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A Guide to the NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety

NEBOSH courses are globally-recognised and learners come from all types of backgrounds, industries and sectors, as well as national and local government organisations.

The NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety (NEBOSH IGC) is the most trusted health and safety qualification of its kind in the world. It is designed to reflect the needs of today’s employers giving learners everything they need to know and do to make their workplace safer.

NEBOSH has updated the IGC where the new syllabus has been streamlined to allow core skills and competencies to be considered in greater depth. The course now consists of two main units that cover the fundamentals of health and safety management and a deep-dive into the various types of risks found in the workplace.

Upon completion of this course, learners should be able to:

  • 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 their organisation manage contractors
  • Work within a health and safety management system, recognising what effective policy, organisational responsibilities and arrangements should look like
  • Positively influence health and safety culture and behaviour to improve performance in their organisation
  • Do a general risk assessment in their own workplace – profiling and prioritising risks, inspecting the workplace, recognising a range of common hazards, evaluating risks (taking account of current controls), recommending further control measures, planning actions
  • Recognise workplace changes that have significant health and safety impacts and effective ways to minimise those impacts
  • Develop basic safe systems of work (including taking account of typical emergencies) and knowing when to use permit-to-work systems for special risks
  • Take part in incident investigations
  • Help their employer to check their management system effectiveness– through monitoring, audits and reviews.

NEBOSH IGC – Key Facts

Title of UnitsUnit IG1: Management of health and safety
Unit IG2: Risk assessment
Assessment(s)Assessment Type
Unit IG1 – Online Open Book Exam (OBE) Assessment + Closing Interview
Unit IG2 – Practical assessment
Assessment Time
24 hours
3 hours
Duration of study10 Days
Qualification levels and
number of credits
National SCQF Level 6 with 11 credits
(Equivalent to RQF Level 3)
Entry requirementsNone specified – but NEBOSH recommends that learners undertaking this qualification should have a sound understanding and working standard of English equivalent to an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 6.0 or higher in IELTS tests (equivalent to a Grade C in the GSCE O Level in English).
Pass standardsUnit IG1: 45 marks
Unit IG2: Pass or Refer (Fail)
Qualification gradesPass: 45-64 marks
Credit: 65-74 marks
Distinction: 75+ marks
Learners must successfully pass both units to achieve the NEBOSH International General Certificate.

The Open Book Exam (OBE) Assessment replaces the 3-hour written exam for Unit IG1 of the NEBOSH International General Certificate. This enables learners to sit for their NEBOSH assessments on their own at a safe and suitable location.

Outline of Course

Unit IG1 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

Unit IG2 Risk Assessment

  • Physical and psychological health
  • Musculoskeletal health
  • Chemical and biological agents
  • General workplace issues
  • Work equipment
  • Fire
  • Electricity

Upcoming Exam Dates

Registration for NEBOSH exam must be done at least 2 weeks before chosen exam date.

IG1 Exam Dates – Open Book Examination (OBE)

For the latest assessment dates, please visit Digital assessments for certificate qualifications.

Why Choose Cortex Training & Development?

  • We are accredited by SHENA and Brunei Darussalam National Accreditation Council (BDNAC) Ref. KP/MKPK/B/139(1a).
  • Highly rated and dedicated in-house tutors who are active members of IOSH and NEBOSH.
  • Quality training with interactive quizzes, group activities, syndicate exercises, daily revision tests and model exams.
  • Effective and results-oriented learning environment.
  • Latest pass exam question banks to be explored with our experienced trainers.
  • Unlimited training and support from tutors until you pass the exam.
  • FREE pre-registration and HSE career advice from our tutors.

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Further Reading

NEBOSH Resources webpage.

We Are CortexTD

Cortex Training & Development is an approved training provider for IOSH, NEBOSH and CIEH courses.

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