NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Process Safety Management

The NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Process Safety Management was developed jointly with the Health and Safety Executive, combining HSE's high-hazard technical expertise with NEBOSH's approach to vocational qualifications. It is aimed at the process industries, where the concern is preventing catastrophic loss of containment rather than everyday personal safety.

Structure1 unitUnit PSM1, covering four elements

Study time~48 hours28 taught hours plus around 20 private study

Pass mark60%24 correct answers out of 40, in 90 minutes

Results15 working daysFaster than most NEBOSH qualifications

Who it is for

This qualification suits you if

You work in oil and gas, chemicals, pharmaceuticals or another process industry
You are a manager, supervisor or safety adviser on a high-hazard site
You need to understand the difference between process safety and personal safety
Your organisation handles significant quantities of hazardous substances

Before you commit

There are no formal entry requirements, though underpinning health and safety knowledge helps
NEBOSH recommends a standard of English equivalent to IELTS 6.0 or higher, and no exemptions are available for PSM1
The assessment is remotely invigilated, so you need a laptop or desktop with a working camera and microphone
Assessment dates are set by NEBOSH and booked through your Learning Partner

What it covers

The qualification is built around four elements, each addressing a different part of managing process risk.

Process safety leadership, and the culture and governance behind it
Management of process risk, including hazard identification and assessment
Process safety hazard control, covering plant, systems and procedures
Fire protection and emergency response in high-hazard environments

Assessment and certification

Unit PSM1 is assessed by an online multiple-choice examination of 40 questions taken through the NEBOSH Online Assessment Platform. You have a 24-hour window in which to start, but once you begin you have 90 minutes to finish. Ten of the questions are extended scenario questions distributed at random, each question carries one mark with one correct answer among four, and the paper covers the whole syllabus with at least one question per element. The pass mark is 60%, meaning 24 correct answers. The assessment is remotely invigilated. Results are issued within 15 working days, considerably quicker than NEBOSH's other certificate-level qualifications, and the parchment normally follows within 20 working days of the unit being confirmed. The qualification is not accredited by a UK regulator, but is broadly comparable to SCQF Level 7, which is comparable to RQF Level 4 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Process safety is not personal safety

This is the distinction the qualification exists to teach. Personal safety is about slips, trips and injuries to individuals. Process safety is about preventing the catastrophic release of energy or dangerous substances that harms many people at once. A site can have an excellent personal safety record and poor process safety, and history is full of examples where exactly that was true.

How you can study it

Classroom

Usually around four days for the 28 taught hours, with private study on top and the assessment booked separately.

Live online

The same tutor-led teaching in a virtual classroom, without travel or overnight stays.

Self-paced e-learning

The most flexible and usually the cheapest route, and the one that asks most of your own discipline.

Common questions

How long is the Process Safety Management course?

NEBOSH sets 28 taught hours with around 20 hours of private study on top. In a classroom that usually runs across four days, with the multiple-choice assessment taken afterwards. Studied digitally you work at your own pace and book an assessment date separately through your Learning Partner.

How is it assessed?

A single online multiple-choice examination of 40 questions, remotely invigilated. You have a 24-hour access window to start it, but 90 minutes to complete it once you begin. Ten of the questions are extended scenario questions distributed at random. The pass mark is 60%, or 24 out of 40. There is no practical assessment and no written paper.

Who is it for?

Managers, supervisors and safety advisers in process industries such as oil and gas, chemicals, plastics and pharmaceuticals, both in the UK and internationally. It suits people who need a working understanding of process risk rather than engineering-level specialism, and it is the recognised successor to the withdrawn International Technical Certificate in Oil and Gas Operational Safety.

Do I need the General Certificate first?

No. There are no entry requirements and this qualification stands alone, though NEBOSH notes that underpinning health and safety knowledge is useful. If this is your first NEBOSH certificate, the General Certificate is worth considering alongside it, since the two cover very different ground.

Compare Process Safety Management dates and formats below

Envico lists NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Process Safety Management courses from Learning Partners in classroom, live online and self-paced formats. Browse the full NEBOSH range.