Choosing the right Health and Safety Certificate course for you is the first step in starting out on a successful career in occupational health and safety.Identifying the differences between health and safety certificate courses online can be difficult.The most important aspect of choosing between different health and safety certificate courses is the job opportunities it will provide. Some key considerations when choosing the right health and safety course is the study mode, level, duration and whether you are able to do the assessments. You can also check the credit weighting and how it compares to other health and safety certificate courses online.
This guide has been put together to help you carefully choose the right health and safety certificate course online to meet your needs.
The three most popular entry level health and safety certificate courses are;
– IOSH Level 3 Certificate in Occupational Safety and Health Principles and Practice
– NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety
– OTHM Level 3 Technical Certificate in Occupational Health & Safety
Each of these courses are awarded by three distinct awarding organisations. They are ideal for beginners because you don’t need any previous health and safety experience.
Let’s start with an introduction to the 3 main awarding organisations: IOSH, NEBOSH and OTHM qualifications.
Who is IOSH?
IOSH qualifications is the only Chartered professional body for occupational safety and health. It is a membership organisation, with over 49,000 members in more than 130 countries.
They are a regulated awarding organisation (AO), recognised by The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual). This means they offer their own qualification routes to membership, and work through approved centres.
Who is NEBOSH?
NEBOSH is the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health and a leading provider of health, safety and environmental qualifications. NEBOSH qualifications focus on the competence of safety and environmental professionals at all levels in the workplace. They work through a network of accredited Learning Partners and offer courses accredited through the Scottish credit and qualifications framework (SCQF) of qualifications.
Who is OTHM? OTHM qualifications is an approved awarding Organisation regulated by Ofqual (Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulation). They work through a network of approved centres located globally to deliver their qualifications. They offer courses accredited through the Qualifications Credit Framework (QCF) which is jointly regulated by the England’s regulator Ofqual, Wales’ DCELLS and Northern Ireland’s CCEA.
Graduates of OTHM qualifications enjoy significant job and progression opportunities and the credit weighting of their qualifications are high to allow entry to degree and/or Master top-up programmes in universities.
What are the differences in Health and Safety Certificate courses between Nebosh, IOSH and OTHM qualifications ?
Below is an introduction to the main differences between the health and safety certificate courses currently offered in the marketplace to help you decide which one is best for you.
IOSH Level 3 Certificate in Occupational Safety and Health Principles and Practice
The IOSH Level 3 Certificate in Occupational Safety and Health Principles and Practice is a global qualification, built on the IOSH competency framework. The IOSH Certificate is for learners who are pursuing a career in OSH or for those already working in the profession.
IOSH membership level: The IOSH Level 3 Certificate in Occupational Safety and Health Principles and Practice meets the academic requirements for ‘Tech IOSH’ membership and is offered via directed e-learning or via face-to-face and blended tuition options from one of their Approved Study Centres.
IOSH Units
There are four units to complete on the IOSH Level 3 Certificate in Occupational Safety and Health Principles and Practice course;
Total credits
Total credits is 12. The Guided Learning Hours (GLH) 80 Hours or Total Qualification Time (TQT) 122 Hours. The duration of this course is typically 5-6 months part time one evening a week.
IOSH level 3 Certificate Assessment
At the end of the course, assessment is via online remotely invigilated multiple-choice exam and scenario-based tasks. One MCQ assessment, and one scenario-based assessment is taken on consecutive days on certain assessment months of the year.
The exam has the benefits of doing it online remotely and there is also the benefit of multiple-choice questions. Learners must revise four units of learning outcomes which is a large amount of content to revise for under exam pressure conditions.
NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety
The NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety course is recognised by the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework SCQF to Level 6 which is broadly comparable to RQF Level 3 in England.
Nebosh Certificate Units
The course has 2 units NG1 and NG2.
A workplace-based practical risk assessment carried out in your workplace and which considers a wide range of identified hazards (drawn from elements 5 to 11); Physical and psychological health, Musculoskeletal health, Chemical and biological agents, General workplace issues, Work equipment, Fire, and Electricity.
The NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety requires you to pass both assessments to achieve your qualification. NEBOSH exams can be done remotely at home or in an office or suitable location.
Nebosh Certificate Assessments
The NG1: Management of health and safety, 4-hour exam is open book and can be done remotely. It appears there is a significant breadth of content and a lot of learning outcomes to cover in preparation for the open book exam.
According to Nebosh Examiners Report March 2020 learners doing the Unit NG1 exam, loose marks as they lose sight of the questions and include irrelevant information. Marks are deducted as learners misread or misinterpret several questions.
NEBOSH does not currently provide individual feedback for the exam for the following unit assessments: NG1/IG1/NGC1/IGC1. So it can be difficult for the learner to know where they fell down in their specific answers.
Nebosh do provide learner feedback for the following practical assignments: NG2/IG2/FSC2/EMC2. This is of benefit to learners needing guidance on what part of their risk assessment need improving.
This entry level NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety is offered typically over 5-6 months part time or intensively over day release blocks.
OTHM Level 3 Technical Certificate in Occupational Health & Safety
The OTHM Level 3 Technical Certificate in Occupational Health & Safety (Tech.Cert. OHS) is a foundation course that is designed for those with little or no health and safety experience. The course covers the essential technical skills and knowledge to start a career in health and safety. Successful completion will mean you satisfy the entry requirements for the higher level, OTHM Level 6 Certificate in Occupational Health & Safety.
The OTHM Level 3 Technical Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety is an IOSH approved accredited programme. Individuals successfully completing the qualification will be eligible to apply for Affiliate / Technical (TechIOSH) membership (subject to meeting experiential criteria)
OTHM Certificate Units
The Occupational Health and Safety Technical Certificate course covers the areas you would encounter in a junior health and safety role and is by far the most popular choice with 3 core units:
To achieve a ‘pass’ for a unit, learners must provide evidence to demonstrate that they have fulfilled all the learning outcomes and meet the standards specified in the assessment criteria. The assessment is formative. This involves completing assignments and there is feedback provided to learners so they can improve and resubmit if required. There is no exams on this course which is a benefit .
The duration of this Technical Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety is typically 7-8 months and is offered in different study modes by online classes, face to face or by blended learning.
Summary differences between Nebosh Vs IOSH Vs OTHM Health and Safety Certificate
Comparison Matrix
| Awarding Body | Course Title | Units | Regulated Qualifications Framework (England) (RQF) | Broadly Comparable Levels in (Ireland)
(NFQ) |
Assessment(s) | Credits |
| OTHM | Level 3 Technical Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 x Assignments only | 34 |
| NEBOSH | National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety | 2 | level 6 SCQF (Scottish Credit Qualifications Framework) comparable to level 3 on RQF England
|
5 | 2 x Assessments Open book Exam – 4 hours Practical Risk Assessment
|
11 |
| IOSH | Level 3 Certificate in Occupational Safety and Health Principles and Practice | 3 | 3 | 2 x Assessments Online multiple-choice exam and scenario-based tasks | 12 |
Why does the OTHM health and safety technical certificate have higher credits than the other two?
Yes the OTHM Level 3 Technical Certificate in Occupational Health & Safety has a credit value of 34 which is three times the credit value over the other two.
The higher the total credit value the better as it will allow you better progression opportunities and possible credit exemptions to Diploma and Degree’s to Universities. The credit value reflects the qualification and the rules of the Regulated Qualification Framework (RQF) in England. One credit will usually take you 10 hours of learning.
The Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) is jointly regulated by the England’s regulator Ofqual, Wales’ DCELLS and Northern Ireland’s CCEA.
How do I compare the levels in England, Republic of Ireland and Scotland with the levels stated on the Certificate in Health and Safety course?
The Qualifications can Cross Boundaries guide is a useful guide to compare qualifications in the UK and Ireland. The guide indicates comparable levels in your region. If in doubt, contact the course provider you wish to study with who can provide you with comparability statements.
Summary
In summary, it appears that the three professional awarding bodies offer three different, distinct and unique Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety courses. Where there is some overlap in learning outcomes, they differ in terms of Course Title, Total credits achieved, number of units and on type of assessments offered.
Exams Vs Assignments
Irrespective of whether it is an open book or a multiple-choice exam, doing exams can prove challenging for learners. The pressure of exams often leads to rote learning, exam-cramming and memorising answers. Ultimately this results in a loss of marks and higher failure rates.
Doing assignments allows the opportunity to gain feedback and to make improvements. It is a major benefit and advantage that the OTHM Level 3 Technical Certificate in Occupational Health & Safety has no exams, offers assignments and formative feedback and has a high credit value as distinct from the other two.
We hope this guide has helped you see the differences and make an informed decision in choosing the right health and safety certificate course for you.
Why Choose CMI?
CMI Communications & Management Institute is a centre of excellence and has been offering occupational health and safety courses for over 15 years to thousands of successful graduates. CMI Ireland provide courses through live online classes, one night per week and have a team of health and safety teaching professionals ready to guide you to success.
Check out their range of health and safety certificate qualifications from their School of Environmental, Health and Safety.
Kick start your professional career in occupational health and safety today.
