What is the difference between OSHA and IOSH ?

Occupational health and safety is one of the biggest concerns for modern-day organisations. Every organisation wants to ensure the optimal health and safety of their employees, making Occupational Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) an important domain. This need has prompted employers to prefer employees with an Occupational Health and Safety certification, increasing the general demand for such qualifications. One can obtain the HSE certification of their choice from several regulatory and compliance bodies, such as NEBOSH, IOSH, and OSHA.

According to the 2017 Global Estimates of Occupational Accidents and Work-Related Illnesses report, there are more than 380,000 fatal occupational accidents every year. To prevent these occupational accidents, it is important to have employees well-versed in the global standard in health, safety, and environment. This is possible by hiring employees who hold qualifications from any of the leading HSE regulatory and compliance bodies, such as NEBOSH, IOSH, and OSHA. This blog will specifically focus on a comparison of IOSH and OSHA and help you choose the qualification you want to obtain.

Table of Contents

1) What is OSHA?

2) What is IOSH?

3) What are the differences between OSHA and IOSH?

a) Geographical jurisdiction

b) Qualifications offered

4) Conclusion

What is OSHA?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a regulatory and compliance body that governs health and safety standards in the United States of America. Founded in 1970, OSHA’s main objective is to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses through well-defined rules and regulations for all industries, including standards for every workplace activity. OSHA offers 10-hour and 30-hour awareness lessons to employees on OSHA regulations and standards for different jobs in the workplace. It's important to note that the OSHA’s training programs are restricted to people living in the United States.

Unlock rewarding career paths with NEBOSH Career Opportunities. Explore job options and take the first step toward a successful career in safety.

What is IOSH?

"The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, IOSH, is a global standalone body for health and safety professionals. It is a non-profit organisation that is accredited by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). IOSH is considered a flagbearer in the domain of health, safety, and environment, with over 150,000 aspirants taking its courses every year. The course is recommended for anyone who has to deal with several health and safety concerns at their workplace, as well as for anyone who requires a holistic understanding of health and safety standards. The intensive IOSH Certification course is conducted over three days and is recommended for managers, supervisors, and aspiring health and safety professionals.

Even explore the Differences Between NEBOSH, IOSH and OSHA to get a better understanding which one is better.

What are the differences between OSHA and IOSH?

While both OSHA and IOSH share a common goal of promoting and maintaining safe and healthy workplaces, they operate in different contexts and have different roles and responsibilities. It's important to note these distinctions to avoid confusion and ensure accurate information

Geographical jurisdiction

OSHA: OSHA training programs are designed for workers within an agency’s geographic jurisdiction, which includes the 50 states of the USA, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, Wake Island, Johnston Island, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and the Outer Continental Shelf Lands defined in the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.

While trainers may provide health and safety training to workers outside OSHA’s geographical jurisdiction, the training must be provided separately, outside the Outreach Training Program, and without OSHA’s involvement. In such cases, the trainers may design and provide their own certificates, cards, and badges, but they must not indicate that the program is supported by OSHA or is part of the OSHA Outreach Training Program.

IOSH: As for IOSH, there is no geographical jurisdiction for the qualifications offered by the UK-based organisation. IOSH is an internationally recognised awarding body, meaning that the qualifications they provide are valid worldwide, including the USA.

Why is a safe workplace a better workplace? Know more by registering for the IOSH Working Safely Course now!

Qualifications offered

OSHA: OSHA offers a variety of qualifications for occupational health and safety professionals. The US-based organisation is known to offer four types of trainer cards: Trainer cards, 10-hour cards, 30-hour cards, and Disaster Site Worker cards. A Trainer card signifies the authority to teach 10-hour and 30-hour outreach training programs and is issued by the OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Education Centers. Trainers must renew their status to provide training every four years. When comparing NEBOSH vs OSHA, it’s important to note the differences in their approach and the scope of qualifications, with NEBOSH certifications often having a more global focus, while OSHA certifications are more specific to the U.S. workforce.

IOSH: IOSH offers its own range of certifications for non-health and safety professionals who need to manage risk and resources. While the IOSH Managing Safely (MS) course is one of the most popular courses worldwide, the benefits of IOSH Managing Safely extend beyond just training, as it equips professionals with practical skills for safety management. Additionally, the IOSH General Certificate (Level 3) is equivalent to the NEBOSH IGC course. The UK-based organisation also offers qualifications in Working Safely and Fire Safety.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while both IOSH and OSHA aim to enhance skills and validate understanding of health and safety, they have fundamental differences as discussed in this blog. Understanding the Hierarchy of Risk Control in IOSH plays a central role in making informed decisions about safety. Therefore, it is crucial to evaluate your needs and choose the compliance body that best suits you based on their features, qualifications offered, and jurisdiction.

Gain a practical, holistic understanding of workplace health and safety practices by joining ourIOSH Managing Safelycourse.