The NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety — the NEBOSH GIC — is a globally recognised qualification for managing risk at work. It is built around what employers actually need someone to be able to do, rather than what is easy to examine.
The syllabus is deliberately streamlined so core skills are covered in depth. It runs as two units: one on managing health and safety, one on assessing risk.
What you will be able to do
- Justify health and safety improvements using moral, financial and legal arguments
- Advise on the main duties for health and safety in the workplace, and help your organisation manage contractors
- Work within a health and safety management system, and recognise what effective policy, responsibilities and arrangements look like
- Positively influence health and safety culture and behaviour
- Carry out a general risk assessment in your own workplace — profiling and prioritising risks, inspecting, recognising common hazards, evaluating risks against current controls, and recommending further measures
- Recognise workplace changes with significant health and safety impacts, and ways to minimise them
- Develop basic safe systems of work, including for typical emergencies, and know when a permit-to-work is needed
- Take part in incident investigations
- Help your employer check whether the management system is working, through monitoring, audits and reviews
Key facts
| Units | GIC1 — Management of health and safety GIC2 — Risk assessment |
|---|---|
| Assessment | GIC1 — open book examination with a short closing interview GIC2 — workplace-based practical risk assessment |
| Assessment time | GIC1 — 24 hours to submit, around 3 hours of work GIC2 — around 4 hours recommended, 10 working days to submit |
| Duration of study | 10 days, plus a day for the examination |
| Level | SQA Accreditation at SCQF Level 6, with 11 credits (equivalent to RQF Level 3) |
| Entry requirements | None specified. NEBOSH recommends a standard of English equivalent to IELTS 6.0 or a Grade C at GCSE O Level |
| Pass standard | GIC2 has a minimum pass mark of 60%. Both units must be passed |
The open book examination replaced the old three-hour written paper, which means you sit it at a location that suits you rather than in an examination hall. Our syllabus update covers how both assessments now work in detail.
Course outline
GIC1 — Management of health and safety
- Why we should manage workplace health and safety
- How health and safety management systems work, and what they look like
- Managing risk — understanding people and processes
- Health and safety monitoring and measuring
GIC2 — Risk assessment
- Physical and psychological health
- Musculoskeletal health
- Chemical and biological agents
- General workplace issues
- Work equipment
- Fire
- Electricity
Why study with us
- An accredited NEBOSH Learning Partner, accredited by SHENA and by the Brunei Darussalam National Accreditation Council (Ref. KP/MKPK/B/139(1a))
- In-house tutors who are practitioners themselves and active members of IOSH and NEBOSH
- Interactive quizzes, group activities, syndicate exercises, daily revision tests and model exams
- Question banks worked through with experienced tutors
- Support from our tutors until you pass
- Free pre-registration guidance and HSE career advice
One of our learners went on to receive NEBOSH’s award for the highest distinction worldwide.
Next steps
You can see upcoming intakes and what the course covers on the NEBOSH GIC course page, or browse all our NEBOSH courses. Not sure whether the GIC or IOSH (UK) Managing Safely is the better fit? Our comparison of the two should help.
For assessment dates and preparation material, see the NEBOSH digital assessments pages. Otherwise, talk to us.
Updated in August 2026 for the revised NEBOSH syllabus, under which the units are now GIC1 and GIC2. Originally published in September 2021.