Established in 1979, the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) is a UK examination board. The responsibility of the NEBOSH is to set the syllabuses and methods of assessment for vocational qualifications. The institute was founded as an examining and awarding body with charitable status. The job profile of this institution is to provide certificates and diplomas in health, safety and environmental matters.
However, NEBOSH has not been given either the mandate or the responsibility to provide courses per se, as its job profile is to set examinations and accredit other organizations that provide teaching in these fields. Considering that the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health courses and examinations are provided in as many as 65 countries, the area of operation of this institute is really large. As it covers 65 countries, NEBOSH is inundated with lots of work as making syllabuses and methods of assessment for all these centers really consumes lots of its time and energy.
When it was set up in 1979, NEBOSH was known as the National Safety Examinations Board. Later on it changed to NEBOSH. Richard Booth was the board’s first chairman. A year later, in 1980 the first NEBOSH approved examination was held for modules that included the Ordinary Level and Higher Level Certificate. The institute expanded its Diploma qualification subsequently. Twelve years after its foundation the institute was recognized as a limited company and registered as charity in 1992 and in 2000 was accredited by the QCA. The post-nominal’s qualification was introduced in 2001. As many as 100,000 General Certificates were awarded in 2006.
NABOSH awards the Health and Safety at Work Qualification. The certificate it gives includes (a)National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety, (b)National Certificate in Construction Health and Safety, (c) National Certificate in Fire Safety and Risk Management, (d) International General Certificate in Occupational Safety and Health, (e) National Certificate in Environmental Management, (f) National Certificate in the Management of Health and Well-being at Work, (g) International Certificate in Construction Health and Safety, (h) International Technical Certificate in Oil and Gas Operational Safety.
NEBOSH diplomas include: (a) National Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety, (b) International Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety, (c)) Diploma in Environmental Management.
More than 30,000 people get the NEBOSH qualification each year. As it operates in 65 countries, its qualifications are recognized globally. People from all walks of life, working in different types of industries and national as well as state government institutions take its examination in various courses provided by it. The advantage of its certificate level qualification is that it gives you a good foundation in health and safety and makes you more efficient managers, supervisors of your organization when you are leading a team.