Does this mean that there is a naughty-step somewhere on the forum? :~)

Errr. I think you're jumping to conclusions on that - surely you need to start a thread to get the opinion of everyone else, only to then realise that it is a "grey area" in RIDDOR!

Good morning all

Good to see this thread attracted some debate and opinion before it degenerated.

I suppose I should really have had a final point 6 to my original list of observations:

6. People making totally inane comments, completely off subject

Moderators

You may as well lock this post now as I think judging by the responses #31 onwards it has reached its natural conclusion.

Clairel makes very valid points at #46.

Also, bear in mind that some forum users don't constantly look at the forum. Therefore, if the thread were to be locked now and for no valid reason , some users might be deprived of the capacity to add valid, useful responses. This, in turn, would deprive the rest of us from reading such responses.

p.s. Apologies for omitting to include pedants and digressors (or should that be digressionists?) in my earlier response at #29! Remember that threads on this forum can be predictably unpredictable and, like conversations as mentioned by Clairel, inevitably take unexpected twists and turns. This surely helps to keep the forum interesting and worth reading whether for education, information, mental stimulation and/or amusement, etc.

I am who I am on this forum cos I don't want the boss to know, that I know, that he knows nothing.

Rich

As it's Friday: for what a really hard forum looks like, try the scaffolders forum.........

I like the word Oxometry. the measurement of....
:-) Naughty zimmy

I have passed exams in that!

Apologies for the typing errors but too lazy to correct.

"OSHMOSIS": the attempt to filter common sense through a sometimes impermeable management system.

Quite.
Try an opposing view on a climate-change forum.
Hung.
Drawn.
Quartered.
Minced.
Cremated.
[burp]

Andrew Bober, I drink virtually every day, does that count?

Take your pick. Most forums can be really nasty sometimes during arguments. Some are very cliquey. Others just allow members to express a sense of humour no matter how politically uncorrect. The absoulute worse one I was on for a while (I'm not going to mention which one for a very good reason) was just women and it was awful. Real school yard bullying.

I don't think there's lots of testostrone on here at all.The main problem with this forum IMO is that everyone is exepected to be polite and professional all the time and this has led to tension, resentment and people being over sensitive. I still think an off topic forum would allow some of that tension to be released.

I am mindful that this forum is one of the public areas of the professional body to which I belong. I, for one, am pleased that the forum has the following rules:

"2. You mustn’t antagonise other users or post any information that could be considered defamatory, obscene, abusive, offensive, inflammatory, unlawful or creates a risk to a person’s safety or health.

3. You mustn’t indulge in bullying, aggressive, discriminatory or nuisance behaviour. Please be respectful towards other guests, IOSH members, moderators and IOSH staff. Please remember, our forums are used by guests who might not have a background in occupational safety and health."

I don't want this forum to descend to the level of the comments sections of most online daily newspapers, where people who know no more than the sketchiest facts make sweeping judgements and totally offensive comments about others.

Let's try to keep this forum professional. We don't want people to be mauled and feel that they don't want to come back and ask a second question, do we?

Don't judge a questioner by the question they ask. I was once ORDERED to ask an idiot question on here. I knew it was an idiot question, and I knew the answer, but my boss didn't.

I have come back with this - PARAPROSDOKIANS. Here is the definition: "Figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected; frequently used in a humorous situation.

1. Do not argue with an idiot. They will will drag you down their level and beat you with experience

2. The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on my list.

3. Light travels faster than sound. That's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

4. If I agreed with you, we would both be wrong.

5. We never really grow up, we only learn how to act in public.

6. War does not determine who is right - only who is left.

7. Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

8. Evening news is where they begin with "Good Evening" and the proceed to tell you why it isn't.

9. To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism. To steal from many is research.

10. A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk I have a work
station.

11. I thought a wanted a career. Turns out I just wanted pay cheques.

12. Whenever I fill out an application, in the part that says, "In case of emergency, notify: I put DOCTOR.

13. I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.

14. Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer gut, and still think they are sexy.

15. Behind every successful man is his women. Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another women.

16. A clear conscience is the sign of a fuzzy memory.

17. You do not a parachute to sky dive. You only need a parachute to sky dive twice.

18. Money can't buy happiness, but it sure makes misery easier to live with.

19. There's a fine line between cuddling and holding someone down so they can't get away.

20. I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not sure.

21. You're never too old to learn something stupid.

22. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.

23. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage make you a car.