Why IOSH Managing Safely Matters
If you have supervisors, managers or team leaders who haven't had formal health and safety training, IOSH Managing Safely is one of the most respected ways to put that right. It's provided by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) — the Chartered body for health and safety professionals and the largest health and safety membership organisation in the world, with more than 50,000 members across over 130 countries.
Who Should Take IOSH Managing Safely?
The course is aimed at anyone with management or supervisory responsibilities, across any industry. That includes line managers, team leaders, supervisors, and staff in HR or health and safety roles who need to understand how health and safety responsibilities apply to their team. It's particularly popular in construction, manufacturing, facilities management and logistics, where managers deal with a wide range of physical hazards day to day.
What Does the Course Cover?
Across the course, candidates learn how to:
- Understand their responsibilities for health and safety as a manager or supervisor
- Recognise common hazards and assess the risks they present
- Introduce practical control measures to reduce risk to an acceptable level
- Investigate incidents and accidents to identify root causes
- Measure and improve health and safety performance over time
The course is delivered over three days (or the equivalent in e-learning), combining theory with practical application to real workplace situations.
How Is It Assessed?
Assessment combines an objective test, short-answer questions, and a practical assessment that candidates complete in their own workplace — applying what they've learned to a real risk assessment or improvement project. This means the learning has an immediate, practical benefit, not just a certificate at the end.
The Business Case for Managing Safely
Beyond compliance with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, training managers and supervisors has a direct impact on the bottom line. Well-managed health and safety reduces absence, lowers the risk of enforcement action and fines, and helps build a culture where employees feel confident raising concerns before they become incidents.
Many organisations choose IOSH Managing Safely as the standard qualification for anyone moving into a management role, with the NEBOSH General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety (GNC1/GNC2) as the next step for those taking on broader health and safety responsibility. Those who hold IOSH Managing Safely and later need to keep their knowledge current can take the IOSH Managing Safely Refresher.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is IOSH Managing Safely designed for?
Managers, supervisors and team leaders across any industry who have responsibility for the health and safety of others but haven't had formal training before.
How long does IOSH Managing Safely take?
The course is typically delivered over three days, either in a classroom or via e-learning, with a practical workplace-based assessment.
What's the difference between IOSH Managing Safely and IOSH Working Safely?
IOSH Working Safely is a one-day course for all employees, covering general awareness. IOSH Managing Safely is a more in-depth course for those with management or supervisory responsibility, covering risk assessment, control measures and incident investigation.
Does IOSH Managing Safely need to be renewed?
IOSH recommends refresher training — such as the IOSH Managing Safely Refresher — to keep knowledge current, particularly where legislation or workplace practices have changed.
What comes after IOSH Managing Safely?
For those taking on significant health and safety responsibility, the NEBOSH General Certificate (GNC1/GNC2) is the natural next step. Those working in construction may also consider the NEBOSH Health and Safety Management for Construction qualification.
Related Courses
- IOSH Managing Safely
- IOSH Managing Safely Refresher
- IOSH Working Safely
- IOSH Leading Safely
- All IOSH courses
- NEBOSH courses
- Site Management courses
- Site Supervisor courses
- Health and Safety courses
- NVQ Health and Safety