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PETER ENGELBERT, CIH, CSP, CHST, CIT, is principal of Job Safety Associates LLC. The opinions in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of AIHA® or The Synergist®. Send feedback to The Synergist.
Fostering Online Civility
BY PETER ENGELBERT
The recent return of Catalyst, AIHA’s online forum, to its original platform gives members a convenient tool for getting quick answers to questions about OEHS practices. But as with other online communication tools, it can also lead to misunderstandings and arguments, both professional and personal.

We’re all aware that the relative anonymity of online discourse is a frequent temptation to write things we would never say in person. It’s much easier to post something, maybe under a nom de plume, when it doesn’t risk starting a backyard fight.
WHERE TO DRAW THE LINE As OEHS professionals, we should be introspective, educated, and rational in what we say and do. The public expects this from us. Their reliance on our professionalism is key to our practice.
That said, we all benefit from healthy—even heated—debate, as long as it’s respectful. Where we need to draw the line is on statements that constitute threats or baiting. Making a threat is not acceptable under any code of conduct or other mores. Baiting, while socially abhorrent, may not rise to the level of a threat, but it is not professional. It is manipulation and does not bode well for our industry.
Those of us who are certified in industrial hygiene and related professions adhere to the code of ethics (PDF) adopted by the Board for Global EHS Credentialing. In addition, AIHA members and volunteers agree to abide by a code of conduct. When we act contrary to our code, we create a cascading effect. Attempting to correct a statement at a later date can never restore faith in the system to which we belong.
We can type far faster than we choose to think, and we don’t have the benefit of observing another’s face, their body language, or their tone of voice.
THE FOUR-WAY TEST As Shakespeare wrote, “Uneasy is the head that wears the crown.” We all wear that crown when it comes to protecting people. That’s our charge. So, too, is the mantle of responsibility when we deal with each other.
OEHS professionals of my generation are all experienced at face-to-face encounters but relatively new at online communication. Most of us are in our 20s, Internet-wise, and if we count only the amount of time we’re connected, we’re more like teenagers.
When we were actual teenagers, we weren’t as polished or empathetic as we are now. Perhaps we should keep this in mind when tempted to respond to an online post. We can type far faster than we choose to think, and we don’t have the benefit of observing another’s face, their body language, or their tone of voice. We don’t know the context of the situation they’re in. Much of communication, and especially the written word, is based on the nonverbal.
Most of us have typed a response in anger, just as we were given to angry reactions when we were teenagers—that is, before we gained the benefit of wisdom from experience. Perhaps we realize now that the rules our parents gave us are maybe the best we ever had. “Take a breath before you speak.” “Wait until tomorrow and see how you feel about it.” “Count to ten.” Today, they might say, ‘Don’t hit the send button until tomorrow.”
Personally, I like the Rotary Four-Way Test: Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
This self-test has been around for decades. If we apply it before we post, we can avoid arguments that descend into chaos, and we can debate each other with fairness and respect.
We will likely never agree on everything. But we can agree that we all have value and something worthwhile to say.

RESOURCES
AIHA: “AIHA Membership and Volunteer Code of Conduct” (November 2024).
Board for Global EHS Credentialing: Code of Ethics (PDF, November 2019).