NEBOSH National General Certificate

The NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety is ideal for managers in any industry or for those looking for or advancing within a career in health and safety.

Qualification Structure

Our courses are run over 10 days plus 1 day for your written exam (11 days to attend total):

NG1 - Management of Health and Safety
Understand why it's important to manage workplace health and safety, how to implement a H&S management system, how to manage risk and monitor performance.
This unit is assessed through the 2 hour exam.
NG2 - Risk Assessment
During the second element you'll cover typical risks you'll encounter in the workplace and how to assess and reduce the risk.
This unit is assessed through a workplace risk assessment project.

Recommended Learning Hours

• 68 classroom hours*
• 40 hours of self study

*Classroom hours will actually be higher studying with PSS, our lesson plan allows for time to discuss the project before you start and exam practice.
You have a break between weeks 1 and 2 and then between week 2 and the exam day. This is to give time for private study and personal revision.

Support During the Course - Google Classroom

One thing that sets a NEBOSH course with Project Skills Solutions apart from one with another provider is the support we provide.

Throughout your course you'll have access to our online support platform Google Classroom. You'll find resources on the platform to help you revise for your exam and complete your project. Resources include:

• Slide presentation handouts
• Mind maps
• Past exam papers
• Risk assessment project instructions and templates

You can post messages and questions to your tutor, classmates or the PSS admin team. So help is never far away.

Entry Requirements

There are no formal entry requirements for the NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety. However, the assessments are only offered and must be answered in English. Part of the qualification is a short written report based on the delegate's own workplace and must also be in English.

If you have any questions please contact the training team.

Level and UK Accreditation

The NEBOSH National General Certificate is accredited and credit rated by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA - www.sqa.org.uk) for delivery across the UK. It is rated within the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF - www.scqf.org.uk) at SCQF Level 6 with 15 SCQF credit points.
For users in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, this is comparable to a Vocationally Related Qualification (VRQ) at Level 3 within the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF), or A-Level standard.

Assessment Details

Each unit (NGC1 and GC2) is assessed by a 2-hour written examination to be taken after the 2 classroom weeks. You also have a practical assessment to be carried out on your workplace, if you are not working you can use hypothetical scenarios or situations from past experiences to complete your project.

NEBOSH Resources

Take a look at the NEBOSH resource page with their learner terms and conditions and policies.

NEBOSH Resources

Thinking of taking your NEBOSH National General Certificate? Project Skills Solutions offer th NEBOSH qualification at centres Nationwide or on your site. Get expert training, online support throughout and peace of mind with our pass promise.

NEBOSH Courses

Courses leading to NEBOSH qualifications attract around 50,000 candidates annually, with exams taken in over 120 countries around the world.
NEBOSH qualifications are recognised by the relevant professional membership bodies including the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) and IEMA.

Benefits For Employers

The vast majority of occupational injuries, incidents and ill-health are avoidable by good health and safety management. By saving money, improving productivity and raising workforce morale, effective health and safety management should be recognised as an essential element of a successful management strategy.

Many larger organisations choose the NEBOSH National General Certificate as a key part of
their supervisors’ or management development programme. Smaller organisations often only require their manager taking the lead on health and safety issues to hold the qualification.

Benefits For Delegates

• If health and safety is important to an employer your qualification can help to set you apart from competition for a job role.
• The minimum standard for a role in health and safety (92% of positions ask for a NEBOSH qualification or IOSH Membership).
• Internationally recognised qualification.
• Career progression.
• Gain IOSH membership.

Read a NEBOSH case study about Claire, who completed her NEBOSH National General Certificate to advance her career.

IOSH Membership

Once you have completed your NEBOSH National General Certificate course, you can gain IOSH membership, and letters after your name, first at Associate level, and then with experience Technical level.

• Improve career prospects.
• Keep up to date with with industry knowledge.
• Network with other safety professionals and companies.
• Get advice and expertise.

Find out more here.

Key Topics

By the end of your course you will be able to:

• Assist in the planning, implementation and review of an organisations health & safety policy.
• Understand the requirements of HSE legislation, codes of practice and the prosecution process.
• Undertake risk assessments and recommend suitable action.
• Investigate accidents and prepare reports in line with HSE legislation.
• Identify common hazards in the workplace and recommend suitable corrective measures.

See below the course syllabus for the NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety.

Unit NG1 - Management of Health and Safety

Element 1: Why we should manage workplace health and safety

• 1.1 Morals and money
• 1.2 The force of law – punishment and compensation
• 1.3 The most important legal duties for employers and workers
• 1.4 Managing contractors effectively

Element 2: How health and safety management systems work and what they look like

• 2.1 What they are and the benefits they bring
• 2.2 What good health and safety management systems look like

Element 3: Managing risk – understanding people and processes

• 3.1 Health and safety culture
• 3.2 Improving health and safety culture
• 3.3 How human factors influence behaviour positively or negatively
• 3.4 Assessing risk
• 3.5 Management of change
• 3.6 Safe systems of work for general work activities
• 3.7 Permit-to-work systems
• 3.8 Emergency procedures

Element 4: Health and safety monitoring and measuring

• 4.1 Active and reactive monitoring
• 4.2 Investigating incidents
• 4.3 Health and safety auditing
• 4.4 Review of health and safety performance

Unit NG2 - Risk Assessment

Element 5: Physical and psychological health

• 5.1 Noise
• 5.2 Vibration
• 5.3 Radiation
• 5.4 Mental health
• 5.5 Violence at work
• 5.6 Substance abuse at work

Element 6: Musculoskeletal health

• 6.1 Work-related upper limb disorder
• 6.2 Manual handling
• 6.3 Load-handling equipment

Element 7: Chemical and biological agents

• 7.1 Hazardous substances
• 7.2 Assessment of health risks
• 7.3 Occupational exposure limits
• 7.4 Control measures
• 7.5 Specific agents

Element 8: General workplace issues

• 8.1 Health, welfare and work environment
• 8.2 Working at height
• 8.3 Safe working in confined spaces
• 8.4 Lone working
• 8.5 Slips and trips
• 8.6 Safe movement of people and vehicles in the workplace
• 8.7 Work-related driving

Element 9: Work equipment

• 9.1 General requirements
• 9.2 Hand-held tools
• 9.3 Machinery hazards
• 9.4 Control measures for machinery

Element 10: Fire

• 10.1 Fire principles
• 10.2 Preventing fire and fire spread
• 10.3 Fire alarms and fire-fighting
• 10.4 Fire evacuation

Element 11: Electricity

• 11.1 Hazards and risks
• 11.2 Control measures

Assessment

NG1 2 hour exam
NG2 Practical – Risk assessment (around 3 hours)

Practical – Risk assessment

The aim of the practical assessment is to show you now have the skills to complete a risk assessment of your workplace. Perfect to show off your new skills and apply them right away in a real-world situation.

To help complete your assessment you’ll be provided with a thorough guidance document, a checklist you can use to make sure you include everything in your submission and an example submission. Before starting your risk assessment you should complete the NEBOSH syllabus, elements 1 to 11.

During your course, your tutor will spend time discussing the project with the group using homework and activities to get you thinking in practical terms.

So how long should the risk assessment take? NEBOSH advise it should take around 3 hours to complete, but this can vary. Keep in mind the practical is not about creating huge amounts of paperwork, much like in the real world it’s about identifying realistic and sensible measures to control risks in the workplace.

The practical is based on the HSE’s approach to risk assessment, and information on the HSE website can help you if you’d like to do some further reading.

Stages of the assessment:

1. Description of the organisation and methodology used
2. Risk assessment
3. Prioritise 3 actions with justification
4. Review, communicate and check

Information on the old syllabus

NEBOSH update their syllabus in line with current research and how workplaces adapt to modern challenges. Their latest update included some changes in how delegates are assessed.

Previously delegates were assessed by 2 written exams and 1 project. Now delegates will be assessed with 1 written exam and 1 workplace project.

The changes are designed to give delegates more hands-on skills to take back to the workplace.

Save money and train your team together, tailor content towards your organisation and choose training days to suit your schedule. Contact us about a group onsite NEBOSH course now.

Same great course

Your course is exactly the same NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety you would attend at 1 of our 15 Nationwide training centres but can include specific health and safety content relevant to your organisation.

Save money

Training your staff together as a group can save you money and make your NEBOSH course more cost effective. Call or chat with the team now to find out how much you can save.