What is the NEBOSH International General Certificate (IGC)?

The IGC is NEBOSH's flagship international qualification in occupational health and safety, held by more than 265,000 people worldwide. It teaches risk management based on ILO standards rather than one country's legislation, making it suitable for managers, supervisors and aspiring safety practitioners in any sector or country.

Is the NEBOSH IGC a multiple-choice exam?

No. Unit GIC1 is a scenario-based open-book digital assessment completed within a 24-hour window, followed by a short closing interview to verify the work is your own. Unit GIC2 is a 3-hour practical risk assessment of a real workplace. Multiple-choice practice like this question bank is a study tool for drilling the underlying knowledge.

What changed with the 2025 specification?

NEBOSH revised the General Certificate: teaching of the new specification begins 2 February 2026 with first assessments on 4 March 2026. GIC1 remains a 24-hour open-book scenario exam but gains a closing interview, GIC2 is submitted through the NEBOSH Assessment Platform within 10 working days of GIC1, and marking moves from 'met/not met' criteria to a points-based system with a 60% pass mark per unit. Legacy IG1/IG2 sittings end in August 2026.

What is the NEBOSH IGC pass mark?

Under the 2025 specification both GIC1 and GIC2 are marked on a points basis with a 60% pass mark, and you must pass both units. Under the outgoing 2018 specification, IG1 required 45 marks out of 100 and IG2 was assessed against 'met/not met' criteria.

What topics does the IGC syllabus cover?

Eleven elements: why we should manage health and safety; how management systems work; managing risk (people and processes); monitoring and measuring; physical and psychological health; musculoskeletal health; chemical and biological agents; general workplace issues; work equipment; fire; and electricity. The risk assessment unit draws hazards from elements 5-11.

How long does it take to prepare for the NEBOSH IGC?

NEBOSH specifies a minimum of 63 taught hours plus around 40 hours of private study - roughly 100-110 hours in total. Learners typically complete the qualification over 2-12 weeks through block-release, online or part-time courses with an accredited Learning Partner.

What level is the NEBOSH IGC and what recognition does it bring?

The IGC is accredited at SCQF Level 6 with 11 credit points, comparable to RQF/CQFW Level 3 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Holders qualify for Associate membership of IIRSM (AIIRSM) and Affiliate membership of IOSH, and the certificate is a common requirement in health and safety job advertisements worldwide.

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: NEBOSH IGC Exam

60%

Pass mark per unit (2025 specification)

NEBOSH

24 hours

GIC1 open-book assessment window

NEBOSH

3 hours

GIC2 practical risk assessment

NEBOSH

SCQF Level 6

Qualification level (11 credit points)

SCQF / NEBOSH

265,000+

People holding the qualification worldwide

NEBOSH

4 March 2026

First assessments of the 2025 specification

NEBOSH

7 languages

Assessment languages available

NEBOSH

The NEBOSH IGC is the global benchmark certificate for managers, supervisors and aspiring health and safety practitioners, based on ILO standards (Convention C155, Recommendation R164) rather than any single country's law. The 2025 specification (first assessments 4 March 2026) keeps two units: GIC1, a scenario-based open-book digital exam completed within a 24-hour window and verified by a closing interview, and GIC2, a 3-hour practical risk assessment submitted via the NEBOSH Assessment Platform; both now use points-based marking with a 60% pass mark, replacing the legacy IG1 45/100 standard (final IG1/IG2 sittings August 2026). Content covers the moral-legal-financial case for health and safety, Plan-Do-Check-Act management systems (ISO 45001, ILO-OSH 2001), risk assessment and the hierarchy of control, monitoring and auditing, and the major hazard elements: noise and vibration, stress, musculoskeletal health, chemical and biological agents, working at height, confined spaces, work equipment, fire and electricity. NEBOSH recommends 63 taught hours plus around 40 hours of private study; the qualification sits at SCQF Level 6 and earns IIRSM Associate and IOSH Affiliate membership.

Sample NEBOSH IGC Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your NEBOSH IGC exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1What are the three main reasons for managing workplace health and safety identified in Element 1 of the NEBOSH IGC syllabus?

A.Moral, social and technical reasons

B.Moral, legal and financial reasons

C.Legal, political and environmental reasons

D.Financial, cultural and operational reasons

Explanation: Element 1 of the IGC syllabus frames the case for managing health and safety around three arguments: the moral duty not to harm people, the legal framework based on ILO standards and national law, and the financial costs of accidents and ill health.

2Which international instrument requires ratifying member states to formulate, implement and periodically review a coherent national policy on occupational safety and health?

A.ILO Recommendation R164

B.ISO 45001:2018

C.ILO Convention C155

D.ILO-OSH 2001 guidelines

Explanation: The ILO Occupational Safety and Health Convention 1981 (C155) is a binding treaty for ratifying states, requiring each to develop, implement and periodically review a national OSH policy in consultation with employers and workers.

3Under ILO Recommendation R164, which of the following is an obligation placed on employers?

A.Provide necessary personal protective equipment to workers at no cost to them

B.Allow workers to purchase their own protective equipment at discounted rates

C.Report hazards created by other employers to the national authority

D.Set the national enforcement policy for occupational safety and health

Explanation: R164 states that employers should provide, without any cost to the worker, adequate personal protective clothing and equipment where hazards cannot otherwise be prevented or controlled.

4Following a serious workplace accident, which of the following costs to the employer is typically UNINSURED?

A.Compensation paid to the injured worker under an employers' liability policy

B.Damage to a delivery vehicle covered by the motor fleet policy

C.Rebuilding costs met by the buildings insurance policy

D.Fines imposed by a criminal court following prosecution

Explanation: Criminal fines cannot lawfully be insured against, so they always fall directly on the organisation; many other accident costs such as lost production time, overtime and reputational damage are also uninsured.

5Which of the following is an INDIRECT cost of a workplace accident?

A.Compensation paid to the injured worker

B.The cost of repairing the damaged machine

C.Damage to the organisation's business reputation

D.Statutory sick pay for the injured worker

Explanation: Indirect costs arise as a consequence of the event rather than from the event itself; loss of reputation, lowered morale, recruitment of replacement staff and investigation time are typical indirect costs and are often far larger than the direct costs.

6Article 16 of ILO Convention C155 places which general duty on employers?

A.To guarantee that workplaces are absolutely free from all risk

B.To ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that workplaces, machinery, equipment and processes are safe and without risk to health

C.To insure every worker against occupational injury and disease

D.To employ at least one full-time occupational safety and health practitioner

Explanation: Article 16 of C155 requires employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the workplaces, machinery, equipment and processes under their control are safe and without risk to health, and that chemical, physical and biological agents are without risk when protection measures are taken.

7Which of the following best summarises workers' responsibilities under ILO Recommendation R164?

A.Take reasonable care of their own safety and that of others, comply with safety instructions, use PPE correctly and report hazardous situations

B.Write the organisation's health and safety policy and arrange annual audits

C.Purchase and maintain their own work equipment to a safe standard

D.Carry out enforcement inspections of their employer's premises

Explanation: R164 (Article 16) describes workers' obligations: take reasonable care for themselves and others, comply with instructions and procedures, use safety devices and protective equipment correctly, and report any situation they believe presents a hazard.

8An enforcement inspector finds workers using an unguarded power press that creates a risk of serious personal injury. In most national enforcement systems, which action would stop the dangerous activity immediately?

A.Issuing an improvement notice with a 21-day compliance period

B.Giving verbal advice to the supervisor

C.Sending a formal letter requesting an action plan

D.Issuing a prohibition notice halting use of the press

Explanation: A prohibition notice (or its national equivalent) is used where there is a risk of serious personal injury and stops the activity immediately or until the matter is remedied.

9What is the primary purpose of a civil legal claim brought by a worker injured at work?

A.To punish the employer with imprisonment or a fine

B.To compensate the injured worker for the losses they have suffered

C.To force the regulator to inspect the workplace

D.To remove the employer's licence to operate

Explanation: Civil law aims to compensate the injured party, typically through damages for pain, suffering and financial losses, usually based on proving negligence or breach of statutory duty.

10A duty qualified by the phrase 'so far as is reasonably practicable' requires the duty holder to:

A.Implement every control that is technically possible regardless of cost

B.Do whatever the workforce votes to accept as sufficient

C.Balance the level of risk against the time, cost and effort of controls, implementing them unless they are grossly disproportionate to the risk

D.Take no action where any control would involve expenditure

Explanation: 'Reasonably practicable' involves weighing the quantum of risk against the sacrifice (money, time, trouble) needed to avert it; controls can only be rejected where the sacrifice is grossly disproportionate to the risk reduction achieved.

About the NEBOSH IGC Practice Questions

Verified exam format metadata for NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety is pending. The practice questions above remain available while official exam length, timing, passing score, fee, and administrator details are reviewed.

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Sample NEBOSH IGC Practice Questions

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