Level 6 NVQ Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Practice

Level 6 NVQ Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Practice

The ProQual Level 6 NVQ Diploma in Occupational Health & Safety Practice is for those responsible for developing and applying health and safety procedures day-to-day in their organisation. They may be a staff member, supervisor or manager and will report directly to, or be part of the senior management team.

This qualification is appropriate to learners from a variety of sectors including Energy, Oil & Gas, Retail, Corporate Business and Construction.

Developed in partnership with The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) this Level 6 NVQ is comparable to a Bachelor Degree in terms of academic value.

Candidates with access to this qualification will:

    • identify, assess and control health and safety risks
    • develop and implement the health and safety policy
    • develop and implement communication systems for health and safety information
    • develop and implement proactive and 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

Candidates will also be expected to maintain a personal development portfolio which can contribute to professional bodies’ CPD requirements and which incorporates:

    • an ongoing evaluation of their personal competence
    • reflective commentaries on CPD activities
    • setting and prioritising realistic goals for professional development
    • applying professional ethics in practice an appreciation of diversity and inclusivity in workplaces
    • sharing personal experiences in professional debate and discussion

What are the benefits of this NVQ?

How can I apply for this NVQ?

Click the button below to start your application.

Once this form has been submitted, one of our NVQ assessors will contact you directly for a telephone profiling session to confirm that the NVQ is achievable (there is no charge to this). Once an assessor has approved your application to enrol, you can start at any time.

Frequently asked questions

How is this qualification assessed?

This Level 6 NVQ is assessed though a combination of submission of evidence (workplace documents) and ‘Professional Discussion’. There is no written work, no classroom-based elements, and the whole assessment can be achieved remotely (without the assessor coming to site) through our unique assessment process.

We provide a list of evidence documents that you will need to upload to our ePortfolio portal. Once your assessor has reviewed the documentation and is satisfied with it, you will move onto the discussion stage.

The discussions will be carried out remotely via Zoom. During this session you will ‘share screens’ with your assessor so that you can view the evidence documents and unit questions together.  

You will then work through each of the units essentially telling your assessor how you carry out your role, giving examples of real projects, real scenarios and describing how the evidence that you have presented helped facilitate the process. 

What sort of evidence is required for this qualification?

The evidence requirements for this qualification include (but are not limited to):

  • Health and safety audit
  • Action plans
  • Health and safety policy
  • Accident reporting procedure
  • Meeting minutes
  • Safety notices
  • Risk register
  • Emergency procedures
  • Project team meeting minutes
  • Photographs
  • Videos
How does the actual assessment work?

The NVQ process is really a ‘tell me, show me’ exercise. First you will tell your assessor how you carry out a particular task, then you show them the evidence the proves your statement.

It goes something like this:

Assessor: “can you tell me how you promote a culture of health, safety and welfare to people within the organisation?”

Learner:We induct all staff upon joining one of our projects. The induction clearly explains our expectations and high standards in H&S. Following the presentation are a suite of H&S Awareness videos which aim to demonstrate how conduct our day-to-day operations.” 

Assessor: “Ok, can you expand on the content of the videos you mentioned?”

Learner: “They cover our key risk areas such as working at height, manual handling and general site safety.” 

Assessor: “Can you show me the supporting evidence for this?”

Learner: “Sure, here’s an induction from the project we’re on now, and here are the links to the H&S awareness videos.” 

Assessor: “Great, I’m happy with that”

It really is that simple, provided that you’re competently doing the job and have the evidence to prove it, you can complete the NVQ.

What is the duration of this qualification?

Achievement of the Level 6 NVQ Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Practice is largely down to the learner’s own motivation.

We provide support for a period of 12 months from the date of registration, however this qualification is realistically achievable within 3 months or less.

How does this compare to NEBOSH Diploma?

The NEBOSH National Diploma course is for those that want to become a health and safety practitioner through a programme of learning. The course is typically delivered via the traditional classroom-based route with a combined total of 35 days classroom study and approximately 234 hours of private study and background reading, taken at a pace to suit up to a maximum of 5 years. 

There are no formal entry requirements, however it is recommended that candidates complete the NEBOSH General Certificate prior to undertaking this qualification.

On completion, candidates can apply for GradIOSH (which can ultimately lead to CMIOSH).

The ProQual Level 6 NVQ Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Practice is for those that are already working in a senior/management health and safety role.

Unlike the NEBOSH Diploma, the NVQ isn’t about exams, it’s about recognising the skills, knowledge and experience that a health and safety manager has developed, over time, in a real working environment.

Again there are no entry requirements, however (prior to enrolment) candidates will need to prove to one of our assessors that they have the experience required to be successful on the qualification.

We provide support for a period of 12 months, however experienced, confident health and safety managers can achieve this qualification within 1-3 months depending on their level of commitment to the programme.

On completion, candidates can apply for GradIOSH (which can ultimately lead to CMIOSH). Construction-based candidates also have access to the Black CSCS card and Membership of The Chartered Institute of Building (MCIOB).

What's involved in the GradIOSH application?

First you’ll join IOSH as an Affiliate Member at a cost of £198 (£140 membership fees + £58 joining fee).

You’ll then need to send an up-to-date CV and your ProQual Level 6 NVQ certificate of achievement to the IOSH membership team for review.

Once accepted you’ll be able to showcase your achievements of being a Graduate Member by using the post-nominal letters GradIOSH after your name:

John Smith GradIOSH

*Prices and information valid at the time of writing (Feb 2022) but could be subject to change before this website is updated, please use as a guide only.

How do I progress from GradIOSH to CMIOSH?

Once you’re a Graduate Member you should reach Chartered status within five years of entering the category.

Once enrolled on the Initial Professional Development (IPD) scheme, you will be assessed to see if you meet the standards to become a Chartered Member.

Alongside IPD, you are also required to maintain your CPD record.

The video below explains the IPD process in more detail:

When can I apply for my CSCS card?

Those health and safety candidates that are working in a construction-related role will be eligible to apply for a black CSCS card.

Once enrolled onto this qualification you will be able to apply for the Red Experienced Technical, Supervisor or Manager CSCS card right away (this is optional, but useful for those that need a CSCS card urgently). This card is issued on a temporary basis and demonstrates that you are working towards an NVQ. 

Once the NVQ has been completed, we’ll send you a scanned copy of your certificate which you can use to apply for your Black ‘Manager’ CSCS Card.

Please note: To apply for any CSCS card you are required to have passed the appropriate level of CITB Health, safety and environment (HS&E) test within the last two years. There are unfortunately no exceptions to this rule and the HSE test is still required regardless of the achievement of your Level 6 NVQ Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Practice.

More information about this can be found here.

Can I fail this NVQ?

Technically Yes, you can fail any NVQ. NVQs are competence-based qualifications, they are a recognition of the skills, knowledge and experience that you already have. With that in mind, if you have never ‘done the job’ and don’t have the evidence to prove it, how are you going to answer the question?

We at CADUK have robust procedures in place to ensure that doesn’t happen.

The key to our success in this area is that we only enrol candidates onto our qualifications in the first place that we know have the skills, knowledge and experience to be successful.

We carry out a thorough profiling process (free of charge) with each and every candidate before enrolment to make 100% sure that the qualification is achievable before you start.

As part of this process we ask you to complete an initial profile tool (questionnaire) and return it to us with a copy of your CV. One of our assessors will then contact you directly to confirm that you have the skills, knowledge and experience required to be successful.

Once our assessor has ‘approved’ you to start, you can enrol at any time.

If the assessor thinks that a different qualification is more suitable, they will recommend an alternative NVQ. This may be a lower or higher level qualification, but you will be confident that you can actually ‘live up’ to the qualification that you’re taking on.

Qualification cost

£1850+VAT

Price above includes ProQual registration fees.

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    Check out our latest articles

    and Google reviews

    The following articles are related to the Level 6 NVQ Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Practice. Continue further down the page to view some of our Google reviews left by previous learners on this qualification.
    Dave Herpe CMIOSH MIFireE SIIRSM
    Dave Herpe CMIOSH MIFireE SIIRSM
    Speedy Services
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    I cannot rate CADUK highly enough. High quality service, excellent online portal and great input and support from everyone I've dealt with in the team. I've had poor experiences from other providers and formats before finding CADUK. I've completed the Level 6 NVQ Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Practice and learnt a lot. I highly recommend CADUK - worth every penny!
    Liam Walters
    Liam Walters
    King & Moffatt Building Services
    Read More
    I achieved my NVQ Level 6 in Health and Safety through CADUK. My assessor has been fantastic in helping me complete this qualification (and the previous Level 6 NVQ in Construction Contracting Operations that I achieved with them last year). I would recommend CADUK to all, they are the best in the business at what they do!
    Nigel Banks GradIOSH
    Nigel Banks GradIOSH
    Safety In Projects Ltd
    Read More
    I couldn't have asked for more from an exceptional company CADUK and the assessor for helping me achieve the Level 6 NVQ in Occupational Health and Safety Practice. I strongly recommend them for communication, time and value for money. Brilliant!
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    Terry Reynolds MCIOB GradIOSH
    Terry Reynolds MCIOB GradIOSH
    Director - CTC Building Services
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    I completed my NVQ L6 in Occupational Health and Safety to allow me entry to gain my GradIOSH. My assessor was approachable and very easy to talk to, and the format was exceptional. If you are looking for career progression. friendly advice or simply recognition for your commitment to the industry then CADUK are the people to talk to.
    Nick Wright MCIOB GradIOSH
    Nick Wright MCIOB GradIOSH
    Secure Construct
    Read More
    I completed the NVQ6 with CADUK and found the whole process well managed and straightforward. Easy to apply, and the portfolio system allows you to work seamlessly across a number of platforms. Good support and communications throughout from the team at CADUK and the assigned tutor for your course. A great experience and highly recommended for anyone trying to balance study with a full time role.
    Daniel Devaney
    Daniel Devaney
    BAE Systems
    Read More
    I completed the NVQ Level 6 Diploma in Health and Safety Practice. From start to finish the team at CADUK were amazing, very professional and my assessor's approach was refreshing, making the Diploma an easy undertaking whilst still managing work and family commitments. I would highly recommend the company and the people.
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