A new Chartered Status for health and safety practitioners will lead to better business decisions and safer workplaces, the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has said.

To achieve chartered status, practitioners will have to undertake Initial Professional Development (IPD) and enrol on mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD). There's also an open book assessment and professional interview to ensure that their skills and knowledge are fresh and kept up to date.

According to a recent IOSH survey, 40% of health and safety professionals believed CPD would help them do their jobs better. The survey also highlighted the growing number of safety and health professionals currently reporting directly to their board or governing body, now at 49%.

IOSH President, Lawrence Waterman, said: “You wouldn’t employ someone who wasn’t Corgi-registered to deal with a faulty boiler, and you wouldn’t want an accountant dealing with your finances who wasn’t chartered. The same rule should apply to health and safety.

“We’re raising our game so that business and industry can reap the benefits. The days when a health and safety practitioner could go around a workplace with just a checklist and pen have long gone. Chartered safety and health practitioners will be a different breed, providing practical solutions to everyday problems in the workplace and communicating in the language of business.”

For more information on chartered status and the IOSH CPD scheme visit www.iosh.co.uk/corecompetent