Course Genie
Health and Safety

NEBOSH General Certificate

Certified by NEBOSH From £995+VAT Cities 2

Book NEBOSH General Certificate with live availability across the UK. Delivered by accredited providers, with transparent pricing and instant confirmation.

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Upcoming dates (4 sessions)

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Mon 7 Sep
2026 · 08:00
Online
Block
£995+VAT
Mon 14 Sep
2026 · 08:30
Chelmsford
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£1,350+VAT

About the NEBOSH General Certificate

The NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety is the most widely held health and safety qualification in the UK and the standard route into a dedicated health and safety role. It is taught over roughly two weeks, which providers deliver as a block, on day release or online, followed by the assessments.

The certificate is made up of two units. Unit NG1, the management of health and safety, is assessed by a four-hour open-book examination followed by a short closing interview that confirms the work is your own. Unit NG2 is a practical risk assessment that you carry out in your own workplace. Your overall grade is taken from NG1, and you also need to pass NG2.

It goes well beyond the management-level IOSH Managing Safely course, giving the depth an employer expects from a health and safety officer, adviser or manager. Passing it makes you eligible for Affiliate membership of IOSH, and it meets the academic requirement for Technical membership (Tech IOSH) once you have the experience IOSH asks for.

For people working specifically in construction, the NEBOSH Construction Certificate applies the same principles to construction sites and the CDM 2015 regulations. Many professionals start with the General Certificate, then progress towards chartered status through the NEBOSH Diploma or the competence-based Level 6 NVQ in Occupational Health and Safety Practice.

The certificate is awarded by NEBOSH, the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health, and does not expire.

The General Certificate is also available as a NEBOSH General evening course for those who cannot take time off during the working day. Professionals who want to broaden into related fields can consider the NEBOSH Environmental Management Certificate or, for fire specific expertise, the NEBOSH Fire Certificate.

Who it's for

  • Aspiring or current health and safety officers, advisers and managers
  • Anyone moving into a dedicated health and safety role from another background
  • Managers wanting deeper knowledge than IOSH Managing Safely provides
  • Supervisors and team leaders building a career in health and safety
  • People aiming for Technical Membership of IOSH (Tech IOSH)
  • Professionals preparing to progress to the NEBOSH Diploma

Entry requirements

  • No formal qualifications are needed to enrol
  • A good standard of written English (NEBOSH suggests around IELTS 6.0) for the assessments
  • A workplace in which to carry out the practical risk assessment
  • A willingness to study, as the certificate is a substantial qualification

What you'll achieve

  • The NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety
  • The depth of knowledge expected for a dedicated health and safety role
  • The ability to carry out a workplace risk assessment to a professional standard
  • An understanding of health and safety management systems and the law
  • A stepping stone to Technical Membership of IOSH (Tech IOSH)
  • A recognised foundation for the NEBOSH Diploma
  • A qualification recognised by employers across the UK and internationally

What you'll learn on the NEBOSH General Certificate

1
Why we manage health and safety
The moral, legal and financial reasons, and management responsibilities.
2
How health and safety management systems work
Plan, Do, Check, Act and recognised frameworks such as ISO 45001.
3
Managing risk: people and processes
Human factors, risk assessment and permits to work.
4
Health and safety monitoring and measuring
Active and reactive monitoring, audits and incident investigation.
5
Physical and psychological health
Noise, vibration, temperature, radiation, stress and mental health.
6
Musculoskeletal health
Manual handling, ergonomics and display screen equipment.
7
Chemical and biological agents
COSHH, asbestos, biological hazards and their control.
8
General workplace issues
Welfare, work at height, lone working and workplace transport.
9
Work equipment
Provision and use of work equipment, machinery safety and tools.
10
Fire
Fire safety law, prevention, detection and evacuation.
11
Electricity
Electrical hazards, control measures and inspection.

NEBOSH General Certificate FAQs

The taught part is around two weeks, which providers deliver as a block, on day release or online, followed by the assessments.
It is assessed by an open-book examination with a short closing interview, plus a practical risk assessment carried out in your own workplace.
No. The qualification does not expire, although employers value recent and ongoing professional development.
The General Certificate covers health and safety across all industries. The Construction Certificate applies the same management principles specifically to construction, including CDM 2015, work at height and excavations.
No formal qualifications are required, but a good standard of written English helps, as NEBOSH suggests a level around IELTS 6.0 for the assessments.
It is a more substantial qualification. IOSH Managing Safely is a focused three-day management course, while the NEBOSH General Certificate is studied over roughly two weeks and goes into much greater depth.
Yes. Many providers deliver it as a live online course or as e-learning, with the same NEBOSH assessments and qualification.
It can lead to Technical Membership of IOSH (Tech IOSH) and on to the NEBOSH Diploma, and it is the standard qualification for moving into a health and safety role.
Yes. NEBOSH qualifications are recognised by employers around the world.
Prices vary by provider, location and whether you choose a classroom or online place. Compare live dates and prices at the top of this page.
It is for anyone building a career in health and safety, from those entering the field to managers wanting deeper knowledge than a short course provides.
Yes. You complete a practical risk assessment in your own workplace as part of the assessment, and there is private study alongside the taught content.
Yes. Passing makes you eligible for Affiliate membership of IOSH, and the certificate meets the academic requirement for Technical membership (Tech IOSH) once you have at least a year of relevant health and safety experience.
You can resit. The written examination and the practical risk assessment are assessed separately, so you only need to resit the unit you did not pass, at the next available sitting.
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