IOM reaches important milestone in its history
On 1st April, the IOM reached an important milestone – the 20th anniversary of the day the Institute broke the link with British Coal, and became fully responsible for running its own affairs, including the employment of staff.
In fact, the IOM was founded as an independent charitable research institute in 1969, and although the staff were employed by the National Coal Board (and then British Coal), independence was an essential characteristic of the work of the IOM from the outset.
Much has changed in the last 20 years. The IOM has become considerably bigger, both in terms of turnover and in numbers of staff employed. Regional offices have been opened in London, Chesterfield and Stafford, and in 2003 the headquarters transferred from central Edinburgh to a new purpose-built facility on the Heriot-Watt Research Park. The scope and diversity of the IOM’s work has broadened considerably and now reaches into just about every type of workplace, as well as other indoor and outdoor environments. It remains, of course, focussed principally on human health, and on how this can be protected and improved.
We owe much to the many people who have helped to make the last 20 years a success, including a wide range of clients and collaborating scientists in other organisations, as well as our own staff. But it is particularly remarkable that we have 20 staff who were with us on the day of the transition to full independence, and who are still with us to this day. We thank them for their dedication.
Whilst much has changed in the world, and indeed in the Institute, these past 20 years, one thing that hasn’t changed is the ethos of the IOM, which is about doing good science with honesty and integrity, and with a clear social purpose. Long may this continue.
Dr Phil Woodhead, Chief Executive