Posted By the badger From time to time people will post here details of problems which they are experiencing in their own organisations in the hope of getting some help. Usually they do get what they are looking for and lots of very constructive suggestions will follow from forum members. As part of this there might then be open and frank discussion of the problems and perhaps criticisms of the organisations concerned. This is good thing and benefits everyone, providing the organisations concerned cannot be identified. Sometimes however the initiator of a thread has made his/her e-mail address viewable to others and it is an e-mail address at work. From this it is then usually a simple matter to identify the employer. It makes me very uncomfortable to see other health and safety professionals posting details of problems in their organisations in ways which identify the organisations concerned. There have been several instances recently which would have caused me to take action if the person concerned had been working for my company. It could well place them in breach of their contract of employment and for members of IOSH it might also be in breach of point 13 of the Code of Conduct (“Members shall not improperly disclose any information which may reasonably be considered to be prejudicial to the business of any present or past employer, client or the Institution.”) I urge everyone who uses their work e-mail address and makes it viewable to be cautious of what they say about their current employer. This is a public forum trawled by search engines and it might be safer to use hotmail, yahoo or similar addresses. The moderating team might also want to be on the look out for this as I feel it has potential to be damaging for the Institution. (Forum members might want to note that if they go to the “update my details” link and change their e-mail address or make/stop it being viewable, the changes apply not only to posts made from that moment onwards, but also to all posts made in the past.) Stern stuff for a Friday evening. Any comments? and is anyone there?

Posted By the badger Hi This is a great place for both seeking and giving help and long may it continue and grow from strength to strength etc etc etc. However as a result of some recent postings I, and many others, now know details of health and safety deficiencies in identified organisations which would have been better kept confidential. This could so easily have been done by those posting hiding the e-mail address or using one which is not a work address. I think senior managers in these organisations would be concerned if they knew that this information was being passed into the public domain. While one has to "log-in" to see the e-mail addresses, anyone can join and membership is not restricted only to health and safety professionals. I do urge caution. (Some of use "identities" here in place of our real names. What image does "the badger" conjure up? Think Wind in the Willows and you will be close! Time for my slippers and a cup of Horlicks and then to bed.)

Posted By Bill Fisher Badger etc A point well made! The Moderators will often contact someone if there is a particularly 'sensitive' posting where the person's employer could be identified and give the advice you have posted. Whilst there may be well intentioned readers of these Forums there are a small group of individuals who will create 'mischief' for fun (?). A good topical point well made as I say.

Posted By Zaphod Thanks for pointing this out Badger. I must say I worry about posting anything that might remotely be seen as critical to my employer. So, I have just changed my ID and I am doing this post to see if it works!

Posted By Rob T Hi, It's certainly a very necessary point to make and could save some people a lot of grief within their organisations. I would however like to add a proviso - there are times when I have asked for advice when there has been a contentious issue. I will sometimes, then, look at peoples e-mail addresses to see where they work purely to see whether they work for a company that might have particular input. There have been a few odd-balls on here (I may well be regarded as one of them by some but I've been called worse!) who seem to have an opinion on everything - so sometimes it can be a guide. Let's not make it compulsorary to have company names removed but occasional reminders may help and I think the Moderators do advise people at times if it's something potentially damaging or blatantly advertising. Rob