Examination Procedures

The NEBOSH International General Certificate has been divided into 3 Units:
Unit IGC1 Management of international health and safety
Unit IGC2 Control of international workplace hazards
Unit IGC3 International health and safety practical application
External examinations (IGC1 and IGC2)
NEBOSH sets and marks two written examination papers, Papers IGC1 and IGC2. Each
paper contains one 20-mark question and ten 8-mark questions. The time allowed for
each paper is two hours and candidates are required to answer all questions. Example
examination papers are given in Appendix 1.
The pass standard for each paper is set around a datum point of 45%.
The pass mark for each unit may vary accordingly to pre-determined criteria but is
normalised to 45% for the written papers (IGC1 & IGC2) and 60% for the practical
application unit (IGC3).
When candidates have been awarded a Unit Certificate for all three units (ie have
achieved a Pass in IGC1, IGC2 and IGC3), the marks for all three units are added
together and a final grade is awarded as follows:
Pass 150 - 179 marks
Credit 180 - 209 marks
Distinction210marks or more
Qualification certification
Once a candidate has achieved at least a Pass grade in all three units and the
overall qualification grade awarded, a qualification parchment will be issued,
normally within 8 weeks of the issue of the result notification. Once the result
of the third completed unit has been issued the candidate has one month
from the date of issue of that result to
inform NEBOSH in writing of their intention to re-sit a successful unit for the
purposes of improving a grade or;
Enquiry About Result (EAR).
There are, however, procedures for candidates to enquire about results that do not meet
their reasonable expectations. An enquiry about result (EAR) must be made in writing
within 15 days of the date of issue of the result to which it relates through SEA (I).
Candidates who fail to do this will be issued with a qualification parchment
and will be deemed as having completed the award.
Unit re-sits If a candidates performance in any unit component is lower
than a pass, candidates may re-register for each unit or the whole
qualification at a later date if they so wish. Candidates may re-sit just the
component/s in which they have been unsuccessful providing that they re-sit
within 5 years of the sitting of the first successful unit. Candidates should
take this to mean from the result declaration date for their first successful
unit.

Unit IGC1 Management of international health and safety

11. Foundations in health & safety
22. Policy
33. Organising for health & safety
44. Promoting a positive health & safety culture
5. Risk assessment
6. Principles of control
7. Monitoring, review and audit
8. Occupational incident and accident investigation, recording and reporting
Unit IGC2 Control of international workplace hazards
1. Movement of people and vehicles hazards and control
12. Manual and mechanical handling hazards and control
3. Working equipment hazards and control
4. Electrical hazards and control
15. Fire hazards and control
26. Chemical and biological health hazards and control
7. Physical and psychological health hazards and control
8. Construction activities - hazards and control

International health and safety practical application (IGC3)

The aim of this unit is to test a candidates ability to complete a health and safety
assessment of a workplace. In particular, the assessment requires candidates to:
Carry out unaided a safety inspection of a workplace, identifying the more
common hazards, deciding whether they are adequately controlled and, where
necessary, suggesting appropriate and cost effective remedial action.

Prepare a report that persuasively urges management to take appropriate action,

explaining why such action is needed (including reference to possible breaches
of legislation) and identifying, with due consideration of reasonable practicability,
the remedial measures that should be implemented.
Candidates will be taken to a factoy or jobsite to do the practical exam. They will be
given copies of the observation sheet shown in Appendix 2.
No alteration should be made to the observation sheet. The forms must be completed
during the inspection, which should take between 30 and 45 minutes and cover as
wide a range of hazards as possible.
Candidates are expected to recognise actual and possible hazards and good as well
as bad work practices and welfare provisions. While only brief details of each hazard
are required, it is important that the assessor can subsequently identify:
1 where the hazard was located
2 the nature of the hazard
3 the degree of risk associated with the hazard
4 the remedial actions, where appropriate, with relevant prioritisation.

On completion of the inspection, candidates will be provided Observation sheets and be

allowed one hour to produce the report, which must be in their own handwriting.
Observation sheets
Range of issues identified (0 to 5 marks)
Candidates are expected to do more than simply identify physical hazards such as
unsafe machinery. In most workplaces they should find examples of chemical, fire,
ergonomic and health hazards and should also consider if there are any welfare and
environmental problems. Candidates are expected to comment on situations where
there is adequate control of hazards and where safe working practices are being
observed, as well as when the opposite is the case.
Number of hazards identified (0 to 20 marks)
Candidates are expected to recognise common hazards. Assessors will not award high
marks for the recording of repetitive hazards or deficiencies such as missing machinery
guards. As a general guide, a very good candidate should identify about 75% of the
health and safety issues readily noted by an occupational safety and health practitioner.
While the diversity of the assessment situations makes it impossible to define formally
the issues that should be recognised by Certificate candidates, the following examples
may help to differentiate between the standards of the Certificate and the Diploma:
1 Certificate candidates should be expected to recognise that the top guard of a circular
saw is incorrectly set several inches above the wood being cut, but would not be
expected to know the maximum permitted clearance;
1 Certificate candidates should be able to recognise that toe-boards are missing from
scaffolding or are damaged, but not that a diagonal brace is missing from a complex
structure.
Candidates who refers Acts & rules against the observation, it adds mark.
Examination technique
At every examination, a number of candidates including some very able ones
perform below their capabilities due to deficiencies in examination technique.
Candidates should know how to answer both essay-type and short-answer questions
and learn to budget their time according to the number of marks allocated to questions
(and parts of questions) .
Sometimes candidates may not pay full attention to the action verb in each question. To
help to emphasise their importance, action verbs are highlighted in bold type on
Certificate examination question papers. The most commonly used ones are: action
verb meaning
define

provide a generally recognised or accepted definition

describe

give a word picture

explain

- give a clear account of, or reasons for

give

- provide without explanation (used normally with the instruction to give an

example [or examples] of ...)

identify
- select and name
list
- provide a list without explanation
outline -

give the most important features of (less depth than either explain or
describe, but more depth than list)

sketch

provide a simple line drawing using labels to identify specific features

state

a less demanding form of define, or where there is no generally

recognised definition.

It is essential to pay proper attention to the action verb. Candidates will lose available
marks if the question asks for an outline and only a list is given. Equally, if a list is
required, candidates who write out an explanation will be consuming valuable time that
could be spent more profitably elsewhere on the paper.

Appendix 1.
Guide to the NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety

1
2
36. Sample examination papers
6.1 Unit IGC1 sample paper: Management of international health
and safety
THE NATIONAL EXAMINATION BOARD IN OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH

INTERNATIONAL GENERAL CERTIFICATE IN

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
IGC1: THE MANAGEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL
HEALTH AND SAFETY
[DATE]

2 hours, 0930 to 1130

Answer both Section 1 and Section 2. Answer ALL questions.
The maximum marks for each question, or part of a question, are shown in brackets.
Start the answer to each question on the correspondingly numbered page of the answer book.
Answers may be illustrated by sketches where appropriate.
This question paper must be returned to the invigilator after the examination.

SECTION 1
You are advised to spend about half

an hour on this section, which contains ONE question.

1 (a) Identify the possible consequences of an accident to:

(i) the injured workers;

(3)

(ii) their employer.

(3)

(b) Identify the direct and indirect costs to the employer of accidents at work. (8)
(c) Outline the actions an enforcement agency may take following an
accident at work.

(6)

September 2007
Guide to the NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety

SECTION 2
You are advised to spend about one and a half hours on this section, which contains TEN questions.
2

Outline how two organisations who share the same workplace can work together to ensure
that good health and safety standards are achieved.
(8)

(a) Identify THREE types of emergency in the workplace which require the evacuation of
workers.
(3)
(b) Explain why it is important to develop workplace procedures for emergency
situations.

(5)

Outline what should be considered when undertaking a risk assessment for young persons
who are to be employed in the workplace.
(8)

(a) Give TWO reasons why visitors to a workplace might be at greater risk of injury than
workers.
(2)

(b) Identify the precautions to be taken to reduce the risk of injury to visitors to the
workplace.

(6)

(a) Outline why it is important for an organisation to set health and safety targets.

(2)

(b) Identify health and safety targets that an organisation may set.

(6)

Outline the immediate and longer term actions that should be taken following an accident at
work that caused serious injury to a worker.
(8)

Outline the main features of:

(a) a health and safety inspection;

(4)

(b) a health and safety audit.

(4)

Outline the key elements of a health and safety management system.

(8)

10

(a) Explain, using an example, the meaning of the term risk.

(3)

(b) Outline the key steps of a risk assessment.

(5)

11

List the ways in which a manager could involve workers in the improvement of health and
safety in the workplace.
(8)

September 2007
Guide to the NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety

6.2 Unit IGC2 sample paper: Control of international workplace

hazards
THE NATIONAL EXAMINATION BOARD IN
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
INTERNATIONAL GENERAL CERTIFICATE IN
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
IGC2: CONTROL OF INTERNATIONAL WORKPLACE HAZARDS
[DATE]
2 hours, 1400 to 1600
Answer both Section 1 and Section 2. Answer ALL questions.
The maximum marks for each question, or part of a question, are shown in brackets.
Start the answer to each question on the correspondingly numbered page of the answer book.
Answers may be illustrated by sketches where appropriate.
This question paper must be returned to the invigilator after the examination.

SECTION 1
You are advised to spend about half an hour on this section, which contains ONE question.

(a) Outline the factors that may affect the risk from manual handling in
relation to:
(i) the task;

(4)

(ii) the load;

(4)

(iii) the individual;

(4)

(iv) the working environment.

(4)

(b) Outline a good manual handling technique that could be used when lifting a box
weighing 12.5 kg.
(4)

SECTION 2
You are advised to spend about one and a half hours on this section, which contains TEN questions.

Outline FOUR types of engineering control that may be used to reduce noise in the workplace,
giving a practical example of EACH.
(8)

September 2007
Guide to the NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety
3

(a) Outline ways of segregating pedestrians and vehicles in the workplace.

(4)

(b) Outline ways of reducing the risk to pedestrians when segregation is not practicable. (4)
4

(a) Define the meaning of the term hazard.

(2)

(b) Outline the main hazards that may be present during the demolition of a building.

(6)

(a) Outline the principles of the following types of machine guard:

(i) fixed guard;

(2)

(ii) interlocked guard.

(2)

(b) Identify TWO advantages and TWO disadvantages of a fixed

machine guard.

(4)

Outline a range of checks that should be made to help ensure electrical safety in an office
environment.
(8)

Outline the issues that should be considered by an organisation when developing a system for
the safe collection and disposal of its waste.
(8)

Identify the ways in which accidents may be prevented when using portable ladders as a
means of access.
(8)

(a) Describe the differences between acute and chronic health effects.
(b) Identify the factors that could affect the level of harm experienced by a worker
exposed to a toxic substance.

10

(4)
(4)

(a) In relation to the classification of fires, give an example of a material (fuel) that falls within
EACH of the classes A, B, C and D.
(4)
(b) Identify TWO methods of heat transfer AND explain how EACH method contributes to the
spread of fire.
(4)

11

(a) List possible health effects of working outside in extreme heat created by the sun. (4)
1
2 (b) Outline control measures that could be used to minimise the effects of
the sun on construction workers.
(4)

September 2007
Appendix 2.
Guide to the NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety

Candidate Name

Candidate Number

Place Inspected

Date of inspection

Observation
List hazards unsafe practice and good practice

Priority
/
Risk
(H,M,L)

Action to be taken ( if any )

Time
Scale

List all immediate and longer trem action

required

(immediate 1
week etc)

September 2007