NEBOSH IGC study plan
NEBOSH IGC · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Health and safety management (content domains not enumerated in the source)
Map the entire IGC syllabus into a one-page outline that separates management-system content from workplace-hazard content, so later weeks can be sequenced deliberately
Define the key terms health, safety, welfare, hazard, risk and accident in your own words and test each definition against a real workplace example
Explain the moral, legal and financial reasons for managing health and safety, and give one concrete costed example of each for a sector you know
Identify the main sources of UK health and safety law (statute, regulations, approved codes of practice, guidance) and state how each differs in legal status
Draft a personal glossary of 20 terms with definitions you can defend without notes
Your checkpoint
A one-page syllabus map plus a 20-term personal glossary, both self-quizzed once with no notes and scored out of 20
Health and safety management (content domains not enumerated in the source)
Describe the duties placed on employers, employees, self-employed persons and others under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, and apply each duty to a short scenario
Explain the purpose and typical content of a written health and safety policy, and distinguish the three parts: statement of intent, organisation, arrangements
Outline the framework of criminal law enforcement (inspectors, improvement and prohibition notices, prosecution) and civil liability concepts including negligence and vicarious liability
Compare the roles of an enforcing authority and a safety representative in a unionised and a non-unionised workplace
Construct a model answer to a 10-mark 'outline the duties of employers' question within 12 minutes
Your checkpoint
Two timed 10-mark written answers on legal duties, marked against a self-built checklist of required points
Health and safety management (content domains not enumerated in the source)
Explain the elements of a health and safety management system and how they connect: policy, organising, planning and implementing, measuring performance, reviewing performance and auditing
Describe the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle and map each stage to a named management-system element
Outline the purpose and typical contents of an effective health and safety policy review process
Explain the concepts of proactive and reactive monitoring and give three examples of each
Draft a one-page summary of a management system suitable for a small organisation with 30 employees
Your checkpoint
A one-page annotated management-system diagram with every element defined in a sentence and at least one workplace example attached
Health and safety management (content domains not enumerated in the source)
Explain the purpose, structure and legal status of approved codes of practice and how they support compliance
Describe the role of the health and safety practitioner in advising, monitoring and promoting a positive culture
Outline the meaning of a positive safety culture and list observable indicators of one
Explain the difference between consultation and communication with workers, and describe practical methods for each
Answer a 20-mark multi-part question on management systems under timed conditions
Your checkpoint
One timed 20-mark practice answer completed in 25 minutes and self-marked against the syllabus outcomes
Health and safety management (content domains not enumerated in the source)
Explain the purpose and stages of a risk assessment, including hazard identification, evaluation of risk and selection of controls
Apply the hierarchy of control to three different hazards and justify why each control sits where it does
Describe the content and use of a simple risk assessment form, including likelihood, severity and residual risk
Explain when a risk assessment should be reviewed and what triggers a review
Compare risk assessment approaches for a small office and a construction site
Your checkpoint
Three completed risk assessments on realistic scenarios, each with a justified hierarchy-of-control entry and a stated residual risk
Health and safety management (content domains not enumerated in the source)
Explain the principles of accident causation and the difference between immediate and root causes
Describe the purpose and process of accident investigation and the importance of preserving evidence
Outline the requirements for recording and reporting accidents, including the categories of reportable incidents
Analyse a short accident scenario to identify immediate causes, underlying causes and suitable corrective actions
Explain the difference between active and reactive monitoring data and how each informs performance review
Your checkpoint
A written investigation of a supplied accident scenario with a causation tree and at least five corrective actions ranked by priority
Health and safety management (content domains not enumerated in the source)
Explain the purpose and process of a health and safety audit and how it differs from an inspection
Describe the role of performance standards and key performance indicators in measuring health and safety performance
Outline the purpose and content of a management review and how findings feed back into policy and planning
Explain the concept of continual improvement and how it is evidenced in a management system
Complete two full mock papers under exam timing and record the score for each question
Your checkpoint
Two completed mock papers with a scored breakdown by question and a written list of the three weakest areas
Health and safety management (content domains not enumerated in the source)
Revise the three weakest areas identified in the mock papers and rewrite the answers that scored lowest
Rehearse a 15-point mental checklist for structuring any multi-part exam answer
Practice at least six short-answer questions under strict timing to build pace and accuracy
Summarise the whole syllabus onto a single revision sheet in your own words
Complete a final full mock paper and compare the score with the week-7 baseline
Your checkpoint
A one-page revision sheet plus a final mock paper score showing measurable improvement over the week-7 baseline
Milestones
Week 2: Can state the general duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 for employers, employees and others, and explain the three parts of a health and safety policy, without notes
Week 4: Can reproduce the management-system elements and the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle on a blank sheet and attach one workplace example to each element
Week 6: Can complete a risk assessment on an unseen scenario in under 20 minutes and identify immediate and root causes in an accident scenario
Week 8: Final mock paper score improves on the week-7 baseline, and the three previously weakest areas are answered at a level you can defend without notes