Expert Lifting & Safety Consulting
Predict. Prevent. Protect. Through Intelligent Incident Prevention
Expert Lifting & Safety Consulting
Predict. Prevent. Protect. Through Intelligent Incident Prevention
Predict. Prevent. Protect. Through Intelligent Incident Prevention
Predict. Prevent. Protect. Through Intelligent Incident Prevention

James McLaughlin is a highly experienced Health & Safety Professional, Lifting & Rigging Specialist, Auditor, and Training Instructor with over 35 years of hands-on experience across construction, industrial, infrastructure, utilities, pharmaceuticals, data centres, and high-risk operational environments.
As an NPORS Instructor and Training Provider, James specialises in developing
practical, real-world training programmes that bridge the gap between compliance and
operational competence. His expertise includes lifting operations, rigging, lift planning,
lifting audits, plant operations, workplace safety, and workforce development.
Unlike traditional training built around classroom theory, James' programmes are
developed from real lifting operations, site challenges, incidents, near misses, and
lessons learned throughout a long career working on complex projects and high-risk
environments. His training is recognised for its practical approach, realistic scenarios,
and ability to give delegates the confidence to identify hazards, challenge unsafe
practices, and make better operational decisions.
Today, James works with safety professionals, contractors, supervisors, operators, and
management teams to improve competence, strengthen safety culture, and prevent
incidents before they occur.
Real Experience. Practical Training. Safer Operations.
We Don't Just Deliver Training. We Develop Competent Lifting Teams.
Through specialist training, auditing, workforce development, and operational support,
JML Consulting helps organisations identify competence gaps, strengthen lifting
leadership, reduce operational risk, and create safer lifting operations.
Built on over 35 years of real-world construction, lifting and rigging experience, we help contractors,
supervisors, safety professionals, and management teams develop the competence
needed to perform safely when it matters most.
Because compliance may satisfy a requirement — but competence prevents incidents.
At JML Consulting, we do more than deliver training—we develop competent lifting teams. Built on over 35 years of real-world construction & lifting operations experience, we help organisations identify competence gaps, strengthen supervision, improve operational behaviours, and develop the practical skills needed to perform safely in high-risk environments.
Working with contractors, supervisors, operators, safety professionals, and management teams,
we help create consistent standards, stronger lifting leadership, improved operational assurance,
and safer lifting operations across projects and organisations.
Rather than focusing solely on compliance, qualifications, or paperwork, our approach is centred
on developing the competence, confidence, and operational awareness needed to perform safely
when it matters most.
Because training is an activity. Competence is the outcome.
"Having worked in construction for many years and holding Appointed Person
qualifications, I initially thought I had a strong understanding of lifting operations and
what good looked like on site. However, James's Lifting & Rigging Auditing Programme
opened my eyes to a completely different level of operational awareness and risk
recognition.
The course goes far beyond compliance and paperwork. It provides a practical
understanding of how lifting operations actually function on site, how incidents develop,
where competence gaps often exist, and how to identify operational weaknesses before
they become problems.
What impressed me most was James's ability to combine over 35 years of real-world
experience with practical examples, case studies, and discussions that challenged
existing thinking. The programme has significantly improved my confidence when
assessing lifting operations, challenging unsafe practices, and understanding what
effective operational control really looks like.
I would strongly recommend this training to safety professionals, supervisors,
managers, and anyone responsible for overseeing lifting operations. Regardless of
experience level, there is a huge amount of practical knowledge to be gained."
Dermot Gilheaney
Senior Construction Manager & Qualified Appointed Person
"As a Safety Manager, I regularly review lifting operations, challenge unsafe practices,
and support project teams in maintaining high safety standards. Despite my experience,
James's Lifting & Rigging Auditing Programme provided a level of practical insight and
operational understanding that I had not previously received through traditional health
and safety training.
What makes this programme different is its focus on what actually happens on site.
Rather than concentrating solely on legislation, documentation, and compliance, it
teaches you how to properly assess lifting operations, recognise hidden risks, identify
competence gaps, and understand the factors that often contribute to incidents before
they occur.
The programme significantly improved my confidence when auditing lifting activities and
gave me a much greater understanding of the responsibilities, behaviours, operational
controls, and warning signs associated with safe lifting operations. It has also
strengthened my ability to engage with supervisors, lifting teams, and management
when discussing lifting-related risks and improvements.
James delivers the training in a highly engaging and practical way, drawing on decades
of real-world experience and using examples that are directly relevant to the challenges
we face on construction projects every day.
I would highly recommend this programme to any Safety Professional who wants to
move beyond compliance and develop a deeper understanding of lifting operations,
operational risk, and effective auditing."
Emma O'Neill
Safety Manager
"Coming from a legal and transport training background, I understood the importance of
compliance, procedures, and professional standards. However, as I began developing
my career within health and safety, I quickly realised that lifting operations is a specialist
area that requires a much deeper level of operational understanding than I initially
appreciated James’ Lifting & Rigging Auditing Program provided exactly that. The training was
practical, engaging, and delivered in a way that made complex lifting concepts easy to
understand and apply. Rather than simply explaining regulations or paperwork
requirements, the programme focused on what actually happens on site, how lifting
operations are controlled, where risks develop, and how to identify warning signs before
they become incidents.
One of the biggest benefits for me was the confidence the programme provided. I now
feel far more capable of understanding lifting operations, asking the right questions,
recognising unsafe practices, and engaging confidently with supervisors, lifting teams,
and management regarding lifting-related risks.
James's knowledge and experience are evident throughout the programme, but what
impressed me most was his ability to make the learning relevant, practical, and
accessible regardless of your previous experience. The training has significantly
strengthened my professional development and provided knowledge that I know will
benefit me throughout my health and safety career.
I would highly recommend this programme to anyone working in, or entering, the health
and safety profession who wants to develop a genuine understanding of lifting
operations and become more effective when auditing, monitoring, and supporting high-
risk activities on site."
Ann Bourke
Trainee Safety Professional | Legal & Transport Training Background