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Recruit the best health and safety people

A guide for recruiters, employers and recruiting managers

Good health and safety can help your business thrive. But how do you recruit the right people with the relevant expertise? This page will help you understand how to recruit competent and accredited health and safety professionals at the right level.

Technicians working on wind turbine blades

Investing in health and safety can help prevent workplace accidents and work-related ill-health. In turn, this can cut absence rates and increase productivity. It also demonstrates to stakeholders you are a organisation that is supporting the sustainability agenda.

Social sustainability is not just ‘nice to have'

It’s the backbone of resilience. And your organisation’s people are your most valuable asset. Health and safety professionals can lead the way in protecting your people and securing your organisation’s sustainability.

Why recruit IOSH-accredited professionals?

We are the leading global chartered body for the health and safety profession. When you recruit our members, you can be sure their membership grade is a true reflection of their career level and professional competence.

That’s because our member grades are mapped to our competency framework, which covers the technical, core and behavioural skills today’s professionals need.

Our continuing professional development (CPD) programme is mandatory from TechIOSH up. Chartered Members and Chartered Fellows must complete IOSH’s Ethical Practice in OSH e-learning and assessment. This way, members keep their skills and knowledge fit for purpose and demonstrate their value to an employer.

There are sanctions for those who do not comply, so you can be sure IOSH candidates are upholding our rigorous standards.

By recruiting an IOSH member, you’re getting the ‘gold standard’ of the profession.

The world of work is changing rapidly, so we’ve updated our membership grades to ensure IOSH remains the ‘gold standard’ for health and safety professionals around the world. It is also designed to clarify what each level of membership means.

    Our Student Members are studying for an IOSH qualification, an IOSH-accredited qualification or a safety, health and environment (SHE) technician apprenticeship. We support them in building their network and developing essential skills from communication to problem-solving.

    They may not have much practical health and safety experience but check out their transferable skills, which can make them a great fit for your organisation.

    They may also be transitioning to a second career in health and safety, bringing with them a wealth of skills gained in a previous area of work.

    Consider how you pitch roles that will really get the most out of health and safety’s fresh talent and check how they’ve applied their abilities in different ways, eg volunteering or an interesting hobby.

    Student Members are generally suited to apprenticeships, health and safety trainee/graduate and health and safety administrator roles.

    Affiliate Members are actively engaged in or considering a career in health and safety.

    Anyone can join at this level, including those with an interest in the sector. It can also be a stepping stone to a higher grade. No qualification is required.

    These members are suited to jobs that include health and safety as part of a wider role, eg business managers, personal assistants and executive assistants.

    Technical Members are moving into or working in an operational health and safety role. They will have an appropriate level 3 qualification (or equivalent) plus one year’s relevant experience.

    Technical Members need to maintain their CPD record to ensure that skills, knowledge and experience are up to date. They are suited to health and safety co-ordinator or adviser roles.

    TechIOSH is our minimum requirement to be a health and safety training provider.

    Certified Members have an accredited level 6 qualification (or equivalent) plus two years’ relevant experience OR five to 10 years of relevant health and safety leadership experience. They are generally working towards Chartered status.

    Certified Members need to maintain their CPD record to ensure that skills, knowledge and experience are up to date. They are ideal for more senior and managerial roles.

    Chartered Members align with chartered status in other professions. IOSH is the only organisation in the world that offers chartered status to health and safety professionals. They are ideal for senior manager or board-level roles and can typically demonstrate:

    • Certified status OR five to 10 years’ relevant health and safety leadership experience
    • progression via an IOSH professional development route
    • up-to-date CPD record and IOSH Ethical Practice in OSH e-learning and assessment.

    CMIOSH is also a requirement to be included on the Occupational Safety and Health Consultants Register.

    Chartered Fellows are the foremost role models for other members, their organisations and communities. They offer outstanding dedication to the profession and should be able to demonstrate:

    • IOSH Chartered status for five years plus a minimum of five years’ relevant senior health and safety leadership
    • progression through an IOSH professional development route
    • up-to-date CPD record and IOSH Ethical Practice in OSH e-learning and assessment.

    Chartered Fellows are suitable for senior manager, director or consultant roles.

The IOSH competency framework

Our competency framework reflects best practice in occupational safety and health (OSH). It sets the standards for the skills, knowledge and behaviours OSH professionals need to manage risk and drive change in today’s constantly-evolving workplace.

Good occupational safety and health makes good business sense at board, manager and worker levels. IOSH for Business helps organisations of every size with occupational safety and health strategies.