Why Choose a Widely Recognised IOSH Certification for Your Staff

When in need of a qualification for workplace health and safety, there are a variety of courses to choose from. A decision you will often face is whether to choose an accredited or non-accredited equivalent course for your staff.

Explore the reasons to choose a widely recognised IOSH certification, the course options available and compare between all accredited and non-accredited courses.

Choosing a Widely Recognised Health and Safety Qualification: IOSH Certification

The right course for your staff naturally depends on individual needs, circumstances and what kind of role said staff members are in. Despite this, choosing to go with a widely recognised certification body has significant benefits.

IOSH (Institute of Occupational Safety and Health) is a world-renowned provider of health and safety courses.

IOSH courses are typically aimed at learners who are not specifically working in a health and safety role and require an entry level of knowledge on the subject.

IOSH qualified learners are able to better manage teams, environments and situations that may occur in the workplace.

The experience and reputation IOSH holds within the health and safety industry means your staff will benefit from high quality courses that are well recognised and studied by a significant number of businesses worldwide. This allows you to ensure that your staff's learning is consistent, high quality and compatible with the latest health and safety legislation.

Learn more about IOSH (Institute of Occupational Safety and Health) here.

IOSH Qualification Options

IOSH is best known for two major certifications:

• IOSH Managing Safely and
• IOSH Working Safely.

Both IOSH courses are respected, entry level health and safety certificates. Let’s take a look at these in more detail.

IOSH Managing Safely: What is IOSH Managing Safely? 

The IOSH Managing Safely course, is a basic risk management health and safety qualification specifically for those in management or supervisory positions. 

An internationally recognised certificate, IOSH Managing Safely does not require any previous experience or qualifications within the sector making it ideal as a starting point for staff in any industry. This IOSH course covers subjects including:

• Assessing Risk
• Common Hazards
• Accident Investigation
• Measuring Performance.

The topics covered in IOSH Managing Safely provide managers with an understanding of their responsibilities as leaders within the workplace, arming them with the knowledge they need to ensure workplace hazards are kept to a minimum. In addition to keeping their team healthy and safe while also ensuring your business, is compliant with the most up to date legislation.

The IOSH Managing Safely, when offered as a training course for your staff at your company, can be delivered as an: Online, Virtual and Classroom course. The IOSH Managing Safely online course requires 16-32 hours to be completed and the classroom and virtual course require 3 days in class-based training.

The IOSH Managing Safely Course has many benefits to an organisation and its staff members.

However, if you are an individual and wondering what are the benefits of taking the IOSH Managing course you can read our blog here.

IOSH Working Safely

The IOSH Working Safely is an international certificate, however this basic awareness course is suitable for all staff in any role and at any level.

The IOSH Working Safely qualification provides:

• Awareness of common hazards in the workplace.
• Outlines the importance of health and safety and
• Highlights how vital the general wellbeing is for the team's productivity.

Not only will this course make staff more aware of how their own actions may impact others’ health and safety, it also makes them more aware of typical hazards and how risk can be prevented.

The topics covered in the IOSH Working Safely course include, but are not limited to:

• The differences between hazards and risks.
• Hazard and risk identification, impact and control.
• Why staff must work safely.
• How industries affects the environment.

IOSH Working Safely can be taken both online and in-company with the course only taking 4 – 8 hours online and 1 day in class-based training. An ideal set up for busy staff.

Explore the IOSH Working Safely course here.

IOSH vs Non-Accredited Courses

There are of course, similar non IOSH accredited certifications available for your staff. However, the benefits of choosing an IOSH accredited course over a non-accredited alternative are significant.

A. Quality of the Course

The quality of accredited courses like the IOSH Managing Safely and the IOSH Working Safely is almost guaranteed. With a set syllabus and specific number of teaching hours required, you can be reassured that your staff will be covering everything they need to, in order to become properly certified.

Unlike non-accredited equivalents which may not have a set syllabus, you can have faith that your staff will have a consistent knowledge of how to work and manage safely.

B. Wide Recognition of the Qualification

Non-accredited courses are known as a form of non-formal learning which still have an element of structure and teacher lead learning, however in most cases, will not lead to formal certification. While in many cases this isn’t detrimental, having your staff certified with the biggest health and safety membership organisation in the world will have significant benefits.

IOSH is widely recognised all over the world. Having staff undertake a IOSH certification clearly demonstrates your business’ commitment to health and safety, a important brand asset to promote among your stakeholders and customers. It also means you are assured that your staff are equipped to comply with health and safety legislation.

In many cases, accredited courses require staff to take an examination or assessment at the end of the course to ensure they have taken on board and understood the information. This ensures that your staff fully understand and can apply the information they have learned in a nationally recognised learning standard.

C. Quality of the Provider

Awarding bodies like IOSH have to undertake quality control checks on training providers offering their courses to ensure it is being delivered to an acceptable quality. In choosing an accredited course you can have faith that your staff are receiving up to date, relevant and consistent information no matter which provider you choose.

Explore the top 5 benefits for businesses interested in the IOSH Managing Safely Online Course below: