Level 2 Health & Safety Open Course

Description

Who this course is for

Level 2 is the working majority’s qualification. It suits employees in any sector who need a proper grounding rather than an induction talk, team leaders, and anyone whose job means noticing when something is not right and doing something about it.

It is also what a lot of clients, insurers and tender documents mean when they ask for “health and safety trained” staff without specifying further.

If you only need everyone to recognise a hazard and report it, the three-hour Level 1 course is proportionate. If you need someone who can write a risk assessment that stands up, go to Level 3 Risk Assessment or Level 3 Health and Safety.

What the course covers

• Health and safety duties placed on employers and on employees
• Hazards, risks, and the main causes of harm to workers
• Health, safety and welfare provision in the workplace
• Why safe systems of work matter and what happens when they are bypassed
• Hazards and controls for both safety risks and occupational health risks
• How your own actions raise or lower the risk to yourself and everyone around you

The occupational health element is the part people underestimate. Safety incidents are visible and immediate; health damage from noise, dust, vibration and hazardous substances accumulates quietly over years and accounts for far more lost life than accidents do.

How you are assessed

A 30-question multiple choice paper at the end of the day, with a pass mark of 20. The six hours are built so that if you engage with the day, the paper is straightforward.

Your certificate

Valid for three years. The awarding organisation is named on the certificate. If you want to know which body issues it before you book, ask us, and read how to check a qualification is accredited for what separates a regulated qualification from a certificate a company has printed for itself.

Open course or group course?

	Open course	Group course
Charged	Per person	Per course
Where	Manchester, Wigan or Bolton	Your premises
Capacity	Book as many places as you need	Up to 16, minimum 12 chargeable
Best for	One or a handful of people	A whole team, or where travel time is expensive

On the group course the minimum charge covers 12 places, so there is no reason to run it half empty. If eight people need it and four more are due a refresher, put all twelve in the room.

There is also an online Level 2 course if self-paced study suits your people better. It is cheaper, and for a theory-based subject like this one it is a legitimate option rather than a compromise.

What this course does not do

It does not make someone your competent person, and it does not produce your risk assessments. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require a suitable and sufficient assessment, recorded in writing once you employ five or more people. Level 2 means your staff understand what the assessment is for and can contribute to it sensibly. Writing it is a separate skill, and a separate course.

We set out what a risk assessment actually has to contain in workplace risk assessment.

Frequently asked questions

How long is a Level 2 Health and Safety course?

Six hours, delivered in a single day, plus the exam.

What is the pass mark?

Twenty correct answers out of 30 multiple choice questions.

How long does the certificate last?

Three years.

Do I need to do Level 1 first?

No. There are no entry requirements for Level 2 and most people come straight to it.

What is the difference between Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3?

Level 1 is three hours of awareness for everyone. Level 2 is six hours and goes into hazards, controls and safe systems of work. Level 3 is for supervisors and for the people who write and review risk assessments, and is a substantially longer commitment.

Can I do it online instead?

Yes. We run an online Level 2 Health and Safety course. For a theory-based qualification an online route is perfectly reasonable, unlike practical first aid where skills have to be observed.

Is this the same as IOSH Working Safely?

No. They cover similar ground for a similar audience but they are separate qualifications from different bodies. If a client has asked for one specifically, check which one they mean before booking.

Will this satisfy our insurer or a tender requirement?

Usually, but read the wording. Some ask for a named qualification, some ask for a level, and some just ask for evidence of training. If you send us the requirement we will tell you honestly whether this course meets it.

How many people can attend a group course?

Up to 16, with a minimum of 12 places chargeable.

Not sure which level fits? Call 0845 838 4643 or use the enquiry form and tell us what the requirement actually says.