Posted By Mike Charleston Sounds a fine proposal to me. Mike

Posted By Ian Waldram I can assure you that your comments have been noted - I discussed them with Rob Strange last week. Wider use of e-mail fits with other plans and ideas, for example snailmail doesn't work well for many overseas members. However, like many good ideas, implementation is a lot harder than thinking it up! We have 23000+ members, many of whom do NOT have access to e-mail. Also some who do may prefer hard copy for some types of mailing. We would need reliable systems in place to record these preferences, track e-mail address changes, etc. However, there looks to be a good 'prize' in terms of reduced postage, so the idea will be investigated. Someone at Leicester has to compile a business case, and if this looks attractive enough, it will be approved in due course. But of course this isn't the only improvement currently being looked at, so which takes precedence? The recently approved Corporate Plan 2000 tries to look at the whole picture, I hope you will review it - contrary to what is indicated in this month's TSHP, comments can be received at any time, indeed CP2000 won't be mailed to members until around the end of the month. (Before you protest, it is going jointly with the new CPD brochure. Anyone who wants a copy via e-mail should use the contact given on p51 of TSHP). The situation isn't helped by offhand comments about 'IOSH' (i.e. Leicester staff) ignoring member requests. Every week they respond to hundreds of member requests received by post, phone and direct e-mail. The Discussion Forum is intended to be just that, so if only 2 members and the President seem interested, is it surprising that there is no public reaction? Our staff are extremely hard-working and, like most of us, respond better to positive feedback than negative. For them, reading the Forums recently hasn't been very rewarding. Neither our people, nor the systems they operate, are perfect but they ARE committed to continuous improvement. Visiting Leicester, meeting our people, or even talking to them by phone may help to change your views?

Posted By Mike Charleston Ian Your response is appreciated and as the person making off-hand comments about the "they" band at IOSH I feel it necessary to respond. Communications between members of organisations like IOSH are essential and now, more than ever before, the availability of e-mail for instant and rapid transfer of thoughts is leading to an explosion in this form of communication (for those who have it)! I for one find that instant e-mails and chatlines have expanded my professional horizons considerably in the last 12 months and I now respond to requests for help on such fora, as well as offering up my own queries for others to support and participating in purely chat-types of comment. This is great - especially for somebody who would never get around to writing formally before. Now we come to the rub - pure chat and informed opinion has been seen to co-incide with IOSH policies/views on many occasions over the last few months and there is an obvious (and dare I suggest, expanding) need for "official" contributions to those discussion threads. We see enough responses from some individuals at IOSH (such as Angela Wheatcroft for one) to recognise that "IOSH" are aware of at least part of the communications, so the reasonable assumption is that ALL are being monitored. So, it follows that when some threads grow into significant outpouringings of opinion, "IOSH" are well aware of it. When there is then nothing formal being said or acknowledged, it follows that the murmurings will become significant and eventually merge into a mass "anti-establishment" feeling against those who don't respond. I have been as guilty of this as I suspect others would admit to. The solution is to establish two-way dialogues and I am delighted to see your recent postings to that end. Please do expect that your contributions will improve the current state of "anti" feelings that have been created in recent months BUT don't expect that they will dissipate overnight. In short, DO see this Forum as very valuable and expect it to grow (in its old state for preference but if we have to, in this new format). By the same token, there may be a need to strengthen the means for monitoring it and responding to issues more regularly. Offered with all the very best intentions. Mike