Posted By Chas
I saw this article(see link)and not wishing to be too provocative, I'm interested in other people's views. Is being deemed 'competent' by virtue of being CMIOSH enough or should the health and safety profession be regulated as well in order to stop the 'cowboy' h&s advisor?
http://www.nurs.co.uk/ne...441232212694732478_1.htm

Posted By Mike Draper
In general terms, being CMIOSH should be enough to be considered professional. The competence standard for the designation is well documented, entry routes well controlled and there is some monitoring of outcomes (CPD).

There is also little difference between the competence standard required and the standards set in some countries where the profession is regulated.

CDM 07 also suggests that being a chartered professional in a field is a good basis for determining professional competency.

The real question given the diverse nature of the OSH field is whether CMIOSH is enough to suggest that any holder of the designation can offer advice on any aspect of the field.

Posted By Robert K Lewis
Utterly agree with James.

The award of chartered status is only the start of a continuing programme of self development and self monitoring.

Bob

Posted By Shane J
Competency = Knowledge, Training & Experience = CMIOSH

You can't become CMIOSH without adequate Knowledge, Training & Experience.

As Grad-IOSH I'd like to believe I'm working towards a level of competency that is known and respected.

But also CMIOSH is nothing by itself. It only applies to the holders particular area of safety expertise.

CMIOSH for an environmental safety professional does not necessarily mean they are competent Construction or Safety Training Consultants. You have to have training in your specialist area.

But as a general guideline I would always respect the opinion and ability of a CMIOSH

Posted By Alan Hoskins
Agree with Shane,

CMIOSH is a standard of competency, but only within the practical experience of the holder.

I started life in construction, but for the last 30+ years have worked in the HE sector.

I am certainly competent within my sector and could easily tranfer within it. To move back into costruction I would need to relearn a lot of things to become competent.

I would probably never be competent to advise on off-shore or oil refinery safety (for example).

Whilst the process of managing H&S might be broadly similar, it is the knowledge of any particular industry combined with the other factors which makes someone truly competent.

Alan

Posted By Robert K Lewis
CMIOSH I have to say is not specifically a standard of competency - it is a measure that one has achieved sufficient knowledge and experience to be enrolled as a chartered member.

Competence = Skills, Knowledge, Ability, Training, Experience, Attitude and Behaviour, reference HSE consultative document on competence management systems, and thus we can see why CMIOSH itself does not prove competence but is a potential indicator of it. Ongoing CPD and monitoring against benchmarks are thus indicators of maintenance of competent performance on an ongoing basis.

Bob

Posted By J Knight
We could compare other professions and their approach. My partner is a Chartered Physiotherapist; she got her Charter the day she got her final result, and while she is required to keep a CPD portfolio this isn't formally assessed at any point in her career. She was considered employable as a physio from the word go; and before you say anything about relative risk believe me physios do administer treatments which will result in fatality if they are inadequate or inappropriate. However, there is another competency criterion at the back of all this; within the profession there are various grades, which are still commonly referred to even in these days of AFC, KSF and common pay scales etc. So albeit she was a Chartered physio, nobody was going to let her get near anybody, especially somebody on, say, ventilation, without the supervision of a more senior, but also Chartered, practitioner.

So what makes competency in her profession? The award of MCSP is a necessary start, but what will count in her career is the number of hours spent treating patients; and I would submit, yer honour, that the same applies to us, though less formally, and our 'patients' are legal, rather than organic, persons,

John

Posted By ITK
Agree with anon.

I am CMIOSH but would not dream of walking onto a construction site deeming myself competent.

It means I attained a suitable level of qualification and keep CPD.

Posted By Robert K Lewis
Yes

Competent people are able to assss what they cannot competently do!

Bob

Posted By Robert K Lewis
Ian

Perish the thought. The Code of Conduct has to be central to our thinking as any competent professional treads what can be a minefield of conflicting needs and confidentiality requirements.

What concerns me is that there seems to be a growing belief that the mere use of a CMIOSH ensures that a competent person is employed. As you correctly identify CMIOSH is merely the start of a lifetime journey and not the end of a struggle. Whether employed or self-employed every practitioner needs to be able to show that competence is being properly managed and assessed - the CPD process being one part of this competence evidence.

The recent HSE guidance on Competence Management Systems for me provides much useful food for thought. My personal view is that IOSH should now be taking up the torch and developing competence guidance for employers re H&S. Not saying this is the type of person you need to employ but rather how it needs to be assessed, bench-marked and monitored to ensure ongoing confidence in performance.

Bob

Posted By Adrian Watson
Dear All,

New shorter OED defines competent as "Having adequate skill, properly qualified, effective."

HSE defines Competence as meaning "an ability to perform activities to the standards expected in employment; it is a combination of practical and thinking skills, experience and knowledge." This begs the question "What are the standards expected of employment?" As such this definition is useless because it cannot be measured or assessed except with hindsight.

What this definition means in practice is if you do not perform activities to the standards expected in employment you are incompetent. This is a blaming definition!

I find it more interesting that HSWA 74 does not refer to competence, but in terms of qualifications and experience. I presume that this is because qualifications and experience are tangible and can be measured and assessed.

I think it beneficial if people stopped using the nebulous concept of 'competence' and started to talk about tangible assets i.e. qualifications and experience.

What I find incredible is that HSC will not define what qualifications are required to practice health and safety, yet they will define what qualifications are needed to stick a plaster on some-one. All parties need to realise that the health and safety cannot and will not improve until and unless all employers have access to qualified and experienced advisers.

Membership of IOSH does not of itself make you competent!

Regards