Membership of the Sheffield Occupational Health and Safety Association (SOHSA) includes access to the association’s website, which provides a wide range of information and resources as well as an online discussion forum for the sharing of information or to ask for support from other members.

This guide is intended to get you up-and-running on the association website – with the minimum of fuss; and outlines key features available to you. Please note this information is also available in a downloadable printable PDF version.

Logging into your Account

1. To access the website, simply type “www.sohsa.org.uk” into your web browser – typically Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox;
2. Log-into the member’s area by clicking on the “Login” link in the top-right corner;
3. To log-in enter your username and password into the boxes in Step 1;
4. Type out the letters displayed in the scrambled security code image into the box in Step 2;
5. Click login and you will be taken to your own personal area (“MySOHSA”) – where you can change your details, such as email, password and forum signature, to do this simply click the “Change Info” icon; from this page you can also view and send private messages to other users – just click the “Messages” icon.
6. You are now logged into the association website. If, however, you experience any problems please contact us and we will be happy to provide further support.

Navigating SOHSA.org.uk

We have tried to make navigation as clear and simple as possible – with links to key areas of the website provided at the top of every page. Simply click the links at the top of the page, or type in a search query, to be taken to relevant content.

Online Services at a Glance

Please see a brief overview of the services currently available on www.sohsa.org.uk below:

• About; provides useful information about the association, history, the committee and further assistance;
• Announcements; association and related news announcements;
• Downloads; providing instant access to useful downloads - information, guidance and meeting minutes;
• e-Newsletter; allowing users to view the association’s e-bulletins online;
• Events Diary; listing all association events and allowing you to check dates in advance;
• Health and Safety News; the very latest health and safety news from a range of sources;
• Links; providing quick access to a wide range of online safety resources;
• MySOHSA; members’ own personal area customisable with relevant newsfeeds and links;
• Safety Forums; safety discussion area for advice, sharing of information and general discussion;
• SOHSA Mobile Edition; allowing you to access our online content from your mobile phone, PDA or similar mobile devices.

A sitemap is also provided - allowing you to view an index of all pages available on the association website.

Safety Forums

The SOHSA Discussion Forum is a great place to ask for help, share best practice advice or simply network with like-minded individuals. To access the online forum simply click the “Safety Forums” link on the navigation bar at the top of the page.

A number of different forums are provided for different discussion topics – such as “Ask for Support” and “Legislation and Regulations”. Simply click a forum of interest to be taken to a list of discussions, also known as discussion “threads”. To read a discussion click the title from the list. If you feel you can add to the discussion, why not post a reply - to do this simply click the “post reply” icon, allowing you to write a response. Always click the “Preview” button before submitting your response.

Please remember - there is no such thing as a silly question - this forum is provided to allow friendly advice and discussion.

Downloads

A range of materials are available to download from the website – from past meeting agendas, minutes and presentations to official government reports, newsletters and other materials such as best practice guidance. Member contributions are also welcomed to further expand the range of materials available.

To access our downloads section, simply click the “Downloads” link from the navigation bar at the top of each page. This will provide you with a list of download categories – just click the category you are looking for – such as “SOHSA Members Meetings” or alternatively type in a search query to find related downloads.

Please note: you must be logged in to access our downloads section.

Online Events Diary

An online events diary is provided for you – allowing you to view planned meetings and other events, find out more about the topics to be discussed and plan your diary in advance. To access the meeting diary click the “Meeting Diary” link from the navigation bar at the top of the page or simply check the “Upcoming Events” information box provided on the right-hand side of each page.

Health and Safety News

The SOHSA News page is regularly updated with association announcements, news from HSE, Safety Groups, RoSPA and other relevant health and safety information. Our news is displayed on the homepage, but can also be accessed directly from the “News” link from the navigation bar.

An RSS Newsfeed is also provided for you - providing direct access to our news direct from your desktop, newsreader or homepage.

SOHSA Mobile Edition

Did you know - you can even keep up-to-date with the association while on the move?! Simply visit http://mobile.sohsa.org.uk from your mobile phone or PDA.

Accessibility and Web-standards Information

This website has been built to comply with internet compliance standards to ensure compatibility with IT systems and web browsers, likewise we have also adopted best practice in making this site accessible to as many users as possible, for further information please see:

• Accessibility Information
• Access Keys for keyboard navigation

Further Support

If you experience any problems accessing the website, do not know your username or password, or have any other questions or suggestions relating to the association’s website, please don’t hesitate to contact us – we will be more than happy to help!