Membership FAQs
New to IOSH
What category of member will I
become when joining IOSH?
All new members are welcomed initially as Affiliate Members. The
cost for your first year of membership is £140. Once you've joined
we'll review your qualifications and experience. If appropriate
we'll recommend that you're transferred to either Associate,
Technicical or Graduate membership. If the committee ratify this
recommendation then no additional costs for subscription are
incurred.
Find out more about changing
your membership category.
If you're awarded Graduate membership you can pay a one-off
fee of £150 to commence your Initial Professional Development (IPD).
Why do I initially join as an Affiliate
Member?
So you can access all of our benefits and services while we
assess whether you're suitable for Graduate or Technicical
membership.
Do I need to send my qualification
certificates and CV immediately?
No. You can send your CV and certificate copies (please don't
send us originals) as soon as you're ready. Remember – we can't
check if you should be awarded Technicical or Graduate membership
until we have this information.
What if my degree isn't in health and
safety?
All new members of IOSH join as Affiliate Members. We then
assess their qualifications and experience to check if we can make
them an offer of becoming an Associate, Technicical or
Graduate Member.
To become a Graduate Member, you need to have a degree that's on
our list of accredited qualifications. If
you don't, you can still become a Graduate Member if you have a
'cognate degree'. To qualify, at least 60 per cent of your degree
must be in an occupational safety and health-related subject. To
confirm this, we'll ask you to send us a copy of your degree
syllabus.
If we award you Graduate status, we'll invite you to join our
Initial Professional Development (IPD)
programme. The programme will take you at least two years to
complete, after which you'll become eligible for Chartered
status.
As a 'cognate degree' holder, your IPD will include:
- completing a skills development portfolio
- sitting an open assessment
- being assessed in a peer review interview.
Find
out more about IPD.
I'm not interested in becoming a health and safety professional
– is there anything in IOSH for me?
Absolutely.
We exist first and foremost to promote health and safety. We
believe that everyone has a right to a healthy and safe working
environment. And we work hard to provide guidance that helps people
take a sensible and practical approach to health and safety –
whatever they do for a living.
Naturally, a big part of what we do is based on delivering
knowledge and experience where it's needed through qualified
working professionals. Because of this, our members give us a
unique opportunity to bring about change and improvements at a
national and international level.
But to make our voice fully credible, we need people from all
walks of life who are passionate about health and safety. We need
them to share in public debates, lobby government and get involved
in our campaigns. We also need people to share their experiences
and knowledge to help us keep an outward focus.
If you have an interest in health and safety, or you just want
to be kept in touch with developments so that you make the right
business decisions, there's plenty in IOSH for you.
Join us.
I'm considering working in health and safety – what
qualifications do I need?
There are two levels of qualification you should consider: level
3 and a degree level.
We currently accredit eight level 3 qualifications and 34 higher
level qualifications, including NVQs/SVQs at level 5, bachelor's
and master's degrees, and postgraduate certificates and diplomas.
Level 3 qualifications are suitable for people looking to move
into a first operational role, while degree
level qualifications and relevant experience are usually
required for more senior roles.
See our list of accredited
qualifications.
Where can I get health and safety
qualifications?
We accredit courses from universities, colleges and commercial
training companies around the world. Most health and safety
qualifications are designed to be taken part-time in conjunction
with your normal job. Courses can take anything from 12 days to 24
months to complete, depending on whether you go for 'day release'
style of learning, distance learning or intensive training, as well
as the level of qualification you are taking.
The degrees that we accredit are full time university courses
and will have a minimum entry requirement.
The courses can range in price from hundreds to thousands of
pounds. We recommend you check out your local options, how urgent
your need is and whether your employer will cover the cost,
particularly if you're currently working in a health and safety
role for the organisation.
While we can't recommend one course provider over another, you
can contact our
membership development team or phone +44 (0)116 257 3234 to
discuss your options. Alternatively, ask fellow members for their
recommendations through our online
study forum.
I’m a member of the BCSP/BCRSP, can I become a Chartered member
of IOSH?
Our reciprocal agreements with the Board of Certified Safety
Professionals (BCSP) and the Board of Canadian Registered Safety
Professionals (BCRSP) allow Certified Safety Professionals and
Canadian Registered Safety Professionals to become Chartered
Members of IOSH by completing our Open Assessment. Find out more
about
CSP and CRSP to CMIOSH [PDF 148 KB].
The membership structure
How do I become an Associate Member?
To be recommended for Associate Member status, you should hold
one of the accredited level 3 qualifications. No health and
safety experience is necessary for this status.
How do I become a Technical Member?
To be recommended for Technical Member status, you should hold
one of the accredited level 3 qualifications and have a
suitable amount of experience in health and safety. Your experience
can be gained while you're studying by voluntary activity, part
time work or a full time job role, specifically in health and
safety or with an operational health and safety element, for
example facilities management.
Every Technicical Member has to maintain their Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
What's the difference between an Associate member and a
Technical member of IOSH?
Associate and Technician membership recognise the same
qualifications however, by definition, a Technician member is
someone who is currently practising in health and safety and
possibly looking to develop their career. As a result, they
need to maintain their skills and knowledge with CPD.
While Associate membership recognises health and safety
knowledge, it does not reflect any experience. It is not
appropriate if you’re currently practising and giving advice on
health and safety unless you are new to the profession and are
currently building experience.
How do I become a Graduate Member?
To be recommended for Graduate Member status, you should hold
one of the accredited
qualifications or a cognate degree. You don't have to have
a specific level of experience in health and safety. Provided you
have an appropriate qualification, you'll become a Graduate
Member.
All Graduate Members join our Initial
Professional Development (IPD) scheme. IPD will take between
two and five years to complete. If you successfully finish IPD,
we'll recommend that you're awarded Chartered membership. This is
the only route to Chartered membership.
Graduate Members must keep up to date with their CPD.
How do I become a Chartered Member?
To become a Chartered Member, you must first fulfil the
qualification requirements of Graduate membership and successfully
complete your IPD, spending at least two years as a Graduate
Member.
As a Chartered Member, you must maintain your CPD throughout
your time with us.
Why become Chartered?
Businesses, employers and recruitment consultants are already
well used to looking for professionals with Chartered membership.
They recognise Chartered status as a shorthand for 'best in class'
and they know they'll get the highest professional standards from a
Chartered individual.
Chartered status will help you:
- improve your ability to influence decision-makers
- work on an equal footing with other professionals
- increase your future employability.
Have a look at our
membership structure.
Your professional
development
Membership benefits
Which branch should I
join?
When you join us, you'll be asked to choose which branch you
want to be in. Joining a branch is free and, for obvious reasons,
it's best to choose one that's near your home or place of work.
However, you can join any branch you want.
Do I have to attend branch meetings
when I join IOSH?
No. We know that health and safety professionals lead busy lives
and time can be precious. However, we encourage you to make full
use of your membership benefits. The free networking and learning
opportunities available from your branch are well worth investing
some time in, even if it's just occasionally.
Why should I join a group?
Both branches and groups have networking at the heart of what
they do, but there's a clear difference between them.
As a branch member, you'll network with a cross-section of the
health and safety industry and have the opportunity to get involved
in activities that are local to your area.
As a member of a group, you'll meet up and share good practice
with other professionals in your industry sector. Among other
things, you'll have the chance to play your part in sector-specific
projects and initiatives, and contribute to legal consultations
that have a direct impact on your industry.
Some people choose to join the group that relates to the sector
they currently work in, while others choose to join groups relating
to the industry they want to work in, or work with.
Can I change my branch or
group?
You can change your branch or group at any time during your
membership of IOSH. Your membership includes free
membership of a branch and free membership of one
group. You can join as many additional groups as you want for £10
per year, per group.
I'm not a member of IOSH. Can I still join a branch or
group?
Sorry, but you can't. You can attend group events as a
non-member and pay the required fee. Some branches will allow you
to attend one or two of their events as a guest. However, if you
find our events interesting, it's well worth becoming a member,
even if it's just to get free or discounted access to such
events.
Can I subscribe to SHP magazine without joining IOSH?
Yes. But as membership of IOSH can be just £3.50 more a year,
it's more cost-effective to join IOSH and receive the magazine
free.
What is Policy and Practice in
Health and Safety (PPHS)?
A bi-annual journal, published normally in May and November.
PPHS provides a forum for academic and policy discourse on
health and safety. It's aimed at those who practise, tutor,
research or study health and safety regulation and management.
It's available in hard copy and online.
Can I subscribe to PPHS at any stage of my membership?
Yes. As a member, you pay the reduced fee of £20 for two issues
per year, including online access. Non-members pay £40, and
institutions and organisations £115.
Find out more about the benefits of IOSH
membership.
Changes in your circumstances
I've moved home – what should I do?
When you move home or change your telephone number, email
address or place of work, contact our Membership Team, who'll update
your membership records.
What happens to my membership
if I retire?
If you want to continue being a member of IOSH when you
reach statutory retirement age, you can.
If you're over statutory retirement age and carry on practising
health and safety, you'll pay the annual subscription for your
category of membership at the normal rate.
Members who reach the statutory retirement age and retire
completely from working life can continue their membership at the
concessionary rate of £25 per year.
What happens to my membership
if I fall ill or lose my job?
If you can't work as a health and safety professional because of
a long illness, we'll review your CPD requirements and you can
apply for hardship assistance when your annual membership
subscription is due.
If you become long-term unemployed, we'd expect you to maintain
CPD to support your search for work. You can apply for financial
assistance when your renewal subscription is due.
We also have a benevolent fund if you
find yourself in severe hardship.