John - that they have reached the requirements to be 'designated' as a Member of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health - it is one of the membership levels of IOSH, others being Associate, Technician, Fellow etc.

Johboy, your assumption is not correct. The title MIOSH is the pre-disperser to CMIOSH, before the this institute gained a royal charter.
It is most probably people who were active practitioners who have now retired or are not active in the profession anymore, hence not CMIOSH but still MIOSH.
Other members at various levels should not use the title of MIOSH, unless eligible to do so.

I am aware of clients requiring at least MIOSH level before appointing consultants to carry out H&S work for them.

I am also aware of consultants that do not have qualify to that level using those post nominals in an effort to get work even though they are not eligible.

Underhanded to say the least.

John,

I would suggest that individuals using the letters MIOSH are themselves either being very cheeky (to use the vernacular) or aren't aware of the process.

Strictly speaking, we are all MIOSH - that is, Members of the Institution. I get suspicious when I see MIOSH after people's names because it's only part of the picture.

I have seen people write AIOSH and later qualify that as being 'Affiliate Member of...' which is laughable.

Freelance is spot on - if in doubt give IOSH a call.

IOSH Membership Dept, part of Professional Affairs Directorate, are very happy to be informed immediately about anyone (member or non-member) who is using non-standard post-nominal letters. Such action is professional deception, even though it may be unwitting and we all, members and staff, are very keen to stop it, as such action helps maintain the 'IOSH brand' which we believe is seen by most as implying high quality.

This is likely to become more important in the near future, not less, so I encourage you to contact membership if you think that someone is using letters wrongly. They will get a gentle reminder first so, if it was a genuine error, no real harm done. If it was deliberate and is repeated then much stronger action may follow - disciplinary if a member or legal if not. They are also likely to be 'named and shamed', just as HSE do when they successfully take enforcement action against a duty holder. This may sound a bit tough, but it is necessary for our long-term survival, as many other organisations with a high-quality brand will testify.

You should never see MIOSH now except as MIOSH (ret) ie retired. This means the person is no longer active in H&S work thus any person using this postnomial must be reported to IOSH Professional Affairs at the Grange if they are still practising.

Many MIOSH failed to take up CPD and thus did not achieve CMIOSH status and had only the options of

a) Reverting to associate if they wished to continue in H&S

b) Retiring from practice

Bob

Anyone using letters after their name they are not entitled to do is very dangerous as it could be termed as fraud especially if the work they are given requires the proper competence to do it. I don't mean to imply that anyone without the correct qualifications such as CMIOSH are not capable but to use the qulaification without any truth is illegal and can have some very serious results if found out (and of course mean someone is seriously injured or evem killed, perhaps manslaughter may even result)???

Hi everyone

Just to clarify a few points made above:

- The designatory letters of MIOSH has not existed since we became a Chartered Institution, except in the circumstance quoted above where a Chartered Member retired - this also means that they retire from CPD and a member must retain CPD in order to retain their Chartered status.

- CPD is obligatory for all categories of membership that have a criteria attached to them (Technician, Graduate, Chartered Member, Chartered Fellow). These categories all have designatory letters.

- CPD is not obligatory for Affiliate members and retired members.

- Affiliate members are not entitled to use any designatory letters.

As has also been mentioned above, please feel free to contact the Membership Department to check the membership status of any individual. We also welcome being informed of anyone who is claiming a category or designatory letters that they are not entitled to. It is often just a case of correcting a misapprehension. The Membership Department can be contacted on +44 (0) 116 257 3198 or email membership@iosh.co.uk.

Kind regards

Lucy Mott
Membership Officer

Can of worms Heather?

Lucy has made the position very clear - please everybody report all such misrepresentations to Professional Affairs Dept without delay. It would take an army of investigators to dig out all such misuses

Indeed, but weren't we told on a recent thread regarding complaints about lack of competence amongst CMIOSH members that one complaint on its own to IOSH wouldn't be acted upon because it could be construed as just "sour grapes"? So would one complaint from a member about someone using the postnominals MIOSH be acted upon? Furthermore, HOW would it be acted upon?

Quick question which is kind of related to the topic.

If someone claims to be CMIOSH how can that status be confirmed to an employer?

Perhaps I am being a little thick but who do Registered Safety Practitioners register with?

They don't any more since Chartered Membership came along. It is another defunct IOSH scheme still quoted on the websites of many consultancies - "all our people are members of IOSH (MIOSH) and Registered Safety Practitioners (RSP)" - example from an actual home page.

Isn't there a data protection issue there, John?

Heather

I did say some organisations were sloppy about updating websites :-)!!!

Bob

That is truly horrifying about the HSE employees with incorrect postnominals - I'd be tempted to send a copy of the card along with a letter of complaint! However, worth bearing in mind that Jane Smith was probably asked by a secretary what she wanted on her card, that's what she said, so that's what she got. But still no excuse.

Call me old fashioned, but I've worked hard to get and maintain my Grad. IOSH post nominals. I'd only be too happy to phone or write to the membership department if I came across a fellow professional whom I suspected was using the wrong post nominals, for WHATEVER reason......

I'd encourage everyone else to do the same.....

Hi Tim,

Although I’m going away from the initial thread, my concern has been when a member of our institute has informed IOSH and they have investigated. I have personally reported people who claim to have IOSH post nominal’s who clearly do not and companies use of the IOSH logo who do not have permission.

The first step, in my understanding is that they contact the individual or body and explain the entitlement to use the logo and post nominal’s. I believe this is a fair way to deal with the situation.

However, I see these same individuals/organisations carry-on regardless and no further follow-up by IOSH unless you report it again and provide further evidence?
Surely their should be another brief review by IOSH (6-12 months later) to ascertain that they are compliant?

As a consultant working in a tough economic climate I and others are having to fight to gain work against others who have little and sometimes no qualifications whatsoever. We are not always talking about single individuals making a few shillings, a few years ago I came a consultancy who’s turnover was seven figures and the highest qualification of all the experts was the pending results of the NEBOSH General Cert? Again using the IOSH logo and post nominal’s on their website.

I do think that IOSH could do more in promoting itself and members rights in terms of post nominal’s and the use of the institutions logo.

Hi Ralph

I can assure you IOSH do investigate and have taken action in the recent past in this respect. I also can assure you that IOSH where informal initial approaches fail to correct this have considered the more formal routes, and I am sure Hazel will correct me if my assumption is incorrect use the full force of law to prevent fraudulent use.

I know the usurping and undermining of properly qualified and accredited safety practitioners by these is of concern to members it is also of concern to many others - one of the concerns that has prompted the HSE consultants register.

I am aware that legal action has also been discussed formally against miscreants. I and many others within IOSH are working hard to preserve the IOSH name and use of post nominals to ensure IOSH members are properly recognised and also protected against this sort of behaviour.

Ralph thanks for your insight and I will have your concerns raised and get someone to respond officially.

One point that this discussion on our forum should ask people hiring consultants to do, and I would also recommend this when hiring any professional, is to strengthen their due diligence checks on consultants. I do know that the IOSH recommend this and always assist in identifying our members level of membership.
See http://www.iosh.co.uk/ab...erifying_membership.aspx

As Hazel earlier points out, not unique to IOSH but a situation that we need to be vigilant of, and then be seen to take action.

If you follow this link you will see that in the past IOSH has and does take action against those misusing post nominals.
http://www.iosh.co.uk/ne...ciplinary_committee.aspx

Regards

Tim B