Choosing a Health and Safety Course | NEBOSH Certificate vs NVQ Level 3 vs IOSH Managing Safely

Choosing a health and safety course can be a bit of a nightmare, especially when you're new to the industry. Which accrediting body do I go with? Which course will get me more job opportunities? What will I learn? How do I want to study? 

These are all valid questions, I'm sure you're asking yourself. And we're here to answer them for you. 

There are three main courses for health and safety beginners in the UK:

• NEBOSH General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety
• NVQ Level 3 Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety
• IOSH Managing Safely

They'll all get the ball rolling on your health and safety career. But they all offer a different learning experience. Here are some of the main differences between the 3 courses to help you decide which one is best for you. 

Which Entry Level Health and Safety Course is Best?

NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety

The NEBOSH General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety (NGC) is the most trusted health and safety course in the world. Over 250,000 learners have passed the course since it was launched.

The course gives you an understanding of how to manage general workplace issues and covers all the areas you would expect to encounter in a health and safety role. Like HSE legislation, management systems, risk assessment, accident and incident investigations, safe systems of work, reporting, performance reviews, hazard control and more.

The NEBOSH General Certificate equips people with everything they need to know and do to make their workplace safer: combining knowledge and practical skills. It gives employers the confidence that NEBOSH Certificate qualified staff have the key skills to manage health and safety effectively. There are a whole host of benefits for employees and upsides for employers.

Because it's a foundation level course, you don't need any health and safety experience or knowledge to take it, which makes it suitable for everyone from HR managers and general supervisors, to budding health and safety officers and even company directors. 

The NEBOSH General Certificate is largely recognised as the essential course for those starting out in health and safety. It provides a starting point for other NEBOSH courses, like the NEBOSH Diploma or NEBOSH Construction Certificate.  

The NEBOSH General Certificate is assessed in a two-step process:

• GNC1/GIC1: An online open book exam (OBE).
• GNC2/GIC2: A workplace-based practical risk assessment.

You need to pass both assessments to achieve your course.

The open book exam replaces the 2-hour written exam for Unit GNC1/GIC1 of the NEBOSH General Certificate. You can now sit both of your NEBOSH exams in your own home or another safe and suitable location.

NEBOSH also offer an International version of the course for people working outside of the UK. For a full guide on everything you need to know before.

NEBOSH General Certificate Syllabus

The NEBOSH General Certificate has 2 units. 

GNC1/GIC1 - a taught unit to develop your knowledge. This is split into 11 elements:

• Element 1: Why we should manage workplace health and safety
• Element 2: How health and safety management systems work and what they look like
• Element 3: Managing risk – understanding people and processes
• Element 4: Health and safety monitoring and measuring
• Element 5: Physical and psychological health
• Element 6: Musculoskeletal health
• Element 7: Chemical and biological agents
• Element 8: General workplace issues
• Element 9: Work equipment
• Element 10: Fire
• Element 11: Electricity 

GNC2/GIC2 - a practical unit to develop your skills. This consists of a practical risk assessment. 

How Long Is the NEBOSH General Certificate?

The NEBOSH General Certificate has a recommended study time of between 110-125 hours. But how you carry out those study hours depends on the learning method you choose: Classroom, Virtual Classroom, Online or Onlineplus+

Online and Virtual Classroom are the most popular learning methods for taking the NEBOSH Certificate course.

How Is the Course Assessed?

The NEBOSH General Certificate has two assessments:

• GNC1: Online open-book exam
• GNC2: Practical risk assessment

To find out more about these assessments, you can view our ultimate guide.

Where Is it Recognised?

NEBOSH (The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health) is an awarding body in health and safety. Their course attracts 70,000 learners worldwide each year, with exams taken in over 120 countries. 

"More than a third (38%) of vacancies called for a NEBOSH Certificate level course...Overall, 92% of [health and safety job advertisements] asked for either some form of NEBOSH course and/or Membership of IOSH" - NEBOSH Jobs Barometer

The NEBOSH General Certificate meets the requirements for membership of professional bodies, including:

• Associate Membership of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (AIOSH)
• Technical Membership of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (TechIOSH)
• Associate Membership of the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM)

It also provides a solid foundation for further study. Many learners go on to take their NEBOSH National Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety and become competent safety professionals with much greater responsibility and higher salaries.

NVQ Level 3 in Occupational Health and Safety

The NVQ Level 3 Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety is a work-related, competency based course. It won't necessarily teach you anything new, but it'll help you assess your current knowledge and skills by submitting evidence of your workplace activities.

Completion of the NVQ can take as little as 4 weeks, as long as you are prepared to work with the NVQ assessor and gather the right portfolio of evidence. There are 5 mandatory units to complete and two optional units to choose from. 

Because it's a work-based course, you'll need to already be working in a health and safety role with a good level of responsibility. The NVQ is completed through the assessment of the portfolio of evidence. So if the thought of studying and taking exams scares you, then this will be a good option. 

NVQ Level 3 Syllabus

To get your NVQ certificate, you need to achieve a total of 31 credits: 23 credits from the mandatory units (301-305) and a minimum of 8 credits from the optional units (306-309):

• Unit 301: Ensure responsibility for actions to reduce risks to health and safety (4 credits).
• Unit 302: Develop procedures to safely control work operations (4 credits).
• Unit 303: Monitor procedures to safely control work operations (5 credits).
• Unit 304: Promote a culture of health and safety in the workplace (4 credits).
• Unit 305: Conduct a health and safety risk assessment of the workplace (6 credits).
• Unit 306: Investigate and evaluate health and safety incidents and complaints in the workplace (5 credits).
• Unit 307: Make sure actions in the workplace aim to protect the environment (4 credits).
• Unit 308: Review health and safety procedures in the workplace (4 credits).
• Unit 309: Supervise the health, safety and welfare of a learner in the workplace (4 credits).

How Long is the NVQ Level 3?

The NVQ is completed in your own time and workplace. It usually takes between 6-24 months to achieve, but again, the duration of tutor support will vary between course providers.

How Is the Course Assessed?

The NVQ level 3 certificate is entirely work-based with no formal exams or assignments. Instead, you are assessed through a portfolio of evidence based on the criteria within the course.

Where Is it Recognised?

The NVQ level 3 certificate is awarded by City and Guilds, an international leader in skills development across a spectrum of industries. It meets the requirements for professional membership including:

• Technical Membership of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (TechIOSH)
• Associate Membership of the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM)

IOSH Managing Safely

The IOSH Managing Safely course is a well-established course designed for managers, supervisors, and team leaders in any sector or organisation. It provides a practical understanding of how to manage health and safety in the workplace. The course is business-focused and aims to ensure that learners are equipped with the knowledge to handle current safety and health issues within their organisations.

It focuses on both short-term and long-term health and safety management, helping employers adopt best practices. The course highlights key aspects such as "how to drive" safety programs and instil cultural change, improving overall workplace safety.

Additionally, the course covers health and well-being management, including identifying and controlling health hazards, conducting health assessments, and understanding trends in global health and safety practices.

IOSH Managing Safely Course Syllabus

The IOSH Managing Safely course consists of seven modules:

• Introducing Managing Safely – A basic introduction to why health and safety are important.
• Assessing Risks – How to identify and assess risks in the workplace.
• Controlling Risks – Steps to control identified risks effectively.
• Understanding Responsibilities – Knowing the health and safety responsibilities of managers and team leaders.
• Understanding Hazards – Identifying common workplace hazards.
• Investigating Incidents – Learning how to investigate workplace incidents and near-misses.
• Measuring Performance – Methods for monitoring and measuring health and safety performance in the workplace.

How Long Is the IOSH Managing Safely Course?

The IOSH Managing Safely course typically takes three to four days to complete in a classroom setting. However, there are options to study the course via the online route, which allows learners to manage their time more flexibly without the need for travel and other costs.

How Is the Course Assessed?

At the end of the course, there is a 45-minute multiple-choice test consisting of 30 questions. There is also a risk assessment project that you will carry out in your own workplace. This project must be completed within two weeks of sitting the written test.

For the risk assessment project, learners are required to carry out a risk assessment of a workplace of their choice. They need to identify four separate hazards from the categories covered in the IOSH Managing Safely syllabus: 

• Mechanical.
• Physical.
• Chemical.
• Environmental.
• Biological.
• Organisational.

For each of your identified hazards, you need to decide:

• The likelihood of an event occurring.
• Who might be harmed.
• Control measures.
• Actions.

For more detailed advice on the risk assessment project read our guidance on how to study effectively on the course and how to complete the Risk Assessment Project successfully.

Where Is it Recognised?

The course is globally recognised and approved by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), the world’s largest professional health and safety organisation. This course demonstrates that learners have a strong understanding of managing workplace health and safety, making it a widely respected certification in many industries around the world.

What Entry-Level Courses Are Available for Health and Safety?

Entry level courses are available right here on the Astutis website. We have both the NEBOSH General Certificate and IOSH Managing Safely available in a variety of learning methods, such as:

• Online
• Virtual
• Classroom
• On-Site

All of our courses are fully customisable and we can adapt the material to suit your organisational needs. To get started on your health and safety training journey, we recommend you take a look at our full course catalogue, by clicking the button below.