IOSH Managing Safely

Know your health and safety responsibilities

IOSH Managing Safely is a basic risk management health and safety certificate which will offer managers an understanding of the practical actions needed for the health and safety of their teams.

It enables organisations to demonstrate a commitment to health and safety standards which is important for the reputation of any organisation.

IOSH Managing Safely is the Institute of Occupational Safety and Healthy (IOSH's) flagship course. It's a basic health and safety qualification that guides management and supervisory staff through the assessment and reaction to hazardous situations.

Achieving the IOSH Managing Safely certificate empowers managers in any business to better manage their team, safeguarding their wellbeing and embedding a safe culture in the workplace. 

IOSH Managing Safely is a popular health and safety certificate worldwide and reinforces why health and safety is such an integral part of a management position.

Who is IOSH Managing Safely for? 

IOSH Managing Safely is a short, entry-level course. It's perfect for general managers, supervisors and team leaders who need to brush up on their health and safety responsibilities so they can make sure their team is working as safely as possible. 

The course is open to both individuals learners who want to develop their skills, and companies looking to get a group of staff certified. 

IOSH Managing Safely course entry requirements

The IOSH Managing Safely is open to everyone. You don't need any previous health and safety knowledge or experience as you'll learn everything you need to know on the course. 

The only thing we recommend is that you have is a good understanding of the English language. This is so you can understand the technical concepts covered and confidently discuss these in your assessment and workplace.

What's covered in IOSH Managing Safely? 

At a headline level, the course is divided into two units – one taught and one practical. 

The taught unit focuses on the essential principles of managing health and safety on a day-to-day basis. It's split into 7 modules covering:

• Introducing managing safely
• Understanding your responsibilities
• Identifying hazards
• Assessing risks
• Controlling risks
• Investigating accidents and incidents
• Measuring performance

The practical unit allows you to put your new skills into practice by undertaking a basic workplace risk assessment. 

Read the full IOSH Managing Safely syllabus here.

How is IOSH Managing Safely assessed?

IOSH Managing Safely has two assessments to test your knowledge and skills:

• A 45-minute knowledge-based test made up of 30 multiple-choice questions
• A skill-based, practical risk assessment carried out in your workplace

Does the IOSH Managing Safely certificate expire?

The simple answer to this question is no. Once you've achieved your IOSH Managing Safely certificate it remains valid. 

That said, IOSH strongly recommends participating in a refresher course every three years or so. Why? Because health and safety evolves, and so should your knowledge and understanding of it. 

As a forward-thinking institution, IOSH continually updates their syllabus to reflect the changes in law and best practice.

Exams are a daunting prospect, no matter how attuned you think you are to the test environment. In the case of the IOSH Managing Safely certificate however, be reassured. Providing enough revision is undertaken, there is no reason why attendees cannot get a good pass. In fact 99% of  Astutis' learners pass IOSH Managing Safely, prove this.

A level 2 course, Managing Safely is available to all-comers with no required prerequisites. Its content is tailored towards those in management or supervisory roles but rest assured, anybody can gain this particular certification.

The assessment itself is made up of 2 parts: firstly a 45-minute test. The test is made up of 30 short answer questions and  a score of 36 and above marks out of 60, is a pass.

Secondly, within two weeks of completing the exam, a practical risk assessment project must also be delivered. To pass the IOSH Managing Safely project, you must achieve 23 marks or above – out of 38.

In truth the pass marks for the 2 assessments of IOSH Managing Safely are relatively low. Encouragingly, thousands achieve more than 90% when seeking accreditation- proof that IOSH Managing Safely is more than attainable. See more on this here