Working safely

Introduction
This assessment guidance contains everything you need to run the Working safely
end-of-course assessments. If at any point you need help with the assessments, please
call our training verifier team on +44 (0)116 257 3100 or email them at verifiers@iosh.
co.uk.

Your responsibilities as a training provider

You must make sure that key people involved with IOSH training and assessments have
current and relevant information. The nominated IOSH member should ensure that the
IOSH standards are adhered to and cascaded to relevant people. Only IOSH-approved
trainers should deliver the training and the assessments.

Assessment procedures
Every delegate who has attended all four modules, and for the required face-to-face
contact time, should take the end-of-course assessment. This assessment tests the
course learning objectives and consists of:
• Part A – an invigilated, closed-book, end-of-course multi-format question paper
• Part B – an invigilated, closed-book, end-of-course multi-choice hazard-spotting exercise.
Both parts should be completed on the last day of the course and can be achieved
within 30 minutes. They must be the delegate’s own work.

The Assessment Bank

The following can be found on the Course Management System:
• one mock assessment
• four different multi-format assessment papers (which include the hazard-spotting
exercises)
• marking schemes for all of the above.

We recommend that you use a full range of multi-format assessment papers in each
course to avoid plagiarism. Two of the assessment papers are construction bias
(Assessment 3 and Assessment 4).

The blank assessment papers can be photocopied or you can print from the PDFs
(stored in your document library).
 Working safely

Mock assessments
There is one mock assessment, containing four questions and one hazard-spotting
exercise. This paper presents a range of question types and we recommend that you
use this in every course, so the delegates experience all styles of questions. This mock
paper can also be used as a knowledge check after modules 1 to 3 have been delivered.
• The mock assessment has questions relating to modules 1 to 3.
The mock assessment paper must be kept by the trainer – the delegates must not take
copies away with them from the training room.

Marking assessments
Both the multi-format assessment paper and hazard-spotting exercise should be marked
according to the marking schemes provided in the assessment bank. Award one mark
for each correct answer. If a delegate ticks more answers than are required for the
question, then no marks at all can be awarded for that question.
To be eligible for a Working safely certificate and/or passports delegates must:
• attend all four modules
• achieve the minimum mark on Part A – this is 20 out of 33
• achieve the minimum mark on Part B – this is 10 out of 16
• have a total score of 30 or more.

What to do if a delegate fails

If a delegate doesn’t pass either Part A or Part B, you have two options:
1. Tell the delegate that they haven’t passed and can’t receive a certificate.
If appropriate, you can show them the marked assessment and discuss the marking.
If you do this, you should make sure the delegate knows about the IOSH appeals
procedure.
2. Tell the delegate that they haven’t passed and let them know how they can retake the
assessment. As with option 1, you can show the delegate the marked assessment
and discuss it with them.
 Working safely

If you think that re-assessment is appropriate, you can ask the delegate to complete a
different multi-format assessment paper. This is usually within 20 working days of the
original assessment.
If the delegate passes this re-assessment, send IOSH their results in the usual way,
quoting the original course reference number.
If the delegate fails the re-assessment, you can show them the marked assessments
and discuss it with them, but they won’t be able to take another assessment unless they
attend another full Working safely course.

IOSH appeals procedure

If a delegate disagrees with the marks awarded at any stage, they can appeal. It’s your
responsibility to follow your own appeals procedure before advising the delegate to
contact IOSH.
Your delegates must be made aware what their options are at each stage of the
following procedure.
If a delegate wants to appeal against the marks you’ve awarded, there’s a five-stage
process.
• Follow your own appeals process and, if it cannot be resolved, move to the next stage
• Give the delegate a copy of the assessment paper in question
• Ask them to write to IOSH, explaining the grounds for the appeal and enclosing the
relevant assessment papers.
IOSH will:
• Moderate (or re-moderate) the assessment paper
• Let you and the delegate know our decision in writing within seven working days of
receiving the appeal. Our decision is final.
We recommend that you keep a written record of the outcomes for auditing purposes.
 Working safely

Post-course administration
Quality assurance
You are responsible for all aspects of the assessment process for the Working safely
course. You must store delegate assessment papers securely, as stated in your IOSH
Training Provider Terms and Conditions of Licence.
As part of our quality assurance process, we may choose to moderate some or all of the
assessments used on the course. We’ll ask you to send us the assessments and the
delegate feedback and, as a result of our moderation, we may alter the marks you’ve
awarded.
If a delegate’s score is reduced to less than the minimum marks for either part of the
assessment, we’ll let you know so that a re-assessment can be arranged.

Certificates
You must provide an IOSH certificate and/or passport to all delegates who have
completed a Working safely course and passed the relevant assessment. We number
and date all certificates and passports, and they’re signed on behalf of IOSH before we
send them to you.

Course review
We have a policy of continual improvement and welcome any feedback from delegates
and trainers on the course materials or the training delivery. You can email trainer
feedback to feedback@iosh.co.uk.