Posted By Mike Charleston
David

You ask if anyone fully understands the guidelines (so-called AUGs) and I would say no. That's why the Mods are there, in my opinion - to make sense of the stated guidance and keep us on the straight and narrow.

So far so good; but it seems like it's turning into an onerous task for the Mods (they have my admiration and support - I certainly wouldn't want to do it) and conversely, I think the AUG's are slowly strangling the Forum itself - having been doing so for most of this year.

Perhaps we have a problem like this because of being in our particular profession. We're collectively so tied up with trying to do everything right that we end up in dire straits over clear definitions of what's right and reasonable; what's wrong and unacceptable.

For me, pulling that particular thread is an utter nonsense - but I would not condemn the Mods without first
1) Recognising they are volunteers, simply trying to follow the set guidance - and then
2) Questioning if I or anyone else would be better able to develop a different set of AUG's (the answer probably being "no").

Previous to this case, the interpretation of an AUG that prevents jobs/opportunities being "advertised" on the Forum has led to a major calamity, creating an immediate impact and stifling considerable interest and cross-chat that could not all have been "bad".

Nonetheless, I ask again, would I be prepared to get involved with developing different AUG's? No - I'm not sufficiently minded nor rewarded to consider doing that!

A wider issue raised by this experience is the degree to which posters on this Forum (and many others like it) are able to discuss anything under the sun, then question any raised voice of authority, no matter what view is put forward by them. On one level, it's right that we can do so - but it's surely making things very difficult for the elected or co-opted official(s) that are then frequently in the spotlight!

The bottom line for me? Yes, I sympathise with your concern for why this particular thread was withdrawn and could have gone off in support with a fairly bitter diatribe about other similar cases.

However, if you want to question the ethos let's do so within the guidelines given us - by transferring the discussion onto our Members' Forum. I may not agree with keeping it within such a select band of in-house colleagues but "rules is rules"!

Perhaps the originator of this thread (Kieran if my memory serves me right) could revive the subject in a more AUG-friendly format?

Mike

Posted By Ciaran McAleenan
David

The message I received from the moderator was;

“Dear Ciaran
Your thread 'World Congress on Safety and Health at Work - Call for Papers ' has been removed from the IOSH forums since it constitutes an advertisement.”

The Acceptable Use Guidelines state;

“You must not use the forums for any commercial purpose (including the advertising of jobs, goods and services), or operate surveys, contests or chain letters, or promote causes or campaigns.”

Does making readers aware of pre-eminent professional safety event for 2008, advertised elsewhere on the IOSH website, see the following link;

http://www.iosh.co.uk/in...o=events.details&id=2963 , constitute a breach of the guidelines.

Is there not a double standard being applied since website readers are being advised of this event on one part of the site but are being prevented on another?

I would hazard a guess that many readers use the forum regularly but do not read other parts of the site so frequently. Now since Philip and I are organizing a symposium for the World Congress on Safety and Health, as indeed are IOSH, it seems appropriate that readers are alerted to this and given the opportunity to consider participating in the event, as indeed some readers of the original posting have considered.

IOSH claim;

“We also aim to work with committees of national and international standards-making bodies, advancing research and pro-actively assisting the dissemination of knowledge throughout the wider European community and accession states”

Does this not extend to telling readers of this forum?

The president of IOSH, Ray Hurst states;

"here I am, ready, willing and able to do my best for our members and to see that IOSH and the profession as a whole become not just the largest, best known and respected in Europe but in the wider world".

Does the decision to remove this thread by members of that profession not make a mockery of his promise to the profession as a whole and point to IOSH helping "IOSH" alone?

Incidentally the American Society of safety Engineers, of which Philip and I are members, have had no qualm with the World Congress being “advertised” on their forum.

I do not desire an explanation from the moderator. You are all intelligent people. You draw your own conclusions.

Best wishes

Ciaran

Posted By Robert K Lewis
David

Advertising is indeed one of the reasons the mods take down postings. It is rather patchy though and some get away with it and others do not.

I do feel though that Ciaran has raised an issue that does need to be addressed. If a congress, show, seminar, conference etc is advertised elsewhere on IOSH basesd websites can a mention on the forum be a breach of AUG. If it is for one it must be for all.

Bob