The main professional bodies in health and safety have started discussions on official accreditation for practitioners, which would ensure that clients and employers have access to competent and sensible advice.

At a round-table meeting hosted by the HSE on 21 July, representatives from IOSH, the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, RoSPA, the British Safety Council, the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM), and the British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) discussed what a future accreditation scheme might entail, as well as a feasibility study. Details of the study are due to be published by the HSE in mid-August but SHP understands that it will be conducted by IOSH and the CIEH and funded by the HSE.

Said IOSH’s policy and technical director, Richard Jones: “The CIEH is researching existing accreditation models and assessing their suitability. IOSH is doing market research into the small-business sector to determine its appetite for an accreditation scheme and, secondly, researching in the health and safety consultancy community – not just among IOSH members but also those who are members of other bodies – to understand their feelings towards an accreditation scheme. The HSE is also undertaking parallel research into issues around how organisations access competent advice.”

The issue of official accreditation has been around for some time, and was welcomed by the Government in its response to last year’s Work and Pensions Select Committee report on the role of the HSE. However, the Executive is adamant that it will not run such a scheme, nor control or regulate the professional bodies that do establish it.

IOSH has long advocated some form of official accreditation to improve the current situation, in which anyone can act as a health and safety consultant. It said it envisages a voluntary system, which sets down a minimum standard of qualification and experience required to operate as a health and safety consultant.

The feasibility study is likely to be completed early next year but there will be no decision on accrediting the profession before the General Election, which must be held before June 2010.

Reader's Comments Richie mak 10/11/2009 The way I see it, if I were to hire a consultant to advise me on construction safety for example I would want to see their cv and true indications of their competence and previous achievements before employing them. I would then decide if they would serve me well based on what has been brought to the table. You wouldn't hire a consultant in this case that has not had any experience in construction irrelative of qualification! Simple, another money spinner.   Chris K 27/08/2009 to hold the chartered status of IOSH requires a demonstration of not just academic qualifications but on going profesional development. Knowledge and experience which, if I remember correctly = competence. Bingo !! So long as the assessment of on going professional experience is undertaken correctly and we cite the corect academic level i don''t see we will have a problem.   Clive 26/08/2009 CMIOSH is only three years old and this was meant to be the standard to achieve. Now we are being asked for yet another form of accreditation and I am fed up with the goal posts being continually changed. For those who think that CMIOSH is "just" a matter of passing exams then I tell them that if it is that simple then why don''t they go ahead and do it instead of moaning. Finally, there will always be unscrupulous practitioners amongst us who are going to carry on giving their incorrect advice.   Russell 25/08/2009 My primary role is QA and regulatory stuff, but I do support our EHS function I am a Chartered Member but would never call my self a H&S professional, I see the issue as many others as one of honesty, there are some professional people out there without the paper qualifications but the experience in their industry to make excellent decisions, and there are people out there with the paper making dubious decsions in industies they have little practical experince of.   steve grimes 25/08/2009 Nick, I agree wholeheartedly, i was in uniform through 70`s and 80`s and I learnt more from proper coppers, (which i classed myself as too, passing on my experience) than those bright eyed and wet behind the ears graduates, employed as "managers" rather than coppers. Being able to put lots and lots of letters behind your name does not make you competent, and sadly that is what we find in safety these days.   Nick 21/08/2009 I used to be a [police constable way back in the 80''s and one of the things I picked up from long serving coppers who were''nt academic was loads of experience with dealing with some pretty hairy situations. The other thing I noted there was a fast route to promotion via college course and some very academic youngsters were promoted relatively quickly through the ranks on grounds of qualifications and very little experience. great with the books, not so great ''out in the real world''.   Andy N 13/08/2009 Agreed Richard. In fact I would go further and say that no-one should be able to call themselves a health & safety advisor until they have a few years of experience in another job. In my opinion it''s a problem in our field that people move into health & safety straight from school and I think these inexperienced people drive the bonkers conkers type of risk assessment which causes so much damage. I did the diploma by distance learning.   Franky 12/08/2009 Alex In response to your earlier comments regarding fudging of Diploma exams, I would say to you why not try the NEBOSH Diploma examination then see how far you get by trying the fudge tactic? A lot of hard work went into my NEBOSH Diploma studies, burning the midnight oil etc, then a gruelling 14 hours worth of examinations failing a few as I went along then re-studying then the resit, all courses paid for by myself. Regards Franky DipNEBOSH NDipM CMIOSH by examination and proud of it.   Richard Simmons 11/08/2009 In response to Andy N''s comments. I totally agree that of course H&S professionals should be qualified. My point is, at present there are various routes to gaining those qualifications and those routes should be kept open so that those with valuable specialised industry experience can migrate into the H&S profession through part time study and it does not become a profession consisting solely of academics and theorists, although they also have a role to play.   Nigel Bown 11/08/2009 being in H&S for 20 years now in one way or another I feel I have amassed plenty of competence, passed my Nebosh gen Cert and now Diploma. I would expect to be classed as '' Competent'' One poit to note is when ( If ) this is implimented there are all of a sudden going to be lots of companies looking at very few ( possibly ) people. One side effect is wages will go through roof as forms scabble for ''competent '' people   Alex Knight 11/08/2009 I hold the General Certificate and have done for 5yrs, I am doing my NVQ 4 now. I would have assumed that this qualification shows a better level of competency than the NEBOSH dip and other courses, anyone can fudge there way through an exam,at least with NVQ you have to prove what you know. I have never bothered joining IOSH as it seems to be a money making scheme. I can track my own CPD. I do however agree competancy levels should be set out and structured for employer confidence.   Lokeren Loony 11/08/2009 Why is it that only IOSH and CIEH are involved in this exercise? The BSC and IIRSM are both good organisations with loads of members who have equal if not more experience than some of the others, plus with their training you can actually UNDERSTAND what is being delivered. Until practicality enters the equation there will be many who prefer alternative routes and training within H&S. Having worked in the industry for 25 years as part of HR, why should I suddenly have to requalify or other?   Andy N 11/08/2009 According to the NOS guidelines, competence starts for supervisors is level 3 (Gen Cert) and level 6 (Diploma / SVQ4) for advisors. After that specialisms might be required for specific areas of expertise... It''s not rocket science is it? As for all those saying they are competent by experience.... how would you feel if your surgeon told you they hadn''t passed their exam but "don''t worry I''ve done this lots of times before..." ? People who deal in saving lives should be qualified.   Richard Simmons 10/08/2009 When I started my apprenticeship in electrical engineering it was possible to gain membership of the IEE with HNC, gained from part time study combined with practical experience. The entry bar was gradually raised and eventually replaced by degree only, thus excluding all those with practical working knowledge and turning the IEE into a graduate club. There is a huge range of skills and experience in H&S, we need to avoid a similar academic takeover when defining levels of competence.   Neil 10/08/2009 As a Chartered Member of IOSH I think that this can only be a positive. What I would say to some negative comments about those who are CMIOSH consultants, the arena of H&S is so wide that we all tend to be a "jack of all trades", and that a key string of competence is recognising your own limitations. I would never offer advice without first checking I was sure it was correct and valid, does every consultant adhere to this principal?   Dr Hem Dias 06/08/2009 I wonder whether accreditation mean exams/assessment of skills at regular intervals - just like driving examiners.   Richie 06/08/2009 Brazier V Skipton Rock 1962 comes to mind   Ray 04/08/2009 It is strange how the comments started off in a positive vein, but more recently they have shifted towards the negative. I would be interested in the earlier commentators responding now that they have seen other peoples'' comments.   Roger 04/08/2009 Some of the comments equating professional membership with CSCS registration appals me and I see that IOSH is doing its market research in-house. So the views of the work and file “advisors” will not be considered. Hay ho, no change. from a consultant with 30 years experience   Barrie 04/08/2009 I would have thought that the providers of Professional Indemnity Insurance would like to be involved on this one. After all, they are the ones that insure our ''competence'' levels.   Bob 04/08/2009 I have worked in the Health and Safety field for the past 30 years - I realised that I needed a further professional qualification so I took and passed the Part 1 and 2 NEBOSH Diploma - I have been involved in regulatory work for many years as well as working within industry and have seen documentation produced by so called "Safety Consultants", some of whom were on the course that I took and failed. I have been appalled at the quantity and quality of some of the information submitted to me.   Jane 04/08/2009 I am a TECH IOSH,TECH RICS & ABEng, I have worked in the construction industry and as a h&s adviser for almost 30yrs. In my opinion this issue is two fold, h&s advisers should have to demonstrate a level of competence which must be based both on academic achievement and experience. But employers must have a clear understanding of what they need the h&s adviser for which by implication means they must fully understand the risks associated with their business, sadly in my experience this is rare.   Andie 04/08/2009 I hold a NEBOSH Gen Cert, have been working in H&S for 7 years, I know my limitations and seek advice when i need to. To the same end i know people with diplomas and PhD''s that have no day to day activity in H&S but call themselves professionals, I''ve received their advice! and chose to ignore it! Any acreditation has to be based on the actual industry you are working and your capabilities in that field not on a single qualification. This strikes me as another CSCS system to rais money ??   N G Powell 04/08/2009 I hold a NEBOSH Certificate, surely this is sufficient, as an in-house advisor for the several companies I work for, I also have 19 years experience within the Fire & Security installation industry. Does this mean that I now have to prove yet again I know what I''m talking about?   Terry 03/08/2009 Here we go again so called "experts" trying to put down good hard working Health & Safety people working within organisations who are unable to afford the time and money for an extra certificate. Competence is about knowledge, experience, training(CPD) and that essential ingredient the ability to help people to turn situations around and make the changes required. It may be that the advice from the "expert" will be sound, but who will pick up the cost of all that expensve advice.   Andy 03/08/2009 As more and more rogue traders jump on the band wagon to provide advice on how people should Manage H&S it is becoming more and more noticable to find people in committees of institutions purely as a sales pitch for their consultancy, look at me I am the branch chairman or treasurer etc.. H&S has involvement in every industry and is as diverse as it gets, all that can be done is whatever is ''reasonably practicable'', why not take the higher risk industries and regulate competency in them now!   Bob Kennedy 29/07/2009 I am appalled at the assumption of Chartered Status meaning competence. I have 30 yrs Construction experience and am only a Tech SP, but have come accross so called Chartered members who no nought about Construction, yet are permitted to give inadequate advise, this is evidence that Chartered Status is not a pre requisite to competence. I thought competence was based upon Knowledge Experience, Practicle Ability, and Training?   Ray 29/07/2009 Can''t believe some of the comments that have been posted. CPD makes one competent as does CSCS registration - really! Need to think outside the box here. There is anecdotal evidence that even Chartered Members of IOSH may not be deemed competent. The diversity of the industry does not lend itself to any formal qualification that could make a person competent, albeit Chartered status is probably the best benchmark. Unless of course you are not a Chartered Member, who are also in the minority.   CJ 28/07/2009 Look what happened when regulation of claims management activities was brought in. It was accompanied by horrendous cost - nothing more than a retrospective tax on the companies concerned - and the MoJ decided to widen the net to encompass accident investigators who had no connection with the cowboy claims management companies. Sadly, this has all the hallmarks of another means by which money will be squeezed from hard working practitioners.   John L Anderson 28/07/2009 I would have thought that sufficient evidence of professional competence in health and safety should have been demonstrated by practitioners having qualified to chartered membership of IOSH and reinforced with regularly revised CPD records. Equally, recognition by other professional bodies such as universities awarding academic qualifications and other recognised construction related affiliations for example, the Association for Project (APS) or CSCS registration etc., would be sufficient.   Darren 28/07/2009 I have to agree with Russel, compulsory Chartered status backed by experience in the sector giving advice on would be great. However I am personally aware of a "safety professional" who failed the open book exam at least three times then passed and became a "consultant" the next day. We need to "up the standard" for Chartered members and across the NEBOSH certificate range as a whole to stop people scraping through and pretending to be experienced and knowledgable. p.s. I''m a Chartered member   Mike 28/07/2009 As a consultant and Chartered Member of IOSH I welcome this move - the sooner the better. There are too many ''so called consultants'' in the field that have little or no safety qualifications and make some appalling recommendations - all theory and no practical experience. A PhD (in what subject?) does not mean that a person is qualified in safety and may not have undertaken training for several years whereas a safety professional with IOSH has at least to undertake CPD.   Bury Bod 28/07/2009 As a safety professional it is so frustrating to learn of daft H&S decisions, made invariably by people with little competence. Some form of accreditation is long overdue to weed out the duffers in our midst.   Paul Williams 28/07/2009 I welcome the move, as an individual working towards a consultancy position I find it dificult to chose which education and acreditations are worth investing in to further my career. A clearly defined structure would make it easier for me and others like me, to see a clear route of learning and recognition as well as potential users of my services to understand my knowledge and ability.   Dale Banham 28/07/2009 I spoke on this matter at HSE Strategic Forum. There is a clear need to evaluate whos interests the ''no win no fee'' brokers are looking after. In the main they prey on small businesses and look after the professional claimers rather than those who deserve the support.   John 28/07/2009 Get it done and stop making it a self intrest issue for the differant parties. A simple, easily understood grading system needs to be drawn up, end of story. Unfortunatly as we all know, it will not happen as common sense within the H+S community never prevails.   Ray 28/07/2009 I am not convinced there is a need for accreditation in our industry, or that there is a simple and effective way to implement it. Health and safety is a very diverse industry covering inter alia, fire, risk, health, environment, engineering and so on. There are also many different qualifications and individual associations to take into account. Only a small percentage of those working in the industry are members of IOSH and even less have chartered status, some of whom hold a PhD!   Russel Drakeley 28/07/2009 Before any registration scheme is considered the government should sort out these claims management company''s, with stiff penalties for those that abuse the system. Secondly would it not be simpler to make it compulsory for all those offering h/s advice to hold Chartered Status and to be able to demonstrate suitable experience in the work sector.   Safety Pro 28/07/2009 I would like to think that the HSE/IOSH etc are instigating this for the right reasons i.e. to reduce the amount of potential injuries in the work place and not as another money making scheme - think cscs etc..
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