NEBOSH

International General Certificate

Introduction
• The International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety (IGC) was
launched in 2006 and is recognised around the world
• Nearly 90,000 people hold a NEBOSH International General Certificate
• It looks at general workplace issues and can be applied in many sectors

Introduction 2
What will you know
• How to effectively manage health and safety
• How to identify and control common workplace hazards
• How to measure if you’ve been successful
• Relevant key international standards

Introduction 3
What will you be able to do
• Confidently carry out risk assessments
• Develop and implement a detailed action plan
• Manage and minimise workplace risks
• Support and develop your company’s health and safety culture

Introduction 4
Topics to be covered:
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

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Topics to be covered:
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

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Learning outcomes
Related content: Learning outcome - The learner will be able to:
1.1 – 1.2 Justify health and safety improvements using moral, financial
and legal arguments.

1.3 Advise on the main duties for health and safety in the
workplace and help their organisation manage contractors.

2.1 – 2.2 Work within a health and safety management system,

recognising what effective policy, organisational responsibilities
and arrangements should look like.

3.1 – 3.3 Positively influence health and safety culture and behaviour to
improve performance in their organisation.

Introduction 7
Learning outcomes
Related content: Learning outcome - The learner will be able to:
3.4, 5-11 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.
3.5 Recognise workplace changes that have significant health and
safety impacts and effective ways to minimise those impacts.
3.6 – 3.8 Develop basic safe systems of work (including taking account of
typical emergencies) and knowing when to use permit-to-work
systems for special risks.
4.2 Take part in incident investigations.
4.1, 4.3, 4.4 Help their employer to check their management system
effectiveness – through monitoring, audits and reviews.

Introduction 8
Assessment criteria – element 1
• 1.1 - Discuss the moral, financial and legal reasons for managing health and safety in
the workplace
• 1.2 - Explain how health and safety is regulated and the consequences of non-
compliance
• 1.3 - Summarise the main health and safety duties of different groups of people at
work and Explain how contractors should be selected, monitored and managed

Introduction 9
Assessment criteria – element 2
• 2.1 - Give an overview of the elements of a health and safety management system and
the benefits of having a formal/certified system
• 2.2 - Discuss the main ingredients of health and safety management systems that make
it effective – policy, responsibilities, arrangements

Introduction 10
Assessment criteria – element 3
• 3.1 - Describe the concept of health and safety culture and how it influences performance
• 3.2 - Summarise how health and safety culture at work can be improved
• 3.3 - Summarise the human factors which positively or negatively influence behaviour at
work in a way that can affect health and safety
• 3.4 - Explain the principles of the risk assessment process
• 3.5 - Discuss typical workplace changes that have significant health and safety impacts and
ways to minimise those impacts
• 3.6 - Describe what to consider when developing and implementing a safe system of work
for general activities
• 3.7 - Explain the role, function and operation of a permit-to-work system
• 3.8 - Discuss typical emergency procedures (including training and testing) and how to
decide what level of first aid is needed in the workplace
Introduction 11
Assessment criteria – element 4
• 4.1 - Discuss common methods and indicators used to monitor the effectiveness of
management systems
• 4.2 - Explain why and how incidents should be investigated, recorded and reported
• 4.3 - Explain what an audit is and why and how it is used to evaluate a management
system
• 4.4 - Explain why and how regular reviews of health and safety performance are
needed

Introduction 12
Assessment criteria – elements 5-11
• 5-11 - Produce a risk assessment of a workplace which considers a wide range of
identified hazards (drawn from elements 5 – 11) and meets best practice standards
(‘suitable and sufficient’)

Introduction 13
Assessment
• The IG is assessed via an IG1 open book examination (OBE) and practical risk
assessment IG2
• Both are set and marked by NEBOSH
• Explanation of the process and techniques required for both the OBE and practical risk
assessment is provided during the course

Introduction 14
Open book examination IG1
• The exam now takes place in your own home or in a suitable
workplace and you will have 24 hours to complete it, although
NEBOSH estimate it will take most people between four and
five hours
• You don’t need to complete it all in one go, you can take
breaks when you need them as long as the exam is started
and completed within the 24 hour timeframe
• As the name suggests, you will be able to consult your
textbook and any other relevant resources for the entirety of
the exam
• The questions are mostly scenario-based and are designed to
test your understanding of the key concepts of the syllabus

Introduction 15
Open book examination IG1
• NEBOSH have advised that as part of your preparations for the new
open book exam that you complete wider reading so you don’t have
to do this during the examination
• You want to instead be able to focus on the scenario and the
questions being asked and be capable of retrieving relevant
information fast
• Therefore please download any relevant sources of reference
associated with the syllabus prior to the exam
• You can go to the NEBOSH website for these if preferred
https://www.nebosh.org.uk/references/

Introduction 16
Open book examination IG1
• You will be contacted at some point as arranged
after the exam to give a post-examination
interview (15 mins approx.)
• Please read the following NEBOSH documents for
further detailed information:
• NEBOSH Open Book Exam - Learner Guide
• NEBOSH Open Book Exam - Technical Learner Guide
• NEBOSH Learner App Guide

Introduction 17
Risk assessment IG2
• Practical application of learning is assessed by the practical risk
assessment
• Guided by information provided by the course tutor, learners will carry
out a risk assessment of a workplace and prepare a written report to
accompany their observations
• The assessment will consist of four stages:
1. Description of the organisation and methodology used
2. Risk assessment
3. Prioritise 3 actions with justification
4. Review, communicate and check
• Explanation of the process and technique required for the practical
examination is provided during the course
Introduction 18
Risk assessment IG2
Following study, workplace application and successful completion of Unit
NG2: Risk assessment, you should be able to:
• Confidently carry out risk assessments
• Develop and implement a detailed action plan
• Manage and minimise workplace risks
• Support and develop your company’s health and safety culture

Introduction 19
Risk assessment IG2
• Always consult the NEBOSH IG2 guidance document
• This document provides comprehensive guidance on
the presentation and submission of the IG2 risk
assessment
• Please study this document carefully before, during,
and after completing your risk assessment
• Also refer to the EXAMPLE as provided by NEBOSH

Introduction 20
NEBOSH
International General Certificate