NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety

NEBOSH has introduced open book exams for both the NEBOSH National and International General Certificates – units NG1, IG1, NGC1 and IGC1. This replaces in-person closed book exams and enables learners to sit their NEBOSH assessment in their own home or another safe and suitable location.

This NEBOSH Level 3 International Certificate is equivalent to an A Level on the National Qualification Framework. The NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety has been accredited and credit rated by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) Accreditation. It sits in the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) at SCQF Level 6 with 11 SCQF credit points.

All of your study materials are held on our award-winning learning platform which you can access at any time including:

• Downloadable reading materials written and created by our own Technical Director and adult learning designers in an easy to use format
• Interactive activities that help you learn faster and keep you interested, focused and motivated
• Practice activities that bring concepts to life and apply theories to real life scenarios, so you'll know just what to do in your own workplace
• Web links to additional resources all in one place, so you can learn more about a subject without having to search for your own answers
• Discussion boards so you can stay connected with other learners and your online tutor at all times
• Exam preparation and revision webinars to increase your chance of passing and take the stress out of your exam day

Choosing a provider for a course like the NEBOSH General Certificate can be really difficult for 2 reasons.

1. Because there are so many providers
2. Because you want to ensure you get the best value for money

There are many ways to help you choose which provider is best for you. We always recommend looking at online reviews and testimonials to understand things such as course quality and level of customer service. However, it is also important to consider things like the types of learning they provide, what course material you will be provided with and how much tutor support you'll get.

Finally, pass marks are also important to consider. You need to have confidence that your provider will help you gain that all important pass mark so ensure you check out what their pass rates are and how students are prepared for their exams at the end of the course.

Read more on choosing a NEBOSH General Certificate provider.

The NEBOSH IGC course is an ideal place to start as it gives a broad grounding in the field of health and safety. The NEBOSH International Diploma course will build on knowledge gained at this level. Whilst it is not mandatory to have a pre-qualification to take the NEBOSH International Diploma, it is very highly recommended you have either the NEBOSH International General Certificate or at least 5 years of health and safety work experience.

The NEBOSH National General Certificate and NEBOSH International General Certificate are both versions of the NEBOSH General Certificate. The National General Certificate course is available in the UK only and the International General Certificate is available to all countries outside of the UK.

They’re the same level, have the same units, elements and learning outcomes and they both follow the same exam structure and grading system.

The course content isn’t that much different either. They both teach you how to manage health and safety based on the “Plan-Do-Check-Act” management system. But they reference different legislation and regulations in the finer details.

Yes, the NEBOSH International General Certificate qualification is accredited by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), as well as the Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM).

Holders of the NEBOSH International General Certificate are entitled to Associate Membership (AIOSH) of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH). The qualification also meets the academic requirements for Technical Membership (Tech IOSH) of IOSH

According to ILO and EU-OSHA research, work-related injury and illness result in the loss of 3.9% of GDP worldwide, at an annual cost of roughly €2,680 billion.

Qualified health and safety professions also ensure fellow employees go home safely to their families at the end of every day.

The NEBOSH International General Certificate is trusted by many prestigious organisations such as Maersk, Shell, BP, Skanska, Nestle and the Dubai World Trade Centre. It can help to:

• Minimise workplace injuries and illness.
• Boost employee wellbeing.
• Demonstrate your commitment to health and safety, which can help win business.
• Strengthen your health and safety culture.
• Ensure your organisation has valuable in-house health and safety expertise.

Once you have completed the NEBOSH International General Certificate open book exam will be required to take a closing interview. The closing interview is a short discussion that takes approximately 15-minutes.

The purpose of the interview is to just confirm your identity and check that the work that you submitted during the open book exam is your contribution and that you did not have any other assistance. The closing interview takes place via a video call, and at Astutis we usually use Microsoft Teams which is easy to access on any PC or mobile device.

During the interview you will be asked to provide either your passport, driving licence or national identity card. The interviewer will also ask you to show the room that or environment that you are taking the interview in to ensure you don’t have access to notes.

The questions you will be asked during the interview will relate to the questions you answered in the open-book interview.The closing interview is not an assessment, so you won’t receive a mark. If the interviewer is happy that the work is your own, your mark will be published in line with NEBOSH timeframes.

The two-step assessment process for the NEBOSH International General Certificate, which checks what you know and can do, consists of:

- An open book examination
- A practical risk assessment.

Both assessments are marked by external examiners appointed by NEBOSH. These examiners are chosen for their experience and expertise to ensure that learners are assessed by the very best from the industry.

The NEBOSH International General Certificate has no entry requirements or previous qualification experience, except that learners have suitable understanding of the English language to comprehend and analyse concepts discussed.

Who can apply for a NEBOSH International General Certificate?

Held by people in over 167 countries, the NEBOSH International General Certificate is favoured by those who want to be recognised for their health and safety skills and knowledge.

Having the NEBOSH International General Certificate (IGC) is good for your career prospects as it both boosts your standing in your current role and can help you progress. The qualification is:

- Relevant to every workplace.
- Ideal for managers, supervisors and anybody else with health and safety management responsibilities.
- Perfect for those who want to develop a health and safety career with a valuable, globally respected qualification from NEBOSH.

This is a Certificate awarded to those who have passed the NEBOSH International General Certificate course. This exam is designed to be taken by anyone in the world, and it measures knowledge and understanding of health and safety issues in the workplace.

Our NEBOSH International General Certificate interviewers are chosen for their NEBOSH examination expertise. External examiners mark both assessments and are appointed by NEBOSH. Each examiner assures candidates are assessed fairly by the best in the industry.