Occasionally I post on these forums to gain valuable advise and links to further information. It is a brilliant site that is being spoilt by back biting. Should members who degrade other members or seem to use this site as stress relief by warned by the administrators. It gives us all a bad name. I will probably get shot for this post !!! What do other people think ? Cheers all Joe

The written word can sometimes confuse and what may have been meant as a constructive criticism may be taken the wrong way - this forum is no different to any other public one - one or two people can be a bit sharp in their responses I agree. But what is noteworthy - is that many people are quick to apologise too in these instances!

I have banged on a few times in respect of posters politisicing their point of view - which I and many others do not agree with. I tend to sift through the wheat and the chaf and in the main find most topics very illuminating and educational (have even used them to gain CPD points). Rich

There's a good mix of people from different sectors, so it's interesting for me to find out what kind of H&S issues people have to face in local authority for example, which is a million miles away from what I do. Now and again there will a useful link, or an interesting debate to participate in and contribution to these forums can count as evidence towards my NVQ5.

Joe - There's no reason whatsoever why you should fear being cricitised for raising some very valid points about this forum. Your posting prompts me to repeat yet again a plea for forum users not to write anything that they wouldn't say in person to someone else. Overall, the forum is an interesting and useful one because of the wide variety of topics raised and discussed. There's always scope for learning something new or appreciating different angles about topics, even for quasi-retired people like myself. It's also enhanced by its informal style and splashes of humour which, despite some perceptions, certainly shouldn't be limited to Fridays! It seems that though numerous people visit the forum, relatively few start topics or make responses. For those feel reluctant to join in, do think again and share your queries and comments with the rest of us irrespective of your experience and knowledge. Use a pseudonym if you wish. To echo another of my themes, one of the forum's attractions is that it is predictably unpredictable: Some topics reap numerous responses and/or evolve in different ways while others do not. Also, users shouldn't be afraid of contrary arguments or constructive criticism, especially as there's no definitive right and wrong for many topics in OS&H.

Clairel is right, just imagine what would happen if every poster on this site agreed and said the same thing! The site would very soon fall into disuse as there would be nothing to learn or explain and the profession would very soon be a backwater of closed thinking. I have challenge some comments over the years and have been challenged on some of mine but have always been clever enough to spot when I am wrong and have learned from others through direct points and/or publications they have suggested. Let the forum continue in its current not so perfect way so anyone can learn and pass on thier expertise to others prepared to listen.

Absolutely spot on Clairel - so many individuals & dare I say it institutions, think they are above differing views & opinions & therefore should never be criticised.

On the whole I find this forum and its members quite helpful and informative. There have been occasions when some poster have over-stepped the mark IMO but again, thats life! I will continue to use this forum to share ideas and opinions on best practice. RE: Clairel - The mods have a tough job to do and although their interjection can be frustating they too have policies and procedures to implement just like us. An edit fun(c)tion would be helpful - especially to correct any spelling mistakes which you spot after posting (sorry Walker but I couldnt resist) ;).

Indeed - I couldnt agree more.......however, as old as that chestnut is it still has value (rubbish proverb i know)! I dont agree with you that the Mods are over-policing the forum....obviously you do, and would advise that you raise that with the Mods directly.

Walker- can we thank you for your comments. We take everyone's comments on board but ask for everyone's understanding- some say we moderate too much, some say we don't moderate enough. We are humans too and do make mistakes- you all have a complaints procedure, we cannot answer back in public and only ask that neither does anyone else. Regards Moderating Team

I think these forums are a fabulous resource that generally work well. I have certainly benefitted from the immense kindness and free exchange of information that I have read or received as a result of contributing over many years. They are an increasingly peculiar beast in a world of twits and tweets and instant "free for all" e-comms but that is their great strength as far as I am concerned. The only thing that ever disappoints me about these forums is when the discussion becomes centred on the person rather than the subject. We often disagree either technically or as to an opinion and that is healthy. However, I do not feel at all comfortable when users decide to deride or denigrate others in order to justify their own opinions or responses. In my view that is politics and not professional discussion. That is why I choose to avoid such topics and discussions if they occur. Having a tongue in cheek pop at something or someone can work face to face but as I know to my own shame, it isn’t at all easy to do it well in a virtual reality so I never do it anymore. The level of real hurt it can cause simply isn’t worth the risk for me. And I guess that is the point. As long as there are enough topics where I can be confident that I will not find derision, denigration or misplaced fun poked at people then it is worthwhile continuing to contribute. If not then I vote with my fingerpad, p48

Messyshaw, I share your frustration. There are a lot of very dodgy answers in amongst the excellent answers. However, it is possible to challenge strongly without being moderated. You have to choose your words carefully, in the same way that we have to do in the 'day job' when we want to get a decision reversed or influence something/somebody. No-one knows everything, and I have noted some users who give first class answers in some areas will sometimes stray into areas where they are not competent. I suspect that they do not know that they are not competent. It would be a big ask of the Moderators to know everything. It is not the role of the Moderators to monitor the technical content.

The issue of posters persistently arguing their competence from a personal point of view irritates me especially when there is already established guidance and standards on this matter.

I'll give someone stick and I'll take 'stick' - sometimes I've taken an enormous amount of stick from the forum. Sometimes that stick is lighthearted and sometimes it isn't. Sometimes it is deserved and sometimes it isn't. For example I've openly given stick to Graham about the length of his posts. Equally I've received a great deal of stick over the years about my honest and forthright nature! But who doesn't give and take stick in every day life, including in our work environment? Isn't that normal? So, what puzzles me is why so many people seem to go running to the mods to complain all the time (or even while the mods always seem to feel need the intervene)? Do people go running to the boss every time they get a bit of stick at work? ....actually 9 times out of 10 the boss is probably the one giving the stick!! I've never been the type to go running to mummy every time someone says something I don't like. It baffles me that others feel the need to (although obviously there are occasions when people overstep the mark but you can count them on one hand). What troubles me about this forum at times is the fact that it's sanitised and therefore not a reflection of the genuine debates that are happening within our profession.

Clairel's response at #27 generally contains valid points though, like Jake, I'm not aware that many or any people complain to the moderators or that moderators frequently intervene. As the forum is part of the IOSH website and accessible by anyone in the world who cares to look at it, we have to accept whether we like it or not that it has to be moderated and doesn't always reflect what some people wish to discuss or state on it. To avoid any misunderstanding, I'm not making any criticism here of the IOSH members who I understand operate the moderatorial system as volunteers. Also, seeing as Clairel has mentioned that she has given me stick from time to time about the lengths of my posts, I can now add that I did have her in mind when I mentioned the "savaged by a dead sheep" allusion. It seemed especially pertinent in view of the fact that her sub-pseudonym creditations include "rural industries"! As for Clairel and others who think that some of my posts are too lengthy, I would question their attention spans. How on earth do you cope with articles in OS&H magazines or law reports, or do you avoid them because they're too lengthy?!! Furthermore, there's nothing in the forum rules about lengths of posts, and some posters totally trounce me as regards the lengths of their posts. In addition, over time, forum regulars get to recognise other regulars and build up a mental picture about them from what they write. Therefore, there are some things I would write in response to them, e.g. Clairel, but wouldn't dream of writing to others especially those who are evidently forum newcomers. The same goes for what I say to people who I meet and know well, not very well or not at all. :-)

Indeed Pete. One of our key skills should be our ability to influence people: persuade them about policy development, applying law, the need for controls, spending money, saving money, course of action, etc. Courtesy is a more productive facilitator of debate than abrasion although the latter can be more interesting for the spectators! In Dale Carnegie's book 'How to Win Friends and Influence People' he has a nice section on winning an argument: basically nobody wins - even when they win!! There are ways of confronting an issue or pursuing a disagreement without giving the verbal equivalent of a slap in the face. I have never taken the IOSH Discussion Forum as a certified authoritative source of absolutely correct interpretation of law, guidance etc that will support you in a court in the event of some failing. Correcting facts that are wrong is fine. Adding '.... you Muppet.' to the end of a correction generally wouldn't motivate the receiver into a positive dialogue. The Forum seems to cover a lot of issues; gets a range of discussions; and people have differences of opinions. While I do not read all posts, I'm not aware of much savagery on the Forum. Anyway courtesy costs nowt so why not use as much as you can in the Age of Austerity. Cheers. Nigel

Dear all, Thank you everyone for your responses to my post. I have read the responses and they have almost backed up my original statement. The statements/reply people make on this forum are too personal and give us all a bad name. It is not the range of opinions that is a problem (it is brilliant in fact), it is the way some people make there opinion known. P.S. I am not complaining about any individuals attacking me and have never complained to the moderators.

Another group that annoy me (bad mood this morning something to do with the football) are those posters who seem to think that their specialism (I am talking about some of the construction specialists) is the only type of H&S that matters- every thing else; COSHH, ergonomics, stress, slips trip and falls in offices, etc. doesn’t count as real H&S. Rant over. Sweetness and light for the rest of the week.