Occupational Health and Safety NVQ Requirements
This qualification is for workers who already take supervisory-level responsibility for health and safety as part of their normal job.
It suits you if you:
- Help monitor safety on site or in the workplace
- Support supervisors, team leaders, or the H&S officer
- Carry out basic inspections, checks, or observations
- Report hazards and contribute to maintaining safe working conditions
- Help coordinate safety with your team or section
- Deliver or assist with toolbox talks and safety briefings
- Keep safety paperwork, permits, or records organised
- Want to progress into a H&S Coordinator or H&S Assistant role
- Need a qualification that meets standards for TechIOSH status
Typical roles include:
- Supervisor with H&S responsibilities
- H&S Assistant
- H&S Representative / Safety Champion
- Facilities or maintenance staff with safety responsibilities
- Warehouse, plant, or manufacturing operatives who take a safety lead within their team
You must show you can apply health and safety procedures at a supervisory/support level and help maintain safe working practices. You need to demonstrate the ability to:
-
•
Identify hazards and carry out basic risk assessments
-
•
Apply safety control measures in your work area
-
•
Conduct workplace inspections and record findings
-
•
Report hazards, unsafe acts, and near misses promptly
-
•
Support the reporting of incidents and assist with follow-up actions
-
•
Keep safety documentation up to date (logs, checklists, permits, records)
-
•
Support induction processes, toolbox talks, or safety briefings
-
•
Promote correct PPE use and safe behaviour within your team
-
•
Check equipment, tools, and work areas for compliance
-
•
Monitor housekeeping, access routes, and emergency exits
-
•
Assist with fire safety checks and emergency arrangements
-
•
Communicate safety information clearly to colleagues and contractors
-
•
Apply relevant legislation, guidance, and company procedures as required
-
•
Contribute to improving the site’s health and safety culture
Your assessor will collect evidence from your real workplace tasks. Suitable may include:
- Completed inspections, checklists, or risk assessment
- Toolbox talks or briefings you’ve delivered or assisted with
- Incident, near-miss, or hazard reports
- Safety communications or recommendations you’ve made (e.g. emails, texts, etc.)
- PPE checks, fire point checks, COSHH registers, or equipment records
- Photos and short video diaries (if permitted) of you completing safety tasks
- Safety meeting notes you contributed to
- Work logs, task sheets, shift reports, or diary entries
- Training records or certificates related to safety
- Witness testimonies from supervisors or safety personnel
- Assessor observations during site visits
For details on the qualification units, see the "Qualification Structure" section.
NVQ Level 3 Occupational Health and Safety Qualification Structure
To achieve this qualification, you must complete at least 7 units - all of the mandatory units, plus a minimum of TWO optional units.
NVQ Level 3 Occupational Health and Safety Mandatory Units
| Unit Title |
Level |
| Ensure responsibility for actions to reduce risks to health and safety |
3 |
| Develop procedures to safely control work operations |
3 |
| Monitor procedures to safely control work operations |
3 |
| Promote a culture of health and safety in the workplace |
3 |
| Conduct a health and safety risk assessment of the workplace |
3 |
Occupational Health and Safety Optional Units (2 units required)
| Unit Title |
Level |
| Investigate and evaluate health and safety incidents and complaints in the workplace |
3 |
| Make sure actions in the workplace aim to protect the environment |
3 |
| Review health and safety procedures in the workplace |
3 |
| Supervise the health, safety and welfare of a learner in the workplace |
3 |
Occupational Health and Safety NVQ Assessment Process
Usually, it takes 1-2 assessment sessions to cover the Occupational Health and Safety assessment criteria. Depending on the quality of evidence we receive from you and your personal circumstances, these sessions may involve a site visit.
Although the assessment process can vary depending on the package you selected at the time of your booking (for options, see the booking form), we can outline the typical steps you can expect during your assessment. However, given the dynamic nature of the industry, we always aim to adapt the process to suit your individual situation.
For simplicity, let’s break down the process of a typical assessment for a H&S professional into 6 chronological steps.
Step 1 Introduction
You will receive an instructional email as startup guidance, which will include a list of product evidence examples. This will help you identifying the evidence you can start gathering for your assessment portfolio.
Step 2 Welcome Call
You will receive a phone call (usually the next day) from your NVQ assessor to discuss the assessment requirements, your work, and potential product evidence that you can provide for your assessment. This evidence may come from your current or even previous/completed projects. During this call, you'll agree on the next steps and gain a clear understanding of what you need to do to prepare for the first assessment session. The assessor will also email you any required course materials.
Step 3 Compile Evidence
Based on the guidance and advice provided by the assessor, you will start collecting evidence (if not already available) for the first assessment session.
Step 4 The Assessment
After gathering sufficient evidence for the first session, you will schedule a date and time for the site visit. During this visit, you will sit down to discuss all the documentation and explain your work processes and methods. Usually, there is also a quick site walkaround to gather evidence of your workplace organization. The first session is generally designed to cover around 50-60% of the assessment criteria.
Step 5 Assessment Progress
After the first session, the assessor will review all the evidence and conduct a gap analysis to identify any remaining criteria. You will receive feedback on the steps required to address these criteria. Once you've collected the additional evidence, you can arrange for your next session, which is typically a remote session conducted over the phone.
Step 6 Completion
During this session, our aim is to address all the remaining criteria to complete your assessment. In most cases, this marks the final session. Once we've covered 100% of the assessment criteria, we will compile and finalize your portfolio, and then proceed to claim your NVQ achievement from the Awarding Body.
NVQ Level 3 Occupational Health and Safety Fast Track
A standard NVQ Level 3 Occupational Health and Safety assessment usually takes 4–6 weeks, but the actual turnaround depends on how quickly we can gather and confirm all required evidence. The sooner you provide the evidence, the sooner we can complete the assessment. Once everything is received, there is nothing stopping us from finishing immediately. In practice, the overall duration depends on your motivation and how quickly you can supply the evidence.
Before starting, you will review your work situation with your assessor and agree on a realistic completion date.
Fast Track Option
With the Fast Track service, you can complete the NVQ in 2–4 weeks. To achieve this timeframe, you must be motivated and ready to work closely with your assessor. Your assessor will prioritise your assessment, plan the quickest route to completion, and focus on meeting the agreed targets, provided the required evidence is supplied promptly.
To choose Fast Track, select the option on the booking form.
Funded Qualification
