NEBOSH sanctions for accreditation non-compliance

NEBOSH operates a sliding scale of sanctions for course providers based on level and
frequency of irregularities in accordance with regulatory requirements, as set out below
and overleaf.

Non-compliance

Sanction

Rationale

1.1

Course providers aims, policies and assessment

practices, and responsibilities of personnel are
not clear or well understood by tutorial team
Internal verification procedures not clearly
documented
Communication with the tutorial team and with
NEBOSH is ineffective
Queries are not resolved or recorded
Changes to personnel of the assessment team
are not notified to NEBOSH

Level 1
Increased
monitoring

Non-compliance with
approved course provider
criteria but no threat to the
integrity of assessment

Equipment and accommodation do not comply

with health and safety legislation
Choice of assessment venues does not ensure
equality of access for all candidates of the
course provider
Candidates are not aware of their rights or
responsibilities, eg, no complaints and/or
appeals procedure for candidates
There are inadequate procedures for monitoring
or review
Records are insufficient to allow audit of
assessment
Previously agreed corrective measures relating
to level 1 non-compliance have not been
implemented

Level 2
As Level 1
plus:
impositions of
conditions of
accreditation

Non-compliance with
approved course provider
criteria presents threat to
the delivery of the course

Assessment process disadvantages candidates

with particular requirements
Assessment decisions are unfair
Previously agreed corrective measures relating
to level 2 non-compliance have not been
implemented
Course material(s) are assessed as being below
the standard required

Level 3
As Level 2
plus:
Suspension of
candidate
registration

Threat to candidates

1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5

2.1
2.2

2.3

2.4
2.5
2.6

3.1
3.2
3.3

3.4

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Non-compliance

Sanction

Rationale

4.1

Assessed evidence is not the authentic work of

candidates
Examinations not carried out under defined
conditions
Records of assessment show serious anomalies
Failure to co-operate with NEBOSH monitoring
activities
Failure to co-operate with investigation by
NEBOSH of allegations of suspected malpractice
Previously agreed corrective measures relating
to level 3 non-compliance have not been
implemented

Level 4
As Level 3
plus:
Withholding of
certificates

Threat to integrity of
qualification

Significant faults in the management and quality

assurance of the NEBOSH programme that
result in an ongoing failure to meet the core
requirements for the conduct of a NEBOSH
course provider
Previously agreed corrective measures relating
to level 4 non-compliance have not been
implemented

Level 5
As Level 4
plus:
Withdrawal of
accredited
course
provider status
for particular
qualification

Irretrievable breakdown in
management and quality
assurance of specific
NEBOSH courses run by
the course provider

Significant faults in the management and quality

assurance of the NEBOSH programme that
result in an ongoing failure to meet the core
requirements for the conduct of a NEBOSH
course provider
Previously agreed corrective measures relating
to level 5 non-compliance have not been
implemented

Level 6
As Level 5
plus:
Withdrawal of
accredited
course
provider status
for all
NEBOSH
qualifications

Irretrievable breakdown in
management and quality.

4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6

5.1

5.2

6.1

6.2

Notes to the Table of Sanctions

Guidance on Interpretation
The sanctions outlined in 4 represent a minimum tariff of response to identified non-compliances,
but there will be circumstances where NEBOSH may judge that a higher level of sanction is
appropriate and justified.
Combinations
A combination of non-compliances at a particular level might call for a more serious response. A
judgement should be made against the rationale of the sanction. Thus a combination of
infringements at level 2 could be such to give rise to a threat to candidates, and therefore merit
the imposition of a level 3 sanction.

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Persistence
A failure to implement requests at a particular level will invoke a sanction at the next level, eg, a
failure to correct a non-compliance at level 1 within the agreed timescale will invoke a sanction at
level 2.
Recurrence
A course provider may temporarily rectify non-compliances in response to NEBOSHs sanctions
only to display such weaknesses again at a later date. NEBOSH will take the track record of a
course provider into account in considering whether to apply a higher level sanction.
Malpractice
Where the circumstances and nature of non-compliance indicate that fraudulence is involved, the
procedures for malpractice will be invoked. Therefore, any non-compliance that is defined at level
4 with additionally trigger the procedures for malpractice.

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