I am Steven Kirby, a construction safety and behavioural safety speaker working across the UK and Europe. I spent twenty years on construction sites before a near fatal workplace accident changed my life.
Today I use that lived experience to start honest conversations about risk, everyday choices and mental wellbeing. My talks are suitable for site safety stand downs, engineering projects, conferences and leadership events.
Making behavioural safety personal
Rules and risk assessments matter, but the decisions people make under pressure also deserve attention. My keynote explores the moment we tell ourselves it will be alright, why we take shortcuts and what happens when concerns go unheard.
I ask audiences to reflect on their own work: Do I understand the task? Am I competent to carry it out? What has changed? Do I feel able to stop and ask for help?
One Choice, One Life
One Choice, One Life: The Importance of Safety and Mental Wellbeing connects my accident and recovery with practical workplace conversations.
- Confidence versus competence: feeling sure is different from understanding the task and its risks.
- Shortcuts and time pressure: recognising how deadlines and familiar routines can affect choices.
- Communication and reporting: asking questions, challenging unsafe work and reporting concerns.
- Safety and mental wellbeing: looking out for colleagues and making it easier to seek support.
A message for workers and leaders
My construction background helps me relate to site teams as well as supervisors, managers and senior leaders. The talk encourages people to pause and reassess risk and invites leaders to consider whether their teams feel able to speak up.
It supports your existing safety initiatives and can be discussed around your organisation’s audience and priorities.
For a presentation combining safety with the mental impact of an incident, explore my workplace safety and mental wellbeing talk. Read my background and recovery story and client recommendations.
Construction safety talk booking questions
Do you speak outside Yorkshire?
Yes. I am based in Beverley, East Yorkshire, and deliver talks across the UK and Europe, including Ireland.
Which industries and events are suitable?
Construction, civil engineering, utilities and infrastructure are central to my work. Talks can support safety stand downs, back to work events, conferences and wellbeing campaigns.
How do we check availability?
Complete the booking enquiry form or email steven@sklifecoachuk.co.uk with your event date, location, audience and aims. We can discuss the presentation and your requirements.