Judith Hackitt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Judith Hackitt
DBE FREng FIChemE FCGI
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Hackitt in November 2011
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| Chair of the Health and Safety Executive | |
| In office 2008–2016 |
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| Succeeded by | Martin Temple |
| President of the Institution of Chemical Engineers | |
| In office 2013–2014 |
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| Preceded by | Russell Scott |
| Succeeded by | Geoffrey Maitland |
| Chair of the Health and Safety Commission | |
| In office 2007–2009 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Judith Elizabeth Hackitt
1 December 1954 Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England |
| Alma mater | Imperial College, London |
| Occupation | Chair, EEF (manufacturers' association) |
| Awards | CBE (2006) DBE (2016) |
Dame Judith Elizabeth Hackitt (born December 1, 1954) is a British engineer and important public servant. She used to lead the UK's Health and Safety Executive, which makes sure workplaces are safe. Currently, she chairs EEF, a group that supports manufacturing businesses.
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Early Life and Education
Judith Hackitt was born in Dordon, Warwickshire, England. This was on December 1, 1954. She studied chemical engineering at Imperial College, London. She finished her studies in 1975.
Career Highlights
After graduating, Judith Hackitt joined Exxon Chemicals. She worked as a process engineer at the Fawley Refinery. She moved up to manage the butyl polymer business.
Later, she joined Harcros Chemicals. For six years, she was the operational director for pigments. She then became the group risk manager for the parent company.
In 1998, she joined the Chemical Industries Association. She became its director general from 2002 to 2005. She also worked in Brussels for the European Chemical Industries Council.
Leading Health and Safety
In 2007, Judith Hackitt was appointed chair of the Health and Safety Commission. This group helps keep people safe at work. In 2009, she became chair of the Health and Safety Executive. This happened when the two organizations joined together.
From 2013 to 2014, she was president of the Institution of Chemical Engineers. She also served on the boards of other important groups. These included the Energy Saving Trust and the City & Guilds Group.
In 2016, she became chair of EEF. This is a trade group for manufacturing companies.
Improving Building Safety
Judith Hackitt led an important review of building regulations and fire safety. The government asked her to do this after a serious fire. Her team published their final report, Building a Safer Future, in May 2018.
In her report, she explained that the building industry needed to change. She said it was important for the industry to learn and improve. Her work aimed to make sure buildings are constructed more safely.
She now leads the Industry Safety Steering Group (ISSG). This group checks on progress in improving building safety. In a recent report, she encouraged construction companies to adopt safer practices.
Her work helped lead to new rules. These rules included a ban on certain types of building materials. This was to make sure buildings are safer for everyone.
Honours and Awards
In 2010, she was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering. This is a big honour for engineers. She is also a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers.
Judith Hackitt received the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) award in 2006. This was for her work in health and safety. In 2016, she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE). This award recognized her services to engineering and safety. In 2016, she was also named one of the Top 50 Women in UK Engineering.
