IOSH is the world's largest health and safety membership body, that promotes best practice in health and safety in the workplace.

IOSH is best known for developing multiple training courses in health and safety, educating learners how to identify risks and promoting health and safety in the workplace.

IOSH is the Chartered body and largest membership organisation for health and safety professionals. Its vision is a safe and healthier world of work.

IOSH stands for the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health and is an organisation for health and safety practitioners.

IOSH was founded in the UK in 1954 but has global membership.

IOSH training courses help people in all sectors and industries stay healthy and safe at work.

Here at International Workplace we provide a total of five different IOSH courses:

• IOSH Managing Safely
• IOSH Managing Safely Refresher
• IOSH Working Safely
• IOSH Managing Occupational Health and Wellbeing
• IOSH Safety for Executives and Directors

All of our IOSH training can be delivered through eLearning licences, virtual classroom and face-to-face classroom courses.

Gaining an IOSH qualification is beneficial to the individual learner and the company.

Studying IOSH raises awareness of all employees' health and safety responsibilities at any level, which can help develop a healthier and safer working culture.

A key benefit of gaining an IOSH qualification is that IOSH is widely recognised and a valued qualification all over the world.

Both IOSH and NEBOSH courses will help develop your knowledge and skills to improve health and safety in a workplace; however, they are very different and it’s important to weigh up whether IOSH or NEBOSH is right for you.

Here are some key differences between the two:

• IOSH is a professional membership organisation whilst NEBOSH is an awarding body.

• NEBOSH training courses take considerably longer to complete than IOSH. However, the level of qualification (level-six or Degree) for a NEBOSH Diploma is much higher than that of an IOSH qualification (Level-two or GCSE).

• IOSH is predominantly recognised in the UK and Europe, whilst NEBOSH has strong international recognition, in particular in industries such as gas, oil and manufacturing.

• IOSH is suitable for a wide range of professionals, including those in managerial positions, as well as those beginning their careers in health and safety. NEBOSH is mainly aimed at people seeking a career in health and safety, such as health and safety officers and consultants.

• Membership levels such as TechIOSH (for technicians) and GradIOSH (for graduates) can be offered by IOSH. These can be important career milestones for health and safety professionals. NEBOSH on the other hand provides qualifications that lead to professional recognition such as the NEBOSH Diploma. This is often a requirement for higher-level safety management positions.

It will usually take around 12 weeks, as IOSH needs to validate that you have completed the course and passed any online assessments or projects, depending on which IOSH course you studied.

International Workplace will then receive your IOSH certificate, whereupon we will check it and send it on to you or your employer, depending on the instructions we have been given.

If you complete an IOSH training course your certificate will not expire. However, IOSH does recommend that you take a refresher course every three years to renew your health and safety knowledge.

Now that you’ve got a better idea of whether IOSH might be suitable for you, you can choose the right individual option and the best study method for you on International Workplace’s IOSH courses page.

Or if you’ve decided that NEBOSH is the one for you, see what we can offer you on our NEBOSH course page.

If you cannot find the answer to your question just get in contact with us by email at info@internationalworkplace.com or call us on 0333 210 1995 and one of our team will help you out!