Posted By Anne Smart This year’s IOSH conference and exhibition, entitled ‘Health and safety: fit for business’, launches at ExCel in London on March 13. In the weeks leading up to this event we will be polling for your views on topics addressed by the difference tracks within the main programme. In honour of Valentine's day, I'm asking for your thoughts on relationships and stress within the workplace. Would it make working life easier for everyone if partners didn't work together? Do personal relationships bring unnecessary stress into the workplace? Or can they improve the performance of an organisation? Where should a health and safety professional draw the line when managing occupational stress that is being caused by working with a partner? Over to you.... Anne Smart, IOSH media and marketing assistant

Posted By Mike Draper Condoms in the PPE stores? Health screening and surveillance for STI's? Let alone consideration of the principles of prevention. Elimination, substitution of the non- or less hazardous for the hazardous, reducing exposure, guarding, training and information, oh and PPE as a last resort? I can almost imagine the headlines and I cringe at the thought. Relationships are personal matters for which individuals must take responsibility. Neither the state nor an employer has any right to intervene or interfere. Abuse and discrimination are different and are areas where responsible employers and a responsible state should take appropriate action to prevent harm to people as a consequence of inappropriate behaviour. How? An open culture that has defined standards of behaviour and encourages dialogue as a means of resolving minor matters, but can and does respond effectively when serious issues arise, through existing disciplinary or criminal channels.

Posted By Alan Haynes Oh for the 'good old days' - British Rail's Engineer's Offices - late 1960's/early 1970's. If you marry someone from the office - wife transferred elsewhere. [Never the husband!] Outcome - no stress from working with Spouse. [note - Partners didn't 'exist' then]

Posted By Lorraine Shuker I've worked in several workplaces where the recommend a friend recruitment scheme with a cash reward has resulted in a lot of complex relationships in the workplace. In almost every case it presented some problem or other at some time. Typically it would be arguements from 'home' being brought into the workplace causing embarrassment for others witnessing a 'domestic'. Even if this is contained whilst working it can make break areas very tense places! A similar problem is that the usual reserve and politeness that stops you going too far with work colleagues when frustrated or irritated is absent so again things can get personal and heated. Aother problem is when family or domestic emergencies occur or family events like holidays or weddings take place ~ you don't just lose one member of staff. Confidentiality has also been compromised. Can you honestly expect partners or close family members not to have discussions starting with "This is confidential but ..." All in all I would always avoid these situation if possible as they are fraught with difficulties, and even if the individuals don't get stressed about it their poor managers do! How you tackle it when the relationship starts after employment is much tougher. I have known company policies that require you to report a relationship with another member of staff and Contracts of Employment reserve the right to make transfers when and if this causes issues that may have a detrimental effect on business. I never actually saw this happen though. Many would choose to transfer voluntarily as they see the potential issues for themselves.

Posted By Paul Adams Previously (about 7 years ago) I worked for a multinational in the UK which had a condition in employment contracts that spouses were not permitted. So if you formed a relationship with a fellow employee and got married, either one of you left or got terminated. A relative runs a small business, currently has about 15 employees and as his business grew, he recruited via recomendation and ended up with 3 families working for him. This turned into a nightmare and I think he has now learned his lesson. There is a place for love, work isn't it and it is definitely an HR issue.

Posted By Jim Walker I'm beginning to think that maybe "the Grange" is overstaffed, if this is all the media dept can come up with. Personally, I'm too busy controlling serious safety issues to worry about such trivia.

Posted By Richard Mathews As a personal choice I would not get intimately involved with any work colleague because I feel that, because of the potential conflicts, it is not the professional way to conduct one’s self. Richard