NEBOSH IGC (NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety) — Free Online Mock Test
NEBOSH IGC knowledge-check mocks on the current 2025 specification — GIC1 Management of health and safety (Elements 1–4) and GIC2 Risk assessment (Elements 5–11: physical and psychological health, musculoskeletal health, chemical and biological agents, general workplace issues, work equipment, fire, electricity). The real IGC is a scenario-based open-book GIC1 exam plus a practical GIC2 risk assessment; these mocks drill the syllabus knowledge both depend on. · Official language: English.
NEBOSH IGC exam at a glance
NEBOSH IGC full-length mock tests
Attempt 50 full-length NEBOSH IGC mock tests, each a distinct question set built on the real 50-question, 60-minute pattern — with instant scoring and section-wise analysis. The first 3 are free.
NEBOSH IGC key facts & eligibility
| Conducting body | NEBOSH (The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health), UK — taught through NEBOSH-accredited Learning Partners worldwide |
|---|---|
| Official website | nebosh.org.uk ↗ |
| Mode | Two units. GIC1 (Management of health and safety) is a scenario-based open-book examination (OBE) taken digitally: you have 24 hours from 11am UK time on the exam date to access, complete and submit it, and it includes a closing interview. GIC2 (Risk assessment) is a practical risk assessment of a real workplace — usually your own — written up in four sections: background, risk assessment, prioritising one hazard, and communicate/check/review. |
| Frequency | GIC1 is sat on NEBOSH-set assessment dates published on the NEBOSH website; study is offered year-round by Learning Partners as classroom, part-time, block-release or e-learning courses. |
| Scoring & marking | GIC1 has a provisional pass mark of 45% and sets the qualification grade: Distinction 75+, Credit 65–74, Pass 45–64, Refer 0–44. GIC2 is marked out of 100 with a pass mark of 60 and is graded only Pass or Refer. You must pass both units to receive the qualification parchment. |
| Score validity | Both units must be passed within five years, counted from the date of your first successful unit. A unit that is five or more years old no longer counts and must be retaken. |
| Language | English, Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Russian, Spanish (European) and Turkish (open-book exams in languages other than English cannot be taken in the UK). |
Who is eligible for NEBOSH IGC?
No entry requirements. NEBOSH recommends a standard of English equivalent to IELTS 6.0 or higher. It is designed for managers, supervisors and workers in any sector and is a common first step into a health and safety career.
Last verified October 2026 against NEBOSH — International General Certificate, NEBOSH — GIC qualification guide for Learning Partners (v2.2), NEBOSH — GIC learner guide (v1.1), NEBOSH — Unit GIC2 guidance for learners and Learning Partners. Always confirm current details on the official website before you register.
NEBOSH IGC section breakdown
The NEBOSH IGC mock test on Wrexa Edge replicates the real exam's section structure — same names, same question count per section, same time limits. No inter-section breaks — the timer runs continuously.
-
GIC1 + GIC2 Syllabus Check (50 Q)
NEBOSH IGC scoring & marking scheme
Strategy: NEBOSH IGC has no negative marking. Attempt every question — blank answers cost you potential marks but cannot pull your score down.
Scale: NEBOSH IGC knowledge check (%).
How NEBOSH IGC is conducted
- Mode
- Test format
- Backtracking
- Mark for review
NEBOSH IGC time strategy
With 50 questions in 60 minutes, you have about 72 seconds per question on average. Successful candidates aim for the following pacing on each section:
- GIC1 + GIC2 Syllabus Check (50 Q)
Wrexa Edge's analytics show your actual time-per-question after every mock so you can spot which sections you're losing time on.
NEBOSH IGC topics covered
Across the 50 Wrexa Edge variants of NEBOSH IGC, the following topics appear most often (sample distribution from one variant):
GIC1 + GIC2 Syllabus Check (50 Q)
- NEBOSH IGC — GIC1 Element 3: Managing risk – understanding people and processes · 9
- NEBOSH IGC — GIC2 Element 8: General workplace issues · 5
- NEBOSH IGC — GIC2 Element 5: Physical and psychological health · 5
- NEBOSH IGC — GIC2 Element 7: Chemical and biological agents · 5
- NEBOSH IGC — GIC1 Element 1: Why we should manage workplace health and safety · 4
- NEBOSH IGC — GIC2 Element 9: Work equipment · 4
- NEBOSH IGC — GIC1 Element 4: Health and safety monitoring and measuring · 4
- NEBOSH IGC — GIC2 Element 6: Musculoskeletal health · 3
NEBOSH IGC difficulty calibration
Intermediate tier. Intermediate-level: assumes a working command of the syllabus. Most candidates need 2-4 months of focused prep.
NEBOSH IGC knowledge-check mocks on the current 2025 specification — GIC1 Management of health and safety (Elements 1–4) and GIC2 Risk assessment (Elements 5–11: physical and psychological health, musculoskeletal health, chemical and biological agents, general workplace issues, work equipment, fire, electricity). The real IGC is a scenario-based open-book GIC1 exam plus a practical GIC2 risk assessment; these mocks drill the syllabus knowledge both depend on. · Official language: English.
Verified content — Wrexa Edge's NEBOSH IGC bank has been deeply curated with real exam-aligned content (estimated 70% syllabus coverage).
How Wrexa Edge prepares you for NEBOSH IGC
- Real test-day interface
- 50 distinct variants
- Detailed analytics
- Spaced repetition (Notebook)
- Optional proctoring
- Free to start
Expert take: what NEBOSH IGC really tests
The NEBOSH International General Certificate (IGC) has two units: GIC1, a scenario-based open-book exam taken digitally within a 24-hour window and followed by a closing interview, and GIC2, a practical risk assessment of a real workplace. Your grade comes from GIC1 alone — Distinction 75+, Credit 65–74, Pass 45–64 — while GIC2 is Pass/Refer with a pass mark of 60 out of 100. Both units must be passed within five years of the first successful unit. The syllabus is international, built on ILO Convention C155, ILO-OSH 2001 and ISO 45001 rather than any single country's law.
Preparation tips
- In GIC1, answer the scenario, not the textbook — open book means marks go to applying the principles to the facts you are given.
- Learn the ISO 45001 hierarchy of control (eliminate, substitute, engineering, administrative, PPE) and justify why PPE is the last resort.
- In GIC2, draw hazards from at least five different hazard categories and write each hazard description so it says what makes the item or activity hazardous.
- For the prioritised hazard, give separate legal, moral and financial reasons and explain how you will check the actions worked.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating the open-book exam as easy and copying generic notes — answers that ignore the scenario score poorly.
- Naming people at risk without saying how they could be harmed, or leaving the further-action column blank in the GIC2 risk assessment.
- Introducing a new hazard in the prioritisation section of GIC2 — it must be one already in your risk assessment.
NEBOSH IGC study plan
A phase-by-phase roadmap from your first concept to test-ready. Stretch or compress each phase to fit the time you have before your attempt.
- Learn the moral, legal and financial arguments, including insured vs uninsured costs
- Know ILO C155/R164 duties of employers and workers, and how contractors are selected and managed
- Map ISO 45001 / ILO-OSH 2001 onto Plan-Do-Check-Act and the parts of a health and safety policy
- Culture, human factors, the 5-step risk assessment and the ISO 45001 hierarchy of control
- Management of change, safe systems of work, permit-to-work and emergency/first-aid planning
- Incident investigation (HSG245 levels), active vs reactive monitoring, audit and management review
- Noise, vibration, radiation, stress, violence and substance abuse; musculoskeletal and load handling
- Chemical and biological agents, welfare, work at height, confined spaces, transport and driving
- Work equipment and machinery guarding, fire and electricity
- Practise scenario questions under open-book conditions and prepare for the closing interview
- Carry out the GIC2 risk assessment using hazards from at least five categories
- Prioritise one hazard with legal, moral and financial reasons and plan how you will check the actions worked
Where NEBOSH IGC can take you
A strong NEBOSH IGC result opens up these careers and higher-study paths:
- Health and safety officer / coordinator
- Supervisor or line manager
- HSE roles on international projects
- Route to professional membership
Best books & official prep for NEBOSH IGC
- International Health and Safety at Work for the NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety — Phil Hughes & Ed Ferrett (Routledge)
- ISO 45001 — Occupational health and safety management systems — International Organization for Standardization
- Guidelines on occupational safety and health management systems (ILO-OSH 2001) — International Labour Organization
Official practice: Download the GIC syllabus guide, the Unit GIC2 guidance and the GIC2 assessment pack from nebosh.org.uk. The GIC2 guidance shows section-by-section marks and worked examples of answers that earn marks. NEBOSH recommends about 4 hours to complete GIC2, but the time is not restricted.
Previous-year papers: GIC1 is a scenario-based open-book exam, so memorising past answers has limited value — practise applying the syllabus to workplace scenarios. NEBOSH publishes case studies and the GIC2 guidance with mark-earning examples on its website.
Sample NEBOSH IGC practice questions
5 questions taken from the NEBOSH IGC mock tests on Wrexa Edge. Try each one, then reveal the answer.
-
Q1. Which is a LIMITATION of written communication, such as a safety bulletin?
- It leaves no record of what was said, so it cannot be referred back to later during training or audits
- It is always more expensive than training
- It cannot be used for procedures
- It may not be read or understood, especially by people with low literacy or a different first language
Show answer
Answer: D — It may not be read or understood, especially by people with low literacy or a different first language
-
Q2. Which is a key hazard of using a forklift truck?
- Overturning, especially when cornering at speed or travelling with a raised load
- Hand-arm vibration from the forks
- Noise-induced hearing loss in passing pedestrians only, from the engine, horn and reversing alarm
- Radiation from the mast
Show answer
Answer: A — Overturning, especially when cornering at speed or travelling with a raised load
-
Q3. Which control is appropriate when vehicles must work near overhead power lines?
- Raising tipper bodies under the lines
- Goal-post height barriers, or isolating the line
- Relying on drivers to judge the clearance by eye
- Working faster to reduce exposure time
Show answer
Answer: B — Goal-post height barriers, or isolating the line
-
Q4. Why does a permit-to-work normally have a defined time limit?
- To limit the contractor's pay
- Because permits are printed on cheap paper
- So that conditions are rechecked if work continues beyond the period in which they were verified as safe
- To reduce the number of workers on site
Show answer
Answer: C — So that conditions are rechecked if work continues beyond the period in which they were verified as safe
-
Q5. Why are collective measures (such as nets) preferred to personal fall-arrest systems?
- They are always cheaper to buy and inspect than personal fall-arrest equipment
- They eliminate the need for planning
- They remove the hazard completely
- They protect everyone in the area without relying on each individual to use them correctly
Show answer
Answer: D — They protect everyone in the area without relying on each individual to use them correctly
Frequently asked questions
- What is the NEBOSH IGC exam format?
- The NEBOSH International General Certificate has two units. GIC1 (Management of health and safety) is a scenario-based open-book exam taken online: you have 24 hours from 11am UK time on the exam date to complete and submit it, followed by a closing interview. GIC2 (Risk assessment) is a practical risk assessment of a real workplace, usually your own.
- What is the pass mark for NEBOSH IGC?
- GIC1 has a provisional pass mark of 45%, and it sets your overall grade: Distinction 75% and above, Credit 65–74%, Pass 45–64%, Refer below 45%. GIC2 is marked out of 100 with a pass mark of 60, and its result is simply Pass or Refer.
- What changed in the 2025 NEBOSH IGC syllabus?
- NEBOSH replaced the IG1/IG2 units with GIC1 and GIC2 under a 2025 specification of 11 elements. GIC1 covers Elements 1–4 (why and how to manage health and safety, people and processes, monitoring) and GIC2 covers Elements 5–11 (physical and psychological health, musculoskeletal health, chemical and biological agents, general workplace issues, work equipment, fire and electricity). The final old-syllabus exams ran in August 2026.
- Does NEBOSH IGC have multiple-choice questions?
- No. GIC1 is answered in written form against a workplace scenario, and GIC2 is a written practical risk assessment. Wrexa Edge uses multiple-choice questions as a fast knowledge check across all 11 syllabus elements, which is the knowledge both units test.
- How long do I have to complete both NEBOSH IGC units?
- You must pass both GIC1 and GIC2 within five years of your first successful unit. Results for both units are issued together, about 60 working days after the GIC1 exam.
- How many hazards does the NEBOSH IGC practical (GIC2) need?
- The GIC2 risk assessment must identify hazards from at least five different hazard categories. It has four sections: background, the risk assessment itself (65 marks), prioritising one hazard (17 marks), and communicating, checking and reviewing (8 marks).
- Which languages is NEBOSH IGC available in?
- NEBOSH offers the IGC in English, Arabic, French, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Turkish. For the English version, NEBOSH recommends an English level of about IELTS 6.0.
- Is NEBOSH IGC or IOSH Managing Safely better for me?
- IOSH Managing Safely is a three-day course for line managers who need to manage risk in their own team. NEBOSH IGC is a deeper, Level 3-equivalent qualification (SCQF 6) with about 112 notional hours, and it is the usual entry qualification for safety officer and HSE adviser roles.
- How can I practise NEBOSH IGC online for free?
- Wrexa Edge gives you 3 free full-length NEBOSH IGC mock tests — with instant scoring, detailed explanations and analytics — plus 47 more with Pro. Start practising in under a minute, no card required.
- Can I take the NEBOSH IGC mock test on mobile?
- Yes. NEBOSH IGC mock tests run in any browser on mobile, tablet or desktop — no app or download needed. Start on your phone and your progress and analytics sync when you sign in.
- What is the eligibility for NEBOSH IGC?
- No entry requirements. NEBOSH recommends a standard of English equivalent to IELTS 6.0 or higher. It is designed for managers, supervisors and workers in any sector and is a common first step into a health and safety career. Wrexa Edge focuses on realistic NEBOSH IGC practice: 3 free full-length mocks in the exact exam pattern, ready whenever you are.
Related exams & practice tests
Candidates preparing for NEBOSH IGC also practise these on Wrexa Edge:
Browse more: All Health & Safety exams → · All Global exams → · Full exam catalog →
Ready to ace NEBOSH IGC?
Join thousands of candidates practising on Wrexa Edge. Free signup, 50 variants per exam, instant scoring.
Start practising free →