Top 5 Health and Safety Courses for Construction | Comparisons and Purchase Guide

As someone who has guided thousands of construction professionals through their health and safety education journey over the past decade, I've seen firsthand how the right qualification can transform careers and save lives.

The construction industry remains one of the most hazardous sectors, with over 35 fatalities and thousands of serious injuries reported annually in the UK alone.

Choosing the appropriate health and safety course for your industry will ensure you are fully aware of all the potential specific risks that are perhaps more niche.

Having worked with site managers, contractors, safety advisors, and directors across major construction projects and provided them with recommendations, I've identified five essential courses that consistently deliver real-world impact. Each serves different career stages and responsibilities, from foundational awareness to advanced management capabilities.

Which Health and Safety Course Is Best for Construction?

The optimal course depends on your role, experience level, and career objectives. For construction-specific expertise, the NEBOSH Health and Safety Management for Construction stand out as the industry gold standard. However, if you're new to health and safety or work across multiple sectors, the NEBOSH General Certificate provides broader foundational knowledge that's equally valuable.

For those specifically dealing with Construction Design and Management (CDM) regulations, our CDM courses offer targeted expertise. Meanwhile, IOSH Managing Safely serves managers across all industries who need practical health and safety leadership skills.

Let me walk you through each option to help you make the best choice for your situation.

NEBOSH Health and Safety Management for Construction

This qualification is the crown jewel for construction health and safety professionals. I regularly recommend it to site managers, contract managers, and safety advisors who want to establish themselves as construction safety experts. The course is built around the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, making it immediately applicable to your daily work.

What sets this qualification apart is its practical focus. Unlike generic health and safety courses, every module addresses real construction scenarios you'll encounter on-site.

I've seen graduates use their learning immediately to implement safer excavation procedures, improve mobile plant operations, and develop comprehensive construction phase plans.

The course offers excellent career progression opportunities, with many graduates securing roles with salaries between £45,000-£65,000. It's also recognised internationally, opening doors beyond the UK market.

NEBOSH Construction Syllabus

The course covers 13 comprehensive elements spanning 116 hours of online learning or 10 days of virtual learning:

• Element 1: Construction health and safety management foundations, covering CDM 2015, site assessment, control measures and more.
• Element 2: Health and safety culture and risk assessment.
• Element 3: Managing change, safe systems of work, permit-to-work systems, and emergency procedures.
• Elements 4-6: Specific construction activities including excavation, demolition, and mobile plant/vehicle operations.
• Elements 7-9: Working at height, musculoskeletal health, and work equipment safety.
• Elements 10-13: Electrical safety, fire prevention, chemical and biological agents, and physical/psychological health.

Each element includes real construction case studies and practical applications we’ve developed from working with major contractors like Balfour Beatty and Skanska.

How Long Is the NEBOSH Construction Certificate?

The course requires 116 learning hours online. Most students complete it within 6-8 weeks when studying part-time.  In virtual classrooms or on-site learning, the course will require 10 days. The assessment consists of a single open-book exam featuring a construction site case study with practical risk assessment tasks.

NEBOSH General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety

Broadly speaking, this is the world's most trusted foundational health and safety qualification, and for good reason. I often recommend it to construction professionals who work across multiple sectors or those new to formal health and safety education. It's particularly valuable for directors and senior managers who need broad health and safety knowledge rather than construction-specific expertise.

The qualification also serves as an excellent stepping stone. Many of our learners have used it as a foundation before progressing to the Construction Certificate or other specialised qualifications. It's also perfect for smaller construction businesses where individuals wear multiple hats.

NEBOSH General Certificate Syllabus

The course covers 11 comprehensive elements across approximately 110-125 learning hours:

• Elements 1-2: Legal duties, managing contractor frameworks and health and safety management systems.
• Elements 3-4: Understanding people, processes, and performance monitoring with lessons on safe systems of work, Permit-to-Work systems and emergency procedures.
• Elements 5-6: Physical/psychological health and musculoskeletal disorders.
• Elements 7-8: Chemical/biological agents and general workplace issues (working from height, slips and trips, work-related driving, etc.).
• Elements 9-11: Work equipment, fire safety, and electrical hazards.

The syllabus is regularly updated with input from industry experts, ensuring relevance across all sectors.

How Long Is the NEBOSH General Certificate?

Students typically need 3-6 months to complete the online course, which they can spread out as they maintain their current work duties. The online course takes 110-125 hours to complete, and both virtual and classroom options are delivered over 10 days across two weeks.

Assessment includes an open-book exam (NG1/IG1) and a practical risk assessment project (NG2/IG2) based on your actual workplace.

CDM 2015 in Practice

This course is essential for anyone directly involved in construction project management, design, or client duties under CDM regulations. I particularly recommend it to project managers, principal contractors, and client representatives who need a deep understanding of their legal obligations.

The course excels in its practical approach to CDM compliance. Students learn to create construction phase plans, manage pre-construction information, and coordinate effectively between duty holders. I've seen graduates transform their project management approach, resulting in smoother handovers and significantly improved safety records.

CDM In Practice Syllabus

The course covers five detailed modules:

• Part 1: CDM 2015 introduction, scope, and key terminology
• Part 2: Client duties and responsibilities under the new regulations
• Part 3: Interactive duties between the five key duty holders
• Part 4: General health and safety requirements for construction sites
• Part 5: Essential documentation, including notifications, construction phase plans, and health and safety files

Each module includes practical exercises based on real construction projects I've managed or consulted on.

How Long Is the CDM In Practice?

The course takes 4-8 hours online or 2 days in a classroom setting. It includes an online multiple-choice assessment, with certificates issued immediately upon successful completion.

CDM Awareness

Perfect for those new to CDM regulations or needing a foundational understanding. I recommend this to junior site staff, new project team members, or anyone requiring basic CDM knowledge without the depth of the full “in Practice” course.

This course provides essential awareness without overwhelming detail, making it ideal for busy construction professionals who need compliance knowledge quickly.

CDM Awareness Syllabus

The course includes five focused modules:

• Part 1: Introduction to CDM 2015 regulations
• Part 2: Client duties and responsibilities
• Part 3: Health and safety duties and roles across all duty holders
• Part 4: General requirements for construction sites
• Part 5: Fire enforcement and regulatory schedules

How Long Is the CDM Awareness?

This is a one-day course designed for maximum efficiency. It's perfect for team training sessions or individuals needing quick compliance knowledge. Great if you’re struggling to spare the training days and need a quick induction.

IOSH Managing Safely®

This internationally recognised qualification is perfect for construction managers and supervisors who need practical leadership skills in health and safety. I often recommend it to site managers, team leaders, and supervisors who need to influence safety culture and behaviour across their teams.

The course's strength lies in its focus on practical management skills rather than technical expertise. Graduates develop confidence in leading safety discussions, conducting meaningful risk assessments, and creating positive safety cultures.

However, if you’re looking for something specific to construction, you may want to enrol on some of the previous options.

IOSH Managing Safely Syllabus

The course covers eight comprehensive modules:

• Modules 1-2: Introducing managing risk and assessing workplace risks.
• Modules 3-4: Understanding legal responsibilities and identifying common hazards.
• Modules 5-6: Controlling risks and investigating accidents/incidents.
• Modules 7-8: Measuring performance and human factors in safety.

The bonus Human Factors module is particularly valuable for construction managers dealing with diverse teams and challenging work environments.

How Long Is the IOSH Managing Safely?

The course requires 24 hours of study, available online, virtually, or in-person over three days. Assessment includes a 45-minute 30-question knowledge test and a practical workplace risk assessment project.

Where Can I Take These Courses?

All five courses are available through Astutis. We’ve had the privilege of helping thousands of construction professionals advance their careers. As an award-winning training provider with an 82% NEBOSH first-time pass rate, we offer flexible learning options including classroom, online, virtual classroom, and on-site training.

Our transparent pricing means no hidden costs, and all course fees include registration, exam costs, learning materials, and comprehensive tutor support. We also offer flexible payment options through Klarna for eligible students.

Whether you're a site manager looking to specialise in construction safety, a project director needing broad health and safety knowledge, or a team leader wanting to improve your safety leadership skills, there's a course that will meet your needs.

Ready to invest in your health and safety expertise? Visit our course pages for detailed information and enrolment:

• NEBOSH Construction Certificate
• NEBOSH General Certificate
• CDM In Practice
• CDM Awareness
• IOSH Managing Safely

The construction industry needs skilled health and safety professionals now more than ever. Be part of the solution.