The system of assessment for the National General Certificate consists of two written examination units (NGC1 & 2) and a practical unit assessed in a workplace situation (NGC3). Candidates must achieve the pass standard in each of the two examination papers and in the practical application unit to be awarded the National General Certificate. Referrals in individual components will normally be granted.

NEBOSH sets and marks two written examination papers, Papers NGC1 and NGC2. 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 Section 6.

Paper NGC1 -"The management of health and safety" addresses Units NGC1 Elements 1-8 of the syllabus

Paper NGC2 -"Controlling workplace hazards" addresses Unit NGC2 Elements 1-8 with reference to Unit NGC1, Element 6.

The pass standard for each paper is set around a datum point of 45%. Examinations are set and marked to best practice management procedures.

Health and safety practical application (NGC3)

The aim of this unit is to test a candidate’s 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. 

Completed assessments for this unit are marked by a ‘practical assessor’ – a suitably qualified person proposed by the centre and approved by NEBOSH. Candidates must achieve the pass standard (60%) in this unit in order to satisfy the criteria for the award. Marked NGC3 assessments are subject to external moderation by NEBOSH.

Unit NGC3 is not normally offered independently of the taught elements. Students will normally be required to complete the NGC3 assessment within 7 days of sitting the examination for Units NGC1 and/or NGC2. Completion of study for both NGC1 and NGC2 is recommended in order to undertake the practical application unit (NGC3).

If a candidate’s 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.

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