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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: IOSH Managing Safely Exam

30 questions

Written assessment length

IOSH Managing Safely assessment guidance

45 minutes

Written assessment time limit

IOSH Managing Safely assessment guidance

36 / 60

Approximate written pass mark

IOSH-approved training providers

23 / 38

Risk assessment project pass mark

IOSH Managing Safely project guidance

7 modules

Course syllabus

IOSH Managing Safely syllabus

14 days

Window to submit the project

IOSH Managing Safely project guidance

3 years

Recommended refresher interval

IOSH

IOSH Managing Safely is the standard safety certificate for line managers, supervisors, and team leaders across all sectors, taught over about three days by IOSH-approved providers (typically GBP 125-450 + VAT). Assessment Part 1 is a 45-minute written paper of 30 questions mixing multiple-choice, true/false, and one-word answers, with a pass mark around 36 of 60 points; Part 2 is a workplace risk assessment project (pass mark 23 of 38) identifying four hazards from the syllabus categories, submitted within 14 days. Both parts must be passed. The seven modules cover the moral/legal/financial reasons for managing safely, the five-step risk assessment with the 5x5 likelihood-x-consequence matrix, the ERICPD control hierarchy (Eliminate, Reduce, Isolate, Control, PPE, Discipline), legal responsibilities and 'reasonably practicable', the six hazard categories (including noise action values of 80/85 dB(A) and hand-arm vibration limits of 2.5/5.0 m/s2), immediate/underlying/root incident causes, and active vs reactive performance indicators with auditing. The certificate does not expire; a refresher every three years is recommended.

Sample IOSH Managing Safely Practice Questions

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1The IOSH Managing Safely course identifies three key reasons why organisations should manage safety and health. What are they?

A.Financial, technical, and environmental reasons

B.Moral, legal, and financial reasons

C.Legal, political, and social reasons

D.Moral, environmental, and economic reasons

Explanation: Module 1 of Managing Safely teaches three reasons for managing safely: moral (no one should be harmed by work), legal (duties enforced through criminal and civil law), and financial (accidents and ill health cost money).

2In the 'accident iceberg' cost model taught in Managing Safely, what does the larger hidden part of the iceberg below the waterline represent?

A.Insured costs such as employers' liability claims

B.The cost of running safety training programmes

C.Uninsured costs such as lost production time, product damage, overtime, and investigation time

D.Fines imposed by the criminal courts, which insurers always pay

Explanation: The hidden bulk of the iceberg represents uninsured costs. HSE research found uninsured costs can be many times greater (commonly cited as 8 to 36 times) than the visible insured costs above the waterline.

3Following a workplace accident, which of these costs would an organisation usually have to bear itself because it is an UNINSURED cost?

A.Hiring and training temporary replacement staff

B.An employers' liability compensation payment to the injured worker

C.Repair of a company vehicle covered by motor insurance

D.Rebuilding costs paid out under a buildings insurance policy

Explanation: Costs such as recruiting and training replacements, lost time, overtime, and damaged morale are typically uninsured and must be absorbed by the business directly.

4IOSH Managing Safely is primarily designed for which group of people?

A.Full-time health and safety professionals seeking a degree-level qualification

B.New starters in any role who need basic safety awareness

C.Company directors and board members only

D.Managers, supervisors, and team leaders in any sector who have safety responsibilities for others

Explanation: Managing Safely is IOSH's market-leading course (typically around three days) for line managers, supervisors, and team leaders in any sector, giving them practical tools to manage the safety of their teams.

5Which statement best expresses the MORAL reason for managing safely?

A.Accidents increase an organisation's insurance premiums

B.Regulators can issue enforcement notices against unsafe employers

C.No one should have their physical or mental health harmed simply because they came to work

D.Customers prefer to deal with suppliers that hold safety certifications

Explanation: The moral argument is the ethical duty of care: people are entitled to go home from work unharmed, so harming workers' health or safety is morally unacceptable regardless of cost or law.

6Which of the following is a LEGAL consequence an organisation may face if it fails to manage safety and health?

A.Higher staff turnover and recruitment difficulty

B.Prosecution leading to fines, and imprisonment of responsible individuals, in the criminal courts

C.Increased production costs from inefficient working

D.Damage to brand image in the marketplace

Explanation: The legal reason for managing safely includes criminal prosecution of organisations and individuals, fines, imprisonment, and enforcement action such as improvement and prohibition notices.

7A manager asks a team member to carry out the weekly workplace safety inspection. Which statement about responsibility and accountability is correct?

A.The manager can delegate the task, but remains accountable for making sure it is done properly

B.Delegating the task transfers all responsibility and accountability to the team member

C.Health and safety tasks can never be delegated to team members

D.Once delegated, only the health and safety department is accountable for the inspections

Explanation: Managing Safely stresses that while tasks can be delegated, accountability cannot: the manager remains accountable for the health and safety of the people and activities under their control.

8Why is it misleading for a manager to assume that 'insurance will cover the cost of any accident'?

A.Insurance policies only cover injuries to members of the public

B.Insurance premiums are fixed by law and never change after a claim

C.Insurers automatically refuse claims arising from workplace accidents

D.Many accident costs - lost time, investigation effort, retraining, damaged morale and reputation - are uninsured and often far exceed the insured costs

Explanation: The cost iceberg shows that uninsured losses (production delays, management time, temporary labour, reputational damage) usually dwarf insured costs, and premiums typically rise after claims.

9Which pairing of definitions used in Managing Safely is correct?

A.'Welfare' means protection of the body from physical harm at work

B.'Health' means the provision of toilets, washing facilities, and rest areas

C.'Health' is the protection of bodies and minds from illness caused by work; 'safety' is the protection of people from physical injury

D.'Safety' refers only to fire precautions and emergency arrangements

Explanation: Health concerns protecting the body and mind from work-related illness (including stress); safety concerns protection from physical injury; welfare covers facilities such as washing, toilets, and rest areas.

10Which of the following is a realistic business benefit of effectively managing safety and health?

A.Reduced sickness absence, better staff morale, and improved productivity

B.A guaranteed exemption from visits by enforcement inspectors

C.Removal of the legal duty to carry out risk assessments

D.Elimination of the need to hold employers' liability insurance

Explanation: Good safety and health management reduces absence and accident losses, improves morale and retention, and supports productivity and reputation - core financial-reason benefits taught in Module 1.

About the IOSH Managing Safely Exam

IOSH Managing Safely is the market-leading health and safety course for line managers, supervisors, and team leaders, delivered over roughly three days by IOSH-approved training providers in any sector. It covers seven modules: introducing managing safely, assessing risks, controlling risks, understanding responsibilities, understanding hazards, investigating incidents, and measuring performance. Certification requires passing two assessments: a 45-minute written paper of 30 questions (multiple-choice, true/false, and one-word answers) and a practical workplace risk assessment project submitted within 14 days of the course. The certificate does not expire, though IOSH recommends the Managing Safely Refresher every three years.

Questions

30 scored questions

Time Limit

45 minutes

Passing Score

About 36 of 60 points on the written assessment, plus 23 of 38 on the risk assessment project

Exam Fee

GBP 125-450 + VAT depending on the approved training provider and delivery format (IOSH (Institution of Occupational Safety and Health), delivered through approved training providers)

IOSH Managing Safely Exam Content Outline

10%

Introducing Managing Safely

The moral, legal, and financial reasons for managing safely; manager responsibility and accountability (tasks can be delegated, accountability cannot); the accident cost iceberg with insured costs as the visible tip and uninsured costs (lost time, investigation, reputation) hidden below

18%

Assessing Risks

Hazard (potential to cause harm) vs risk (likelihood x consequence); the five steps of risk assessment; the 5x5 matrix with likelihood from very unlikely (1) to very likely (5) and consequence from insignificant (1) to catastrophic (5); action bands from maintain-controls (1-2) to stop-activity (20-25); residual risk; suitable and sufficient; review after incidents or significant change

16%

Controlling Risks

The ERICPD hierarchy - Eliminate, Reduce (substitution), Isolate (enclosures and barriers), Control (safe systems of work, training, exposure time), PPE as last resort, and Discipline (monitoring and enforcement); 'so far as is reasonably practicable' and gross disproportion; permits to work for hot work, confined spaces, and live electrical work

16%

Understanding Responsibilities

Criminal law (punishment, enforcement notices, prosecution) vs civil law (negligence and compensation); employer duties (safe plant, systems, substances, training, workplace, welfare) and employee duties; written policy at five or more employees; improvement vs prohibition notices; the common/industry/expert knowledge tests; Plan-Do-Check-Act (HSG65) and ISO 45001

20%

Understanding Hazards

Six hazard categories (physical, chemical, biological, mechanical, environmental, organisational); noise exposure action values of 80 and 85 dB(A) with the 87 dB(A) limit; hand-arm vibration EAV 2.5 and ELV 5.0 m/s2; routes of entry led by inhalation; work-at-height avoid-prevent-minimise hierarchy and ladder rules; manual handling TILE; fire triangle and extinguisher selection; electricity (110 V CTE, RCDs); the six stress management standards; asbestos and LEV

10%

Investigating Incidents

Definitions of accident, incident, and near miss; immediate causes (the agent of harm), underlying causes (workplace failures behind it), and root causes (management-system failings); the four-step process - gather information, analyse, identify controls, plan remedial action; no-blame witness interviews; RIDDOR-style reporting of deaths, specified injuries, over-7-day absences, diseases, and dangerous occurrences

10%

Measuring Performance

Active/proactive indicators (inspections completed, training delivered, assessments current) vs reactive indicators (injury rates, ill-health absence, near misses); characteristics of good KPIs; auditing the management system using documents, interviews, and observation; internal vs external auditors; inspections vs audits; benchmarking against peers

How to Pass the IOSH Managing Safely Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: About 36 of 60 points on the written assessment, plus 23 of 38 on the risk assessment project
Exam length: 30 questions
Time limit: 45 minutes
Exam fee: GBP 125-450 + VAT depending on the approved training provider and delivery format

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

IOSH Managing Safely Study Tips from Top Performers

1Memorise the 5x5 matrix mechanics: risk rating = likelihood (1-5) x consequence (1-5), with descriptors from 'very unlikely' to 'very likely' and 'insignificant' to 'catastrophic', and know that scores of 1-2 mean maintain controls while 20-25 mean stop the activity

2Learn ERICPD in order - Eliminate, Reduce, Isolate, Control, PPE, Discipline - and be able to classify examples: substitution is Reduce, an acoustic enclosure is Isolate, a safe system of work is Control

3Know the key UK numbers the course references: noise action values 80 and 85 dB(A) (limit 87), hand-arm vibration EAV 2.5 and ELV 5.0 m/s2, written policy and recorded risk-assessment findings at 5+ employees, and ladders for short-duration work of up to about 30 minutes at a 1-in-4 angle

4Practise separating immediate causes (the oil on the floor), underlying causes (the unrepaired leak), and root causes (no planned maintenance system) - cause-classification questions are a staple of the written paper

5Be precise on definitions: a hazard has the potential to cause harm, risk combines likelihood and consequence, a near miss causes no harm but had the potential to, and residual risk is what remains after controls

6For the project, choose a workplace you know well and cover four hazards from different syllabus categories, scoring each before and after your proposed controls with the 5x5 matrix

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the format of the IOSH Managing Safely assessment?

There are two parts. Part 1 is a 45-minute written assessment of 30 questions mixing multiple-choice, true/false, and one-word answers, marked out of about 60 points with a pass mark around 36. Part 2 is a practical workplace risk assessment project marked out of 38, with 23 needed to pass. You must pass both parts to receive the certificate.

What is the IOSH Managing Safely risk assessment project?

You carry out a real risk assessment of a workplace of your choice, identifying four hazards drawn from the hazard categories in the syllabus, rating each with the 5x5 likelihood-x-consequence matrix, and proposing further controls. It is marked out of 38 (pass mark 23) and is normally submitted within 14 days of finishing the course.

How much does IOSH Managing Safely cost?

Prices are set by approved training providers and typically range from about GBP 125 + VAT for self-paced e-learning to GBP 450 + VAT for tutor-led classroom or virtual courses. The assessment and certificate are included in the course fee.

How hard is the IOSH Managing Safely exam?

It is an introductory management-level test, and pass rates are high for those who attend the full course and revise. The questions reward precise knowledge - for example the 5x5 matrix bands, the ERICPD order, noise action values of 80 and 85 dB(A), and the difference between immediate, underlying, and root causes.

Does the IOSH Managing Safely certificate expire?

No - the certificate itself does not expire. However, IOSH recommends taking the one-day Managing Safely Refresher course about every three years to keep knowledge current, and some employers and clients require this.

What are the seven modules of IOSH Managing Safely?

Introducing managing safely; assessing risks; controlling risks; understanding responsibilities; understanding hazards; investigating incidents; and measuring performance. The written assessment samples questions from across all seven modules.

Who should take IOSH Managing Safely?

Managers, supervisors, and team leaders in any sector who have responsibility for the safety of others. It requires no prior health and safety knowledge. Frontline workers usually take IOSH Working Safely instead, while senior executives can take IOSH Leading Safely.