More than 1,600 Join UK Consultants Registry
Major professional societies are participating in the registry, which covers England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The new online registry of health and safety consultants working in the United Kingdom launched on March 21 with more than 1,600 consultants already registered, according to the Health and Safety Executive. The online Occupational Safety and Health Consultants Register has the support of major professional societies and associations and requires that practitioners be accredited.
To join it, consultants must belong to a professional body, have a degree-level qualification, have at least two years' experience, and have demonstrated a commitment to continuing their professional development. The registry covers England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It was created in response to a government report calling for greater competence in safety and health advice to employers.
British Employment Minister Chris Grayling said the required qualifications are meant to assist the businesses that want to hire a consultant. "We have launched an official Occupational Safety and Health Consultants Register for those health and safety practitioners who are properly accredited to one of the professional bodies in the industry," he said. "Those who do not have the requisite expertise and experience will be excluded from the register, making it easier for employers to access reliable, reputable advice."
Member groups in the not-for-profit OSHCR Ltd are:
- British Occupational Hygiene Society
- British Safety Council
- British Safety Industry Federation
- Chartered Institute of Environmental Health
- Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors
- International Institute of Risk and Safety Management
- Institution of Occupational Safety and Health
- National Exam Board in Occupational Safety and Health
- Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland
- Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
HSE currently administers the registry, but these professional bodies will take it over once it is fully up and running.