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Exam Review

Key Facts: NEBOSH Construction Exam

45%

Provisional pass standard for the Unit CN1 open-book assessment

NEBOSH

48 hours

Window to download, complete and submit the scenario-based digital exam

NEBOSH

13

Syllabus elements, from CDM management foundations to physical and psychological health

NEBOSH CN syllabus guide

70 + 40 hours

Minimum taught hours plus recommended private study before sitting CN1

NEBOSH

SCQF Level 7

Qualification level (comparable to RQF Level 4), carrying 12 SCQF credit points

NEBOSH / SQA Accreditation

~10 minutes

Length of the online closing interview that verifies the work is the candidate's own

NEBOSH

50 working days

Typical wait for emailed results after the examination date

NEBOSH

The NEBOSH Health and Safety Management for Construction (UK) is aimed at site managers, contracts managers, construction health and safety advisors and workers with safety responsibilities. Study requires a minimum of 70 taught hours plus around 40 hours of private study with a NEBOSH Learning Partner. The single assessment, Unit CN1, is an open-book digital exam based on a realistic construction scenario: you download the paper at 11am UK time and have 48 hours to submit a series of applied tasks, followed by a roughly 10-minute closing interview that confirms the work is your own. The provisional pass standard is 45% and results arrive within about 50 working days. Content tracks CDM 2015 - client, principal designer and principal contractor duties, construction phase plans and the health and safety file - then the practical hazard elements: excavation and demolition, mobile plant, work at height, work equipment, electricity, fire, and occupational health from silica and asbestos to noise, vibration and stress. Passing supports the CSCS Academically Qualified Person card route. Question-style practice like this bank builds the fast rule recall that makes the open-book tasks manageable.

Sample NEBOSH Construction Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the NEBOSH Construction exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, a construction project must be notified to the HSE (form F10) when the work is scheduled to:
A.Last longer than 30 working days with more than 20 workers working simultaneously at any point, or exceed 500 person-days
B.Last longer than 40 working days or involve more than 10 workers at any time
C.Involve more than one contractor working on site at the same time
D.Have a contract value exceeding 1 million pounds
Explanation: CDM 2015 regulation 6 sets the notification thresholds: more than 30 working days with more than 20 workers simultaneously at any point, or more than 500 person-days of construction work.
2On a notifiable commercial project under CDM 2015, which duty holder is responsible for submitting the F10 notification to the HSE?
A.The principal contractor
B.The principal designer
C.The client
D.The lead designer
Explanation: Regulation 6 of CDM 2015 places the duty to notify the HSE as soon as practicable before the construction phase begins on the client (the notice must be displayed on site).
3A client is planning an office refurbishment that will involve a demolition contractor, an M&E contractor and a fit-out contractor. Under CDM 2015 the client must:
A.Notify the HSE because three contractors automatically makes the project notifiable
B.Appoint, in writing, a principal designer and a principal contractor because more than one contractor will be involved
C.Appoint only a principal contractor, since design work has already been completed
D.Allow the contractors to agree among themselves who will coordinate health and safety
Explanation: CDM 2015 regulation 5 requires the client to appoint a principal designer and a principal contractor in writing whenever it is foreseeable that more than one contractor will work on a project.
4On a project involving several contractors, who is responsible for drawing up the construction phase plan before the construction phase begins?
A.The client, because they commission the project
B.The principal designer, because they control pre-construction information
C.Each contractor for their own work package
D.The principal contractor
Explanation: Under CDM 2015 regulation 12, the principal contractor must draw up the construction phase plan (or arrange for it to be drawn up) before setting up the construction site; a plan is required for every project.
5What is the primary purpose of the health and safety file required under CDM 2015 for projects involving more than one contractor?
A.To record accidents and near misses that occurred during the construction phase
B.To provide information needed to ensure health and safety during future construction, maintenance, refurbishment or demolition of the structure
C.To demonstrate to the HSE that the principal contractor managed the construction phase competently
D.To list the training records and competence cards of all workers employed on the project
Explanation: The health and safety file, prepared by the principal designer and handed to the client at project completion, contains information (such as residual hazards, as-built drawings and locations of services) needed for safe future work on the structure.
6Which duty holder must provide pre-construction information, such as existing asbestos surveys and drawings showing buried services, to designers and contractors?
A.The client
B.The principal contractor
C.The HSE
D.The site supervisor
Explanation: CDM 2015 regulation 4 requires the client to provide pre-construction information as soon as practicable to every designer and contractor appointed or being considered for appointment.
7A homeowner engages a builder and two specialist contractors to construct a house extension. How are the CDM 2015 client duties handled for this domestic client?
A.Domestic projects are exempt from CDM 2015 so no client duties apply
B.The homeowner must attend CDM awareness training before work can start
C.The client duties are normally carried out by the principal contractor (or contractor), unless the principal designer agrees in writing to take them on
D.The local authority building control officer automatically assumes the client duties
Explanation: Under CDM 2015 regulation 7, a domestic client's duties pass by default to the contractor (single contractor) or principal contractor (multiple contractors), though the principal designer can take them on by written agreement.
8Under CDM 2015, what is the primary health and safety duty of a designer when preparing a design for a new structure?
A.To supervise contractors to make sure the design is built safely
B.To apply the general principles of prevention, eliminating foreseeable risks where possible and reducing those that remain
C.To prepare the construction phase plan covering the design elements
D.To carry out site inductions for workers affected by the design
Explanation: CDM 2015 regulation 9 requires designers to take account of the general principles of prevention: eliminate foreseeable health and safety risks through design choices, reduce risks that cannot be eliminated, and provide information about remaining risks.
9Schedule 2 of CDM 2015 sets minimum welfare requirements that must be available on site from the start of the construction phase. Which set of facilities reflects these requirements?
A.Toilets, a first-aid room, a canteen serving hot food and on-site parking
B.Drinking water and toilets only, with washing facilities provided once the project exceeds 30 days
C.A rest area and drying room, with sanitary facilities required only on notifiable projects
D.Suitable toilets, washing facilities with hot and cold (or warm) running water, drinking water, changing/drying facilities and rest facilities
Explanation: Schedule 2 of CDM 2015 requires sanitary conveniences, washing facilities including hot and cold or warm running water, drinking water, changing rooms with drying facilities where special clothing is worn, and rest facilities, available throughout the construction phase.
10A demolition site borders a public footpath and dust and debris could affect passers-by. Which section of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 places a duty on the employer to protect these members of the public?
A.Section 2
B.Section 7
C.Section 3
D.Section 8
Explanation: Section 3 of HSWA 1974 requires employers to conduct their undertaking so that persons not in their employment, including the public, are not exposed to risks to their health or safety.

About the NEBOSH Construction Exam

The NEBOSH Health and Safety Management for Construction (UK) is the qualification that replaced the withdrawn NEBOSH National Certificate in Construction Health and Safety. Built around the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, it covers thirteen elements spanning duty-holder management, culture and risk assessment, and the major construction hazards: excavation, demolition, mobile plant, work at height, work equipment, electricity, fire, and chemical, biological, physical and psychological health risks. Assessment is a single open-book unit (CN1): a scenario-based digital exam completed within a 48-hour window and verified by a short closing interview. It sits at SCQF Level 7 (comparable to RQF Level 4) and holders can apply for the CSCS Academically Qualified Person card. An International variant (CI1) shares around 90% of the syllabus with non-UK legal framing.

Exam sponsor: NEBOSH (National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Question count not published by the exam provider

Time Limit

48-hour open-book window (roughly one working day of effort) plus a ~10-minute online closing interview

Passing Score

45% (provisional pass standard)

Exam / Certification Fees

Set by each Learning Partner; typically GBP 700-1,100 including tuition and assessment

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

25%

CDM 2015 and Managing Construction Health and Safety

Client, principal designer, principal contractor, designer and contractor duties; F10 notification (30 working days/20 workers or 500 person-days); construction phase plans; the health and safety file; Schedule 2 welfare; safety culture; risk assessment; managing change; permits to work; BS 5975 temporary works

14%

Excavation and Demolition

Regulation 22 shift-start inspections and 7-day written reports; HSG47 buried services, CAT and genny scanning and safe digging; trench boxes and battering; spoil set-back and stop blocks; regulation 20 written demolition arrangements; refurbishment/demolition asbestos surveys; BS 6187 method selection and exclusion zones

10%

Mobile Plant and Vehicles

Designing out reversing with one-way and drive-through layouts; barriered pedestrian routes and crossing points; trained signallers; semi-automatic quick hitch retaining pins; dumper ROPS, seat belts and tipping stop blocks; telehandler load charts and boom-down travel; CPCS/NPORS competence checks; daily pre-use inspections

12%

Working at Height

WAHR 2005 hierarchy of avoid, prevent, minimise; 950 mm guard rails, 470 mm maximum gaps and toe boards; scaffold inspection before use, every 7 days and after adverse events; ladders for short-duration low-risk work at 1-in-4; fragile asbestos-cement roofs and rooflights; boom MEWP restraint; safety nets and rescue plans; PASMA tower rules

12%

Work Equipment and Electricity

PUWER suitability and trained abrasive wheel mounting; LOLER thorough examinations at 6 months for people-lifting equipment and accessories, 12 months otherwise; BS 7121 appointed person lift plans; safe working loads; 110 V centre-tapped-earth supplies (55 V to earth); 30 mA RCDs; HSG107 quarterly combined testing; GS6 overhead lines; lock-off and proving dead

9%

Fire Safety on Construction Sites

Fire triangle applied to site fuels and ignition sources; hot work permits with continuous fire watch and a minimum 60 minutes after work stops; HSG168 escape routes, signage and audible site alarms; CO2 extinguishers for electrical fires; upright outdoor LPG storage away from drains and excavations; waste and arson control; principal contractor coordination under CDM Part 4; timber-frame separation distances

18%

Health Hazards in Construction

MHOR avoid-assess-reduce and TILE assessments; musculoskeletal disorder prevention; COSHH WELs - respirable crystalline silica 0.1 mg/m3 and hardwood dust 3 mg/m3; wet cement burns and chromium VI dermatitis; HSG264 survey types and licensed asbestos work; leptospirosis controls; noise action values 80/85/87 dB(A); HAVS EAV 2.5 and ELV 5.0 m/s2 A(8); HSE stress Management Standards; health surveillance

Preparing for the NEBOSH Construction Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 45% (provisional pass standard)
  • Assessment: Question count not published by the exam provider
  • Time limit: 48-hour open-book window (roughly one working day of effort) plus a ~10-minute online closing interview
  • Exam / certification fees: Set by each Learning Partner; typically GBP 700-1,100 including tuition and assessment Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

NEBOSH Construction: Suggested Study Strategy

1Learn the CDM 2015 duty-holder map cold: who notifies (the client, via F10 when work exceeds 30 working days with 20 simultaneous workers or 500 person-days), who writes the construction phase plan (principal contractor) and who compiles the health and safety file (principal designer).
2Memorise the statutory inspection rhythms - excavations at the start of every shift with one written report per 7 days, scaffolds before first use and every 7 days, LOLER thorough examinations at 6 months for accessories and people-lifting equipment and 12 months for the rest.
3Build a one-page numbers sheet for health limits: silica 0.1 mg/m3, hardwood dust 3 mg/m3, noise 80/85/87 dB(A), HAVS 2.5/5.0 m/s2 A(8) - the open-book tasks reward fast, accurate citation of these values.
4Practise applying the Work at Height Regulations hierarchy (avoid, prevent, minimise) and the demolition hierarchy (machine before man) to scenarios, because CN1 marks application to the given site, not recited theory.
5During the real 48-hour window, read the whole scenario first and plan task timings; NEBOSH expects about a day of work, and verbatim copying from notes scores poorly against task-specific application.
6Use HSE priced guidance as your open-book library: L153 for CDM 2015, HSG47 for buried services, HSG168 for site fire safety and GS6 for overhead power lines are the sources CN1 answers should echo.

Frequently Asked Questions

What replaced the NEBOSH National Certificate in Construction Health and Safety?

NEBOSH withdrew the old National and International Construction Certificates and replaced them with the Health and Safety Management for Construction qualification - the UK version is assessed by Unit CN1 and the International variant by CI1, which shares roughly 90% of the syllabus with non-UK legal framing.

How is the NEBOSH Construction qualification assessed?

There is one assessment, Unit CN1: an open-book digital exam based on a realistic construction scenario. The paper is released at 11am UK time and you have 48 hours to complete and submit a series of applied tasks, although NEBOSH expects the work itself to take roughly one working day. A short closing interview of around 10 minutes follows to confirm the submission is your own work; it is not separately marked.

What is the pass mark for Unit CN1?

The provisional pass standard is 45%. Papers are marked externally by NEBOSH-appointed examiners and results are emailed within about 50 working days of the exam date.

Does the NEBOSH Construction qualification count towards a CSCS card?

Yes. Holders are eligible to apply for the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) Academically Qualified Person (AQP) card, which is widely requested for site management and health and safety advisor roles on UK sites.

How much study time does the qualification require?

NEBOSH specifies a minimum of 70 taught hours with a Learning Partner plus approximately 40 hours of private study and background reading - around 110 hours in total before attempting the CN1 open-book assessment.

What level is the qualification and what does it cost?

It sits at SCQF Level 7 (12 SCQF credit points), comparable to RQF Level 4 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. NEBOSH does not publish a fixed fee; Learning Partners set their own prices, typically in the region of GBP 700-1,100 depending on delivery method and support.

Is multiple-choice practice useful if the real exam is open book?

Yes. The 48-hour window is generous but the tasks are long, and candidates who must look up every CDM duty, inspection interval or exposure limit run out of time. Drilling questions on figures like the 7-day scaffold inspection cycle, the 45% pass standard, 110 V CTE supplies and the 0.1 mg/m3 silica WEL builds the recall speed the scenario tasks demand.