I was chatting to a fellow consultant aboput hourly rates and daily rates etc. So we sat down and googled it, just to see where we were in the big scheme of things. And i'm at the lower end of the daily rate scale and he was just above me. But we are both happy with our rates and the service we give to our clients.

But google did throw up a few strange comments. Found these 2 comments from the same person. I'm now hoping that they aren't on here. But I thought his/her comments were a bit condascending of consultants who weren't chartered.

I'm a chartered H&S consultant (CMIOSH). You should very wary of employing anyone to advise you on H&S unless they are chartered. Like any other profession, you get what you pay for! After all, would you consult an unqualified doctor, dentist, accountant or solicitor?

And then they followed it up with this comment

As I said before, as long as you stick with CMIOSH-qualified people, you shouldn't have a problem, as we are all members of the same professional body (IOSH).

So do they think that everyone who is a member of IOSH is chartered? Or is he just looking down at us mere mortals who aren't chartered or have no intention of ever being chartered?

How are you chartered as an H&S consultant?

The post nominals are CMIOSH not CH&SC

"My" advice would be to avoid employing anyone who demonstrates a lack of understanding of professional qualification.

This has been discussed on the members (of IOSH) forums and we have agreed that CMIOSH does not confer any sort of H&S Omniscience. It doesn’t even demonstrate competence to deliver a particular H&S role. All it shows is that that you have completed a certain level of training and have a certain level of experience in an H&S role. Anyone who appoints someone to a particular role solely on the basis that they have CMIOSH is an idiot.

Originally Posted by: Mark-W

Found these 2 comments from the same person. I'm now hoping that they aren't on here. 

No proof - the OP merely relayed what had been discovered in the public domain (they didn't mention the comments were located on the forum).

To be CMIOSH requires membership to retain chartered status (see recent post on CPD) - they may no longer hold chartered status or even membership.

I entirely agree with Ian. I have no formal health and safety qualifications. However, after 39 years working in one specific area of health and safety I believe that I have acquired a level of knowledge and experience that enables me to feel competent in what I do (although I am still learning!). I often meet CMIOSH people in clients who I have to advise that what they are doing in my field does not match current scientific knowledge. Health and safety (health in particular) is an extremely vast and varied field. No-one can be competent in all aspects. Surely the  secret of competency is to known when you don't know and then seek specialist advice.

Chris

Originally Posted by: Ian Bell2

There are loads of safety jobs particularly in engineering based roles where IOSH/CMIOSH are never asked for, as IOSH courses are not sufficiently technically rigorous. I let my CMIOSH lapse for this reason. In many sectors a scientific/engineering qualification is required. Anybody who thinks CMIOSH is an essential qualification to be a safety consultant is simply wrong. My main area of consultancy is DSEAR/ process safety but I'm not sure what detail IOSH qualifications go into for DSEAR/ATEX, as I did my IOSH qualifications before DSEAR regs came in into force, but judging from questions posted on this forum not very comprehensive.

When did IOSH qualifications lead to CMIOSH????? 

I don't see why the question of what to charge as a consultant is asked so often. As part of basic business, you should be aware of what your market sector charge before you even set up and work freelance.

Even a basic way of working out what to charge is to follow some basic steps.

1. Identify what PAYE consultancy jobs pay. Just look at recruiment jobs sites. Some may also quote you a contract rate, if the job is contract only.

2. Input the salary into a typical tax calculator website such as https://worksmart.org.uk/tools/tax-calculator

3. This will give you a ball park figure for hourly rate.

4. Add in an allowance for business taxes

5. Add in allowance to to allow for business costs - accountancy, stationary, insurance, any equipment you need

6. Add in a profit margin/what you think the client will accept.

7. Add in an allowance for the fact that as a consultant it is is unlikely that you will be paid for all available work hours.

I would suggest if you are charging less than your local plumber or car mechanic, you should hange jobs.