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IOSH Managing Safely Classroom Course

The IOSH Managing Safely course is the most widely recognised health and safety qualification for managers, supervisors and team leaders in the UK. Developed and awarded by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), the three-day course gives managers a practical understanding of their health and safety responsibilities, risk assessment techniques and how to maintain a safe and healthy workplace.

IOSH Managing Safely is suitable for managers in any industry and is often required or recommended by employers as a condition of management roles. It is available as classroom training, online instructor-led and e-learning — all three lead to the same certificate.

Course Details

  • Duration: 3 days
  • Format: Classroom training
  • Awarding body: IOSH
  • Assessment: Written test and practical risk assessment project
  • Suitable for: Managers, supervisors and team leaders in any sector
  • Prerequisites: No formal health and safety experience required
  • Cost: From £240 + VAT
  • Certificate: No formal expiry; IOSH recommend refreshing every 3 years

Prices vary by provider, location and delivery format. Use the course search below to compare dates and fees.

View Classroom Course Dates

 

What is IOSH Managing Safely?

IOSH Managing Safely is a three-day health and safety qualification developed by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), the world’s largest professional health and safety membership organisation. The course is designed to give managers and supervisors the knowledge and confidence to manage health and safety within their teams, fulfil their legal responsibilities and contribute to a positive safety culture.

It is the most widely recognised management-level health and safety qualification in the UK and is accepted by employers across all industries including construction, manufacturing, healthcare, retail, hospitality and office environments.

Who should attend IOSH Managing Safely?

The course is designed for anyone with management or supervisory responsibility for people or operations:

  • Managers and supervisors in any sector or industry
  • Team leaders and forepersons
  • Those responsible for implementing health and safety procedures
  • Professionals returning to work or moving into management roles
  • Those seeking a recognised management-level health and safety qualification

No prior health and safety knowledge is required. Those completely new to the subject may benefit from completing IOSH Working Safely first. Construction site managers may also consider the SMSTS course, which is specifically designed for construction site management roles.

What does the IOSH Managing Safely course cover?

The course covers the key principles of health and safety management relevant to managers and supervisors. The same syllabus applies to all three delivery formats:

  • Introducing managing safely — why health and safety matters legally and morally
  • Assessing and managing risk — hazard identification, risk assessment and control measures
  • Understanding your legal responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
  • Identifying common workplace hazards — physical, chemical, biological and ergonomic
  • Investigating accidents and incidents — root cause analysis and prevention
  • Measuring performance — proactive and reactive monitoring techniques
  • Protecting the environment — environmental responsibilities of managers
  • Implementing safe systems of work and permits to work
IOSH Managing Safely assessment and certification

To achieve the IOSH Managing Safely certificate, delegates must complete two assessments:

  • Written test: A multiple-choice and short-answer written assessment completed during the course
  • Practical project: A workplace-based risk assessment project, based on your own workplace, submitted after the course

The practical project is the part delegates most often underestimate. It asks you to carry out a genuine risk assessment on your own site or premises rather than a hypothetical one, so it is worth thinking in advance about which area you will assess.

Successful candidates receive an IOSH Managing Safely certificate issued by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health.

Does the IOSH Managing Safely certificate expire?

The IOSH Managing Safely certificate does not have a formal expiry date. However, IOSH recommends that certificate holders refresh their knowledge every three years, and many employers apply that as their own internal standard.

The IOSH Managing Safely Refresher course is available in classroom and online formats and allows holders to update their knowledge without repeating the full three-day course.

Entry requirements

There are no formal qualification requirements for IOSH Managing Safely. A good standard of written and spoken English is recommended, since the written assessment and practical project are both completed in English.

If you are completely new to workplace health and safety, the IOSH Working Safely course may be a suitable starting point before progressing to Managing Safely.

What is the difference between IOSH Managing Safely and NEBOSH General Certificate?

IOSH Managing Safely is a three-day course aimed at managers who need a practical understanding of health and safety to fulfil their management responsibilities. It is a qualification you take because of the job you already do.

The NEBOSH General Certificate is a considerably more in-depth qualification, typically spanning several weeks with formal examinations, aimed at those pursuing a career in health and safety or moving into a dedicated safety role. It is a qualification you take to change what you do.

Many professionals complete IOSH Managing Safely first and progress to NEBOSH as their career develops.

Progression after IOSH Managing Safely
Find an IOSH Managing Safely course near me

IOSH Managing Safely classroom courses run at venues across the UK. If you are looking for an IOSH Managing Safely course near you, find courses in your area:

Or compare all IOSH Managing Safely courses in the UK across every format.

IOSH Managing Safely Online Instructor-Led Course

The IOSH Managing Safely online instructor-led course is a live, tutor-led version of the qualification delivered remotely via Zoom or Microsoft Teams. It follows the same IOSH-approved syllabus as classroom training and leads to the same IOSH Managing Safely certificate.

This is not self-paced e-learning. It is live, interactive training with a qualified IOSH tutor over three days, where delegates ask questions and engage with the group in real time. If you would prefer to study entirely at your own pace, see the e-learning option; if you would rather attend in person, see classroom courses.

Course Details

  • Format: Live online instructor-led training
  • Duration: 3 days
  • Awarding body: IOSH
  • Platform: Zoom or Microsoft Teams
  • Assessment: Online exam and practical risk assessment project
  • Suitable for: Managers, supervisors and team leaders in any sector
  • Cost: From £240 + VAT
  • Equipment needed: PC or laptop with webcam, microphone and stable internet

Prices vary by provider and delivery format. Use the course search below to compare dates and fees.

View Online Course Dates & Fees

 

What is the IOSH Managing Safely online instructor-led course?

The online instructor-led course allows managers, supervisors and team leaders to complete IOSH-approved Managing Safely training remotely with a live qualified instructor. Sessions are delivered by video conferencing over three days and follow the same IOSH syllabus as classroom training, leading to the same certificate.

This is not self-paced e-learning. Delegates participate in real time, ask questions and engage with the tutor throughout, exactly as they would in a classroom setting.

Is the online course the same as the classroom course?

Yes in every respect that matters. The syllabus, assessments and certificate are set by IOSH, not by where the course is held. A delegate completing the course online receives exactly the same IOSH Managing Safely certificate as one who attends in person, and employers make no distinction between them.

The differences are practical rather than substantive: no travel, no venue, and the written assessment is completed online under webcam invigilation. The full syllabus is listed on the classroom tab.

Why choose online instructor-led training?
  • Study remotely from home, office or any suitable location
  • Learn from a live qualified IOSH-approved instructor in real time
  • Avoid travel, accommodation and venue-related costs
  • Ask questions and interact with the tutor during live sessions
  • Same IOSH Managing Safely certificate as classroom training
  • Suits busy schedules, remote workers and geographically dispersed teams
  • Usually a wider choice of dates than classroom, since courses are not tied to a venue
Online, classroom or e-learning — which should I choose?

All three lead to the same IOSH Managing Safely certificate, so the decision is practical rather than about the qualification itself.

Classroom Online instructor-led E-learning
Schedule Fixed dates, set venue Fixed dates, remote Study at any time
Instructor Live tutor in the room Live tutor via video No live instructor
Time away from work 3 days plus travel 3 days, no travel Fit around work
Certificate IOSH Managing Safely IOSH Managing Safely IOSH Managing Safely
Best for Face-to-face learners Dispersed teams Self-directed learners
How is the online course assessed?
  • Online written assessment: Completed using secure online assessment tools during the course
  • ID verification: Delegates must verify their identity and remain visible on webcam during the assessment
  • Practical project: A workplace-based risk assessment project, based on your own workplace, submitted after the course
  • Certificate: Successful delegates receive an IOSH Managing Safely certificate from the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health

The practical project is identical to the classroom version and is completed in your own workplace either way, so it is worth thinking in advance about which area you will assess.

Equipment and technical requirements
  • A PC or laptop with a working webcam and microphone — mobile phones and tablets are not suitable
  • A stable broadband connection. Connection quality is the delegate’s responsibility
  • Zoom or Microsoft Teams installed and tested before the course starts
  • A quiet, private space to attend sessions and complete the assessment

Joining instructions, including setup guidance, are issued in advance of the course start date.

Does the certificate expire?

No. The IOSH Managing Safely certificate has no formal expiry date, regardless of which format you complete it in. IOSH recommends refreshing knowledge every three years, and the IOSH Managing Safely Refresher is available in classroom and online formats for that purpose.

IOSH Managing Safely E-Learning Course

The IOSH Managing Safely e-learning course is a self-paced online version of the qualification. It covers the same IOSH-approved syllabus as classroom and instructor-led training and leads to the same IOSH Managing Safely certificate, without needing to attend scheduled sessions.

Learning is delivered through interactive digital modules, videos and quizzes, accessible from any suitable location at any time. If you would prefer a live tutor, see the online instructor-led option or classroom courses.

Course Details

  • Format: Self-paced e-learning
  • Study time: Typically the equivalent of 3 days, spread over as long as you need
  • Access: Online learning platform
  • Awarding body: IOSH
  • Assessment: Online exam and practical risk assessment project
  • Suitable for: Managers, supervisors and team leaders in any sector
  • Cost: From £CHECK + VAT
  • Prerequisites: No formal health and safety experience required

Prices vary by provider. Use the course search below to compare options and fees.

View E-Learning Courses & Fees

 

What is the IOSH Managing Safely e-learning course?

The e-learning course is a flexible online version of the qualification designed for delegates who want to study at their own pace. Content is delivered through interactive digital modules, videos and online quizzes, so you progress through the material when it suits you rather than attending scheduled sessions.

It covers the same IOSH-approved syllabus as classroom and instructor-led training, and leads to the same IOSH Managing Safely certificate. The full syllabus is listed on the classroom tab.

How long does the e-learning course take?

The course content amounts to roughly the same as the three-day classroom version, but you set the pace. Some delegates complete it over a few concentrated days, others spread it across several weeks in evenings or quiet periods.

Providers usually set a maximum access period, so check how long your enrolment lasts before you buy, particularly if you expect to fit study around a busy period at work.

Is the e-learning certificate the same?

Yes. The certificate is issued by IOSH and does not state the delivery format. An employer looking at your certificate cannot tell whether you completed it by e-learning, online instructor-led or classroom training, and IOSH treats all three as equivalent.

Where the formats genuinely differ is in the learning experience rather than the outcome. E-learning has no live tutor to ask questions of, which suits confident self-directed learners and suits others less well.

Why choose IOSH Managing Safely e-learning?
  • Study at your own pace, with no fixed schedule or attendance requirements
  • Start straight away rather than waiting for the next scheduled course date
  • Fit training around work, travel and personal commitments
  • No travel costs and no consecutive days away from the job
  • Interactive learning through videos, quizzes and digital modules
  • Same IOSH-approved syllabus and certificate as classroom training
  • Usually the lowest-cost of the three formats
Comparing all three course formats

All three formats lead to the same IOSH Managing Safely certificate. Choose the one that best suits your schedule, learning preference and employer requirements.

Classroom Online instructor-led E-learning
Schedule Fixed dates, set venue Fixed dates, remote Study at any time
Instructor Live tutor in the room Live tutor via video No live instructor
Start Next available date Next available date Usually within a day
Certificate IOSH Managing Safely IOSH Managing Safely IOSH Managing Safely
Best for Face-to-face learners Dispersed teams Self-directed learners
How is the e-learning course assessed?
  • Online exam: Completed using secure online assessment tools
  • ID verification: Delegates may be required to verify their identity before sitting the exam
  • Practical project: A workplace-based risk assessment project, based on your own workplace, must be submitted as part of the course requirements
  • Certificate: Successful delegates receive an IOSH Managing Safely certificate issued by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health

Note that the practical project applies to e-learning as it does to the other formats. This is not a course you can complete entirely by clicking through modules — you will need to carry out a genuine risk assessment in your own workplace.

When will I receive access to the e-learning course?

User accounts are created and login details provided after purchase. If you buy during regular business hours, Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm, access can usually be arranged the same day. Courses purchased over the weekend will be processed the following Monday morning.

Does the certificate expire?

No. The IOSH Managing Safely certificate has no formal expiry date, regardless of format. IOSH recommends refreshing knowledge every three years, and the IOSH Managing Safely Refresher is available for that purpose.

Related Training

Training more than one person on this course?

If you have a group to put through this course, it can be delivered at your own premises or a venue near you, on a date that suits your shift patterns. No travel, no overnight stays, and priced for the group rather than per person — which usually works out cheaper per head than booking individual places.

Tell us the numbers and roughly where you are, and we will come back with a written quote. Purchase orders and invoicing welcome.

Get a group quote