Online training is a very useful tool in our busy world – it’s flexible, convenient and cost-effective. But when it comes to health and safety for managers and supervisors, convenience alone just doesn’t cut it (or at least, it shouldn’t).
Robust health and safety training can’t just be about absorbing information. It needs to involve judgment, behaviour, communication and real-world decision-making. And that’s where in-person training continues to offer something digital formats simply can’t replicate.
Health and Safety is Human, Not Just Technical
Risk in the workplace isn’t a faraway theoretical concept. It involves people, pressure, conflicting priorities and split-second decisions. In-person health and safety training simply reflects that reality far better than a screen can.
When multiple learners are physically present, they engage with both the material and with each other. They hear different perspectives, share experiences, challenge assumptions and learn how safety decisions play out in the real world. This human interaction is particularly important for managers and supervisors, whose roles are less about rules and more about fostering and leading a team in safe behaviours.
The Power of Real-Time Discussion and Challenge
One of the biggest strengths of in-person training is the opportunity to ask questions as they arise and to explore the “grey areas” that don’t always fit neatly into online modules. In a classroom setting, learning can become a two-way process of meaning-making instead of a one-way transfer of information.
Delegates can discuss real incidents from their own workplaces, test their understanding through open conversation, and work through realistic “what would you do if…?” scenarios. Just as importantly, they can learn from the experiences of others in similar roles, gaining insight into how different individuals and organisations approach the same challenges.
These conversations often deliver the greatest value because they bridge the gap between theory and reality. Instead of abstract principles, learners leave with a solid practical understanding that can be directly applied to their day-to-day responsibilities.
Better Engagement, Better Retention
Let’s be honest: online education can sometimes (just sometimes) become a box-ticking exercise. Distractions are everywhere, and it’s easy to rush through content without fully absorbing it.
In-person training, on the other hand, naturally encourages:
- Higher focus and participation
- Fewer distractions
- Better knowledge retention
- Stronger accountability
When people step away from their desks and into a dedicated learning environment, they’re more likely to engage seriously with the subject and to remember what they’ve learned after the course ends.
Developing Confident, Competent Managers
For managers, competence in health and safety goes far beyond simply knowing what the law says. It’s about, in practice, how confidently and consistently they apply that knowledge in real working environments – often under pressure.
Effective health and safety leadership requires managers to understand risk in context, balancing safety requirements with productivity and operational realities. It also means being able to communicate safety expectations clearly, so teams understand not just what is required of them, but why. Managers must feel confident challenging unsafe behaviour in a way that is constructive and proportionate, without damaging relationships or morale, and they need to be able to make informed decisions when time, cost or competing priorities are at play.
In-person training creates the conditions for these skills to develop properly. Trainers, who, at Safety Services Direct, are talented learning and development professionals, can observe how delegates think through problems, respond to scenarios, and communicate with others, and then offer guidance that’s tailored, practical, actionable and relevant.
This interaction allows trainers to address misconceptions in real time, share their personal/alternative approaches and help managers build confidence in their judgement, not just their knowledge.
This in-person approach is especially valuable for managers who carry health and safety responsibility but don’t come from a technical safety background. Face-to-face learning gives them the space to ask questions, test their understanding and leave the room feeling capable, not overwhelmed.
Why IOSH Managing Safely Works So Well in Person
The IOSH Managing Safely course is designed specifically for managers and supervisors who need a clear, practical understanding of health and safety in their role. Delivered in person, this course is designed to become a hands-on development experience.
An in-person IOSH Managing Safely course helps delegates:
- Understand their health and safety responsibilities clearly
- Identify hazards and assess risks in realistic scenarios
- Learn how incidents happen and how to prevent them
- Build confidence in managing safety proactively, not reactively
Crucially, the course encourages managers to see health and safety as an integral part of effective leadership – not an add-on, a paperwork exercise or a barrier to getting work done.
Through discussion, case studies and shared experience, managers will leave with a clearer sense of how safety fits into everyday decision-making and how good safety management supports better business outcomes.
Where classroom delivery isn’t practical, the same learning benefits can still be achieved through instructor-led virtual learning. Safety Services Direct also offers IOSH Managing Safely via live virtual training sessions for up to 14 delegates, as well as a fully online learning option for teams that need self-paced learning that delivers the necessary info.
Just give us a call at 0121 3487828 to discuss the best option for your workspace.
