If you are booking the ISO 45001:2018 Lead Auditor course from CQI (the Chartered Quality Institute) and IRCA (its International Register of Certificated Auditors), you probably want to know how many evenings the exam will take from your life. This guide gives you an honest answer: what is fixed, what depends on you, and how to build a plan you can actually keep.

How many hours should you study for the ISO 45001 Lead Auditor exam?

There is no official number, so build your plan from the fixed parts of the program and your own starting point.

The course is 40 hours (indicative), and the exam sits at the end of it. Your extra revision time then depends on 3 things:

• Your ISO 45001 knowledge. CQI and IRCA recommend prior knowledge of ISO 45001:2018, such as the Foundation-level course, before the Lead Auditor course. Our eligibility guide notes that no formal prerequisites are listed for our course, so a weaker background means more preparation time.
• Your audit experience. If you already plan, conduct and report audits, the audit-process questions will feel familiar. If not, spend more time on the audit stages.
• How you handle open-book exams. Open book saves memorizing, but it rewards people who can find the right clause quickly.

Rather than guessing a total, split your available time into sensible blocks. The planner below does this for you.

What is the ISO 45001 Lead Auditor exam like?

It is a computer-marked online exam of 40 questions in 5 sections, with 1 hour 45 minutes to complete it.

CQI and IRCA run the exam online and remotely proctored, using a webcam, microphone and a stable internet connection. It is open book: you may use your course materials and the ISO 45001 standard, but you may not use the internet to search for answers. The questions test whether you can apply audit knowledge to scenarios, not whether you can recite clauses. For the wider exam picture, see our guide to the CQI IRCA ISO 45001 Lead Auditor exam.

What should you do before, during and after the course?

Spread your preparation across 3 stages, so that the exam feels like a natural end to the course rather than a separate project.

Our own guide to tips to pass the CQI IRCA ISO 45001:2018 Lead Auditor exam adds advice on reading the instructions carefully, answering easier questions first and using your own simple words.

The exam rewards people who can find the right clause quickly, so prepare your open-book toolkit as carefully as your knowledge.

How do you use the open book effectively?

Organize your standard and notes before exam day, because open book does not mean unlimited time to search.

• Tab or bookmark each ISO 45001 clause from 4 to 10, and the definitions in clause 3.
• Keep a one-page index of your course notes, with topics and page numbers.
• Have the ISO 45001 standard available in whatever form you will be permitted to use.
• Practice finding a clause in under a minute during your mock exams.
• Answer in your own words, using the standard to confirm, not to copy.

What should you do in the last 3 days before the exam?

Use the last 3 days to check your equipment and practice questions, not to learn new material.

CQI and IRCA advise completing these steps at least 3 days before the exam:

1. Confirm your computer, webcam, microphone and internet connection meet the exam requirements.
2. Test your webcam and microphone.
3. Confirm your login details for the CQI exam system.
4. Check that your exam location is suitable and quiet.
5. Gather your photo ID and your ISO 45001 standard.
6. Complete the practice questions provided for the Lead Auditor exam.

The full checklist is on the CQI and IRCA online exams page.

What happens after the exam?

CQI reviews the proctoring recording, and if there are no issues, results are available to your training provider within 10 UK working days.

If you believe a marking error or a poorly worded question affected your result, you can appeal within 14 calendar days. CQI and IRCA offer free resits only when a significant technical problem caused by the CQI online assessment system impaired your performance. Once you pass, you receive a certificate of achievement, and then you can apply for an auditor grade, as explained in our guide on the steps to become a certified ISO 45001 Lead Auditor.

Frequently asked questions

Where 3FOLD Training fits

3FOLD Training is a CQI IRCA Approved Training Partner (ATP 6039853), licensed by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) in Dubai. The ISO 45001 Lead Auditor course is delivered as 40 hours of Virtual Instructor Led Training (VILT), with learning management system (LMS) access for recordings and mock exams, and you can check the next available batch on the course page. We prepare you for the exam; CQI and IRCA examine and certify. Our sample exam Q&A is a useful warm-up alongside the official practice questions.