NCC2 / NGC3 Practical Gudiance

Observations
NEBOSH Marking Criteria

Range of issues identified (0 to 5 marks)

Julies additional comments

Provide a range of at least 5 topics including

health, safety and welfare

You are expected to identify physical hazards such as

unsafe machinery, examples of chemical, fire, ergonomic
and health hazards and you should also consider if there
are any welfare and environmental problems. You are
expected to comment on situations where there is
adequate control of hazards and where safe working
practices are being observed, as well as when the
opposite is the case.
5 Max
Number of hazards identified (0 to 20 marks)
You are expected to recognise common hazards. You
will NOT be awarded marks for repetitive hazards or
deficiencies such as missing machinery guards. As a
general guide, a very good candidate should identify
about 75% of the health and safety issues readily noted
by an occupational safety and health practitioner.

Ensure 20-22 hazards and

observations (no action required)

2-3

good

You will NOT be awarded marks for repetitive

hazards or deficiencies such as missing
machinery guards or trailing wires
Ensure you provide contexts of your
observation, such as trailing wire risk of
tripping over wire. Wire located on a busy
traffic route that is accessed by members of
the public. Supplementing the text can also
validate your risk rating

20 Max

Identification of immediate, medium and long term

actions (0 to 10 marks)
The examiner is looking for a variety of low,
medium and high actions.
Where appropriate you should comment on the need for
medium and long term actions as well as immediate
actions to control any danger. This requires you to
distinguish between the symptoms and the root causes
of unsafe conditions. The immediate action on poor
housekeeping may be to sweep up the debris; tackling
the root cause may involve employing a labourer,
providing training for the supervisor, or modifying the
work process.
10 Max

Suitability of remedial action/time scales (0 to 20 marks)

The examiner will expect to see three action

term where appropriate.
This example
The proposed remedial actions must not only remove or demonstrates you understand to remedy the
control the hazard but must also be realistic and cost root cause. (Operational and strategic). As an
effective Time scales, too, should be realistic and example, if you identified a fire door wedged
open:
appropriate
Immediate - close door and brief staff
Medium (2 weeks) Include training
within induction
Long term (3 months) Introduce
magnetic door stops that release on
activation of fire alarm.
Also ensure the timescales meet the risk, so if
high the timescale would be shorter, low risks
Max 20
may allow a more tolerable approach.

Management report
Selection of topics for urgent management action (0 to 10 Ensure you select 4-5 topics from your
marks)
observation sheet. And ignored any low
risk or trivia items.
This requires you to emphasise those items on your
observation sheets that you consider require urgent
The most serious issues must be
attention by management and to present them, together highlighted at the beginning of the
with suggested remedial actions (both short and long term), report, reflecting prioritisation for
in a logical and coherent manner. Marks will be deducted if management action.
you give weight to trivial matters or reproduce the
observation sheet.
Try to include short and long term
actions within text of each selected
topic.
Types of topics:

Consideration of cost implications (0 to 5 marks)

HOUSEKEEPING
FIRST AID
FIRE
WELFARE
TEMPERATURE
LIGHTING
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT
SIGNAGE
LIFTING EQUIPMENT
STORAGE
ACCESS/EGRESS
HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES /
CHEMICALS
MANUAL HANDLING
MACHINERY
DSE
FLOOR CONDITIONS
VEHICLES
HEALTH HAZARDS

10 Max

The examiner is looking for a sign. It

does not have to be accurate, just a
rough estimate is fine. If you are unable
to attribute a cost because of manhours, try to include the amount of time.
As example staff requiring training 3
people for 4 hours each, totalling 12
hours.

You are not expected either to know or to estimate the

actual costs but should demonstrate that you are aware of
cost implications. For example, if you recommend the
replacement of a carpet because of a small tear, without
commenting on its overall condition, marks will be deducted.
If training is recommended as a solution to a problem, you
should indicate if this is likely to require a few hours of workbased instruction or several days of more costly off-the-job Ensure the cost does not exceed the
training. It is the assessment of magnitude of the cost that is risk. And that high costs have been
important, rather than precise figures.
validated
with
an
explanation/justification.

Ensure this total is included into your 5 Max

summary.

Identification of possible breaches of legislation (0 to 5 Try to include relevant legislation in each

marks)
of the topics. Avoid using the Health &
safety at Work Act in each section.
In the real work situation, you would consult reference
books when preparing reports. For the purpose of this I would also recommend that you
assessment, in which books and reference material are not include the Health and Safety at Work
allowed, you should be able to broadly identify those Acts Act in your summary. You might even
and Regulations listed in the syllabus that may have been wish to mentioned section 2 to gain that
infringed. For example: Health and Safety at Work Act, full mark. Plus you could also refer to
First-Aid Regulations, PUWER (Provision and use of Work the Management Regulations.
Equipment Regulations), etc. Neither the date of the
5 Max
legislation nor its full title are obligatory even for full marks).

Presentation of information (0 to 10 marks)

Follow the layout within your folder:

To/from/date Location
Although there is no universally preferred format for report
Introduction
writing, for the purpose of the assessment a good report
Main Body (Findings)
should normally comprise about three sides of handwritten
Summary
A4 (i.e. about 500-750 words). It should cover the following
points in a logical sequence:
Ensure you list the subjects you are
Where are when the inspection took place
going to discuss within the introduction.
A brief summary of what was found
A short list of issues requiring urgent action by
Include text within your introduction as to
management with convincing arguments why such
action is needed and calling attention to possible breaches why you are conducting the hazard
observation.
of health and safety legislation
Reference to the list of observations and recommended
Ensure you mention the attached
actions (which should be attached to the report), calling
particular attention to any recommendations which could observation sheet.
have a high cost in terms of finance, inconvenience or time.
Your management report needs to
demonstrate your short and long term
actions and also your legal, moral and
financial reasons for managing.
I appreciate the scoring states 750
words, but dont restrict opportunity to
increase your marks by strictly adhering
to the word count. Basically a 2 page
document is too short, but a 10 page
document is too long. Good reports that
I have marked that allow for good
content are usually around 5 pages
(handwritten)
Dont just copy your observation sheet
into the report.

10 Max

Effectiveness in convincing management to take action (0 to These points are allocated for
15 marks)
demonstrating
effectiveness
in
convincing management.
This is the assessors overall impression of the report and Within your writing of your topics, try to
the degree that they consider it would have convinced include:
Whats wrong
management to take action. Marks will be deducted for not
being selective and including large numbers of minor
Regulation breached
hazards in a lengthy report. The report should be written in
How to solve problem
such terms that a manager would be able to take
Cost
reasonable action based on facts. Marks will be deducted
Timescale
for reports based on unsupported generalities and those
that simply reiterate the contents of the observation sheet.
Ensure your report is factual, not
If the report is selective and has been written in such a way subjective.
that it encourages assessors to read it, even though they
disagree with some of the contents, then it would be worth There are no additional items written in
about a third of the marks available. High marks will be the report that have not been discussed
awarded for reports that are concise, readable and highly in the observation sheet.
selective in terms of action required by management. Your
report should contain a balanced argument on why action is
Discuss the outcomes for failing to act
needed and explain the effect it would have on the
on
recommendations,
such
as
standards of health and safety at the workplace.
enforcement notices, prosecution, civil
action.
Balance the report in the summary with
benefits the recommendations may bring
the organisation, such as clear legal,
Max 15
moral and financial arguments.

Tutor Summary:

Use the above NEBOSH marking criteria and my comments to ensure you structure your work Pass is 60
for maximum points.
You can write a wonderful observation sheet and report, but if you havent cover the required
marking you can easily lose points.
The pass mark is 60 points.
Max 100
Do not hesitate to email me or phone me to discuss in more detail.

Julie Riggs
MSc DipOSH Grad IOSH MIIRSM MCIEH MBOHS (PhD in progress)

Health & Safety Consultant/Trainer

T: 0845 500 8811

M: 0754 068 5863
F: 0154 340 5284
E: julie.riggs@phoneixhsc.co.uk
Skype: juliephoenixhsc
www.phoenixhsc.co.uk