NEBOSH open book exam questions and answers
7 December 2020
NEBOSH have released a PDF guide to the answers which attract the most marks when taking the NG1 Open Book Exam.
NEBOSH Open Book Exam Learner Feedback
The fourteen page PDF contains advice and an indication of the types of answers that would attract credit and those that would not for the NG1 open book examination. It makes sense to give yourself the greatest chance of success when taking the NG1 Open Book Exam you need to read and understand this guide so you are prepared before the day of your examination.
UPDATE SPRING 2021
The following NEBOSH certificate courses are also now available as open book exam. Our online NEBOSH courses are delivered in real-time by an expert trainer using Zoom. Which means our tutor-led training and NEBOSH Certificate virtual classroom courses can be enjoyed anywhere in the World.
► NEBOSH General Certificate virtual online courses
► NEBOSH Construction Certificate virtual online courses
► NEBOSH Fire Certificate virtual online courses
► NEBOSH Environmental Certificate virtual online courses
NEBOSH have issued sample questions
The exam paper is designed to work in conjunction with the NEBOSH Open Book Exam Learner Feedback guide to enable delegates to apply the feedback in a realistic format. The New open book exams are focused on scenarios. The paper tests what you know about health and safety - you have to apply theoretical knowledge to workplace situations. Each task (question) will consist of one or more questions. Your responses to most of these tasks should wholly, or partly, draw on relevant information from the scenario.
NEBOSH Open Book Technical Learner Guide
The NEBOSH Open Book Technical Learner Guide focuses on accessing, completing and submitting your open book exam using NEBOSHs’ online examination platform.
It sets out what to do to get higher marks in the NG1 Open Book Exam
In the Open Book Exam, you’ll receive a scenario and a set of ten questions. The scenario will be a hypothetical workplace situation including some background information about the role you play. You need to carefully consider the details of the role and relate to the scenario in your answers.
You need to be able to focus on the scenario and the questions being asked (tasks) and be capable of retrieving relevant information fast. To do this you must be familiar with your notes, organising them in advance so you can find anything you need quickly during the examination.
A quick guide on how to digest and answer the questions
You could gain more marks by following these best practice steps:
- Read through the scenario and familiarise yourself with the content.
- Read through it again and highlight or underline the key areas within the scenario.
- Be aware of the word count for the full paper i.e. 3,000 words — there’s an allowance of 10%. Practice distributing the word count according to the marks available across all tasks i.e., if an answer is worth more marks, you should allocate a larger word count than the smaller value questions.
- Read through the questions and highlight the key words in the question. For example: “Discuss the moral argument for implementing safety and health.” The focus is on “discuss” and “moral.” So, you need to ensure your answers are written in full paragraphs, not just bullet points (bullet points might be useful to plan your answer and make sure you cover the points relevant marks being awarded). We recommend writing a minimum of 300 words for each question (approx. for a 10-mark question) to make sure you go into the right amount of depth. Keep your answer relevant to the question – i.e. if ‘moral’ do not use financial or legal arguments in your answers, as you will not get any marks for this.
- When answering, start with some key words to help structure your answer, e.g. for moral arguments you may use the, “effects of an accident, injury and ill health.”
- Then go back and formulate your discussion, relating it to the key points in the scenario — do not quote the scenario word for word.
- Do not copy and paste answers from textbooks or the web. All answers must be in your own words. If you do use any material word for word from your textbooks or the web, then you MUST reference it as the bottom of the paper.
The day of the NG1 open book exam
You have 24 hours to complete the exam, so use the time wisely. It may be easier to use a publishing software like Word to craft your answers, this ensures any glitches in your internet connection won’t result in loosing work – and you can easily check on word count.
To avoid plagiarism, make sure you reference any quotes or comments taken directly from your study materials or online sources. You can add references to the end of your paper. We suggest that you keep referencing to a minimum, as the majority of your answers should be in your own words.
Follow all the instructions for uploading and submitting your answers. You can update, amend, or replace your submission at any point until the exam deadline, after which the option will unavailable.
Closing interviews following the NG1 open book exam
Following the open book exam is a short closing interview with your course tutor. These interviews are a NEBOSH requirement and confirm that you were the person that took the exam and the work submitted is your own.
The closing interview does not form part of your exam results, it simply is a part of the validation process to test the answers were yours and you have the knowledge when questioned. You must complete the interview via video call, within 2-3 weeks of completing the exam. You will need access to an internet-connected device with a camera (e.g. smartphone, tablet or computer).
The interviewer will ask you to confirm your identity. You will also need to show there is no one else in the room with you and that you do not have access to your study materials. You will be asked a few questions about your exam paper answers — again this is only to confirm that you were the person completing the exam. The interview will take a maximum of 15 minutes.
Your NG1 open book exam results
NEBOSH will email your exam results to you within 50 working days of the exam. If you have passed, you will receive a certificate within 20 working days of your results.
You can now relax; you’ve done the very best you can. RISK wishes you the very best of luck, and we hope you’ll think about your next career development options with us.
