Online health and safety courses are demanding; they require time and effort in order to pass and achieve certification. In some industries, such as construction and engineering, achieving a health and safety qualification is necessary in order to carry out some roles. In fact, anybody who is working in these types of environments should have at least a basic understanding of health and safety in the workplace.
If you want to further your career and ensure all employees have a safe environment in which to work, studying for a health and safety certificate is a good option. To ensure you achieve certification, we have put together our top tips on passing online health and safety courses.
Top tips for passing online health and safety courses
Whilst online learning isn’t for everyone, it is becoming a popular way of upskilling and gaining the necessary qualifications to advance your career. Here are our top tips for passing online health and safety courses.
• Tip 1 – Set out a timetable
Deciding to study online is a major commitment and although you do have the time to study at your own pace, most course providers set a maximum time allowed to complete the course. By creating a timetable of study, i.e. the days and hours you are setting aside to study, will help you to keep to a routine throughout your study time and remain disciplined.
• Tip 2 – Set your goals and create a study schedule
Set out your daily, weekly and monthly goals before you start studying to keep you focused. Create a study schedule, too, with reminders of your goals and when tasks need to be completed, such as regular progress assessments that should be submitted. Don’t forget to allow yourself extra windows of time for any areas that required a bit more research or study time.
• Tip 3 – Connections are important
Remember you are not alone in studying an online health and safety course. As well as connecting with your instructors who are there to guide and help you, and answer questions, connect with your classmates and peers online. This will not only help you with additional learning, but also keep you motivated and engaged.
• Tip 4 – Turn up, ask questions and contribute
Whether you are learning online, remotely or in a class, it is a two-way process. Make sure you turn up for your online lectures and discussions, get involved and ask questions. If you need more resources or materials, don’t be afraid to ask for them. Look for any forums, message boards or online discussion groups you can get involved with to support your online learning.
• Tip 5 – take notes and write them up
Some course lectures or seminars are live while some are pre-recorded. Either way, make sure you take your own notes and avoid relying on the post-lecture study notes. At the end of the session, take a bit of time to write up your notes. Not only does this build your own personal study guide you can refer back to, but it can also further enhance your learning by repeating what you have learnt that day.
• Tip 6 – Set up a designated area for study
It’s all too easy to sit on the sofa with a laptop on your knees and watch your lectures. But this isn’t conducive to learning and makes it difficult to take notes. Plus you may be interrupted by other activities going on around you. So, set up a designated area for study to keep you organised, improves your learning rate and helps build your study routine.
Most health and safety courses can be studied online and remotely, allowing people to study in the comfort of their own home, at their own pace and at times that fit around their other commitments, such as work and family.
At Target Zero, we provide a wide range of online health and safety courses, as well as refresher courses, including IOSH (Institution of Occupational Safety & Health), all CITB courses, such as the SMSTS (Site Management Safety Training Scheme) and SSSTS (Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme), HSA (Health and Safety Awareness), NEBOSH health and safety remote courses, our Mental Health First Aid course, as well as temporary works coordinator and supervisor courses.
