The NEBOSH Diploma is about the practical application of ‘background’ theory and knowledge to occupational health and safety (OHS) problems. Geek Now I love a bit of science. The background theory fascinates me and the practical applications can be mind-boggling. Many parts of the NEBOSH Diploma are very much concerned with the practical application of science and engineering to real-world OHS problems. COSHH is about the practical application of biology and chemistry to OHS. So is CAR. LOLER is about the practical application of physics and engineering to OHS. So is PUWER. So is DSEAR. It is also about the practical application of legal principles. And psychology (safety culture and…
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Radio Frequency Radiation – NEBOSH Diploma
NEBOSH Diploma questions are written to ensure that candidates don’t just have knowledge of a wide range of safety topics, but that they can also demonstrate that they can apply that knowledge. This means that they’ll often face questions about particular scenarios which they haven’t personally come across before. Students are not expected to have learnt about every possible situation or scenario that could arise, but are expected to be able to apply their knowledge to novel situations, working from first principles. They have to apply basic health and safety principles in their answer, giving enough specific detail to show that they have understood the issues associated with that particular…
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Advice to CSP Qualified Students Taking Advantage of NEBOSH and BCSP Collab
Earlier this year (2016) NEBOSH and BCSP (Board of Certified Safety Professionals) signed a memorandum of understanding. Recognising each other’s qualifications and allowing exemptions for those NEBOSH Diploma holders wanting to obtain the CSP (Certified Safety Practitioner) qualification. CSP holders waning to attain the NEBOSH Diploma Ordinarily you’d have to take a full course of study from an approved course provider (like RRC) to be able to sit the NEBOSH exams. But the agreement between NEBOSH and BCSP means that you don’t have to. In practice, whilst there’s some overlap in course coverage between CSP and the NEBOSH’s Health and Safety Diplomas, there’s a lot that’s different. Added to that…
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The ART of Assessing Repetitive Tasks
The HSE’s ART (Assessment of Repetitive Tasks of the upper limb) and MAC (Manual Handling Assessment Charts) are examples of ergonomic assessment tools, which form the basis of Diploma Unit B exam questions. The result is usually a cohort of panicked exam candidates! These tools look complicated at first sight, but like anything we do, the best way to learn what they are all about is to use them. Many of the tools are similar in approach, but this blog concentrates on the ART tool. The ART tool The purpose of the ART tool is to: Help risk assess repetitive tasks involving the upper limbs (arms and hands); and Assess…
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NEBOSH and The Risk of Snake Bites
NEBOSH are now focusing hard on using more new questions in their exam papers to try to ensure that students learn the syllabus instead of just memorising set answers to frequently asked questions. This is because they want to ensure that students actually understand the topics and are able to analyse and discuss the issues involved. One of the new questions in the recent IDIP Unit B paper was about precautions to prevent being bitten by snakes and the first aid procedures to follow in the event of a snake bite. Most of the answers submitted showed that despite this being a part of the current syllabus, it is an…
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The Risk of Malaria
Most people will have seen the recent news coverage of the problems being caused by the Zika virus, and the way it affects the foetus during the early stages of pregnancy. The Zika virus is mainly transmitted by female Aedes mosquitoes during the daytime. However, there is a much more widespread and deadly disease transmitted by mosquitoes, and one that we need to know about as part of the International Diploma syllabus – malaria. Although it’s covered in element IB5.1, not many students were able to answer a recent exam question set on the topic of malaria. So in this post I’ll be covering everything you need to know. Malaria…
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Are More Flood Defences The Answer?
NEBOSH Diploma in Environmental Management Element 11 The recent floods in late December 2015 and early January 2016 have been some of the worst on record. Many thousands of people have been affected and the cost of damage caused by the floods is projected to be over £1.5 billion. I thought in this blog post it would be interesting to take a look at what causes flooding and how flood risk can be managed. Historically, flooding was reduced by the building of flood defences for communities with little consideration of keeping water in uplands and flood plains. Such techniques might include building flood barriers (think the Thames Barrier) and installing…
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NEBOSH Diploma Syllabus Revision News #30
Having finished looking at topics from the individual units and elements, we will now tackle the teaching and learning approach. There can be a perception that gaining the NEBOSH diploma is just a case of memorising a whole lot more facts to impress your friends, practising a few exam questions and performing well in the exams and assignment. That’s inevitably part of it, but it’s a whole new way of thinking. A big step up to being an independent safety professional who can give sound, proportionate advice to a client or employer, and make a difference. Of course, experience adds a great deal to this, but fundamentally it’s about approach…
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NEBOSH Diploma Syllabus Revision News #29
We now come to the final element in Unit C. This element was previously on the same topic – workplace transport and driving as part of work. But we get a subtle change in that we are now calling the latter part managing work-related road risk. Both parts of the C10 are greatly re-organised. Workplace transport risk assessment is now based explicitly around the UK HSG136 guidance. It was in the list of references in the previous syllabus, but now the HSG136 structure has been brought into the syllabus organisation itself. This turns what used to be a random set of issues into a collection of issues framed around the site,…
