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NVQ Diploma Level 5 in Occupational Health and Safety Practice
The NVQ Diploma Level 5 in Occupational Health and Safety Practice is a vocational health and safety qualification that does not require classroom attendance.
It is intended specifically for safety professionals who wish to attain chartered status of IOSH (CMIOSH) through a practical, evidence-based route as opposed to an academic course (for those who would prefer to obtain CMIOSH status via exams, take a look at the NEBOSH National Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety).
Why Choose an NVQ Qualification?
A National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) is a qualification that recognises the competence of a person in a work situation.
Unlike traditional health and safety training qualifications that rely on teaching and examinations, a health and safety NVQ uses performance on-the-job as a basis for the assessment, meaning that a person can achieve the qualification with minimal disruption to their workplace commitments.
As the NVQ Diploma Level 5 in Occupational Health and Safety Practice is work-based, and involves the collection of evidence from your normal day-to-day activities, candidates must be in a job role that allows them to collect and provide this. Candidates should report directly to, or be a part of, the senior management team. You should also be in a position where you recommend and implement changes relevant to your role, and have an understanding of cost implications and budgetary control.
Many universities will accept this qualification as suitable entry requirements for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate study in health and safety.
Programme Structure
There are eleven units that must be completed to obtain the overall qualification.
Ten units are mandatory, whilst there are some options for the eleventh unit. For those looking to reach Graduate Membership and Chartered Membership of IOSH, then the unit Professional Development and Ethics in Health and Safety Practice needs to be completed. Otherwise, candidates have a choice between two units. Please see below for the complete list.
Mandatory Units:
- Develop and implement effective communication systems for health and safety information
- Promote a positive health and safety culture
- Develop and maintain individual and organisational competence in health and safety matters
- Identify, assess and control health and safety risks
- Develop and implement proactive monitoring systems for health and safety
- Develop and implement reactive monitoring systems for health and safety
- Develop and implement health and safety emergency response systems and procedures
- Develop and implement health and safety review systems
- Behavioural safety in the workplace
- Develop and implement the health and safety policy
Choice of Units:
- Professional development and ethics in health and safety management (required for IOSH Graduate Membership recognition and Chartered Membership)
- Manage contractors to ensure compliance with health and safety
- Develop and implement the health and safety induction process
Evidence Gathering and Submission
One of the main advantages of the NVQ Level 5 Diploma, and why it is so popular, is because it can be undertaken anywhere in the UK. Inductions will be arranged by your appointed assessor, either face to face, via telephone or through electronic media (depending on your location).
Your work and gathered evidence is submitted electronically via a cloud based system or by email. Support and training are provided principally through telephone calls, Skype calls and emails.
How Long Will it Take to Complete?
As this qualification revolves around you, the time it takes to complete the units and achieve it depends primarily upon you.
On average, it usually takes delegates between 15 and 18 months to achieve the NVQ Diploma Level 5 in Occupational Health and Safety Practice. However, some candidates manage to complete within a year, while others take longer than 18 months.
18 months of support is included in the price of this NVQ qualification. Additional support can be purchased after this period should you require more time to complete your qualification.
Entry Requirements
Aside from being aged 19 or over, there are no formal entry requirements for the NVQ Diploma Level 5 in Occupational Health and Safety Practice; however candidates must have an autonomous role in their organisation for managing health and safety policy and practice.
They will report directly to the senior management team and have direct access to the responsible persons. They will be responsible for developing and implementing health and safety policies to ensure the organisation is compliant with all current health and safety legislation in a workplace with complex risks.
It would also be advisable for candidates to already hold a health and safety qualification such as the NEBOSH General Certificate or equivalent.
You can enrol on the programme at any point in the year. Contact with your advisor/assessor will be flexible via e-mail, telephone and/or video conference. This is principally a distance learning type approach with no need to attend specific dates, making it ideal for those who need to fit their studies around their working hours.
How Much Does it Cost?
The cost of the NVQ Diploma Level 5 in Occupational Health and Safety Practice is £1,795 + vat. This price includes enrolment fees, certification fees and 18 months support.
Whilst the vast majority of people achieve the qualification within this timeframe, additional support can be purchased after this 18 month period, should you require more time to complete your qualification.
How to Enrol
As mentioned earlier, NVQ candidates must be aged 19 or over, and will need to demonstrate that they are in a suitable job role which allows them to gather sufficient evidence to complete all the units of this vocational course. This is done by completing an initial assessment prior to being accepted onto the NVQ programme.
Rather than taking any money off you now and then coming back to you and saying that you are not eligible, this initial assessment allows us to ensure that you will be able to achieve the qualification before asking you to pay.
To register your interest and get the process started, please contact us using the button below.
