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IOSH is the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, the chartered body for health and safety professionals. Most people meet it through its short courses, and the three that employers use most are Working Safely, Managing Safely and Leading Safely.
What does IOSH stand for?
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health. It is a membership organisation for people who work in health and safety, and it also writes training courses that other organisations, such as Acadame, deliver. When someone says “I have done my IOSH”, they almost always mean one of those courses, usually Managing Safely.
The three IOSH courses most employers use
| Course | Who it is for and how it is assessed |
|---|---|
| IOSH Working Safely | 1 day. For employees at any level. Spotting hazards and doing something about them. A 28 question paper at the end. |
| IOSH Managing Safely | 3 days. For managers and supervisors. Risk assessment, the law, incidents and measuring performance. A 30 question paper and a risk assessment project. |
| IOSH Leading Safely | About 5 hours. For directors and senior leaders. Safety leadership, with a personal action plan instead of an exam. |
They are not levels of one course. Nobody needs to do one before another; the right one depends on the person’s role.
Which one do you need?
- You do the work: Working Safely. It is the course to put a whole shift or site team through, so everyone works from the same understanding.
- You are responsible for people or a work area: Managing Safely. It is what most employers mean when they say supervisors need health and safety training.
- You set budgets and priorities: Leading Safely. It is about the decisions taken above the manager, not technical safety.
How long does an IOSH certificate last?
IOSH states that the Managing Safely certificate does not expire. IOSH recommends the one day Managing Safely Refresher to stay current, and many employers send managers on it every three years as a matter of policy. Every genuine IOSH certificate can be checked online.
IOSH or NEBOSH?
IOSH Managing Safely is a course that helps a manager run their own area safely. The NEBOSH National General Certificate is a qualification for someone whose job is health and safety. If you are weighing the two, our NEBOSH General Certificate vs IOSH Managing Safely guide compares them side by side.
What about construction sites?
On a construction site the gate is usually looking for a CITB certificate rather than an IOSH one: SSSTS for supervisors and SMSTS for managers. IOSH and CITB certificates sit alongside each other, so many supervisors hold both.
IOSH membership
Separate from the courses, IOSH offers membership grades for people building a career in health and safety, rising to Chartered membership. A short course on its own does not give you membership; it is a starting point.
How we run IOSH courses
We run all three in a classroom at our centres, live online, and at your own premises for a group anywhere in the UK. IOSH Managing Safely has dates through the year. Working Safely and Leading Safely are arranged to suit you, which for a whole team is usually the easier way round.
Frequently asked questions
What does IOSH stand for?
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, the chartered body for health and safety professionals.
Which IOSH course is for managers?
IOSH Managing Safely. It runs over three days and ends with a 30 question paper and a risk assessment project.
Does an IOSH certificate expire?
IOSH states that the Managing Safely certificate does not expire. It recommends a one day refresher to stay current.
Do I need Working Safely before Managing Safely?
No. They are for different roles, not levels of the same course.
Read the source
IOSH (the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health), course information for Working Safely, Managing Safely and Leading Safely. Facts checked on 5 October 2026.
Upcoming IOSH dates
Straight from the booking system, so this block is never out of date.
Prices exclude VAT. Dates and places update automatically.
