Six Little Letters: The Benefits of Chartered Membership

I often get asked the question of whether putting in the effort to attain Chartered Membership of IOSH (CMIOSH) is really worth it. After all, if you’ve been in the industry for many years, have lots of experience, surely that counts for the same?

The reality is that these days the market place is crowded – there are lots of health and safety professionals competing for jobs and you need to stand out. Likewise if you are a consultant, there are many competitors out there battling for the same clients.

What’s more, for my fellow consultants, the new voluntary Occupational Safety and Health Consultants Register (OSHCR) maintained by the HSE requires Chartered Membership (with a few others accepted).

So what are the benefits?

I think the main benefit is professional recognition. We have strived for many years as a profession to get health and safety seen as a key element of the business, and it is only right that we in the profession grow into the role we have created. If you are looking for a senior accountant, do you not look for a Chartered Accountant? If you want a professional building survey, don’t we look for Chartered Surveyors? Why should we be different?

These days the routes to achieve CMIOSH are varied; this could include university degree, the NEBOSH Diploma or the NVQ Level 5 Diploma (replacing the “old” NVQ Level 4). These different routes are each unique, and in my next blog I will discuss the merits of each. The IOSH scheme to upgrade from Graduate Member to Chartered Member is now easier to access than ever, and IOSH provide support throughout the process with their mentors. There really is a no excuse.

One of my great pleasures is working with health and safety practitioners through the NEBOSH Diploma or NVQ route to help them along the road to becoming CMIOSH – and I am more then happy to discuss this with any of my readers, you are welcome to give me a call.

Chartered Membership shows that the health and safety professional has achieved a high level qualification, demonstrates experience, has undertaken a rigorous process of selection to achieve the membership level and maintains ongoing continual professional development.

That’s quite a lot to show through 6 letters after your name.