MERSEYSIDE BRANCH BRIEFING How has IOSH been doing? Challenges and Plans? Issues for Members

ABOUT IOSH Established in 1945, received Royal Charter in 2003 Europe’s leading health and safety professional body Over 27,500 members in more than 50 countries An independent, not-for-profit organisation Maintains and steers professional standards Provides impartial, authoritative guidance on health and safety issues … for a safer world of work

PROFESSIONAL BODY 24 Branches and 17 Districts, run by elected committees of members, all volunteers 37 additional committees, sub-committees and working parties oversee the Institution’s activities Three elected Presidential officers – Vice-President, President-Elect, President, Immediate Past President Council of Management, chaired by the President, usually meets twice annually Election of Council? –Consultation on Regional and Single National List –Decision at Council next week

FINANCE IOSH – the charity and subsidiary, IOSH Services Limited – turnover for the year ending 31 March 2004 c. £6 million Income is derived from: –professional development courses (target to break even) –health and safety awareness training –conferences and seminars –books and other publications –membership subscriptions (target 30-40%) –merchandise IOSH Services Limited covenants the surplus from its trading activities to the charity IOSH

WORKING AT THE GRANGE Investors in People Almost 100 staff at The Grange, fully developed site HQ is organised into 5 Directorates and Chief Executive: –Chief Executive including International Affairs –Professional Affairs inc. membership and CPD –Technical Affairs (inc. 14 SGs, R&D) –Commercial Affairs –Communications inc. Public Relations and Publishing –Finance and Central Services

DIRECTION FROM MEMBERS IOSH policy is developed by a number of key bodies: –Council – looks after the Charter and Byelaws –Management & Finance (MFC) – is the “cabinet” –Professional Affairs Committee (PAC) –Technical Affairs Committee (TAC) –Specialist Groups Management Committee (SGMC) –Corporate Strategy Committee

GROWING IN INFLUENCE Consultation –e.g. HSC 10 year strategy when an unpublished draft –e.g. evidence to Defence Select Committee –e.g. new liaison officer appointed by HSE to relate to IOSH Significant Organisation –Written and verbal evidence to DWP inquiry into HSC/E Representation –e.g. WSA Challenge Fund, BS1 on OSH System

INTERNAL GROWTH Financially secure Growing membership – including internationally Conference Specialist Groups

CHANGING WORLD New EU Strategy –Proportion of women workers –Older workers –Patterns of work (home, portfolio, isolated) HSE Strategy –Stress –Health H&S is under pressure (“bonkers conkers”) but also demands from a risk averse society (rail accidents)

CHALLENGE We are seen by some as an old gentleman’s club We have not yet fully risen to the health issue Some H&S advice is “jobsworth” not enabling We are not fully engaged in our local communities - the Wales Branch work with the Welsh Assembly is atypical and ground breaking

HOW WE ARE CHANGING Internal structure External communications

MEMBERSHIP Adopted by Poll at AGM The national standards – ENTO Level 5 - adopted as the core competence requirements of the Institution. The membership structure will reflect the attainment of these competence standards. Those categories that reflect competence are allocated designations and post-nominal letters CPD to be mandatory for all technical competence grades New membership scheme in place by Autumn 2005 Privy Council in process of awarding individual chartered status

New Membership Structure from Autumn 2005 Obtains operational H&S management qualification Affiliate PGD/BSc/HE Dip BSC & NEBOSH Dip/Other Tech IOSH Mandatory CPD NVQ Level 4 in OSH practice Obtains a professional practice qualification Open book examination 2 years experience with CPD Cognate Degree 2 years IPD Professional Interview CMIOSH Mandatory CPD CFIOSH Mandatory CPD Grad IOSH

NEW CPD Plan to be posted, 3 year cycle IOSH website used to log plan and CPD components REGISTER NOW FOR CPD, TO BECOME CMIOSH ASAP

GOVERNANCE 49 Council Members – too large a body to make decisions Large and experienced, representing Members Council to retain responsibility for Charter and Byelaws New Trustee Board – c. 12 people – open and transparent appointment process by Council (new Nominations Committee)

INFLUENCING IOSH is beginning to be more responsive Press Releases following Morecambe Bay, Tebay, etc. Evidence to DWP Inquiry New campaign –Emphasising value of professional advice –Research into benefits of employing practitioners –Relationships with media, with politicians, with other bodies TARGET: –Recognition of value of competent advice (first research topic) –Membership recognition of need to be responsive advisers –Public participation in debate about values in OSH

NEW ISSUES? Health Worker Safety Advisers – TUs? Publicity Voluntary Sector Culture

JOBSWORTHS You cannot / should not do that because: –It’s dangerous –You may be sued –It’s illegal Characteristics –Make assumptions –Tell people, don’t ask –Jargon and legal quotations –e.g. the County Hall “ponds”

ENABLERS Tell me what you want to do, I’ll help you do it: –People are entitled to develop their own ambitions –OSH is about helping you do it safely and healthily –The law is minimum standards, not a guide to action Characteristics –Clear commitment to the “customer” of OSH advice –Questions, questions, questions –Simple, and focused on explaining the process –Creating people able to do it for themselves –Creating confidence

CHALLENGE We are trying to make IOSH fit for 21 st Century Responding to a changing world of work But challenge is for every Member The prize is a profession respected for the contribution it makes to a healthy and safe world of work