More details on how the new accreditation scheme for practitioners is going to operate were revealed today during an online SHP debate.
Five health and safety experts gave their views, and answered listeners’ questions, on OSCR – the Occupational Safety Consultants Register, which is due to go live in the New Year. The proposed scheme has caused some concern among practitioners, who fear it will freeze out extremely experienced albeit not sufficiently highly qualified health and safety consultants.
Director of professional affairs at IOSH, Hazel Harvey, emphasised that nobody will be stopped from working as a result of not being on the register. She explained: “This is a voluntary register for consultants who meet the eligibility criteria – not being on it will not stop you from getting work.”
To be eligible to sign up, candidates must be chartered members of IOSH, the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, and/or the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland; or fellows of the IIRSM. Hazel revealed today that fellows of the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) and the Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors (IEHF – formerly the Ergonomics Society) will most likely be able to join too – although this is still to be approved by the stakeholder group, at its next meeting scheduled for later this month.
Initially, the register was going to be open to safety consultants only but it is now likely – pending the outcome of the aforementioned meeting – that occupational-health specialists will be eligible. Those who are not affiliated to the institutions involved may also be considered in the future, as Hazel Harvey explained: “IOSH is currently lobbying the HSE to use a standards-based approach so that non-members can join.
“We do firmly believe in standards but we wouldn’t expect the standards applied to be any less than those for chartered membership. Assessment against set standards could be the way forward but this wouldn’t be easier than becoming a chartered member. There won’t be any easy route to accreditation.”
On the issue of needing to be chartered members, Hazel said: “We know a number of our members who aren’t chartered are concerned, but I would say that they really need to take advice about their future progression. Even though they may have years of experience, this hasn’t been assessed in a formal way.”
The debate took place as part of the free-to-attend virtual event, Training & Career Development Live, which features a second day of presentations and advice from training and recruitment experts tomorrow (2 December).
To listen to the full 45-minute discussion on accreditation, with interesting views and input from the other panel members Simon Ince, James Pomeroy, Steve Pointer and Martin Stear, visit www.tcdlive.com to register for the event and then go to the ‘Auditorium’ section and choose SHP Round Table 1 from the list of presentations.
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I am a NEBOSH Qualified Safety & Fire Advisor in the Construction, Heavy Engineering (Saw Mills) & Warehouse Industries. My clients are more interested in my grey haired 18 years plus practical experience physically on Industrial sites than any ability to pass exams or obtain accreditations. In a large sawmill, hard earned experience is what counts not accreditation certificates.Maybe 56 year old experienced Safety Professionals like me should retire & the diploma guys find their safety boots!?
What about the specialists, who may not have the wide of knowledge that you get for example from your NEBOSH diploma but know and understand particular aspects of our trade inside out and conversely how will any clients’ know what they are getting?There have been several cases of experts (CMIOSH and all) getting it wrong when dealing with matters which do not fall in their areas of expertise.
As I understand it Chartered members of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) and REHIS in Scotland, specialising in env. management, waste mgt., food safety etc. automatically qualify for this register even though they have no expertise in health and safety. If the register is to be credible amongst professionals there must be a competent assessment of members expertise from where ever it comes. This set-up potentially provides potential advantage to quacks!!
What is this “Standards based approach” that Hazel speaks of? I would agree that as she rightly says there needs to be a formal assessment but lets think of the mature/experienced route as well. There are many old but wise Tech IOSH out there who I would trust more than a graduate with 3yrs experience (CMIOSH). Not looking for an easy route, I would gladly sit a professional review now but to degree & charter could take 7 years! (added to my 30 odd yrs experience gained but not counted!
How can it be concluded that less qualified people will not be “frozen out of work” when the purpose of the register is to eliminate Consultant incompetence? Consult with those non-chartered members who have long experience and whose competence is often better than those with chartered status. A CMIOSH is a broad spectrum qualification and may not confirm competence in many more specific specialisms other than the concession to “health”. Consultation and a fairer competence assessment is needed.
IOSH comments are the only ones that seem to be figuring in this debate. Where are Brittish Safety Council and RoSPA etc. IOSH might do a lot of good work but in the end it is furthering its training courses and increasing its status in setting up a register that will only include CMIOSH qualified people. It is elitist and discriminatory. I personaly think it will not do what is intended and I would like to see the evidence for consultant incompetence that has sparked all this off.
Well done Ms Harvey. Make sure that the ‘professional’ organisation’s employees continue to feather their nests at the expense of those they are supposed to serve.
How? By setting higher and higher standards so the revenue streams known as CPD and tuition fees will continue to roll in – by edict. Be elate or be dammed
I’ve been working for recognised status since 1996. I obtained CMIOSH this year and am glad that I will be included on the register.
I’m sure none chartered members will be able to demonstrate competence through other avenues.
A standard of competence needs to be drawn up by key industry stakeholders; this can then be used by an independent body to test the individual against; using a transparent method. This way of assessment tests the ‘output’ of the individual and it is a standard method used for all applicants. The way you get competent is through ‘input’; experience, qualifications and CPD. It isn’t your CV that counts it is the quality of what you do for the client that is important and that’s what is measured.
This is clearly an elitist scheme. It basically suggests that if you are not CMIOSH then you are not “good” enough to be included.
As Phil says above, “lets think of the mature/experienced route as well”.
To exclude those with many years experience because they have not achieved CMIOSH status is to ignore many very skilled individuals. This should be done on a points system where experience is appreciated as much as qualifications.