IOSH Leading Safely

The IOSH Leading Safely course is a training programme designed for senior leaders, directors and executives. 

It focuses on the strategic importance of health and safety, helping leaders understand their responsibilities and the impact of their decisions on organisational performance.

The course provides practical tools to assess current safety performance, benchmark against global standards and develop an action plan for improvement.

It aims to strengthen leadership capability, improve workplace culture and support better business outcomes through effective health and safety management.

The IOSH Leading Safely course is designed for senior managers, directors and business leaders responsible for shaping organisational strategy. 

It is particularly suited to those who influence decision-making and need to understand the value of strong health and safety leadership and corporate responsibility.

Benefits for Individuals 

A key feature of the IOSH Leading Safely course is its focus on benchmarking. It enables delegates to assess their current and future health and safety priorities against recognised global standards, while also drawing on best practice from leading organisations around the world.

Leading Safely will sharpen your skill-set and make you a more effective leader. It will give your organisation the expertise it needs to succeed.

Benefits for Employers 

• Reduced accident rates, absence and sick leave
• Increased productivity and profits
• Improved reputation among suppliers, clients and partners
• Reduced insurance premiums and legal costs
• Better business continuity
• Improved leadership in health and safety
• Strengthened risk management

World Class Experience

We are one of the top global leaders in health, safety, wellbeing and environment training. We pride ourselves on creating a positive learning experience for all our students. With expert trainers, exceptional pass rates and innovative, engaging materials, it is no wonder our students rate us as excellent.

Exceptional Study Support

Throughout your studies, you will receive continuous support from our team.

Students get free access to all our excellent online interactive digital learning resources and Study Support Hub, with additional resources, tutor guidance and forums to talk with tutors and other learners. From the very start of your studies, our expert tutors are committed to guiding you through your qualification, providing supportive learning and application of your knowledge in real-world scenarios, enabling you to confidently achieve your qualification.

Why we care

You will be joining our large cohort of students who have successfully completed their professional development with us. You will also be supporting our global charitable activities in our dedication to making sure no-one is injured or made ill through their work.

Pass promise

We are so confident in our IOSH Leading Safely course, that we are offering you a pass promise. In the unlikely event you don’t pass first time, we will continue to support you, provide access to our digital resources and free tutor support to help you prepare for your next exams.

Students studying with us also benefit from:

• Market leading pass rates
• Unique study support Hub
• Pass Promise
• Free exam prep sessions
• Free tutor surgeries
• Flexible learning methods
• Flexible finance options.

The course includes approximately four hours of guided learning, supported by additional self-directed activities. 

These include reflective exercises, use of a diagnostic tool and the development of a personal action plan to reinforce learning and support practical application.

The course helps to set your organisational safety and health objectives by:

• Understanding good practice from around the world
• Benchmarking your performance against others
• Shaping your safety and health vision and identify the steps you can take to achieve it.

The course covers:

• Safety and health and what it means for different leadership roles
• The responsibilities and behaviours of a leader
• What effective safety and health leadership looks like
• How to get things right
• How leaders can make improvements
• The benefits of effective safety and health leadership.

IOSH Leading Safely course modules

Introduction and pre-course reflection

An overview of health and safety and leadership, why effective leadership matters, and the key behaviours that drive success in this area.

Part 1: Leadership characteristics and competencies

Exploring the traits of effective leaders and reflecting on individual leadership strengths.

Part 2: The broader context

Understanding compliance, wider business drivers, and how going beyond compliance can support organisational growth.

Part 3: Benchmarking current performance

Assessing existing health and safety performance against recognised models, including risks, policies, legal requirements and management systems.

Part 4: Improving performance by building capability

Identifying gaps across structure, processes, tools and people, and exploring ways to strengthen capability and culture.

Part 5: Applying leadership to safety and health

Working through a case study to examine key issues, impacts and leadership responses.

Part 6: Action planning

Reviewing feedback and setting clear, practical actions and personal commitments for improvement.

There are no entry requirements for this qualification, however it is important that learners have a suitable standard of English language in order to understand and articulate the concepts contained in the syllabus.

Learners use the diagnostic tool, accessed via a mobile app, to identify their current safety and health position against a set of critical questions. The tool recommends the actions they should take. At the end of the course they make a commitment to a personal action plan to improve their own and their organisations’ safety and health management.

You will receive your results within 2 weeks and your certificate parchment within 8 weeks of the successful completion of the course.

IOSH Leading Safely does not use a traditional exam-style pass rate. Instead, learners use a mobile-based diagnostic tool to assess their current health and safety performance against a set of key criteria. Based on their responses, the tool provides tailored recommendations to support improvement.

By the end of the course, delegates will create a personal action plan, committing to practical steps that enhance both their own approach and their organisation’s health and safety management.

Results are typically provided within two weeks of course completion, with certificates issued within eight weeks.

Once completed, our students often continue their studies by completing a NEBOSH National General Certificate or Foundation in ISEP, or sometimes broadening their knowledge with our shorter courses, such as BSC Risk Assessments.

British Safety Council will:

• Use suitably qualified and experienced tutors to deliver the tuition
• Cover all the specification learning outcomes
• Provide or direct you to the information you need to pass the qualification
• Provide you with expert advice on revision and examination technique
• Respond in a timely manner to any queries
• Be diligent and courteous at all times

You must:

• Attend all scheduled sessions
• Contribute to group discussions in a positive manner
• Endeavour to be active, rather than passive in terms of learning
• Complete the required number of revision hours
• Pay particular attention to advice regarding revision and examination technique
• Bring any learning difficulties to our attention at the earliest opportunity

Should you have any queries, please contact our Education Team ([email protected])

If you are not satisfied with the service provided by your tutor or our Education Team, please contact our Customer Service Team ([email protected]).

Due to recent system upgrades by Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, delegates may experience delays in receiving their official certificates of completion. This is a system-wide issue affecting all IOSH training providers, not just the British Safety Council.

We understand how important this is and want to reassure you that this issue sits outside of our control. However, we are in regular contact with IOSH and are closely monitoring their updates to ensure certificates are issued as soon as possible.

In the meantime, British Safety Council will provide you with a temporary certificate, which can be used as proof of successful completion. This ensures there is no impact on your training, professional development, or ability to demonstrate your achievement.

Please be assured that we are aware of your certificate status, and we will contact you as soon as your official certificate becomes available.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Further updates from IOSH >