Are you trying to get onsite or looking for an entry course into Health and Safety and are unsure what course to take? We compare two of the most popular health and safety courses, CITB Health & Safety Awareness and IOSH Working Safely, to ensure you know which one is perfect for you.
What are the CITB Health & Safety Awareness and IOSH Working Safely courses?
The CITB (Construction Industry Training Board) Health & Safety Awareness course and the IOSH (Institution of Occupational Safety and Health) Working Safely course are two foundation training programs designed to give delegates a solid understanding of workplace safety. The CITB Health & Safety Awareness course primarily targets those starting their careers in construction, as the course emphasises the recognition and reduction of potential workplace hazards. It is also a pre-requisite for those looking to obtain the Green Labourer Card – a key certification for many construction roles.
On the other hand, the IOSH Working Safely course offers a broader perspective, catering to employees from any sector. It focuses on imparting knowledge about the basics of health and safety and environmental well-being. Both courses aim to reduce workplace accidents and foster a culture of safety by equipping delegates with the necessary skills and knowledge to operate safely in their respective roles.
Both courses are delivered in 1-day, making them efficient and easily accessible for busy professionals.
Who would benefit from the CITB Health & Safety Awareness course?
The CITB Health & Safety Awareness course is for people who want to obtain their CSCS or ECS cards, allowing them to enter and work on construction sites. Whether you are approaching us to be qualified to help you find a future job, or enable you to carry out your current role. The CITB Health & Safety Awareness course is open to anyone who would like to enrol.
The CITB Health & Safety Awareness course can be completed as both virtual learning (joining one of our trainers via a webinar) or in-person through a classroom session.
Who would benefit from the IOSH Working Safely course?
The IOSH Working Safely course covers a broader range of health and safety topics than the CITB Health & Safety Awareness course. The benefit of this qualification is that workers from all across the job spectrum can take the IOSH Working Safely course to gain a basic understanding of health and safety applicable to all working environments. This course covers aspects of health and safety that would apply to construction site safety, but it is not the main focus of the course.
The IOSH Working Safely course can be completed through our eLearning platform, virtually (joining one of our trainers via webinar) or in a classroom at one of our training venues.
CITB, IOSH, and the ECS Card
Like the CITB Health & Safety Awareness course, you can achieve your ECS with this IOSH Working Safely course; however, we recommend that if you are working towards getting your ECS, it’s preferable to go through the CITB Health & Safety Awareness route. This is because the certificate will often come much faster, and the ECS only accept an IOSH Managing Safely certificate if you have attended the course in a classroom
You can see a full list of the courses that can be completed to attain your ECS card by visiting their website.
So which one should I pick?
To put it simply, the CITB Health & Safety Awareness course assists anyone who may need or want a CSCS or ECS card to go into employment or carry out their daily role and will give them an overview of basic understanding of Health & Safety within construction. Whereas the IOSH Working Safely, will give you a broader overview of essential health & safety which can be applied to any industry and working environment.
Below is a quick questionnaire to help guide you toward what course will work best for your needs (it will take less then 5 minutes to complete).
Want to see how you would do on a practice test?
We have created a mock tests of a similar level to the CITB Health & Safety Awareness course and the IOSH Working Safely for people to give it a shot and see what it may entail.
If you have 15 minutes to spare, try them out!
We provide trainers with the tools to give you the best chance at completing and obtaining whatever course you choose. To check out the courses we offer and book, visit our course catalogue.