Posted By Jeffrey Watt Colleagues. I feel the profession needs a radical image overhaul. Let me paint a picture. In the past, when socialising at parties the conversation will always wind around to what you do for a living. " I'm a health and safety professional" you say in a mumble. Watch as they regard you with all the affection of a VAT inspection on Christmas morning. What makes it worse is when you try and defend the job and explain how proud it makes you feel to help protect people, how interesting it is , how rewarding..but you have already lost them. Its a Playstation Generation folks, if we don't grab their attention in the first few seconds we will never hold their interest. So, my solution is to change the polarity of our image. Now when someone asks me what I do I say " Me" pause for dramatic effect ", I'm a Danger Expert". Its not a lie we are experts in danger and how to avoid it. "Oh" they gasp "a danger expert, whats that?" " If we come across anything dangerous, they call me in to deal with it and train the guys" I say in an off hand fashion as though it is a mere trifle to deal with danger on a daily basis. " Wow Jeff that sounds really interesting tell me more" says the awestruck party goer keen to hear your war stories. In my humble opinion it is the way forward. Please feel free to discuss/block/moderate/purge from the record as you see fit. Jeff Watt IODE

Posted By Al.. I like it too - this grabs my attention - sign me up for IODE Al

Posted By Paul Leadbetter Who's going to be the first to wear their underpants on the outside? Paul

Posted By Mint Love it! I will try it this weekend. I'm going to London tomorrow for a cultural day visiting public houses of historical significance. Talk of being a Danger Man is bound to elicite a few pints from a captive and awe struck audience.

Posted By Paul Leadbetter LOL

Posted By Jasonjg Well I kind of agree with you about the words Health and Safety, maybe it is a younger persons thing but it does go down like a stone to many but it depends on what environment your in also. To me Health and Safety gives the false ideological impression that all should be perfect and yet in real life it is not, so straight away it is a defensive game. I am kind of leaning myself towards the phrase Risk rather than H&S. A Risk trainer sounds much better than a Health and Safety trainer IMO and from the rare pub & party chatter I come across. Well I don’t actually disclose my occupation at parties as I am usually the one on the floor flat out drunk and making an idiot of himself playing dare games. The word Risk comes across that it is obvious risks are about and risk should be managed. It draws attention and curiosity because people then tend to think about what is risk? No one wants to be associated with risk as it indicates they are liabilities. Health and Safety comes across to me as an Ideological crusade to rid the world of anything that can possibly cause harm. People automatically stereotype it as a profession for dweeds in tweeds talking about worse case scenarios all of the time. Total downers and they are out there. Now we all have our own way of getting messages across, I am not usually that bad with shop floor but lack enough experience with higher management. Again the words risk seem to draw more attention yet here it needs to be financial, hard numbers and facts and not ideological threats of manslaughter charges etc. I will definitely be looking for courses that help me produce good cost benefit arguments rather than compliance with regs etc. Anyway, I like risks better than H&S, whether it is valid or not, I do not know. Am I wrong? Jason

Posted By Jeffrey Watt Jason/Gary Stop flipping dithering with Risk when you could be a !!!!Danger Expert!!!! You know it makes sense guys, get started on your job description changes now. Jeff Watt FMIODE

Posted By Jeffrey Watt Andy The badge was great, can you do another with the full FMIODE title.

Posted By garyh I confess to having a pierced ear and tattoo. However as I have an elevated position! I never reveal these things at work.............people couldn't cope with the image being different to their perception of what they expect to see. I am going to a meeting now, suit and tie on, no earring or tattoo visible......

Posted By Linda Crossland-Clarke Oo oo I'm a Dangerous girl! Linda SHE Knows DANGER

Posted By Linda Crossland-Clarke Hi folks So can we move on from the calender and do a video. We'll be on GMTV in no time! Linda SHE Knows, DANGER

Posted By Andy Walker Jason How about leaping from behind a girder shouting "No one expects the Danger Mans/Womans(Delete as applicable) inquisition" before severly chastising managers for the unsafe acts of their staff. Andy

Posted By warderic I was asked at a party by a pompous looking person "What do you do for a living old chap" Im a H&S Manager I replied, "dont you mean officer" "No" I replied "Im a manager" "whats the difference" 10k I replied. He didnt say a lot more.

Posted By Glyn Atkinson Oh, by the way, my alias will be John Drake - I take no prisoners, and live at number six !! One for the older ones among us, I think!!

Posted By Philby' A classic thread... I for one am up there and running with it...for those that know I already do not conform, although they're trying their damndest here, and used to get the 'respect through fear' as for the monika, i'll just use my personal email one, aplay on the portakabin etc theme and a character in a book.... portamurda when people ask I just say I'm a mobile/transportable assassin..now I'm a danger assassin, or something Philby 'the raven'

Posted By Andy Walker Never, I say never, will I conform to the tweed and elbow patches. Keep Fridays for fun Andy The man with no clipboard

Posted By Jeffrey Watt My slightly older sister was a fan of Patrick McGoohan as the original Danger Man but I don't remember the series the first time round. A teacher colleague was running a social studies class in the early 1970's. He wanted to know what the apprentices favourite TV show was and why. One guy said "I like yer man Dan German." "I don't know that show," says the teacher "what's it about?" "Well," starts the apprentice " it's about this boy that's kidnapped to an island and this big ball chases him". The older amongst you will remember that the titles came up like this DAN GER MAN So totally logical. Bit of a location joke, you had to be there to fully appreciate it. Jeff Watt Code name "Dynamo"

Posted By Linda Crossland-Clarke Can we change RIDDOR to mean Reporting of Incidents Done by Danger Operatives Regs It could be a title of our best seller! Linda

Posted By Jeffrey Watt Aww yeah Philby good point. "The prisoner" -- DANGER MAN was a different show entirely. Ah well you get the drift.

Posted By Merv Newman Came on this thread a bit late, sorry. (I've bin working, inni ?) I'm meeting about 30 Americans tonight (Friendship group. Yeak, ok)and we're doing a booze-up and barn dance for 'em (including can-can demonstrations with invitations to show us how)and a sing-song. (oh happy day !)I might try my version of "The Red Flag" - "We'll keep the Red Wine flowing here !" Later perhaps. I'm still suffering from last night's Rock and Roll class. If anyone asks, I'm going to give 'em "Danger Consultant" - "Oh yeah, fires, chemical contamination, contagious diseases, industrial accidents. Only one earthquake site so far. They call me. Have you heard of Buncefield ?" (and no, I have nothing to do with Buncefield. But I didn't say I did, did I ?) Real blasé ho hum stuff. My old CB call sign (haven't used it for years) was "The Preventer") Cheers Greying Wolf