NEBOSH IGC: INTERNATIONAL GENERAL CERTIFICATE EXAM
FULLY COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND 100% EXPLAINED VERIFIED
ANSWERS LATEST VERSION 2026/2027
QUESTIONS CORRECT ANSWERS
1 What is the primary purpose of The NEBOSH International General
the NEBOSH IGC? Certificate provides a foundation-
level qualification in occupational
health and safety, equipping
individuals with knowledge to
manage workplace risks and comply
with legal requirements
internationally.
2 Define 'hazard' in the context of A hazard is anything that has the
workplace health and safety. potential to cause harm, injury,
illness, or damage. Examples include
wet floors, hazardous chemicals,
moving machinery, and excessive
noise.
3 Define 'risk' in occupational Risk is the likelihood that a hazard
health and safety. will cause harm, combined with the
severity of that harm. It is often
expressed as: Risk = Likelihood ×
Severity.
4 What is the difference between a A hazard is the potential source of
hazard and a risk? harm, while a risk is the probability
and consequence of that harm
materialising. A hazard exists
regardless of controls; risk depends
on the context and controls in place.
NEBOSH IGC Study Guide – 300 Q&A | Page 1 of 52
, QUESTIONS CORRECT ANSWERS
5 List three direct costs of Direct costs include: medical
workplace accidents. treatment costs, compensation
payments to injured workers, and
repair or replacement of damaged
equipment or property.
6 List three indirect costs of Indirect costs include: loss of
workplace accidents. productivity, reduced staff morale
and increased absenteeism, and
reputational damage to the
organisation.
7 What does the 'moral case' for The moral case refers to the ethical
health and safety management obligation employers have to protect
mean? workers from harm. Workers have a
right to go home safe and healthy,
and employers should prevent
suffering out of duty of care, not just
legal compliance.
8 What is the 'legal case' for The legal case involves compliance
managing health and safety? with national and international laws,
regulations, and standards. Failure to
comply can result in prosecution,
fines, imprisonment of directors, and
civil claims.
9 What is the 'business case' for The business case recognises that
health and safety? good health and safety management
reduces costs (accidents, downtime,
litigation), improves productivity,
enhances reputation, and helps attract
and retain skilled employees.
10 What is an 'accident' in An accident is an unplanned,
occupational health and safety uncontrolled event that results in
terms? injury, ill health, damage, or other
loss. It differs from a near miss in
that harm or damage actually occurs.
11 What is a 'near miss'? A near miss (also called a dangerous
occurrence) is an unplanned event
that did not result in injury or
NEBOSH IGC Study Guide – 300 Q&A | Page 2 of 52
, QUESTIONS CORRECT ANSWERS
damage but had the potential to do
so. Investigating near misses helps
prevent future accidents.
12 What is an 'ill-health condition' Ill-health conditions are work-related
in the workplace? diseases or disorders caused by
exposure to workplace hazards over
time, such as occupational asthma,
noise-induced hearing loss, or
musculoskeletal disorders.
13 Describe Heinrich's Triangle Heinrich's Triangle illustrates that for
(the accident ratio triangle). every major injury, there are many
minor injuries and a far greater
number of near misses. Addressing
near misses can prevent serious
incidents.
14 What are the ILO key principles The ILO promotes decent work,
for occupational safety and tripartism (government, employers,
health? and workers), the right to a safe
workplace, and the integration of
OSH into national policies and
workplace management systems.
15 Why is worker involvement Worker involvement improves
important in health and safety hazard identification, increases
management? ownership of safety measures,
improves morale, helps ensure
practical solutions are developed,
and is required under many legal
frameworks.
IG1 – Element 2: How Health and Safety Management Systems Work
# Question Answer
16 What is a health and safety A health and safety management
management system? system (HSMS) is a structured
framework of policies, procedures,
and processes used to manage
NEBOSH IGC Study Guide – 300 Q&A | Page 3 of 52
, # Question Answer
workplace hazards and risks
systematically to achieve continual
improvement in health and safety
performance.
17 Describe the Plan-Do-Check-Act Plan: identify hazards and set
(PDCA) cycle in H&S objectives. Do: implement controls
management. and procedures. Check: monitor and
measure performance. Act: review
findings and improve the system.
This cycle drives continuous
improvement.
18 What is ISO 45001? ISO 45001 is an international
standard for occupational health and
safety management systems. It
provides a framework for
organisations to improve employee
safety, reduce workplace risks, and
create safe working conditions.
19 What are the key elements of the The ILO-OSH 2001 guidelines
ILO-OSH 2001 guidelines? include: policy, organising, planning
and implementation, evaluation, and
action for improvement – forming a
continuous improvement cycle.
20 What should a health and safety A health and safety policy should
policy contain? contain three parts: a statement of
intent (commitment and objectives),
the organisation section (roles and
responsibilities), and the
arrangements section (how things are
done in practice).
21 Who is responsible for signing The most senior person in the
the health and safety policy? organisation (e.g., CEO, Managing
Director) should sign the health and
safety policy to demonstrate top-
level commitment.
22 When should a health and safety The policy should be reviewed after
policy be reviewed? significant changes (new processes,
NEBOSH IGC Study Guide – 300 Q&A | Page 4 of 52
FULLY COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND 100% EXPLAINED VERIFIED
ANSWERS LATEST VERSION 2026/2027
QUESTIONS CORRECT ANSWERS
1 What is the primary purpose of The NEBOSH International General
the NEBOSH IGC? Certificate provides a foundation-
level qualification in occupational
health and safety, equipping
individuals with knowledge to
manage workplace risks and comply
with legal requirements
internationally.
2 Define 'hazard' in the context of A hazard is anything that has the
workplace health and safety. potential to cause harm, injury,
illness, or damage. Examples include
wet floors, hazardous chemicals,
moving machinery, and excessive
noise.
3 Define 'risk' in occupational Risk is the likelihood that a hazard
health and safety. will cause harm, combined with the
severity of that harm. It is often
expressed as: Risk = Likelihood ×
Severity.
4 What is the difference between a A hazard is the potential source of
hazard and a risk? harm, while a risk is the probability
and consequence of that harm
materialising. A hazard exists
regardless of controls; risk depends
on the context and controls in place.
NEBOSH IGC Study Guide – 300 Q&A | Page 1 of 52
, QUESTIONS CORRECT ANSWERS
5 List three direct costs of Direct costs include: medical
workplace accidents. treatment costs, compensation
payments to injured workers, and
repair or replacement of damaged
equipment or property.
6 List three indirect costs of Indirect costs include: loss of
workplace accidents. productivity, reduced staff morale
and increased absenteeism, and
reputational damage to the
organisation.
7 What does the 'moral case' for The moral case refers to the ethical
health and safety management obligation employers have to protect
mean? workers from harm. Workers have a
right to go home safe and healthy,
and employers should prevent
suffering out of duty of care, not just
legal compliance.
8 What is the 'legal case' for The legal case involves compliance
managing health and safety? with national and international laws,
regulations, and standards. Failure to
comply can result in prosecution,
fines, imprisonment of directors, and
civil claims.
9 What is the 'business case' for The business case recognises that
health and safety? good health and safety management
reduces costs (accidents, downtime,
litigation), improves productivity,
enhances reputation, and helps attract
and retain skilled employees.
10 What is an 'accident' in An accident is an unplanned,
occupational health and safety uncontrolled event that results in
terms? injury, ill health, damage, or other
loss. It differs from a near miss in
that harm or damage actually occurs.
11 What is a 'near miss'? A near miss (also called a dangerous
occurrence) is an unplanned event
that did not result in injury or
NEBOSH IGC Study Guide – 300 Q&A | Page 2 of 52
, QUESTIONS CORRECT ANSWERS
damage but had the potential to do
so. Investigating near misses helps
prevent future accidents.
12 What is an 'ill-health condition' Ill-health conditions are work-related
in the workplace? diseases or disorders caused by
exposure to workplace hazards over
time, such as occupational asthma,
noise-induced hearing loss, or
musculoskeletal disorders.
13 Describe Heinrich's Triangle Heinrich's Triangle illustrates that for
(the accident ratio triangle). every major injury, there are many
minor injuries and a far greater
number of near misses. Addressing
near misses can prevent serious
incidents.
14 What are the ILO key principles The ILO promotes decent work,
for occupational safety and tripartism (government, employers,
health? and workers), the right to a safe
workplace, and the integration of
OSH into national policies and
workplace management systems.
15 Why is worker involvement Worker involvement improves
important in health and safety hazard identification, increases
management? ownership of safety measures,
improves morale, helps ensure
practical solutions are developed,
and is required under many legal
frameworks.
IG1 – Element 2: How Health and Safety Management Systems Work
# Question Answer
16 What is a health and safety A health and safety management
management system? system (HSMS) is a structured
framework of policies, procedures,
and processes used to manage
NEBOSH IGC Study Guide – 300 Q&A | Page 3 of 52
, # Question Answer
workplace hazards and risks
systematically to achieve continual
improvement in health and safety
performance.
17 Describe the Plan-Do-Check-Act Plan: identify hazards and set
(PDCA) cycle in H&S objectives. Do: implement controls
management. and procedures. Check: monitor and
measure performance. Act: review
findings and improve the system.
This cycle drives continuous
improvement.
18 What is ISO 45001? ISO 45001 is an international
standard for occupational health and
safety management systems. It
provides a framework for
organisations to improve employee
safety, reduce workplace risks, and
create safe working conditions.
19 What are the key elements of the The ILO-OSH 2001 guidelines
ILO-OSH 2001 guidelines? include: policy, organising, planning
and implementation, evaluation, and
action for improvement – forming a
continuous improvement cycle.
20 What should a health and safety A health and safety policy should
policy contain? contain three parts: a statement of
intent (commitment and objectives),
the organisation section (roles and
responsibilities), and the
arrangements section (how things are
done in practice).
21 Who is responsible for signing The most senior person in the
the health and safety policy? organisation (e.g., CEO, Managing
Director) should sign the health and
safety policy to demonstrate top-
level commitment.
22 When should a health and safety The policy should be reviewed after
policy be reviewed? significant changes (new processes,
NEBOSH IGC Study Guide – 300 Q&A | Page 4 of 52
