Rank: Super forum user 
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Hi all
Quick question:
I am looking to go start working in the world of consultancy with a friend who has started his own consultancy. I was looking to get qualified as a external auditor and sell my services to companies. I have a few years experience carrying out internal audits to 18001 standards but no formal training (I am CMIOSH currently).
Q: Anybody got any advice on what is the best qualification is to gain (the most recognizable auditing qualification) and secondly, where to go for this training for value for money, as I am on a very tight budget, including investment into this consultancy.
Any further advice will be much appreciated.
Many thanks;
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Rank: Super forum user 
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The OHSAS18001 auditor/lead auditor course may be what you are looking for.
BV, LRQA, BSI and others all run courses which are about a week long including an exam/assessment.
The course I took with BV cost about £1250, was held in London and having passed I have a qualification recognised by the IRCA should I wish to apply for membership of that professional body.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Thanks for the quick and precise response. How does this work though? Once you have completed the course? Do you sign up to the IRCA and this allows you to issue certification to companies you have audited? I know I probably sound stupid asking these points however, I have been working for a large company and this is not something I have had any experience with, other than conducting internal audits. I am just trying to work out exactly how it works. Plus, I have heard of the BSI and LRQA but not the BV. Therefore, is it more beneficial to do the course with LRQA or BSI?
Thanks
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Not sure I fully understand what you intend to offer as a service is it, you will help the organisation to implement a management system meeting the 18001 standard or you want to assess their system once fully implemented to certify them?.
If it is the latter you may not be aware that ISO9001 and ISO14001 ( Quality & Environmental) you (your company) need to be accredited by UKAS to certify other organisations. However 18001 is not a ISO its title is BS OHSAS 18001, so it is a British standard. So I don't think UKAS can accredit you to do this and if you not the certification logos for 9001/14001 look different to 18001. Why not enquire with BSI (or the like)as if you may be a potential customer, but be unsure of the status of the certification and see what they say. I guess your training will also qualify this point. I don't think it matters who you do the training with, other than the organisation delivering it well.
Sorry I could not directly answer your question as I'm not an expert on this side, but wish you well with your endeavours.
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Rank: New forum user
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Who you do the course with does not matter so much as that it is a course that is offered under the aegis of IRCA - if not under IRCA you will not be able to register with IRCA.
On the auditing side it depends whether you are looking to carry out the audits on behalf of a Certification body (like LRQA, Bureau Veritas (BV), BM TRADA or similar) If you check the UKAS website you will be able to see which CBs are UKAS Accredited to offer (BS) OHSAS 18001 Audit certification - as well as where they have issued certificates.
If you are looking to offer a service direct to your clients auditing their OHSMS then while you would be able to offer a certificate (along with a copy of the audit report) you would not be able offer "Accredited certification" without setting up appropriate systems in order to jump through UKAS' hoops
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Rank: Super forum user
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Sorry I didn't get it quite right, Sportler is correct, 18001 is also via UKAS. You would need be accredited to
ISO/IEC 17021:2011 to
provide health and safety
management systems
certification to
BS OHSAS 18001:2007
(OHSAS 18001:2007)
If you go to the UKAS web site you can find out more.
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