House of Lords luncheon

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On Tuesday I had the pleasure of attending the IIRSM annual House of Lords luncheon. It was a great day, and gave me the chance to meet lots of members and discuss topical issues.

The day was tinged with sadness as we said goodbye to Chief Executive Julie Silvester, who left the Institute after 13 years.

I am writing an article about the event for a forthcoming issue of the IIRSM Newsletter, so if any members who attended would like to drop me a line, feel free to do so.

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Online forum

Last week we held our first roundtable teleconference. Selected IIRSM members were invited to call in and discuss various topics high on the health and safety agenda in order to generate some good old fashioned debate - and they didn't disappoint.

Topics covered included CDM - how have the revised Regs bedded down? and what impact the new Corporate Manslaughter Act may have on industry. Recent stories in the press provided food for thought, and the profile of our industry certainly generated a welcome discussion. To read the forum threads in full, click here.

A write-up of the forum is also included in the April edition of the IIRSM Newsletter.

For details of our next teleconference, email me. All HSW subscribers and IIRSM members are welcome.

The bigger picture

Last month I wrote an article for the IIRSM Newsletter on the recruitment policies of the Armed Forces.

The story came in response to a recently published report, which assessed whether potential soldiers are provided with an accurate and full description of a forces career, including the risks, found that a misleading picture is created.

One member wrote to me asking that we remember the bigger picture. "The Army, just like any other organisation, has to recruit and you cannot expect it to achieve this by stating too many negatives," he said.

Does this negative publicity simply feed the appetites of those who do not really appreciate or understand? Share your views in our discussion forums.