OTHM Level 3 Technical Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety
Build practical foundation-level capability in workplace health and safety, legal and welfare requirements, safety management systems, risk assessment, hazard control, incident management, communication and performance monitoring through an IOSH-accredited OTHM qualification.
Explore Your OTHM Level 3 Pathway
Select a section to review official qualification facts, objectives, unit content, assessment, entry requirements, IOSH recognition, benefits and progression.
Course Overview
The OTHM Level 3 Technical Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety is designed to develop an understanding of health and safety practices within a working environment. It introduces the workplace issues, responsibilities and management activities commonly encountered in health and safety roles.
The qualification covers roles and responsibilities, safety and welfare rules, safety management systems, organisational procedures, communication, risk assessment, workplace hazards, incident management and monitoring. It is suitable for learners who want to build real-world occupational health and safety knowledge for employment or further study.
Qualification Objectives & Learning Focus
Roles & Responsibilities
Understand the different health and safety roles, duties, responsibilities and accountabilities within the workplace.
Safety & Welfare Rules
Develop awareness of workplace safety, welfare arrangements and the standards needed to support healthy work conditions.
Safety Management Systems
Understand why organisations use structured safety management systems and how Plan-Do-Check-Act supports performance.
Review Procedures
Build the ability to review health and safety procedures, records, inspections, audits and improvement needs across an organisation.
Effective Communication
Learn how to contribute to a healthy and safe work environment through clear, appropriate communication with stakeholders.
Working with Others
Understand cooperation, consultation, professional behaviour and the importance of teamwork in maintaining workplace safety.
Risk Assessment
Understand the principles, types and stages of workplace risk assessment, including prioritisation and risk evaluation.
Hazards & Controls
Recognise common workplace hazards and understand control methods, including the hierarchy of control.
Accidents & Incidents
Understand causes, consequences, reporting, investigation and corrective actions associated with accidents and near misses.
Monitoring & Improvement
Develop awareness of monitoring, reporting, performance indicators and continual improvement in risk and incident management.
Three Mandatory Course Units
Health and Safety Principles in the Working Environment
Unit aim: Develop knowledge of personal and organisational safety responsibilities, planning and monitoring health and safety performance, and the use of improvement plans to strengthen practice.
- Understand health, safety and welfare requirements in the working environment.
- Understand employer, employee and other stakeholder roles and responsibilities for workplace health and safety.
- Understand the advantages, elements and organisational benefits of a safety management system.
Legal duties and enforcement, welfare provisions, vulnerable workers, communication, causes of injury and ill health, business consequences of non-compliance, competence and training, SMART goals, accident costs, safety management system elements and Plan-Do-Check-Act.
Maintaining a Healthy and Safe Work Environment
Unit aim: Develop the knowledge and understanding required to maintain a healthy and safe working environment, communicate effectively, support agreed safe ways of working and respond to changes in workplace practice.
- Understand the need for effective health and safety management.
- Contribute to the correct processes for managing health and safety in an organisation.
- Understand how to review health and safety practice, evidence, records, inspections and incident investigations.
- Communicate effectively when contributing to a healthy and safe work environment.
- Understand the importance of working with others to maintain workplace health and safety.
- Manage work priorities while maintaining health and safety expectations.
Management reasons and social factors, professional behaviour, policies and safe systems, cooperation, auditing, research and reliable information, innovation and change management, inspections, incident investigation, record keeping, technical communication, conflict resolution, trusted-adviser support, leadership styles, KPIs, delegation and prioritisation.
Principles of Risk and Incident Management in the Working Environment
Unit aim: Develop knowledge needed to identify workplace hazards and risks and understand the processes used to carry out, document, monitor and review risk assessments and incident-management activities.
- Understand the principles, benefits, types and steps of risk assessment.
- Understand workplace hazards and risk-control methods, including the hierarchy of control.
- Understand how to manage the effects of accidents, incidents and near misses.
- Apply and monitor risk, accident and incident reporting and improvement processes.
Qualitative, quantitative, dynamic, generic and specific risk assessment; specialist assessments; five-step risk assessment; biological, chemical, ergonomic, physical, psychosocial and safety hazards; hierarchy of control; accident and near-miss response; investigation; contractor risk assessments; reporting responsibility; training needs and continual improvement.
Assignments, Coursework & Quality Assurance
Criterion-Referenced Coursework
All units are internally assessed by the approved centre and externally verified by OTHM. Learners must demonstrate achievement of every required learning outcome and assessment criterion to achieve a Pass.
Specific assessment guidance and marking criteria are provided to centres in the OTHM Assignment Brief after learner registration. If a learner has not achieved a Pass, the centre must provide a clear feedback mechanism and appropriate retraining before reassessment.
Recognition of Prior Learning may be considered where a learner can already demonstrate the required knowledge, understanding or skills against a unit's learning outcomes and assessment criteria. RPL cannot be used to claim the entire qualification.
Entry Requirements & Learner Suitability
Minimum Age
OTHM Level 3 qualifications can be offered to learners from age 16.
No Specified Formal Entry Requirement
OTHM does not specify a fixed academic entry requirement for this qualification.
Suitable Learning Capability
The approved centre must ensure that admitted learners have sufficient capability at the appropriate level to undertake the learning and assessment criteria.
Health & Safety Knowledge
Some working knowledge of health and safety in the work environment is advantageous, although it is not stated as a mandatory prerequisite.
English Language
The qualification is offered in English. Learners must be able to study and complete assessment effectively in English.
English Evidence Where Required
Learners from a non-majority English-speaking country may need to provide evidence of English language competency in line with OTHM expectations.
IOSH Accreditation & Membership Pathway
The official OTHM specification states that IOSH has approved the OTHM Level 3 Technical Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety for accreditation.
Eligible enrolled learners can access IOSH Student Membership for the duration of their studies. On successful completion, learners meet the academic requirements for Affiliate / Technical (TechIOSH) membership, subject to meeting the applicable experiential criteria.
During Study
Eligible enrolled learners may access IOSH Student Membership while studying the qualification.
After Successful Completion
The qualification can satisfy the academic requirement associated with Affiliate / Technical membership routes stated in the specification.
Experience Still Matters
TechIOSH is not automatic. Learners must also meet IOSH's relevant experiential and membership requirements.
Course Benefits
UK-Regulated Qualification
Study an OTHM qualification regulated by Ofqual with a defined qualification number, credit value and learning-hour structure.
Strong Safety Foundation
Develop practical understanding of workplace safety responsibilities, welfare, safety systems and organisational controls.
Risk Assessment Skills
Learn structured approaches to hazard identification, risk evaluation, prioritisation and risk control.
Incident Management Knowledge
Understand accident and near-miss reporting, investigation, root-cause learning, corrective actions and monitoring.
Communication & Teamwork
Build confidence in communicating safety information, consulting stakeholders, resolving issues and working collaboratively.
Leadership Awareness
Explore professional behaviour, leadership styles, KPIs, workload priorities and safe decision-making in an organisational setting.
IOSH-Accredited Route
Benefit from a programme with IOSH accreditation and a stated pathway toward relevant membership requirements.
Career Development
Strengthen your profile for entry or junior-level safety responsibilities, subject to employer and experience requirements.
Progression to Higher Study
Build underpinning knowledge for progression toward OTHM Level 6, Level 7 and further higher-level study.
Further Study & Career Direction
The qualification enables learners to progress into employment and/or further study. With appropriate experience, successful learners can aspire to progress towards the OTHM Level 6 Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety.
After successful completion of the OTHM Level 6 Diploma, learners may progress to the OTHM Level 7 Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Management and then to MSc progression opportunities with UK universities and London Graduate School, subject to the relevant admission arrangements.
OTHM Level 3
Build core workplace OHS knowledge.
Workplace Experience
Develop practical competence and role experience.
OTHM Level 6
Progress with appropriate experience and entry suitability.
OTHM Level 7
Advance toward management-level OHS study.
MSc Progression
Explore relevant UK university / LGS routes.
How the Learning Journey Works
Flexible Delivery Mode
OTHM does not prescribe one delivery mode. Approved centres may choose delivery arrangements that meet learner needs and provide an appropriate learning experience.
Guided Learning
GLH represents supervised or directly supported learning time where a tutor or appropriate staff member is available to provide immediate teaching support.
Independent Learning
TQT includes guided learning plus directed preparation, independent study, research and assessment activity required to achieve the qualification.
Recognition of Prior Learning
RPL can be considered for relevant units when suitable existing evidence meets the required learning outcomes and assessment criteria. It cannot be used for the entire qualification.
Assessment Quality Assurance
Assessment is internally managed by the centre, supported through internal quality assurance and externally verified by OTHM.
PESS Learner Support
PESS provides admission guidance, induction, scheduled teaching, LMS resources, tutor support, assessment guidance and progression advice according to current centre arrangements.
Review the Official OTHM Level 3 Qualification Specification.
Use the original OTHM source to verify the qualification structure, regulatory information, entry requirements, mandatory units, assessment guidance and progression information for the OTHM Level 3 Technical Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety.
Start with Level 3. Build the Knowledge for Your Next HSE Role.
The OTHM Level 3 Technical Certificate gives you a structured foundation in workplace health and safety, risk assessment, incident management, safety systems and professional communication—knowledge relevant to people starting or strengthening an HSE career pathway.