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In his speech accepting the presidency of The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, Paul Faupel FIOSH RSP emphasised the increasing importance of cooperation in a working world that has changed, and continues to change, in radical ways.
Drawing members' attention to the Revitalising Health & Safety Strategy document and the associated Securing Health Together and Improving Access to Occupational Health Support reports, the president noted that the significant message coming loud and clear from this health and safety trinity is "partnership".
He further reminded members that IOSH's new corporate plan recognises that while IOSH speaks for its members and the profession, it is not the only voice in the sphere of occupational safety, health and, indeed, environment. While stressing that IOSH is greater than the sum of its constituent parts and its voice is authoritative, the president acknowledged there are others in the related professions of occupational medicine, occupational hygiene, ergonomics, risk management, and environmental management who, like IOSH, seek to influence policy-makers, standards-setters and regulators.
In their jobs, on a frequent or regular basis, IOSH members work with colleagues in these other professions because their respective competences are complementary. Yet, Faupel commented, rarely have the professions themselves worked together at the strategic level.
As an institution IOSH has achieved, and can continue to achieve, a large measure of success in its own right. But effective partnerships will enable it and those others to achieve much more. Partnership may be a political buzzword but if IOSH is to be successful in its objectives it will be obliged to use the vocabularies of those whom it seeks to influence, and to seek new ways of cooperating with other organisations sharing similar goals.
The president concluded his address by committing himself to working throughout his year of office to enhance the Institution's existing partnerships and to seeking out opportunities to establish new ones, in the UK, in Europe and further abroad.
