Is it just me, or does anyone else think the register has got worse since the new regional categories have been added? I objected to this idea when it came out - I think you should just select your area by the Counties that you cover. If I was a prospective searcher, I'd give up pretty early looking through this hotchpotch. ...and now we have the added insult of it costing £60 (talk about taxes on business).

It's made absolutely no difference to me. I've had exactly the same volume of work from OSHCR (a nice round number). It was clear that the initial £30 was only on offer for early registration so the renewal fee of £60 should be no surprise. Also , it is a purely voluntary scheme that consultants can choose to suport or not. Maybe if plenty of disgrunteld consultants leave the scheme there will be more enquiries for the remainder. Today I am an extreme optimist!

The ludicrous way in which the register's search engine displays results means that unless your first name begins with A or B, the client is going to have died of boredom before they find you. I agree with KevMac about the regional system. I just did a search for "south west" and "manufacturing". It pulls up over 700 names (most of whom apparently cover the whole country anyway) and I'm on page 26. Not much chance of anyone ever bothering to look that far is there? Why not randomise the search results each time?

I'm not on the OSCHR I'm no longer a member of IOSH (I was CMIOSH) IOSH, in my view no longer gave any benefit to me. I still work very much 'in' safety - in the oil/gas sector, on the design safety side of project engineering (onshore and offshore) I still very much need to know about CDM, PUWER etc I regularly undertake safety studies using process safety risk analysis techniques - HAZOP, HAZIDs, PHA, SIL etc. I work via my own Ltd company. My aspect of safety, is very much engineering/technically based. So what do I trade as? An 'Engineer', 'Safety Consultant', 'Safety Engineer', 'Loss Prevention Engineer', 'Consulting Engineer' To me , therein lies the problem with the OSCHR. There is no legal requirement to be on the register, there is no legal requirement to be a member of IOSH. IOSH can take no action against me for trading as a 'Safety Consultant' if I decided to, as I do not need to be a member. Afterall, I could claim to be a 'Consulting Engineer', which covers a wide range of activities. As others have reported no business generated from being on the register, I see no benefit in being on the register. I generate my work via contacts I have, agencies and new contacts. I'm not sure that many other organisations are aware of the OSCHR. I would have thought that most companies wanting advice/need to find a 'safety consultant' will either Google or use the Yellow Pages As I have previously stated a career in safety has many aspects, until someone can define what a 'safety consultant' is/does - then you might get somewhere with OSCHR.

Exactly my sentiments JJ. What is so special about those holding CMIOSH? Jon

Excellent "Letter of the Month" in the April edition of BSC publication Safety Management re subject matter. Jon

Please don't turn this into another "IOSH is rubbish and all CMIOSH think they are special" thread! We had quite enough of that last year and the only conclusion is "horses for courses". Some of us HAVE gained work because of the magic letters after our name, others do very nicely without it. Both are happy with their approach. Getting back to talking abut the actual register itself. Yes I have got more work through this forum and through a free Yell listing than from OSHCR. I gave it a whirl last year just to see. I may well not bother this year. £60 seems a lot of money for no proven leads (personal view - YMMV)

Thanks - some interesting views, and I hope someone 'upstairs' feeds this back to OSHCR, seeing as all I got was a nonsensical response in my email to them before the change. Needless to say, as a middle-ranking person on the register (alphabetically), I've had no business. However, I have found it useful to say to clients that I can't help: look at the Register. What did we have before? IOSH RSP list (equally inaccessible, in my opinion) - someone mentioned Google: hmmmmm

I just wanted to lend my support who belive that the search engine is now "not fit for purpose" This needs immeadiate attention if the register is to maintain credibility. I suggest it goes back to first principles before looking again. I was directed to "renew membership" this button did not exist. I paid any way (i assume they took the view i was a new user) and was then delisted!! I have written a "stiff" e-mail to the administrator to get it sorted others i am sure have done the same.

Thanks frankc Like others, I've also been in an email exchange with the administrators - there's nothing quite as dissatisfying as having an exchange where both sides think the other can't see the big picture! KevMac...sorry, now AardvarkMac

The OSCHR is working well then?

I hope not Martin. OSHCR is for individuals not for companies so how could they insist that "the consultants used must be registered". I have obtained more work from a free online directory listing than from OSHCR. Anyone searching for a consultant in my area (and I mean my area, not the whole of SW England!) or the specific county I live in can find me on it quickly and easily. Two potential clients already have. I am seriously considering not bothering to renew my OSHCR membership. I will be most interested to see how much the membership drops by after the end of April when the renewal period ends for those of us who signed up in the first month and we get struck off...

As indicated above by many others, being on the OSHCR register has not brought one enquiry from any potential customers let alone any new business. I have requested that my details are removed from the register and will only reconsider this action if it becomes mandatory to be on the register.

I was one of the first and very pleased to get the discount but I won't be bothering again. The only enquiries I've had were from advertising companies wanting to sell me some advertising.

I could`nt agree more

I thought of signing up as the NGOs and associated Environmental Consultancies I advise undertake work for National and Local Authorities together with some of the largest construction and engineering firms in the country. I thought these big guys would start requiring their contractors H&S advisers to be registered, but nothing yet from the big boys and the people I work with don't even know it exists yet. I'd sign up in an instant if needed or wanted outside the sector but no indication yet? Not trying to be negative just wondering if it's hitting the right keys yet?

Totally agree with JJ, ptaylor and Heather - so like has been previously said, what's IOSH 'cunning plan' now in tackling the HSE about its members feelings. Are you going to order a 'new bed' or jump into the one you share currently?

I think the Register is a great idea, but after the initial idea it goes downhill quickly. As I see it the recent revision to a Regional listing was particularly unhelpful. It's like giving you the good news - "we are going to promote OSHCR Consultants" and now the bad news - we have designed our Register so that you will not found" unless the Client already has all your details. I put this point directly to OSHCR, suggesting that as opposed to simply allowing Clients to check you are listed, it might be useful to develop the Register in a manner that allows potential Clients to find local Consultants. The OSHCR response was very clear - the change to regional was demanded by Consultants and prior to noting this blog it appeared I was the odd one out. So I guess I'm not a lone voice, if you think it's a mess - make sure your views are logged with OSHCR, you never know, they might listen and the next review is scheduled for Summer 2012. They have promised my comments will be considered as part of this review - a few similar letters might be helpful.

I've just renewed after some thought as to whether it's all worth it. Last year brought NIL in work derived from the Register and I am unlikely to be easily found by a random search at any time in the near future. However, my own sales and marketing efforts in winning new clients may lead to prospects seeking confirmation that my claim to be personally registered is in fact true. I have no real way of knowing whether the listing will be a deciding factor in any selection process. However, as all new (and renewal) client engagements will be worth considerably more than £60, it seems like a reasonable speculative spend to me. I remain a small fish but the pond appears to be getting smaller!

Ha! First job is to find potential new clients, Heather. You got any spare?