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IOSH Managing Safely is a three day course for managers and supervisors in any sector who are responsible for people, processes or premises. It ends with a 30 question paper and a practical risk assessment on a real hazard from your own workplace, and IOSH state that the certificate does not expire.
Who it is for
Managing Safely is the course most employers mean when they say their supervisors need health and safety training. IOSH wrote it for managers, supervisors, team leaders and business owners in organisations of any size, and it assumes no safety background at all. There are no entry requirements.
What the three days cover
| Topic | What you learn |
|---|---|
| Assessing risks | How to do a risk assessment that stands up, and what a suitable and sufficient one looks like. |
| Controlling risks | The hierarchy of control, and choosing the control that fits the job rather than the one that is easiest to write down. |
| Understanding your responsibilities | What the law puts on you personally as a manager, and where it stops. |
| Understanding hazards | The common ones across industries, from machinery and chemicals to the ones people stop noticing. |
| Investigating incidents | Getting to the cause rather than the blame, and what to do with what you find. |
| Measuring performance | Knowing whether the safety effort is working, with leading indicators as well as the accident count. |
If risk assessment is new to you, our 5 steps to risk assessment guide is a good read before day one.
How it is assessed
IOSH set the assessment, and it comes in two parts:
- A 30 question written paper covering the six topics, taken at the end of the course.
- A risk assessment project on a real hazard from your own workplace. This is the practical half, and the part that makes the course worth sending someone on.
The course is built on worked examples and discussion, so full attendance across the three days is expected before the assessment.
Does the certificate expire?
No. IOSH state that a Managing Safely certificate does not expire, and every genuine IOSH certificate can be checked online. What IOSH recommend is the one day Managing Safely Refresher to stay current. Many employers put their managers through it every three years as their own policy rather than because IOSH require it.
Classroom, live online or at your site
We run IOSH Managing Safely in a classroom at our centres, live online, and at your own premises for a group anywhere in the UK, on consecutive days or split weeks. For six or more people, running it at your site is usually cheaper per head than sending everyone to a centre, and nobody loses a day travelling.
Managing Safely, NEBOSH or SSSTS?
- IOSH Managing Safely gives a manager what they need to run their own area safely. It is a course rather than a qualification.
- The NEBOSH National General Certificate is a qualification for someone whose job is health and safety. Our NEBOSH General Certificate vs IOSH Managing Safely guide compares the two side by side.
- On construction sites the gate usually asks for CITB SSSTS for supervisors or SMSTS for managers. These sit alongside IOSH rather than replacing it.
For the wider picture of every IOSH course, see What Is IOSH?
How to get the most from it
Pick your risk assessment project before day one. A real task you supervise, such as a delivery area or a cleaning job, makes the project quicker and far more useful when you get back to work.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an exam on IOSH Managing Safely?
Yes, in two parts: a 30 question written paper and a practical risk assessment project on a real hazard from your own workplace.
How long is IOSH Managing Safely?
Three days, in a classroom, live online or at your own premises.
Does IOSH Managing Safely expire?
No. IOSH recommend the one day refresher to stay current, and many employers run it every three years as their own policy.
Do I need any experience first?
No. IOSH designed the course for managers and supervisors with no prior safety knowledge.
Read the source
IOSH (the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health), course information for Managing Safely and the Managing Safely Refresher, and the Acadame IOSH Managing Safely course page. Facts checked on 12 October 2026.
Upcoming Leadership & Supervision dates
Straight from the booking system, so this block is never out of date.
Prices exclude VAT. Dates and places update automatically.
