Posted By Stuff4blokes Just seen this on SHP Online: http://www.shponline.co....ame=news&article_id=9087 Great to see IOSH taking a lead role here.

Posted By martinw There are knock on effects. You have to want to do it - there was always a push from some within the nursing to 'professionalise' it but there was also a negative reaction to that from groups within nursing who said that you don't need a degree to be a good nurse - as had always been the case before - and the three years learning in a classroom would be better spent learning on the job, with patients as your focus, not a pie chart. The professionalisers won. All have to do degrees now. Very simplified of course, but you get the gist. I am not saying that the situation is very similar, just that abstaining will likely bring about the result that you do not want. If this is going to happen, and it looks as if it may, it might be better to be at the front helping to lead and shape it rather than the alternative. Martin

Posted By martinw Frank down to the consultants to stand and fight then? Politicians will have their own agenda as you say. That being the case who will argue against them, if not the consultants? The link with the early NHS is palpable. The strongest group Post 1948 was the consultants who took a position of strength and kept it. Again, tenuous I know but in a period of difficulty the profession looks to its 'elders' if you like. I would much rather work in a H&S profession run or at least led/advised by H&S senior professionals than by policitians either governmental or in the HSE.

Posted By Richie Hello all, It has been a while since I posted anything, but I am back in the UK now. I think there are two completely different 'beasts' which could easily accommodated here without throwing the baby out with the bath-water. At the risk of stating the obvious this is how I see it: Being a HSE advisor / manager within a business does allow some room to grow and learn your trade so to speak, especially where there are other safety professionals, engineers, quality managers etc., not to mention mentors who might be able to lend a hand. I think there is definitely room for HSE professionals in such situations who may not exactly fit a rigid set of parameters likely to be set in place under such a scheme. A safety consultant on the other hand has to ensure the limited time likely to be spent at a business (nobody wants to spend money, especially these days) is used to the maximum effect. This may not mean a better understanding of regulations etc., it does however mean guaranteed hazard recognition and prioritisation, which is where I feel we do need to arrive at a 'standard'. This may need some sort of course or examination, completely apart from core safety knowledge. In short, I think core safety knowledge and the ability for early recognition of hazards, are completely different things. If we go down the road of concentrating on core safety knowledge then we may still end up with consultants missing the major hazards. Richie.