How long does this certification take?

The programme takes 10 Week and can be completed self-paced or with live virtual sessions.

Is this certification globally recognised?

Yes. GLI certifications carry CPD credits and are internationally recognised.

What level is this certification?

This is a Intermediate Level certification.

Email info@leadership.co.ke, WhatsApp +254 722 223 084, or fill in the enrolment form on this page.

What is included in the fee?

All study materials, study guide, examination, digital certificate and badge. Live option adds tutor sessions and priority support.

Certified Occupational Health and Safety Professional (COHS) | Online Certification

Executive Summary

Certified Occupational Health and Safety Professional

Designed for today’s high-impact professionals, the Certified Occupational Health and Safety Professional (COHS) delivers a rigorous Intermediate-level curriculum that equips participants with the knowledge, tools and frameworks needed to excel in occupational safety, health and workplace wellbeing.

This 10 Week programme is structured around ISO 45001, OSHA and recognised occupational health and safety standards, ensuring every graduate applies internationally validated methods to real-world challenges.

GLI’s COHS holders are recognised by leading organisations across Africa, the Gulf, Europe and the Americas as qualified, results-driven professionals. Whether you are advancing your current career or transitioning into new responsibilities, this certification provides the competitive edge you need in 2026 and beyond.

Programme Overview

Certification at a Glance

Certification

Certified Occupational Health and Safety Professional

Acronym

COHS

Who Should Enrol?

Safety and Health Officers
HSE Managers and Supervisors
Site and Operations Safety Leads
Risk and Compliance Practitioners

Programme Inclusions

Everything Included in Your Enrolment

All study materials and study guide
Access to GLI online learning portal
Online examination and assessment
Digital certificate and digital badge
Physical certificate (shipped to you)
CPD credits for professional bodies
GLI alumni network membership
Facilitator and tutor support
Resource downloads and reference library
Automatic enrolment confirmation

Certification Benefits

Why This Certification Matters for Your Career

Career Advancement

Accelerate your career towards senior HSE and safety-leadership roles

Professional Recognition

Credential aligned with ISO 45001, OSHA and recognised occupational health and safety standards

Leadership Capability

Develop the strategic and operational skills to lead complex occupational safety functions

Organisational Impact

Design and implement occupational safety systems that drive performance and measurable results

Compliance Readiness

Master the standards, compliance and ethical governance central to occupational safety

Global Employability

Qualify for occupational safety roles across construction, energy, manufacturing, marine and industrial operations worldwide

Competency Framework

Core Competencies You Will Develop

✦Workplace Hazard Identification

✦Occupational Health Hazards

✦Biological Hazard Control

✦Electrical Safety

✦Emergency Preparedness

✦Safety Training

Course Curriculum

Programme Modules

The full programme, module by module.

Core CurriculumModules 1–20 · specific to Certified Occupational Health and Safety Professional · module 20 is the capstone

1

Occupational Health and Safety Fundamentals

Managing service delivery in health, education and technical settings · Occupational health, exposure and health surveillance · Building an occupational health programme · Occupational safety and health principles

2

Workplace Hazard Identification

Hazard identification and risk assessment in practice · Hazard identification techniques · Workplace wellbeing and mental health · Housekeeping and workplace environment

3

Occupational Risk Assessment

Risk and vulnerability assessment · Risk assessment: identifying what can go wrong and deciding what to do · Risk assessment and safety planning · Organisational maturity, assessment and improvement programmes

4

Safety Management Systems

Safety management systems: the structure that makes safety routine · Safety management systems: hazards, controls and the hierarchy · Designing a safety programme or control · Safety management systems overview (ISO 45001)

5

Occupational Health Hazards

Chemical hazards and hazardous substances · Physical hazards: noise, vibration, radiation · Biological and ergonomic hazards · Psychosocial hazards and work-related stress

6

Chemical Safety

Chemical safety and the safety data sheet · Asset integrity and maintenance safety · Safety culture and behaviour · Continuous safety improvement

7

Physical Hazard Control

Physical agents: noise, vibration, heat and radiation · Ventilation and exposure control · Exposure monitoring and health surveillance in practice · Leadership impact and organisational health metrics

8

Biological Hazard Control

Contractor safety and shared workplaces · Safety culture, leadership and behaviour · Evacuation and life-safety procedures · Crowd safety and event security

9

Ergonomic Risk Management

Ergonomics: fitting the work to the worker · Contractor safety management · Safety management systems (ISO 45001) · Fire safety management systems

10

Workplace Fire Safety

Operational risk and resilience · Risk appetite and governance · Model risk and provisioning (IFRS 9) · Derivatives and risk instruments

11

Electrical Safety

Adolescent identity and risk · Climate risk: physical, transition and scenario analysis · Risk, return and diversification · Financial risk types and management

12

Machinery Safety

Portfolio quality and risk · Project governance and risk · Compliance risk assessment, monitoring and corrective action · Disaster risk assessment: hazard, exposure, vulnerability and capacity

13

PPE Management

Fraud risk, prevention and detection · Tax compliance and the tax risk agenda · Fire risk assessment methodology · Fraud risk assessment, registers and anti-fraud frameworks

14

Emergency Preparedness

Emergency preparedness, response and recovery · Emergency preparedness and response on site · Emergency preparedness and response planning · Site emergency preparedness and the first ten minutes

15

Incident Investigation

Incident investigation and corrective action that holds · Incident investigation: finding causes rather than culprits · Risk registers and monitoring · Forensic accounting and financial investigation

16

Safety Inspection

Safety inspection and audit: verifying that controls exist and work · Risk appetite and enterprise risk · Risk management and contingencies · Risk assessment and judgement

17

Safety Training

Safety training and competence assurance · Geopolitical and disruption risk · Ethical and reputational risk · Presenting risk and recommendations

18

Safety Documentation

Assessing security risk defensibly · Travel risk, journey management and executive protection · Converged security: physical, information and insider risk · Security risk assessment and proportionate response

19

Safety Auditing

Assurance, audit and health checks · Risk, compliance and audit · Audit risk and materiality · Board committees: audit, risk, nomination and remuneration

20

Occupational H&S Capstone

Capstone scoping: a real HSE challenge · Access control systems and identity · CCTV and video surveillance · Command and control rooms

Professional ElectivesModules 21–30 · common to all GLI certifications · broaden your professional range

21

Strategic Communication and Executive Presentation

Vision, purpose and translating direction into work · Audience-centred communication and message structure · Executive leadership: the board interface and enterprise stewardship · Persuasive structure: framing, evidence and the ask

22

Leadership and Team Effectiveness

Leadership identity, style and the limits of style · Leadership assessment, feedback and continuous self-review · What critical reasoning is and what it is not · Situational and adaptive leadership

23

Analytical Thinking and Evidence-Based Reasoning

Creativity and critical-thinking development · Analytical techniques and bias · Evidence-based improvement · Problem framing: symptoms, definition and scope

24

Professional Decision-Making

Managerial decision-making, bias and decision rights · Escalation and decision-making · Decision support: briefs, options and judgement under pressure · Decision frameworks: criteria, weighting and trade-offs

25

Negotiation, Influence and Stakeholder Management

Negotiation preparation: interests, options and the walk-away · Power, followership and organisational politics · Negotiation: preparation, interests and value creation · Concessions, anchoring and the shape of a bargain

26

Project and Execution Management

Proposals, bids and the business case · Project roles and the project manager · Developing the project business case · Planning, scheduling and personal workflow systems

27

Financial Literacy for Professionals

Financial reporting standards and their application · Financial management for the operating manager · Liquidity, funding and balance sheet management · Management accounting: costing, budgeting and decision support

28

Digital Skills, AI and Technology for Professionals

Digital workplace, collaboration and user support · Productivity, collaboration and workflow tools · Tools for interaction and collaboration · Working with data: quality, interpretation and honest presentation

29

Ethics, Governance and Professional Accountability

Ethical leadership: integrity, tolerated behaviour and moral courage · Ethics, conduct and speaking up · Business development risk, ethics and integrity · AI for managers: adoption, oversight and governance

30

Personal Effectiveness, Productivity and Career Growth

Emotional competence: awareness, regulation and expression · Self-awareness, strengths and the accuracy of self-image · Emotional intelligence and self-regulation · Priority: outcomes, importance and the urgency trap

Every module opens in the learning portal with its full lesson set, worked examples, further reading and video masterclasses. 30 modules · 150 lessons.

Learning Outcomes

What You Will Achieve

Establish a comprehensive understanding of Certified Occupational Health and Safety Professional principles aligned with ISO 45001, OSHA and recognised occupational health and safety standards
Apply evidence-based methods to improve occupational safety, health and workplace wellbeing
Master hazard identification and risk assessment and occupational health, hygiene and wellbeing
Apply safety management systems and compliance and incident investigation and emergency preparedness in real-world settings
Lead risk management, quality and compliance relevant to your field
Design stakeholder engagement and professional communication strategies
Use data-driven decision-making and performance-measurement tools effectively
Apply internationally recognised best practice to advance your career in occupational safety

Enrolment Process

How to Get Certified

🎯

Step 1: Choose Your Certification

You are viewing Certified Occupational Health and Safety Professional — one of GLI's 1,990+ globally recognised professional certifications.

💳

Step 2: Enrol & Pay Online — Instantly

Click Enrol & Study Online to register and pay securely via Paystack, Visa, Mastercard, M-Pesa or bank transfer. Access is granted the moment payment is confirmed.

📚

Step 3: Study in the GLI Learning Portal

Work through 15 structured modules and 75 lessons at your own pace, with downloadable resources and expert-designed content — all inside the LMS.

🎓

Step 4: Pass, Get Certified & Verified

Sit your final examination online, earn your certificate instantly, and receive a globally verifiable Certificate ID — plus GLI Alumni Network access.

🎓 Enrol & Study Online — Instant Access

Secure checkout · Instant LMS access · Globally verifiable certificate

Frequently Asked Questions

Common Questions

What is the COHS certification?

The Certified Occupational Health and Safety Professional is a professional certification awarded by the Global Leadership Institute. It covers 20 core modules specific to Occupational Health and Safety Professional, culminating in the capstone “Occupational H&S Capstone”, plus 10 professional elective modules common to all GLI certifications. Candidates study through the online portal, submit the capstone project and sit a final examination; those who pass receive a verifiable certificate carrying a unique certificate ID.

Who should enrol in the COHS?

This certification is ideal for Safety and Health Officers, HSE Managers and Supervisors, Site and Operations Safety Leads and Risk and Compliance Practitioners, and other professionals seeking to formalise their expertise in occupational safety, health and workplace wellbeing with a globally recognised credential.

How long does the COHS certification take to complete?

The programme is structured over 10 Week and offers flexible learning modes. Self-paced learners can progress at their own schedule, while live virtual participants follow a structured cohort schedule with facilitator-led sessions.

Is the COHS internationally recognised?

Yes. GLI certifications are recognised across 100+ countries and are aligned with ISO 45001, OSHA and recognised occupational health and safety standards. Graduates receive a digital certificate, a physical certificate and CPD credits recognised by employers worldwide.

What is the cost of the COHS certification?

The Certified Occupational Health and Safety Professional is offered in two formats: Self-Paced at USD 399 and Live Virtual at USD 599. Corporate group rates are available for organisations enrolling 5 or more participants. Contact GLI for a bespoke corporate training quotation.

What does the COHS certification include?

Enrolment includes all study materials and study guides, access to GLI's online learning portal, online examination, digital certificate and badge, physical certificate (posted), CPD credits, GLI alumni network membership, and ongoing facilitator support.

What is the assessment format for the COHS?

The Certified Occupational Health and Safety Professional is assessed through an online examination consisting of multiple-choice questions, case study analysis, and practical application assignments. The assessment is designed to evaluate real-world competency, not just theoretical recall.

What CPD credits do I earn from the COHS?

The Certified Occupational Health and Safety Professional carries Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credits, which can be applied towards professional body requirements including recognised international professional associations.

Can I study the COHS while working full-time?

Absolutely. The self-paced option is designed for busy working professionals and allows you to study when and where it suits you. Live virtual sessions are typically scheduled in the evenings or on weekends to accommodate professional commitments.

What career outcomes can I expect from the COHS?

Graduates progress towards senior HSE and safety-leadership roles. The COHS strengthens your expertise in occupational safety, health and workplace wellbeing and positions you for advancement across construction, energy, manufacturing, marine and industrial operations.

Graduate Voices

What Our Alumni Say

“

The curriculum was directly applicable to my daily work. I immediately applied what I learned and saw results within weeks of completing the programme.

HSE Director

Private Sector

“

GLI's certification is the most practical professional programme I have attended. The international frameworks gave me credibility with my employer and clients.

Safety Manager

NGO Sector

“

I earned my COHS while working full-time. The self-paced format made it possible, and the quality of the content is genuinely world-class.

Site Safety Lead

Government

Certified Occupational Health and Safety Professional

Certified Occupational Health and Safety Professional

Certification at a Glance

Who Should Enrol?

Everything Included in Your Enrolment

Why This Certification Matters for Your Career

Core Competencies You Will Develop

Programme Modules

What You Will Achieve

How to Get Certified

Common Questions

What Our Alumni Say

You May Also Like

Certified Accident Management and Investigation Expert

Certified ISO 14001 Environmental Management Expert

Certified Occupational Cancer and Illness Prevention Expert

Certified Engineering Safety and Process Expert

Certified HSE Manager

Certified Environmental Compliance and EIA Expert