Posted By Steve Crookes We have Quality and Business gurus, can any body tell me- apart from Allan St John Holt- who is considered to be a Health and Safety guru?

Posted By Ian Waldram Based on the fact that other guru's seem mainly to write influential books I would vote for Dan Petersen and Trevor Kletz (the latter especially for process industry issues). If you can also count Public Inquiry reports Lord Cullen words on Piper Alpha, Dunblane and (still to come!) Ladbroke Grove are what led IOSH to make a lifetime achievement award to him last month. I can think of several other great OSH mentors, but they mostly work by direct personal contact, so maybe don't qualify as true gurus!?

Posted By Jerry Hill Love the idea of a Safety Guru's poll but how about some form of special award for regular forum contributors. Since 'discovering' this forum many moons ago, I have been given some excellent information and advice, often way above the call of professional courtesy, by the following people. (in no specific order of preference) Philip McAleenan Peter Gotch Ian Waldram Neil Budworth Stuart Nagle ...to name but a few. These and many others appear to be the backbone of the forum and their contribution towards the dissemination of safety information amongst forum users should be recognised. Okay, I'm off my soap-box now. Regards Jerry

Posted By Neil Budworth Gee guys I'm blushing ! I am not sure we have gurus across the whole range of Health and Safety in individual areas I would vote for Frank Bird (Birds Triangle) James Reason (Human Error) Thomas Krause (Introduced Behavioural Measurement and Feedback to the UK) Alan (Principles is fab !), Then Richard Booth or Tony Boyle Hani Raffat on Machinery Guarding Frank Gill – ventilation Peter Buckle, Davis Stubbs and Stephen Pheasant - Ergonomics Prof Harrington - Occupational Health issues Richard Rycroft Dermatitis and Brian Toft and Alan Waring would be in there some where on safety management John Rimmington I know that health nad safety would be poorer without them. Best Regards Neil

Posted By Stuart Nagle Well them....!! Safety Guru eh !!! I cannot quite see myself with long hair, beard, flowing robes and HSAWAct in hand... Sorry, I just had to wipe the tears of laughter running down my face...... It is nice to be appreciated though, Thanks Jerry... I am not one who subscribes to the GURU thought process. I have attended recently some very good management courses, and dare I say it, the 'Instructor' was obviously very taken with many GURU's in this field. I for one do subscribe to the theory of experience (Through work), Competence (Thought work, education and examination) and application (to put to work what you know and have learnt through all the above). If I can help or assist I will. If only some of my colleagues in the past had adopted such an attitude..... I don't have a rock to sit on (well, thats a little white lie, having just come back from Gibraltar on business) and would not seek to stand above others, but try and mentor and lead in the right direction. Lastly, and unfortunately, I always remember what my father used to say 'You can take a horse to water'...'But you can't make it drink'... I have extended this policy where possible to ensuring that the horse is given a thirst for water before being lead to the well... Regards... Stuart Nagle

Posted By Allan St.John Holt Apologies to all for prolonged absence from the Forum due to extended travel in Forn Parts minus password... There are many people who know a lot about their own discipline, and I guess they are truly gurus. There are somewhat fewer who think they know a bit about a lot, and I would put myself in that group. What makes the difference is the number in either group who are happy to share their knowledge in the effort to put back into the pot a little of what they took out. When I first joined the safety arena in around 1968, there weren't very many in the last category, and it struck me over the years that there is a huge gulf between the general level of advice in 'official' publications and what's inside the huge biblical texts - and thus in 1991 Principles was conceived. I find it embarrassing to be cast as anything more than an opinionated colleague. I think it's part of the professional ethic to give help, and even to offer opinions. Anyway, for what it's worth, I find the freshest ideas are still being written up by Dan Petersen, Richard Booth, Andrew Hale and Trevor Kletz, and I always turn first to articles written by any of them. If there's a vote I would rank them in that order. Merry Christmas to all, Allan

Posted By Francis Quinn I do think that this thread is one of the better ones. Surely the aim is (partially) to offer our thanks and show our appreciation to all those who have helped shape our profession -so it must go back to the "Founding Father" himself- Lord Robens.