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Guaranteed High Standards
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Giving Confidence to Your Clients
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Guiding You Through the Process
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Joining the OSHCR Register
What is the Occupational Safety and Health Consultants Register?
As from 31st January 2011 Health and Safety consultants can sign up to an independent register from that is intended to become a benchmark for standards in the Health and Safety
profession.
The register is being set up in response to recommendations in the Government-commissioned report on the UK Health and Safety system − Common Sense Common Safety.
What is the register designed to achieve?
The Occupational Safety and Health Consultants Register (OSHCR) is a first step to resolving the problems identified by Lord Young in the ‘Raising Standards’ section of his report.
While many businesses develop in-house competence, and do not need to use Health and Safety consultants (because, for example, they already employ competent persons to provide the
assistance required by regulation 7 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999), some will need help.
Those that use a consultant who is on the OSHCR can have confidence that such a person has complied with the high qualification standards of a recognised professional body.
Who is involved in setting up and running the register?
HSE has worked with the professional bodies and other stakeholders (listed below) as a facilitator in ensuring that OSHCR is established by professional bodies as a
not-for-profit company.
The intention is that once it is up-and-running, HSE will no longer need to be directly involved.
The professional bodies and other stakeholders involved are: Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH); Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH);
International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM); Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland (REHIS); British Safety Council; British Safety Industry
Federation (BSIF); National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH); Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA); British Occupational Hygiene
Society (BOHS); and Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors (IEHF).
Is there a joining fee for being on the register?
Yes, there is a small fee (currently £60) to cover administration costs. The scheme is not about making profits.
Does membership of the register have to be periodically renewed?
There is a renewal requirement for continuing to be included on the register with a small annual registration payable to ensure that the register is kept up to date and to cover
administration costs.
How will HSE and local authority inspectors use the register?
If they encounter an organisation which has a clear need for external safety advice on general safety management issues, inspectors can refer them to the OSHCR. If they need
specialist advice (for example, on managing a health surveillance programme) they will be referred to a relevant professional body.
Who can apply to join the register?
The scheme is voluntary for individuals who provide commercial third party advice services on general safety management issues.
It is only open to consultants who have achieved the appropriate levels of membership of the following bodies:
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Chartered status with IOSH (Institution of Occupational Safety and Health); CIEH (Chartered Institute of Environmental Health); or REHIS (Royal Environmental Health
Institute of Scotland) with Health and Safety qualifications
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Fellow status with IIRSM (International Institute of Risk and Safety Management) with degree level qualifications
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Member or Fellow status with BOHS (British Occupational Hygiene Society) Faculty of Occupational Hygiene
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Registered Member or Fellow status with IEHF (Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors).
Why can't people who are not members of professional bodies sign up?
The selected professional bodies provide the verification that those on the register have a commitment to continuing professional development, a degree level qualification,
assessed experience, professional indemnity insurance and are bound by a code of conduct to only provide sensible and proportionate advice.
Consultants not yet affiliated to a professional body may wish to join one and once Chartered or Fellow status is achieved, they can apply to register on OSHCR.
Gaining Chartered Membership of IOSH
The most popular route for many existing Health and Safety Consultants will be to gain chartered status with the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health.
This can be achieved if you are an active Health and Safety Consultant by initially gaining the
Level 5 NVQ Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety (or the previous
equivalent Level 4 NVQ in Occupational Health and Safety) which will enable you to gain Graduate IOSH Membership, from which can then proceed to full Chartered status.
How can Business Safety Systems assist you with IOSH membership?
Business Safety Systems are one of the largest providers in NVQs in Occupational Health and Safety. All of our NVQ assessors and verifiers are themselves already Chartered Members
of IOSH and provide all the necessary advice and guidance for candidates.
We also provide candidates with a unique NVQ on-line system that takes the time and effort away from the NVQ process, leaving them to get on with the important part of gathering
the required evidence.