NEBOSH HSE Award in Managing Risks and Risk Assessment at Work

The NEBOSH HSE Award in Managing Risks and Risk Assessment at Work is a one-day, introductory qualification developed jointly with the Health and Safety Executive, built around HSE's own approach to controlling workplace risk. It is the shortest route to a recognised qualification in risk assessment specifically, rather than health and safety generally.

LevelRQF Level 2Notional SCQF Level 5, introductory rather than management level

Duration1 day6 taught hours plus around 1 for the assessment

AssessmentAbout 1 hourUnit RAW1, a practical based on a video of a real workplace

Results24 working daysParchment within 40 days of the unit being confirmed

Who it is for

This qualification suits you if

You carry out or contribute to risk assessments as part of your job
You are a manager, supervisor or SHE champion rather than a safety specialist
You are a union or employee health and safety representative
You want a recognised qualification without committing to a certificate course

Before you commit

There are no entry requirements and no previous health and safety training is assumed
NEBOSH recommends a standard of English equivalent to IELTS 5.0 or higher
The practical is completed after the course, on a date set by your Learning Partner
It is an introductory qualification and does not replace certificate-level training

What it covers

Unit RAW1, Managing risks in the workplace, runs to three elements. The content follows HSE's own approach to risk, which is what makes it practical rather than theoretical.

Why health and safety risks need managing, including the competence of the people doing it and the importance of consulting workers
Managing risk: identifying hazards, understanding the risks they create and controlling them
Where to find reliable sources of information, and how to apply HSE's own risk assessment tools
Judging what is sensible and proportionate rather than assessing everything to the same depth
Recording findings and reviewing them properly

Assessment and certification

Unit RAW1 is assessed by a practical exercise taking around an hour, completed after the taught content. You watch a video of a real workplace and carry out a risk assessment on what you have seen, identifying the hazards, judging the level of risk and setting out how you would manage and prioritise the controls. Assessments are held on a date chosen by your Learning Partner. Results are issued within 24 working days, and the qualification parchment normally follows within 40 working days of the unit being confirmed, which is longer than most NEBOSH qualifications. The Award sits at a notional SCQF Level 5, comparable to RQF Level 2 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

An Award, not a Certificate

This sits at the introductory tier of the NEBOSH range, one level below the General Certificate. That is the point of it rather than a shortcoming: it gives people who contribute to risk assessments a proper grounding in a single day, without asking them to commit to a certificate. If your role is health and safety itself, or you manage a team and need broader coverage, start higher up.

How you can study it

Classroom

A single day, which is the most common format and works well for teams learning together.

Live online

The same tutor-led teaching in a virtual classroom, sometimes split across two part-days to fit around work.

In-house or e-learning

Delivered at your own premises for a group, with content related to your own workplace risks, or worked through online in your own time.

Common questions

How long is the HSE Award?

NEBOSH sets six taught hours with around an hour for the assessment, so roughly seven hours in total. That fits into a single day face to face, and live online delivery is sometimes split across two part-days.

What does the assessment involve?

A practical exercise of about an hour. You watch a video showing you around a real workplace, then complete a risk assessment on what you saw: identifying hazards, judging the level of risk each one poses and deciding how you would control and prioritise them. It is a test of method rather than memory, and there is no written exam.

How does it compare to IOSH Managing Safely?

IOSH Managing Safely is three days and covers managing safety broadly, including responsibilities, hazards, incident investigation and performance. This Award is one day, sits at an introductory level and focuses specifically on risk assessment. If risk assessment is the gap, this is the efficient answer; if you manage people, Managing Safely is the fuller qualification.

Is it a recognised qualification?

Yes. It is a NEBOSH qualification developed jointly with the Health and Safety Executive, and it carries the NEBOSH name. It is short and introductory by design, so it demonstrates competence in risk assessment rather than broad health and safety knowledge.

Who should attend?

Employers, managers, supervisors, SHE champions and employee or union representatives. Anyone who carries out or contributes to risk assessments and wants to do it properly.

Compare HSE Award dates and formats below

Envico lists NEBOSH HSE Award dates from Learning Partners in classroom, live online and in-house formats. Looking for something broader? Compare IOSH Managing Safely or the NEBOSH General Certificate.