November 2014

Guide to the
NEBOSH International
General Certificate in
Occupational Health
and Safety
 The Guide to the NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health
and Safety (November 2014 specification)

5.1 Unit IGC1: Management of international health and

safety

Element 1: Foundations in health and safety

Learning outcomes
1.1 Outline the scope and nature of occupational health and safety
1.2 Explain the moral, social and economic reasons for maintaining and promoting good
standards of health and safety in the workplace
1.3 Explain the role of national governments and international bodies in formulating a
framework for the regulation of health and safety.

Content

1.1 The scope and nature of occupational health and safety

• The multi-disciplinary nature of health and safety; the barriers to good standards
of health and safety (complexity, competing and conflicting demands, behavioural
issues)
• Meanings and distinctions between:
- health, safety and welfare.

1.2 The moral, social and economic reasons for maintaining and promoting good
standards of health and safety in the workplace

• The size of the health and safety ‘problem’ in terms of the numbers of work-
related fatalities and injuries and incidence of ill-health
• Societal expectations of good standards of health and safety
• The need to provide a safe place of work, safe plant and equipment, safe
systems of work, training and supervision, and competent workers
• The business case for health and safety: costs of insured and uninsured
accidents and ill-health; employers’ liability insurance.

1.3 The role of national governments and international bodies in formulating a

framework for the regulation of health and safety

• Employers’ responsibilities
• Workers’ responsibilities and rights
• The role of enforcement agencies and the consequences of non-compliance
• International standards and conventions (eg, International Standards
Organisation (ISO) and the International Labour Organisation - ILO)
• Sources of information on National Standards.

Recommended tuition time not less than 7 hours

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and Safety (November 2014 specification)

Element 2: Health and safety management systems -

Plan
Learning outcomes
On completion of this element, candidates should be able to demonstrate understanding of
the content through the application of knowledge to familiar and unfamiliar situations. In
particular they should be able to:

2.1 Outline the key elements of a health and safety management system
2.2 Explain the purpose and importance of setting policy for health and safety
2.3 Describe the key features and appropriate content of an effective health and safety
policy.

Content

2.1 The key elements of a health and safety management system

• With reference to ILO Guidelines on Occupational Safety and Health

Management Systems (ILO-OSH 2001)
- policy (plan)
- organising (plan)
- planning and implementing (do)
- evaluation - monitoring, review, measurement, investigation (check)
- auditing (check)
- action for improvement - preventative and corrective action; continual
improvement (act)
• With reference to ISO 45001:2018: Occupational health and safety management
systems (H&SMS) context of the organisation (H&SMS framework)
- leadership and worker participation (H&SMS framework)
- planning (Plan)
- support (Do)
- operation (Do)
- performance evaluation (Check)
- improvement (Act).

2.2 The purpose and importance of setting policy for health and safety

• The role of the health and safety policy in decision-making; the needs of different
organisations.

2.3 The key features and appropriate content of an effective health and safety
policy

• Stating the overall aims of the organisation in terms of health and safety
performance:
- general statement of intent
- setting overall objectives and quantifiable targets (specific, measurable,
achievable, reasonable, time bound (SMART) principles)

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and Safety (November 2014 specification)

- basic concept of benchmarking

- views of interested parties
- technological options
- financial, operational, and business requirements
- signatory to statement
• Defining the health and safety roles and responsibilities of individuals within the
organisation:
- organising for health and safety: allocation of responsibilities; lines of
communication; feedback loops; the role of the line managers in influencing
the health and safety policy and monitoring effectiveness
• Specifying the arrangements for achieving general and specific aims:
- health and safety arrangements: the importance of specifying the
organisation’s arrangements for planning and organising, controlling hazards,
consultation, communication and monitoring compliance with, and assessing
the effectiveness of, the arrangements to implement the health and safety
policy
• The circumstances that may lead to a need to review the health and safety policy
(eg, passage of time, technological, organisational or legal changes, results and
monitoring)
• Standards and guidance relating to health and safety policy.

Recommended tuition time not less than 3 hours

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 The Guide to the NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health
and Safety (November 2014 specification)

Element 3: Health and safety management systems - Do

Learning outcomes
On completion of this element, candidates should be able to demonstrate understanding of
the content through the application of knowledge to familiar and unfamiliar situations. In
particular they should be able to:

3.1 Outline the health and safety roles and responsibilities of employers, directors,
managers, supervisors, workers and other relevant parties
3.2 Explain the concept of health and safety culture and its significance in the
management of health and safety in an organisation
3.3 Outline the human factors which influence behaviour at work in a way that can affect
health and safety
3.4 Explain how health and safety behaviour at work can be improved
3.5 Explain the principles and practice of risk assessment
3.6 Explain the preventive and protective measures
3.7 Identify the key sources of health and safety information
3.8 Explain what factors should be considered when developing and implementing a safe
system of work for general activities
3.9 Explain the role and function of a permit-to-work system.
3.10 Outline the need for emergency procedures and the arrangements for contacting
emergency services
3.11 Outline the requirements for, and effective provision of, first aid in the workplace.

Content

3.1 Organisational health and safety roles and responsibilities of employers,

directors, managers, supervisors, workers and other relevant parties

• Organisational roles of directors/managers/supervisors

• Top management demonstrating commitment by:
- ensuring availability of resources so the occupational health and safety
management system is established, implemented and maintained
- defining roles and responsibilities
- appointing member of senior management with specific responsibility for
health and safety
- appointing one or more competent persons and adequate resources to
provide assistance in meeting the organisation’s health and safety obligations
(including specialist help where necessary)
- role in reviewing health and safety performance
• The roles and responsibilities of:
- middle managers and supervisors for the health and safety of workers
- persons with primary health and safety functions
- workers for the health and safety of themselves and others who may be
affected by their acts or omissions

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- persons in control of premises for the health and safety of those who are
not directly employed by the organisation using the premises as a place of
work and for those using plant or substances provided, eg, contractors
- the self-employed for the health and safety of themselves and others
• The supply chain and requirements on suppliers, manufacturers and designers
of articles and substances for use at work in relation to the health and safety of
their products and the provision of information
• The relationship between client and contractor and the duties each has to the
other and to the other’s workers; effective planning and co-ordination of
contracted work
• Principles of assessing and managing contractors
- scale of contractor use
- pre-selection and management of contractors
• Shared responsibilities in the case of joint occupation of premises: co-operation
and co-ordination.

3.2 Concept of health and safety culture and its significance in the management of
health and safety in an organisation

• Meaning and extent of the term ‘health and safety culture’

• Relationship between health and safety culture and health and safety
performance
• Indicators which could be used to assess the effectiveness of an organisation’s
health and safety culture:
- tangible outputs or indicators of an organisation’s health and safety culture
(eg, accidents, absenteeism, sickness rates, staff turnover, level of
compliance with health and safety rules and procedures, complaints about
working conditions)
• Influence of peers.

3.3 Human factors which influence behaviour at work

• Organisational factors:
- eg culture, leadership, resources, work patterns, communications
• Job factors:
- eg task, workload, environment, display and controls, procedures
• Individual factors:
- eg competence, skills, personality, attitude and risk perception
• Link between individual, job and organisational factors.

3.4 How health and safety behaviour at work can be improved

• Securing commitment of management

• Promoting health and safety standards by leadership and example and
appropriate use of disciplinary procedures

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• Competent personnel with relevant knowledge, skills and work experience

• Identifying and keeping up to date with legal requirements
• Effective communication within the organisation:
- merits and limitations of different methods of communication (verbal, written
and graphic)
- use and effectiveness of notice boards and health and safety media such as
films, digital media, company intranet, posters, toolbox talks, memos, worker
handbooks
- co-operation and consultation with the workforce and contractors where
applicable (roles and benefits of worker participation, safety committees and
worker feedback)
• Training:
- the effect of training on human reliability
- opportunities and need for training provision (induction and key health and
safety topics to be covered, job change, process change, introduction of new
legislation, introduction of new technology).

3.5 Principles and practice of risk assessment

• Meaning of hazard, risk and risk assessment:

- hazard: ‘something with the potential to cause harm (this can include articles,
substances, plant or machines, methods of work, the working environment
and other aspects of work organisation)’
- risk: ‘the likelihood of potential harm from that hazard being realised’
- risk assessment: ‘identifying preventive and protective measures by
evaluating the risk(s) arising from a hazard(s), taking into account the
adequacy of any existing controls, and deciding whether or not the risk(s) is
acceptable’
• Objectives of risk assessment; prevention of workplace accidents
• Risk assessors:
- composition of risk assessment team
- competence
• Criteria for a ‘suitable and sufficient’ risk assessment
• Identification of hazards
- sources and form of harm; task analysis, legislation, manufacturers’
information, incident data
• Identifying population at risk:
- workers, operators, maintenance staff, cleaners, contractors, visitors, public,
etc
• Evaluating risk and adequacy of current controls:
- likelihood of harm and probable severity
- risk rating
- apply the general hierarchy of control with reference to ISO45001:2018,
requirement 8.1.2 (links with 3.6)
- application based on prioritisation of risk
- use of guidance; sources and examples of legislation

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and Safety (November 2014 specification)

- applying controls to specified hazards

- residual risk; acceptable / tolerable risk levels
- distinction between priorities and timescales
• Recording significant findings:
- format; information to be recorded
• Reviewing: reasons for review (eg incidents, process / equipment / worker /
legislative changes; passage of time)
• Special case applications to young persons, expectant and nursing mothers;
disabled workers and lone workers.

3.6 Preventive and protective measures

• General principles of the preventive and protective measures with reference to

ILO-OSH 2001: Guidelines on Occupational Safety and Health Management
Systems:
- eliminate the hazard/risk;
- control the hazard/risk at source, through the use of engineering controls or
organisational measures;
- minimise the hazard/risk by the design of safe work systems, which include
administrative control measures;
- where residual hazards/risks cannot be controlled by collective measures, the
employer should provide for appropriate personal protective equipment,
including clothing, at no cost, and should implement measures to ensure its
use and maintenance.
Hazard prevention and control procedures or arrangements should be
established and should:
- be adapted to the hazards and risks encountered by the organisation;
- be reviewed and modified if necessary on a regular basis;
- comply with national laws and regulations, and reflect good practice;
- consider the current state of knowledge, including information or reports from
organisations, such as labour inspectorates, occupational safety and health
services, and other services as appropriate.

3.7 Sources of health and safety information

• Internal to the organisation (eg, accident/ill health/absence records, inspection,

audit and investigation reports, maintenance records)
• External to the organisation (eg, manufacturers’ data, legislation, EU (European
Union) / HSE (Health and Safety Executive) publications, trade associations;
International, European and British Standards, ILO (International Labour
Organisation) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (USA), Worksafe
(Western Australia) and other authoritative texts, IT sources).

3.8 Factors that should be considered when developing and implementing a safe
system of work for general work activities

• Employer’s responsibility to provide safe systems of work

• Role of competent persons in the development of safe systems
• Importance of worker involvement in the development of safe systems

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• Importance and relevance of written procedures

• The distinction between technical, procedural and behavioural controls
• Development of a safe system of work
• Analysing tasks, identifying hazards and assessing risks
• Introducing controls and formulating procedures
• Instruction and training in the operation of the system
• Monitoring the system
• Definition of and specific examples of confined spaces and lone working and
working and travelling abroad in relation to safe systems of work.

3.9 Role and function of a permit-to-work system

• Meaning of permit-to-work system

• Role and function in controlling a permit-to-work
• Operation and application of a permit-to-work system
• Circumstances in which a permit-to-work system may be appropriate, with
reference to: hot work, work on non-live electrical systems, machinery
maintenance, confined spaces, work at height.

3.10 Emergency procedures and the arrangements for contacting emergency

services

• Importance of developing emergency procedures

• What needs to be included in an emergency procedure
- why an emergency procedure is required
- size and nature of potential emergencies and the consequences if they occur
- procedures for raising the alarm
- action of the employees on site
- dealing with the media
- arrangements for contacting emergency and rescue services
• Importance of training and testing emergency procedures.

3.11 Requirements for, and effective provision of, first-aid in the workplace

• First-aid requirements
• Role, training and number of first-aiders
• Requirements for first-aid boxes
• Coverage in relation to shift work and geographical location.

Recommended tuition time not less than 17 hours

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 The Guide to the NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health
and Safety (November 2014 specification)

Element 4: Health and safety management systems -

Check
Learning outcomes
On completion of this element, candidates should be able to demonstrate understanding of
the content through the application of knowledge to familiar and unfamiliar situations. In
particular they should be able to:

4.1 Outline the principles, purpose and role of active and reactive monitoring
4.2 Explain the purpose of, and procedures for, investigating incidents (accidents, cases
of work-related ill-health and other occurrences)
4.3 Describe the legal and organisational requirements for recording and reporting
incidents

Content

4.1 Active and reactive monitoring

• Active monitoring procedures including the monitoring of performance standards

and the systematic inspection of plant and premises
• Role of safety inspections, sampling, surveys and tours and their roles within a
monitoring regime
• Factors governing frequency and type of inspection; competence and objectivity
of inspector; use of checklists; allocation of responsibilities and priorities for
action
• Effective report writing: style, structure, content, emphasis, persuasiveness, etc
• Reactive monitoring measures including data on incidents, dangerous
occurrences, near misses, ill-health, complaints by workforce and enforcement
action.

4.2 Investigating incidents

• Role and function of incident investigation as a reactive monitoring measure

• Distinction between different types of incident: ill-health, injury accident,
dangerous occurrence, near-miss, damage-only; typical ratios of incident
outcomes and their relevance in terms of the proportion of non-injury events;
utility and limitations of accident ratios in accident prevention (Bird’s Triangle)
• Basic incident investigation procedures
• Interviews, plans, photographs, relevant records, checklists
• Immediate causes (unsafe acts and conditions) and root causes (management
systems failures)
• Remedial actions.

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4.3 Recording and reporting incidents

• Internal systems for collecting, analysing and communicating data

• Organisational requirements for recording and reporting incidents
• Reporting of events to external agencies. Typical examples of major injuries,
diseases and dangerous occurrences that might be reportable to external
agencies
• Lessons learnt.

Recommended tuition time not less than 5 hours

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 The Guide to the NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health
and Safety (November 2014 specification)

Element 5: Health and safety management systems - Act

Learning outcomes
On completion of this element, candidates should be able to demonstrate understanding of
the content through the application of knowledge to familiar and unfamiliar situations. In
particular they should be able to:

5.1 Explain the purpose of, and procedures, for health and safety auditing
5.2 Explain the purpose of, and procedures for, regular reviews of health and safety
performance.

Content

5.1 Health and safety auditing

• Meaning of the term ‘health and safety audit’

• Scope and purpose of auditing health and safety management systems;
distinction between audits and inspections
• Pre-audit preparations, information gathering, notifications and interviews,
selection of staff, competence of auditors, time, resources
• Responsibility for audits
• Advantages and disadvantages of external and internal audits
• Actions taken following audit (eg, correcting nonconformities).

5.2 Review of health and safety performance

• Purpose of reviewing health and safety performance

• Who should take part in review
• Review at planned intervals
• Assessing opportunities for improvement and the need for change
• Review to consider:
- evaluations of compliance with applicable legal and organisational
requirements
- accident and incident data, corrective and preventive actions
- inspections, surveys, tours and sampling
- absences and sickness
- quality assurance reports
- audits
- monitoring data/records/reports
- external communications and complaints
- results of participation and consultation
- objectives met
- actions from previous management reviews
- legal/good practice developments

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• Maintenance of records of management review

• Reporting on health and safety performance
• Feeding into action and development plans as part of continuous improvement
• Role of Boards, Chief Executive/Managing Director and Senior Managers.

Recommended tuition time not less than 4 hours

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