Editor's Note: Missing: You

One of my favorite sections of the magazine is the “What’s Your Opinion?” poll, which is featured on the “Etc.” page that concludes every issue of Safety+Health. If you look at this month’s Etc. page, however, you’ll see that something is missing – your voice.

Typically, the box containing the poll is much larger because it includes select comments from S+H readers. It’s an opportunity for safety pros to be completely open about what they’re thinking regarding a particular topic – and for someone reading the comments to realize that others may feel the same way he or she does.

If your employer is a National Safety Council member, you’re familiar with “Membership News Alert,” a weekly e-newsletter produced by the S+H staff that features a link to the most recent poll on the S+H website and invites reader comments. The poll also is open to anyone who visits safetyandhealthmagazine.com.

Since S+H switched over to its new website, only a handful of you are commenting on the poll questions. After a few weeks of wondering what we did to drive you off, it dawned on us: The original poll format promised you anonymity. The new website asks for your name.

We understand your need for anonymity on these polls. It’s what allows you to speak freely, and we’d never want to take that away from you.

Please know that the site allows you to submit poll comments without identifying yourself. Simply bypass the part of the comment registration section that asks for your name. You’ll be required to provide an email address, but viewers of the site will never see it. And, as always, all comments published in the print version of S+H will remain anonymous.

We’ll keep printing poll results in the magazine. But without comments to accompany them, I feel as if a sense of community has been lost. We miss your voice. Please come back.

The opinions expressed in “Editor’s Note” do not necessarily reflect those of the National Safety Council or affiliated local Chapters.