NEBOSH National General Certificate - Open Course

1.1 Moral, financial and legal reasons for managing health and safety 

Explains why organisations must manage health and safety, including the moral duty to protect people, the financial impacts of accidents/ill‑health, and the legal framework that enforces compliance.  

1.2 How health and safety is regulated 

Outlines regulators, their powers, enforcement actions, and the role of punishment, compensation and legal sanctions.  

1.3 Main duties of employers and workers 

Identifies key legal responsibilities under HSWA 1974 and MHSWR 1999, including cooperation, provision of information, training, and safe systems of work.  

1.4 Managing contractors effectively 

Covers how to select, monitor and manage contractors, including roles and responsibilities under the CDM Regulations. 

2.1 Components of a health and safety management system 

Describes ISO 45001 and HSG65 models, and the key components of a structured H&S management system.  

2.2 What effective management systems look like 

Explains the benefits and limitations of different systems and the elements of a good health and safety policy (policy, organisation, arrangements). 

3.1 Health and safety culture 

Defines safety culture and its influence on behaviour and performance.  

3.2 Improving health and safety culture 

Methods for improving culture, including leadership, engagement and communication.  

3.3 Human factors and behavioural influences 

Outlines human factors (job, individual, organisational) and how they influence safe or unsafe behaviour.  

3.4 Assessing risk 

How to apply the risk assessment process, identifying hazards,  evaluating risks and creating suitable and sufficient assessments.  

3.5 Management of change 

How workplace changes affect risk, and how to plan and manage them effectively.  

3.6 Safe systems of work 

Principles of developing and implementing safe systems for general work activities.  

3.7 Permit‑to‑work systems 

Purpose, operation and control of permit-to-work systems for high‑risk activities.  

3.8 Emergency procedures 

Requirements for emergency planning, drills, training and determining first‑aid needs.  

4.1 Incident investigation, recording and reporting 

Why incidents must be recorded and investigated, and how to apply active/reactive monitoring.  

4.2 Monitoring effectiveness of management systems 

Using inspections, performance measures and other monitoring methods. 

4.3 Health and safety auditing 

Why audits are used, and how they help evaluate the effectiveness of a management system. 

4.4 Reviewing health and safety performance 

The purpose of management reviews is to achieve continual improvement.  

• 5.1 Noise
• 5.2 Vibration
• 5.3 Radiation
• 5.4 Mental health
• 5.5 Violence at work
• 5.6 Substance abuse at work

• 6.1 Work-related upper limb disorder
• 6.2 Manual handling
• 6.3 Load-handling equipment

• 7.1 Hazardous substances
• 7.2 Assessment of health risks
• 7.3 Occupational exposure limits
• 7.4 Control measures
• 7.5 Specific agents

• 8.1 Health, welfare and work environment
• 8.2 Working at height
• 8.3 Safe working in confined spaces
• 8.4 Lone working
• 8.5 Slips and trips
• 8.6 Safe movement of people and vehicles in the workplace
• 8.7 Work-related driving

• 9.1 General requirements
• 9.2 Hand-held tools
• 9.3 Machinery hazards
• 9.4 Control measures for machinery

• 10.1 Fire principles
• 10.2 Preventing fire and fire spread
• 10.3 Fire alarms and fire-fighting
• 10.4 Fire evacuation

• 11.1 Hazards and risks
• 11.2 Control measures

Your GNC1 is a scenario-based assessment that you complete on your laptop or computer, either at home or at your place of work. The assessment is based on a realistic workplace situation.  You will be asked to carry out a series of tasks using evidence presented in the scenario.  You can use resources such as notes, textbooks, learning material and online resources. You will have 24 hours to complete the assessment.

Your GNC2 is a practical assessment where you complete a risk assessment and develop an action plan for your workplace. You will have about 2 weeks to complete the risk assessment.  The risk assessment is completed using the NEBOSH template.  The learner will submit the GNC2 via NEBOSH’s online assessment platform. The deadline to submit this unit is 10 working days after the GNC1 assessment. The pass mark is 60%.

Interviews are not assessed; however, NEBOSH will not publish your results if you do not attend the interview. The closing interview is a key part of our malpractice approach and includes multiple steps:

Interview questions are bespoke to the examination paper and designed to check you have the underpinning knowledge and understanding behind your answers.  Not every learner will be asked the same combination of questions.

1. You can’t read your answers or any notes from your assessment during the interview.
2. You can’t refer to your notes or assessment during your interview
3. You must provide a photographic identification driving licence, or a passport
4. You must have your camera and audio on (No background or blur)
5. You must be in a room on your own for the interview
6. You will be asked to show the interviewer around the room

To ensure the closing interviews are conducted correctly, NEBOSH silently observes a targeted selection of interviews AND scrutinises the Closing Interview Record Sheets. If a Learning Partner or NEBOSH suspects malpractice at any time, we will investigate further.