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IOSH Working Safely is a one day course for employees at any level, in any sector, with no safety background needed. It ends with a 28 question paper on the day, and IOSH do not set an expiry date on the certificate.
Who it is for
Working Safely is written for the person doing the job, not the person managing them. It is the course you put a whole shift, department or site team through, so everyone works from the same understanding. There are no entry requirements.
What the day covers
| Area | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Introducing working safely | Why it matters to the person doing the job, not only to the company. |
| Defining hazards and risks | The difference between the two, and why it changes what you do about it. |
| Identifying common hazards | The ones found in every industry, including the ones people stop noticing. |
| Improving safety performance | What everyone can do about it, rather than leaving it to a manager. |
| Protecting the environment | The environmental side of the working day. |
Our hazard vs risk guide is a good primer for the second area.
How it is assessed
IOSH set the assessment: a 28 question written paper at the end of the day covering the five areas. Nothing is sent away to be marked later. Full attendance is expected before the paper. The certificate is internationally recognised and can be verified with IOSH.
Does it expire?
IOSH do not set an expiry on Working Safely. Plenty of employers refresh awareness training every three years as their own policy, and we can work to whatever your procedures say.
Working Safely or Managing Safely?
They are written for different roles, not levels of the same course, and nobody has to do one before the other.
- IOSH Working Safely: one day, for staff, with a 28 question paper.
- IOSH Managing Safely: three days, for managers and supervisors, with a 30 question paper and a practical risk assessment project.
On a construction site?
Working Safely is recognised, but a site gate normally looks for a CITB certificate. For an operative that is CITB Health and Safety Awareness, a one day course and the usual route to a green CSCS Labourer card with the HS&E test. The two sit alongside each other.
Training a whole team
We run Working Safely in a classroom, live online, or at your own premises for a group anywhere in the UK. It is usually arranged around you, so the simplest start is to tell us how many people and roughly when. It also helps people understand their own legal duties, which our employee health and safety responsibilities guide sets out.
Frequently asked questions
How long is IOSH Working Safely?
One day.
Is there an exam on IOSH Working Safely?
Yes, a 28 question written paper at the end of the day.
Does IOSH Working Safely expire?
IOSH do not set an expiry. Many employers refresh awareness training every three years as their own policy.
Is IOSH Working Safely accepted on construction sites?
It is recognised, but sites usually ask for a CITB certificate. For operatives that is CITB Health and Safety Awareness.
Read the source
IOSH (the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health), course information for Working Safely, and the Acadame IOSH Working Safely and CITB Health and Safety Awareness course pages. Facts checked on 12 October 2026.
Find a date that works
Every course, every centre, with live availability and prices.
On your site or ours, and group rates on request.
