NEBOSH FAQs

NEBOSH stands for National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health, a UK awarding organisation offering professional qualifications in health, safety and environmental management.

NEBOSH training courses offer globally recognised vocationally-related qualifications designed to meet health, safety and risk management needs, in all places of work. Qualifications are recognised by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM).

The NEBOSH National General Certificate is an ideal starting point for people looking to begin a career in health and safety management or to formalise previous training. Both this and the NEBOSH International General Certificate do not require any previous health and safety knowledge but are a good basis for those looking to progress to a NEBOSH National Diploma.

A wide range of NEBOSH open courses are available for different needs and requirements including:

• NEBOSH National Diploma
• NEBOSH National General Certificate
• NEBOSH International General Certificate
• NEBOSH National Certificate in Construction Health and Safety
• NEBOSH National Certificate in Fire Safety and Risk Management

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 requires all employers to provide information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety at work of their employees.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 expand on this by setting out a number of specific situations where training must be provided. These include when employees first start work and when employees are exposed to new or increased risks. Under these regulations, workers (including contractors and self-employed associates) must be given adequate information and instruction by the host or main employer about the risks.

Employers need to know who is legally responsible for health and safety at work. They are required to appoint a ‘competent person’ to help them meet their health and safety duties. This person must have the necessary skills, experience and knowledge to manage health and safety. If the employer is not confident of their ability to manage the health and safety risks, external help or advice may be required.

NEBOSH courses are seen as the benchmark of a health and safety professional and as a result are closely linked with career progression and job security, with a significant number of health and safety job adverts specifying that applicants must hold a NEBOSH qualification.

The legal framework for health and safety is also a fundamental element of any NEBOSH qualification, providing the main legal requirements of health and safety within the UK, ensuring businesses and staff are meeting their legal responsibilities.

NEBOSH qualifications provide a sound awareness and understanding for professionals to meet health, safety and risk management needs in all places of work. Not only that, it gives delegates the tools to meet the changing demands within health and safety, and provide the skills to mentor and develop those around them.

Fostering an attitude of appreciation for lifelong learning is also key to workplace success. A NEBOSH course will build the foundations for holders to develop their skill set to add value to their organisation and for their own career development within a practical environment.

NEBOSH award level courses provide delegates with an introduction into basic health and safety principles and practices that can be adapted to suit any workplace.

NEBOSH Certificates are widely seen as the first step towards a career in health and safety, providing a good foundation in health and safety or environmental management systems and principles to help managers, supervisors and those in health and safety with their day-to-day responsibilities.

The NEBOSH National Diploma assists in the development of professional competence, increasing students’ ability to help organisations make sensible and proportionate decisions in order to manage risk, meet business objectives and regulations.

The simplest way to choose a particular course provider is by gauging opinion from others who’ve already undertaken training. Reviewing online reviews and testimonials will also highlight providers who give the best learning experience.

Researching a provider will also provide information on how much in-house experience they have. Tutor experience should also be a consideration when choosing a provider such as; their background, the qualifications they poses, how long they’ve been delivering training and the clearest indicator – what are their students’ pass rates.

If you’ve received a fail or referral the first thing to do is to speak to your course provider, whether you learnt online or in a classroom in order to discuss your result and look at possible reasons for your failure. They may also be able to help you with an action plan for sitting the exams again and improving upon your original mark.

On successful completion of a NEBOSH qualifications candidates studying the Certificate, Diploma and International Certificate will receive their certificates around 5 weeks after the results have been issued.

If you’re currently a member or an ex-member of the Armed Forces, the MOD’s Enhanced Learning Credits Administration Service (ELCAS) scheme provides its members with a wide range of level three or above workplace health and safety training courses to further their next career step.

The ELCAS scheme provides financial support in the form of a single up-front payment in each of a maximum of three separate financial years. Depending on your length of service, you can claim up to 80 per cent of any NEBOSH Certificate and Diploma level course fees. RoSPA works closely with ELCAS as a learning provider offering an array of NEBOSH courses for professionals within health and safety. For more information visit our website.

The NEBOSH National Diploma is a degree level qualification and therefore requires learners to study at a high standard over a long period. This is to make sure learners understand the concepts and more importantly, can apply them in a workplace scenario.

Previous experience of health and safety is strongly advised, and those applying without a sufficient background in the field may be refused.

The time it takes to get a NEBOSH Diploma depends on the dates set by the course provider, but learners on the face-to-face course can usually expect to gain their Diploma within six to nine months. The Diploma requires candidates to attend seven weeks of classroom teaching in total.

If you're looking to discover how much a Health and Safety course will cost, the table below explains the prices for each qualification, including NEBOSH courses and international diplomas and certificates. Every Occupational Health and Safety training course is assessed differently, but most include at least one open book exam and a work-based assessment.

NEBOSH courses are seen as the benchmark of a health and safety professional and as a result are closely linked with career progression and job security. According to the 2016 annual NEBOSH Jobs Barometer study, 83% of job advertisements demanded candidates hold a NEBOSH qualification and 45% of vacancies called for NEBOSH Certificate level qualifications.

The main difference between the two courses is the level at which they sit. The NEBOSH National General Certificate is a level 3 foundation course comparable to an A-level, whereas the NEBOSH National Diploma is a level 6 qualification comparable to an undergraduate degree.

The NEBOSH National Diploma is aimed at active health and safety professionals and is recognised as the benchmark for competent health and safety professionals. The NEBOSH National General Certificate however is aimed at everyone, not just those working within a health and safety role.

Both courses teach delegates to manage health and safety and control workplace hazards. However the NEBOSH National Diploma builds on the topics covered in the NEBOSH National General Certificate, but in much more detail. Furthermore, both qualifications are also recognised by employers, governments and professional memberships around the world.

The NEBOSH National General Certificate is a level 3 qualification which provides an excellent foundation in health and safety for managers, supervisors and people starting out on a career in health and safety. It is the most popular and recognised health and safety qualification of its kind with holders being able to identify, evaluate and control a wide range of workplace hazards.

The NEBOSH National Diploma builds upon the skills gained from the NEBOSH National General Certificate, and despite having no formal entry requirements, participants without previous health and safety qualifications or experience will find it difficult to pass.

This chart maps the relationship between NEBOSH training qualifications, and membership of IOSH. It shows you which NEBOSH course you will need to have successfully completed in order to meet the academic requirements for IOSH Membership at that level. It also shows which designatory letters you'll be able to use after your name. Please remember that categories of membership depend on a combination of academic qualifications, experience and achievement. If you have any queries please don't hesitate to contact our NEBOSH training advisors, either by phone or by email.

The NVQ Level 5 Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety offers an alternative route to CMIOSH status. Click here for our Training course advice for safety supervisors, officers and managers, which includes a comparison table outlining the pros and cons of the NEBOSH Diploma and NVQ safety routes to CMIOSH success. Should you require any additional assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact our training advisors, either by phone or by email.