultancy in a safety-critical world. It has also enabled him to implement a compelling set of sustainable and ethical business practices that enrich the customer experience.
John is a Technical Member of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (TechIOSH) and an Associate of the Faculty of Asbestos Assessment and Management (AFAAM).
He lives with his family in rural Herefordshire and plays golf whenever he can.
Peter Cottam CoCA TechIOSH
Technical Director
Peter is an accomplished and dedicated health, safety and quality professional. Throughout his career, Peter has demonstrated high standards of integrity and professionalism in seeking to improve the quality of workplace safety. With two decades of experience in asbestos compliance and quality management systems, he brings an invaluable wealth of experience to our customers’ businesses.
Peter specialises in the development, assessment and auditing of management systems for organisations operating in a wide range of sectors. His experience in developing and maintaining accreditations for asbestos testing and inspection laboratories gives him a significant advantage in supporting clients seeking to become accredited to various management systems. He has also worked as an Assessment Manager at UKAS and is a Technical Member of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (TechIOSH).
As Technical Director, Peter leads the team in the delivery of our asbestos assurance and ISO management system services. He takes a proactive role in providing invaluable support to our customers, including the design and development of quality management systems, the implementation of asbestos inspection and testing programmes, and the facilitation of site audits and training. His diligent and dedicated approach has earned us a reputation as the go-to team for asbestos assurance.
Peter lives in North Wales. An avid road biker, he knows all the best routes to explore and enjoy the stunning Welsh countryside.
Julian Ransom MRICS
Director
Julian has been a Chartered Building Surveyor for over 35 years and has become a leading voice in the provision of asbestos compliance and assurance, particularly in the social housing sector. At iON Consultants, Julian is responsible for client engagement and acts as a subject matter expert for public sector customers, including housing associations, local authorities and NHS trusts.
As well as conducting comprehensive asbestos compliance audits for customers such as corporate portfolio managers, registered housing providers and Direct Labour Organisations (DLO), Julian facilitates and oversees the delivery of asbestos management plans, policies, contracts and communication strategies.
A regular speaker at national housing conferences, Julian presents seminars on asbestos management, interpreting guidance and specialist procurement. He is a long-standing and active Member of both the National Housing Maintenance Forum (NHMF) management committee and the Southwest Regional Housing Asset Management, Maintenance and Regeneration (HAMMAR) group committee.
Julian lives in Dorset. He makes the most of living on the coast by enjoying leisurely walks on the beach and sailing with his family.
Helen McIntyre B.Sc. (Hons)
Senior Asbestos Consultant
A highly skilled, competent and goal-driven asbestos professional, Helen started her career at the grass-roots level 20 years ago. She has since become an unstoppable force of knowledge in the asbestos world. She provides sound, practical advice and detailed site audits.
Helen honed her trade as an asbestos surveyor and analyst before progressing to managing high-profile accounts. She has since worked as an auditor and training manager. A keen team player with expertise in professional development, she is passionate about sharing her experience and insight with her peers. She is a highly valued member of the team and can be relied upon to provide comprehensive support to customers.
Helen lives in the Northwest of England. Her boundless energy has led her to regularly participate in triathlons across the country.
Catherine Howard CoCA LFAAM
Senior Asbestos Consultant
Catherine is a highly respected asbestos specialist. Her unwavering commitment to integrity, transparency and continuous improvement makes her a highly respected figure in the industry. She is meticulous in her efforts to prevent unnecessary asbestos exposure and tireless in her support of customers in this endeavour.
Catherine has amassed over 17 years' experience in the asbestos industry, having worked as an asbestos analyst, asbestos surveyor, asbestos trainer, and in senior quality and operational roles. A former Technical Manager in UKAS laboratories, Catherine excels at implementing and maintaining quality management systems to ISO 17020 and ISO 17025 standards.
A highly effective trainer, Catherine has delivered the full suite of BOHS asbestos proficiency modules, UKATA and IATP Asbestos Awareness and Non-Licensed Asbestos Removal training courses. At iON Consultants, she is responsible for maintaining quality assurance for our clients and developing a range of online and classroom-based asbestos training courses.
Catherine is a Committee Member of the Faculty of Asbestos Assessment and Management (FAAM) and the National Organisation of Asbestos Consultants (NORAC).
She lives in the Northwest of England. In her spare time, she enjoys taking her family on unforgettable, active adventures. She also lifts weights and loves a game of rounders!
Darren Gasson GradIOSH DipNCRQ AaPS
Senior Health & Safety Consultant
Darren is a highly personable SHEQ professional. He began his career in the British Army, serving for over two decades in the Queen's Royal Hussars. Having been stationed in Germany, Iraq, Bosnia, Canada and Kosovo, Darren returned to the UK to work first as an armoured fighting vehicle driving and maintenance instructor and then as an Army Reserve Staff instructor.
In 2018, he retired from the Armed Forces to become a focused and dedicated health and safety practitioner in the private sector. He has delivered numerous health and safety programmes across the country, primarily in the construction and haulage industries. He has a proven track record of delivering frontline training and mentoring to large, multi-cultural workforces in challenging environments. He also has extensive experience in implementing SHEQ management systems, including ISO 45001, ISO 14001, and ISO 9001.
With a flair for coaching and mentoring, Darren excels at transforming workplace culture to prioritise health, safety and the environment. He assists customers in continuously improving their occupational health, safety, environment and quality standards as a way to manage risk and drive growth.
Darren enjoys watching sports, especially Formula 1 and football.
John Osborne FRICS (Ret)
Principal Health and Safety Consultant
John is an accomplished and resourceful senior property management consultant. He has a proven track record in estate management, property strategy, FM procurement and outsourcing for national public and private sector organisations.
John provides management system development and training, implements processes and procedures, and conducts statutory compliance audits and remediation programmes. He understands the risks and challenges facing property owners and is able to identify, develop and deliver strategic initiatives that address these issues and provide a competitive advantage.
A retired Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), John draws on his in-depth expertise and vast knowledge to offer outstanding support to our customers and the iON team.
John lives north of the border. He enjoys restoring motorcycles and riding in the beautiful Scottish countryside.
Vicky Norman
Business Support Manager
Vicky has worked on many fascinating projects in a variety of multi-disciplinary environments, first as a caseworker for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and later as a secondary school Cover Manager. During her 22 years with the CPS, she worked as a Disclosure Officer on some of the most important public inquiries of the last 50 years.
Vicky joined iON Consultants in March 2022 and quickly proved to be the glue that holds us together! She provides invaluable support to the wider team, acting as the first point of contact for the business and expertly managing our resource planning and general administration.
As well as working with impressive efficiency internally, Vicky is also called upon to manage projects and produce technical reports for our key accounts, all of which she delivers to the highest standard. Her unwavering support ensures that the customer experience is seamless from start to finish.
Vicky champions our community engagement programmes and acts as our charity liaison. She is instrumental in organising team events, in which she participates enthusiastically.
Vicky lives with her family in North Wales. In her spare time, she enjoys walking, gardening and baking.
Callum Skene M.Sc
Asbestos Consultant
Callum is a highly competent and conscientious asbestos professional with expertise in asbestos management. His diverse skill set includes surveying, air testing, project management and training, making him a valuable asset to our team.
Armed with a Masters degree in Building Surveying, Callum is a lifelong learner committed to his professional development. He is a Group Expert on the Surveyor Hub Community, an online platform where surveyors can share their experiences, insights and best practices with other professionals across the UK.
As a trusted consultant with extensive surveying and analytical expertise, Callum brings a wealth of experience to our customers. He has been involved in a wide range of projects across the UK in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors. He is passionate about his work and always strives to deliver high-quality service and sound advice.
Callum lives in Gloucestershire. In his spare time, he enjoys exploring the UK with his wife and dog.