Free NEBOSH PSM Exam Flashcards

The qualification has one unit, PSM1, assessed by a single 90-minute online multiple-choice examination. The paper has 40 questions, 10 of which are extended scenario questions distributed through the paper. Each question carries one mark and offers one correct and three incorrect responses. It is closed book, all questions are compulsory, and the paper covers the whole syllabus with at least one question per element. Assessments run monthly and are available for a 24-hour window; you can start at any point in that window but then have 90 minutes to finish.

You need 60% or higher, which is 24 of the 40 marks. NEBOSH grades Unit PSM1 as Pass (60% or higher) or Refer (59% or lower) - there is no Credit, Merit or Distinction grade for this qualification, and the qualification grade comes solely from PSM1. Results are issued within 15 working days of the assessment, and the qualification parchment is normally issued within 20 working days of a confirmed pass.

NEBOSH does not publish a pass rate for the HSE Certificate in Process Safety Management, so any percentage you see quoted by a training provider is that provider's own cohort figure rather than an official statistic. Treat provider pass-rate marketing with caution and judge your readiness against the syllabus instead: the 40-question paper samples all four elements, so weak coverage of any element is what usually causes a referral.

No. NEBOSH qualifications cannot be self-studied or self-registered. You must enrol with a NEBOSH-accredited Learning Partner, who delivers the course and registers you for the PSM1 assessment. Registration can be made any time before the course and up to 10 working days before the assessment date. Free resources like these flashcards are revision support alongside an accredited course, not a substitute for it.

A result of 59% or lower is a 'Refer'. You may re-sit the unit, and NEBOSH sets no limit on the number of re-sits and publishes no mandatory waiting period between attempts. In practice the constraint is the assessment calendar: sittings are monthly and your Learning Partner must register you at least 10 working days before the date you want. Your Learning Partner will support you after a referral and book the next available sitting.

Unit PSM1 has four elements. NEBOSH sets minimum tuition hours rather than percentage weights: Element 1 Process safety leadership (4 hours), Element 2 Management of process risk (9 hours), Element 3 Process safety hazard control (10 hours), Element 4 Fire and explosion protection (5 hours) - 28 taught hours in total. Elements 2 and 3 together account for roughly two-thirds of the taught time, so risk management techniques, asset integrity, permit-to-work, operating limits, dangerous substances and reactions deserve the bulk of your revision.

NEBOSH sets 49.5 notional learning hours: a minimum of 28 taught hours, approximately 20 hours of private study, and 1.5 hours for the assessment. Classroom and virtual courses typically run over four days with the exam shortly afterwards; eLearning routes spread the same content over weeks or months. The qualification is credit rated by Qualifications Scotland at SCQF Level 7 with 5 credits, comparable to RQF Level 4.

The NEBOSH learner syllabus guide sets out no expiry date and no renewal or re-certification requirement for this qualification: once you pass PSM1 a parchment is issued and the qualification stands. That is not the same as staying current - process safety guidance, standards and your own plant change, so employers on major hazard sites normally expect ongoing refresher training and evidence of maintained competence regardless of when you passed.