The NEBOSH National Diploma is the most popular and recognised health and safety qualification of its kind. First introduced for health and safety professionals in 1980, over 18,000 learners have completed the various versions since its inception.

This qualification assists in the development of professional competence, increasing your ability to help organisations make sensible and proportionate decisions in order to manage risk, meet business objectives, and meet regulatory and other requirements. Thorough but achievable, the qualification is designed to meet the needs of the modern workplace. It is a university degree-level qualification to be proud of, which offers a route to Masters-level study.

The qualification covers the practical skills that are essential to health and safety professionals. It assesses a learner’s ability to apply their skills and knowledge and deliver positive change throughout the workplace.

Those who pass the NEBOSH National Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety are entitled to use the designatory letters DipNEBOSH.

The qualification is made up of 3 units.

Unit DN1: Know – Workplace Health and Safety Principles (UK) – 175 Hours including 40 hours for the assessment.

• Health and safety regulations; Prosecutions; Enforcement; Civil law; Damages and liability; Occupiers liability; Lawful discrimination; Insurers
• Organisational structures; Leadership; Consultation; Health and safety culture / Behavioural change programmes; Traditional and proactive safety management; Risk perception; Human failures and factors / Improving human reliability
• Competence, training, information and supervision; High reliability organisations
• Hazard identification techniques; Managing health and safety risks; Risk management
• Loss causation / Quantitative analysis of data; Measuring and monitoring
• Professional skills
• Societal factors; Corporate social responsibility; Organisation change
• Civil proceedings – contribute to a defence against damages claims; Coroner’s inquests; Contribute to a criminal proceedings defence; Ethical issues
• Contractors / Supply chains

Unit DN2: Do – Controlling Workplace Health Issues (UK) – 125 Hours including 20 hours for the assessment.

• Occupational health services / Equality in the workplace
• Mental ill-health / Wellbeing / Workplace violence / Lone working
• Health surveillance / Medical surveillance
• Hazardous substances
• Health risks from hazardous substances
• Epidemiology and toxicology
• Asbestos
• Ventilation and PPE
• Hazardous substances monitoring
• Biological agents
• Noise
• Vibration
• Radiation
• Musculoskeletal issues / Manual handling
• Workplace temperature / Welfare arrangements.

Unit DN3: Do – Controlling Workplace Safety Issues (UK) – 115 Hours including 20 hours for the assessment

• Safe working environment
• Confined spaces
• Fire and explosion, Fire
• Dangerous substances
• Work equipment and machinery maintenance
• Mobile work equipment
• Lifting equipment
• Electricity
• Construction / Work at height / Demolition / Excavation
• Workplace transport / Work-related driving

NEBOSH National Diploma Assessment

• Unit DN1 is assessed by an assignment (in four parts – simulations, workplace based activities, reflective tasks and a research project). Part of the assessment will require learners to undertake some workplace-based activities so need to ensure that they select a suitable workplace/organisation.
• Units DN2 & DN3 are assessed by a case study

Assessments will be available twice a year for each unit, with around 2-4 weeks (dependant on the unit) allowed to complete the assignment and return them to NEBOSH.