Our Mission
We are building a respectful, professional community where Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) practitioners can learn from one another, share experiences and insights, and grow together in their careers. This is a space dedicated to advancing safety culture through meaningful collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Core Values
✅ Respect: Treat every member with dignity and courtesy, regardless of their experience level or background. We have zero tolerance for personal attacks, discrimination, harassment, or bullying of any kind. Remember that behind every username is a professional seeking to improve workplace safety.
✅ Professionalism: Share evidence-based advice grounded in recognized standards, regulations, and best practices. Cite your sources whenever possible—whether referencing OSHA standards, ISO guidelines, industry studies, or established methodologies. Quality information saves lives.
✅ Collaboration: Approach every interaction with a spirit of helpfulness. Share your knowledge generously, ask thoughtful questions, and celebrate others’ successes. We rise together as a community, and every member’s growth strengthens our collective impact on workplace safety.
✅ Integrity: Maintain honesty in all interactions. This means no spam, no self-promotion without providing genuine value to the community, and no plagiarism. Give credit where it’s due, and be transparent about your affiliations and expertise limitations.
Posting Rules
- Search before posting: Use the search function to check if your question has already been answered. This respects everyone’s time and helps you find solutions faster. If you find a similar thread but need clarification, reference it in your new post.
- Use descriptive, specific titles: Vague titles waste time and reduce responses. Transform “Help with JSA” into “How to conduct a Job Safety Analysis for confined space entry in chemical plants?” Clear titles help the right experts find and answer your questions.
- Stay on-topic: Keep discussions focused on HSE matters—safety management, environmental compliance, occupational health, risk assessment, incident investigation, and related professional topics. Politics and religion are off-limits unless they directly impact HSE practices (e.g., regulatory changes, cultural considerations in safety training).
- Never recommend dangerous practices: Do not suggest shortcuts that compromise safety or violate regulations. If you’re unsure about something, admit it—there’s no shame in saying “I don’t know” or “this needs expert verification.” Lives depend on accurate safety information.
- Respect confidentiality: When discussing incidents, near misses, or workplace situations, anonymise company names, locations, and identifying details if the information is sensitive or could have legal implications. Focus on lessons learned rather than blame.
- Self-promotion guidelines: You may share your services, products, or content if you’ve first established yourself as a contributing member (aim for a 10:1 ratio of helpful contributions to promotional posts). All self-promotion must provide clear value to members. Affiliate links and spam will result in immediate removal.
- Constructive feedback only: When correcting others or disagreeing, focus on the information, not the person. Explain why an approach may be problematic and offer better alternatives. Phrase feedback as “Consider this approach instead” rather than “You’re wrong.”
- Acknowledge your experience level: Whether you’re a student, entry-level practitioner, or seasoned professional, context helps others provide appropriate guidance. Don’t misrepresent your qualifications.
Moderation and Enforcement
We enforce these guidelines to maintain a safe, productive environment:
- First offense: Warning from moderators with post edited or deleted, plus explanation of violation
- Second offense: 7-day suspension from posting and commenting
- Third offense: Permanent ban from the community
- Severe violations: Threats, harassment, or sharing of dangerous information may result in immediate permanent bans without warning
- Appeals: If you believe a moderation decision was made in error, email admin@hseforum.ng within 14 days with your username and explanation
Moderators’ decisions are final, but we’re committed to fairness and transparency.
Important Legal Disclaimer
The content shared in this community represents peer advice and shared experiences—it is not a substitute for professional legal counsel, medical advice, or formal safety consultation. Always verify critical decisions with licensed professionals in your jurisdiction. Members share information in good faith, but implementation responsibility rests with you and your organization. This community and its moderators assume no liability for actions taken based on discussions here.
By participating in this community, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping us build a safer world together.
Questions about these guidelines? Contact the moderation team at admin@thehseexchange.com.