NEBOSH Certificate overview

The NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety is one of the world's most widely respected health and safety qualifications, helping you develop the practical knowledge and skills to make your workplace safer. 

Whether you're responsible for health and safety as part of your existing role or looking to start a career in the profession, the NEBOSH General Certificate gives you a strong foundation in effective health and safety management. 

When you study your NEBOSH General Certificate with Make UK, you'll learn from experienced professionals who know how health and safety works in the real-world. Practical examples bring the course to life, helping you turn theory into knowledge you can use in the workplace.

And, there are no unexpected extras to budget for. All registration and examination fees are included in one transparent price, so you know what your NEBOSH Certificate will cost from the outset.

Why study your NEBOSH Certificate with Make UK?

As a NEBOSH gold learning partner, Make UK provide excellent teaching and support to students undertaking this qualification. 

  • Experienced, professionally qualified tutors
  • Support throughout your studies and beyond
  • Pass rates regularly above the average
  • NEBOSH Gold Learning Partner and first ever NEBOSH training partner
  • 96% rate their tutor Very or Extremely Knowledgeable
  • 98% would consider training with Make UK again
  • One price, with all fees included

Studying with Make UK gives you access to tutors who are members of IOSH and are able to support with your professional development if you wish to pursue a career in health and safety. Don't just pass, maximise your potential!

What is NEBOSH?

NEBOSH (National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health) is a globally recognised provider of health, safety, and environmental qualifications. Established in 1979, NEBOSH has set the benchmark for health and safety professionals worldwide. With over 400,000 individuals having earned a NEBOSH qualification, it is a testament to the organisation’s commitment to excellence in occupational safety.

NEBOSH qualifications are meticulously designed to equip learners with the essential knowledge, skills, and understanding required to manage health and safety effectively in any workplace. These professional qualifications are highly respected and sought after by employers, making them a valuable asset for anyone looking to advance their career in health and safety.

Success - Our pass rate is consistently significantly higher than the national average

Quality - We deliver more than 10,000 training days a year and were the first NEBOSH training Partner

Flexibility - This course is available via Classroom, E-Learning or In-Company

Benefits of NEBOSH National General Certificate

For the learner

  • Obtain valuable knowledge and skills 
  • Enables you to personally minimise workplace injuries and illness
  • Supports academic and career progression

For the business

  • Reduce incident and injury rates, and the associated lost-time and absence
  • Ensure your organisation has valuable in-house expertise
  • Demonstrate your commitment to health and safety, which can help win business

Delivery methods

To successfully achieve the NEBOSH Certificate, we recommend that you carefully consider which delivery method will suit your learning style best. If you would like any advice regarding this please get in touch, we’d be happy to help.

Classroom

Taught with delegates from other organisations at one of our training centres, this rich learning experience allows you to get away from the distractions of the workplace, learn from your peers and focus on your qualification.

Virtual Classroom

For those who want a classroom-based course without the travel, our virtual classrooms provide an interactive online environment for our training programmes to be delivered at your home or office.

E-learning

E-learning programmes, sometimes called Online, can studied at any time, from anywhere, from any device. This method provides the flexibility for you to study at your own pace and in your own learning style.

E-learning Extra

Provides all the features and flexibility of an online course, but with the structured support of that a tutor provides via a series of scheduled webinars.

In-Company

The training course is delivered specifically for a group of people at your company - either face-to-face at a time and place to suit you, or via Virtual Classroom. We’ll tailor your course content to your business, bringing it to life.

 

Who should attend?

Relevant to every workplace, the NEBOSH General Certificate is for managers, supervisors, and safety representatives who may not specialise in health and safety but require sound knowledge of risk management to create safe working practices and a strong health and safety culture. 

It’s also ideal for those starting a career in health and safety.

Pre-requisites

There are no mandatory qualification entry requirements for this qualification; however, learners should consider that this is a professional-level qualification. NEBOSH strongly recommends that learners studying the NEBOSH Certificate have a suitable standard of English to understand and articulate the concepts contained in the syllabus.

NEBOSH qualification levels

NEBOSH qualifications are structured at different levels to cater to varying degrees of expertise and career aspirations:

NEBOSH Award - A basic level qualification that introduces fundamental health and safety principles.

NEBOSH Certificate - An intermediate level qualification offering a comprehensive understanding of health and safety principles.

NEBOSH Diploma - An advanced level qualification providing an in-depth understanding of health and safety management.

Each level offers a structured progression, allowing learners to develop their knowledge and skills in health and safety management systematically. While the Award level provides a basic introduction, learners can start directly at the Certificate level, which offers a more comprehensive foundation. This ensures a clear pathway for advancing from fundamental principles to expert-level management capabilities.

NEBOSH Certificate course content

The NEBOSH national general certificate consists of two units, each separately assessed. 

GNC1 – Management of health and safety

  • 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

GNC2 – Risk Assessment

  • 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

Duration

The course will involve a minimum of 68 taught hours and approximately 40 hours of private study and background reading. It is possible for learners to complete the qualification in 10 working days.

Assessment

The total assessment time is 7 hours. Learners must complete and pass the following to achieve the NEBOSH Certificate.

GNC1 is assessed via an open book exam which is administered online and must be completed during a set 24-hour window.

GNC2 is assessed via a practical assessment carried out following completion of all the units and usually carried out within the delegates’ workplace. On completion of this assessment, the delegate will require a 60% mark to pass. GNC2 does not contribute to the delegate’s overall grade.

A delegate can receive an overall refer, pass, credit, or distinction grade following their open book examination and a pass grade for the practical assessment.

Outcome / Next Steps

Delegates will achieve the NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety upon completing both units.

The qualification is accredited by the Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM) as well as the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH). The qualification meets the academic requirements for Technical Membership (Tech IOSH) of IOSH, with appropriate experience. The Make UK team would be happy to provide more information regarding this if required.

Studying with Make UK gives you access to tutors who are members of IOSH and can support with your professional development if you wish to pursue a career in health and safety.

Those seeking health and safety qualifications at a higher level may be interested in the NEBOSH Diploma. See more details here. 

More Details

Make UK is proud to be on the ELCAS approved provider list. Enhanced Learning Credits Administration Services (ELCAS) is a UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) initiative that provides financial support for learning to eligible service personnel. Please see Make UK and ELCAS Funding – What you need to know or contact us for more details. 

The NEBOSH course was fantastic and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment. The tutors were great and delivered the entire course content in a clear, structured and engaging manner. Not only were they my tutors but they also mentored me, ensuring I was equipped to return to work with a thorough understanding of my obligations and responsibilities to occupational health, safety and wellbeing. It was more than a course, it was about creating and instilling a mindset, allowing me to learn, grow and adopt the safety culture that NEBOSH is internationally renowned for.
Joseph Shannon
Health, Safety & Risk Engineer, Jaguar Land Rover