NEBOSH refreshes foundation-level health and safety qualification
Wednesday, 29 April 2026
NEBOSH, the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health, has updated its Health and Safety at Work Award - the first step on the NEBOSH qualification pathway.
The bite-sized qualification can be completed in just three days (or eighteen hours), and gives learners essential skills to spot a range of common hazards, assess risks and make workplaces safer across any industry. By mastering the fundamentals, learners will gain the confidence to apply health and safety principles in real work situations and build a strong foundation for their professional development.
Reviewed and refreshed for 2026, the qualification carries a 93% recommendation rating from previous learners, with many agreeing that the syllabus was useful in helping them to manage common workplace hazards, prevent accidents and ill-health, and learn from incidents. Updates include a more detailed syllabus that sets clearer expectations about what learners will cover, an introduction to mental ill-health, and stronger alignment with more advanced NEBOSH qualifications to support those aspiring to higher-level study.
Akram Ali Khan works as an HSE Engineer in Saudi Arabia and gained the NEBOSH Health and Safety at Work Award before progressing to achieve the NEBOSH General Certificate and Diploma qualifications. Akram says: “I was keen to build a strong foundation in health and safety principles, and I felt this course would help me do that. Studying for the Award gave me a clear understanding of key areas such as risk assessment, hazard control and the importance of developing a strong safety culture.”
Janet Dawson, NEBOSH Product Development Senior Lead, lead the qualification’s review and redevelopment, and says: “The NEBOSH Health and Safety at Work Award is the perfect entry point into the world of health and safety management. Learners gain important knowledge to make immediate improvements and reduce incidents. What's more, the assessment is based on the learner's own workplace so they can add instant value to their organisation during their studies.”
The qualification is available to study in both English and Arabic through NEBOSH’s global Learning Partner network. For more information see the NEBOSH Qualification page; Health and Safety at Work Award.
In a 2025 survey, 321 of 346 (93%) respondents who hold the NEBOSH Health and Safety at Work Award would recommend the qualification.