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Key Facts: NEBOSH NGC Exam

60%

Pass mark per unit (points-based, 2025 specification)

NEBOSH

24 hours

GNC1 open-book exam access window

NEBOSH digital assessments guidance

11 elements

Syllabus elements across units GNC1 and GNC2

NEBOSH NGC syllabus

66 hours

Minimum taught learning hours

NEBOSH qualification specification

SCQF Level 6

Qualification level (11 credit points)

NEBOSH / SCQF

4 Mar 2026

First assessments under the revised 2025 specification

NEBOSH General Certificate update notice

10 working days

GNC2 submission deadline after the GNC1 exam

NEBOSH

The NEBOSH NGC is the flagship UK entry-level health and safety qualification for managers, supervisors and new H&S practitioners. The 2025 specification has two units: GNC1, an open-book, scenario-based digital exam completed within a 24-hour window and followed by a closing interview, and GNC2, a 3-hour practical risk assessment of the learner's own workplace submitted within 10 working days; both use points-based marking with a 60% pass mark. The 11-element syllabus covers why we manage health and safety (moral, legal and financial reasons under HSWA 1974), management systems (HSG65 Plan-Do-Check-Act, ISO 45001), risk assessment and human factors, monitoring and RIDDOR investigation, and the hazard elements: physical and psychological health (noise 80/85/87 dB(A) values, vibration, stress), musculoskeletal health (manual handling, DSE), chemical and biological agents (COSHH, EH40 WELs, asbestos), general workplace issues, work equipment (PUWER, LOLER), fire (RRFSO 2005) and electricity (EAWR 1989). Teaching of the new specification begins 2 February 2026 with first assessments from 4 March 2026; it requires a minimum of 66 taught hours and does not expire.

Sample NEBOSH NGC Practice Questions

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

1Which combination identifies the three classic reasons why an organisation should manage workplace health and safety?

A.Moral, technical and environmental reasons

B.Moral, legal and financial reasons

C.Legal, political and commercial reasons

D.Financial, environmental and reputational reasons

Explanation: Element 1 of the NGC syllabus identifies three reasons for managing health and safety: moral (preventing human suffering), legal (complying with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and supporting regulations), and financial (avoiding direct and indirect accident costs).

2Under section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the employer's general duty is qualified by the phrase 'so far as is reasonably practicable'. What does this qualification mean?

A.The employer must reduce risk to zero whatever the cost

B.The employer need only take precautions that are physically possible with current technology

C.The employer must weigh the level of risk against the money, time and trouble needed to control it, and may only stop short where the sacrifice is grossly disproportionate to the risk

D.The employer may decide the level of protection based purely on what the business can afford that year

Explanation: 'Reasonably practicable' (established in Edwards v National Coal Board, 1949) requires a balancing of the quantum of risk against the sacrifice (money, time, trouble) involved in averting it; controls can only be ruled out where the cost is grossly disproportionate to the risk reduction achieved.

3Under section 2(3) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, an employer must prepare a written health and safety policy when employing how many people?

A.Five or more employees

B.Ten or more employees

C.Twenty-five or more employees

D.Any number of employees, including one

Explanation: Section 2(3) HSWA 1974, read with the Employers' Health and Safety Policy Statements (Exception) Regulations 1975, requires the policy to be written down, and revised as appropriate, where five or more people are employed.

4Which statement correctly summarises the duties placed on employees by section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974?

A.To prepare risk assessments for their own work activities

B.To pay for any personal protective equipment they need

C.To appoint a competent person to assist with health and safety compliance

D.To take reasonable care of themselves and others affected by their acts or omissions, and to co-operate with the employer on statutory duties

Explanation: Section 7 HSWA places two duties on employees: take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and of other persons who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work, and co-operate with the employer so far as is necessary for statutory duties to be complied with.

5An employer issues new safety footwear that is required by their risk assessment and asks workers to contribute half the cost through payroll deductions. Which section of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 does this breach?

A.Section 2(4), concerning safety representatives

B.Section 3, concerning duties to non-employees

C.Section 8, concerning interference with safety provisions

D.Section 9, which prohibits charging employees for anything done or provided under a relevant statutory provision

Explanation: Section 9 HSWA 1974 makes it unlawful for an employer to levy any charge on an employee for anything done or provided in pursuance of a relevant statutory provision, which includes PPE required under the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations.

6An HSE inspector visits a workshop and finds a power press being used with its interlocked guard deliberately bypassed, creating a risk of serious personal injury. Which enforcement action is the inspector most likely to take to stop the activity?

A.Issue an improvement notice giving 21 days to refit the guard

B.Send an informal letter requesting the guard be refitted

C.Issue a prohibition notice taking immediate effect, halting use of the press until the guard is restored

D.Apply to a magistrates' court for an injunction before any action can be taken

Explanation: Under section 22 HSWA 1974 an inspector who believes an activity involves, or will involve, a risk of serious personal injury may serve a prohibition notice; it normally takes immediate effect and stops the activity until the matters specified are remedied.

7What is the minimum period that must be allowed for compliance with an improvement notice issued under section 21 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974?

A.21 days, which matches the period allowed for an appeal to an employment tribunal

B.7 days from the date of service

C.14 days from the date of service

D.There is no minimum period; the inspector sets any period

Explanation: An improvement notice must allow at least 21 days for compliance, because that is the period within which the recipient may appeal to an employment tribunal; an appeal suspends the improvement notice until it is heard.

8Which of the following is NOT a power available to an HSE inspector under section 20 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974?

A.Entering premises at any reasonable time, with a police constable if obstruction is expected

B.Imposing an on-the-spot fine on the employer

C.Taking photographs, measurements and samples

D.Requiring persons to answer questions and sign a declaration of the truth of their answers

Explanation: Inspectors cannot impose fines; only the courts can fine a duty holder following prosecution. Section 20 powers include entry, examination and investigation, taking samples and photographs, requiring answers, seizing dangerous articles, and inspecting and copying documents.

9An employee injured at work brings a civil claim for negligence against their employer. Which three things must the employee prove for the claim to succeed?

A.That the employer broke a criminal statute, acted intentionally, and has insurance

B.That a duty of care was owed, the duty was breached, and the breach caused the injury or loss

C.That the employer had no safety policy, no risk assessment, and no training records

D.That the HSE investigated, an enforcement notice was served, and a prosecution followed

Explanation: The tort of negligence requires the claimant to prove on the balance of probabilities that the defendant owed them a duty of care, that the duty was breached by failing to take reasonable care, and that the breach caused the loss or injury suffered.

10Under the Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969, what is the minimum level of cover most employers in Great Britain must hold for claims by employees injured at work?

A.GBP 1 million per occurrence

B.GBP 2 million per occurrence

C.GBP 5 million per occurrence, with the certificate made available to employees

D.There is no statutory minimum; cover is negotiated with the insurer

Explanation: The 1969 Act and its regulations require employers to insure for at least GBP 5 million per occurrence against liability for injury or disease sustained by employees, and to display or make the certificate of insurance available to employees.

About the NEBOSH NGC Exam

The NEBOSH National General Certificate (NGC) is the UK's most widely held entry-level qualification in occupational health and safety, taken by managers, supervisors and aspiring H&S professionals. It is built on UK law - the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and regulations such as COSHH, PUWER, RIDDOR and the Electricity at Work Regulations. Under the revised 2025 specification (first teaching 2 February 2026, first assessments 4 March 2026), unit GNC1 is an open-book scenario examination and unit GNC2 is a practical workplace risk assessment, both marked on a points basis with a 60% pass mark. The qualification sits at SCQF Level 6 (11 credit points) and supports IOSH Technical Membership.

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

GNC1: 24-hour open-book window (roughly 4-5 hours of work); GNC2: 3-hour risk assessment submitted within 10 working days

Passing Score

60% per unit under the 2025 specification's points-based marking (both GNC1 and GNC2 must be passed)

Exam / Certification Fees

Set by NEBOSH Learning Partners, typically GBP 400-800 including tuition and assessment entry

Exam sponsor website

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

Official sources

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.

14%

Why We Should Manage Health and Safety

Moral, legal and financial reasons; HSWA 1974 employer duties (sections 2 and 3), employee duties (sections 7 and 8) and the section 9 no-charge rule; written policy at five or more employees; inspector powers, improvement notices (21-day minimum) and prohibition notices; Fee for Intervention; negligence elements and the GBP 5 million employers' liability insurance minimum

12%

Health and Safety Management Systems

HSG65 Plan-Do-Check-Act and what each stage contains; ISO 45001:2018 clauses including performance evaluation (clause 9) and improvement (clause 10); the three policy sections (statement of intent signed at the top, organisation, arrangements); review triggers and SMART objective setting

20%

Managing Risk - People and Processes

Hazard versus risk; the HSE five steps and 'suitable and sufficient' assessments under MHSWR regulation 3; Schedule 1 general principles of prevention; hierarchy of control and why PPE is last; safety culture indicators; HSG48 organisational, job and individual factors; slips, lapses, mistakes and violations; safe systems of work and permits-to-work; first-aid needs assessment; regulation 16 protections for new and expectant mothers

12%

Monitoring, Measuring and Investigation

Active monitoring (inspections, tours, sampling, benchmarking) versus reactive monitoring; audits versus inspections and the three audit evidence streams; RIDDOR 2013: specified injuries reported without delay plus a 10-day report, over-7-day injuries within 15 days; immediate, underlying and root causes in investigation

14%

Physical and Psychological Health

Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 action values (80 and 85 dB(A)) and the 87 dB(A) exposure limit value; hand-arm vibration EAV 2.5 and ELV 5 m/s2 A(8) and HAVS controls; radon and ionising radiation basics; the six HSE stress Management Standards (demands, control, support, relationships, role, change); violence risk factors, lone working and substance misuse

12%

Musculoskeletal Health

Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 avoid-assess-reduce hierarchy and TILE assessment factors; good lifting technique; DSE Regulations 1992 workstation assessment, short frequent breaks and employer-funded eye tests; WRULD risk factors (repetition, force, posture, recovery time); conveyor and lift-truck hazards including in-running nips and pedestrian segregation

16%

Chemical Agents, Workplace, Equipment, Fire and Electricity

COSHH regulation 7 prevention-first hierarchy, EH40 WELs (8-hour LTEL and 15-minute STEL, silica 0.1 mg/m3), LEV 14-month thorough examinations, asbestos response and biological agents; welfare facilities and 16/13 degrees C temperature guidance; Work at Height Regulations hierarchy, ladder 1-in-4 rule and 7-day scaffold inspections; PUWER regulation 11 guarding hierarchy and LOLER 6/12-month examinations; fire triangle, UK fire classes, RRFSO 2005 responsible person and extinguisher selection; EAWR 1989 safe isolation, 30 mA RCDs and 110V CTE site supplies

Preparing for the NEBOSH NGC Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 60% per unit under the 2025 specification's points-based marking (both GNC1 and GNC2 must be passed)
Assessment: Question count not published by the exam provider
Time limit: GNC1: 24-hour open-book window (roughly 4-5 hours of work); GNC2: 3-hour risk assessment submitted within 10 working days
Exam / certification fees: Set by NEBOSH Learning Partners, typically GBP 400-800 including tuition and assessment entry Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

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NEBOSH NGC: Suggested Study Strategy

1Memorise the headline legal numbers examiners expect: a written H&S policy at 5+ employees (HSWA s.2(3)), 21 days minimum to comply with an improvement notice, RIDDOR reports within 10 days for specified injuries and 15 days for over-7-day injuries, and GBP 5 million minimum employers' liability cover.

2Learn the noise and vibration values as paired sets: 80 dB(A) lower action value (protection available), 85 dB(A) upper action value (protection enforced, zones signed), 87 dB(A) exposure limit; hand-arm vibration EAV 2.5 and ELV 5 m/s2 A(8).

3Practise classifying human failures - slips and lapses (skill-based), mistakes (rule or knowledge-based) and routine, situational and exceptional violations - because GNC1 scenarios regularly ask you to diagnose why someone acted unsafely.

4Drill the statutory examination intervals that distinguish similar-sounding duties: LEV thorough examination at least every 14 months (COSHH reg 9), LOLER thorough examination every 6 months for accessories and people-lifting equipment versus 12 months for other lifting equipment, and scaffold inspections at least every 7 days.

5For the GNC2 practical, choose a workplace area with at least 10 distinct hazards spanning several elements (chemical, fire, electrical, musculoskeletal, psychosocial) and write controls that follow the general principles of prevention rather than defaulting to PPE and training.

6In the GNC1 open-book exam, answers must apply the scenario's facts - quoting law without linking it to the named workers, tasks and failings in the scenario scores poorly under the points-based marking.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NEBOSH National General Certificate (NGC)?

The NGC is the UK's most popular entry-level occupational health and safety qualification, awarded by NEBOSH. It teaches how to manage health and safety based on UK law (HSWA 1974 and supporting regulations) across 11 syllabus elements, and is widely requested in job adverts for H&S advisers, supervisors and managers.

Is the NEBOSH NGC a multiple-choice exam?

No. Under the 2025 specification, unit GNC1 is an open-book, scenario-based digital assessment completed within a 24-hour window and followed by a closing interview, and unit GNC2 is a 3-hour practical risk assessment of your own workplace. Multiple-choice practice is still an effective way to learn and self-test the underpinning legal standards, limits and definitions the scenarios draw on.

What changed in the 2025 NGC specification?

NEBOSH revised the qualification with first teaching from 2 February 2026 and first assessments from 4 March 2026. The units were renamed GNC1 and GNC2, GNC2 is submitted via the NEBOSH Assessment Platform within 10 working days of the GNC1 exam, and marking moved from met/not-met criteria to a points-based system with a 60% pass mark per unit.

What is the difference between the NEBOSH NGC and the IGC?

The National General Certificate (NGC) is based on UK law - the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, MHSWR 1999, COSHH, RIDDOR, PUWER and related regulations. The International General Certificate (IGC) covers the same management and hazard topics but references international standards and ILO conventions instead of UK statutes. Choose the NGC if you work, or plan to work, under UK jurisdiction.

How long does it take to study for the NEBOSH NGC?

NEBOSH specifies a minimum of 66 taught hours plus around 40 hours of private study. Learning Partners deliver this as a 10-15 day block course, day release over several weeks, or self-paced e-learning over two to four months.

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

The qualification is rated at SCQF Level 6 with 11 credit points (comparable to RQF/CQFW Level 3 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland). It meets the academic requirement for IOSH Technical Membership (Tech IOSH) and Associate Membership of IIRSM.

How much does the NEBOSH NGC cost?

NEBOSH does not sell the course directly; accredited Learning Partners set their own fees, typically between GBP 400 and GBP 800 depending on delivery mode (e-learning, virtual classroom or face-to-face) and whether assessment entries and study materials are bundled.

Free Practice Questions for NEBOSH NGC

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