3044-03-NVQ Occupational Health & Safety Practice Level 3

3044-04-NVQ Occupational Health & Safety Practice Level 4

NATIONALLY RECOGNISED HEALTH & SAFETY QUALIFICATIONS

National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ's) are qualifications which are structured to recognise your competence or ability to do your job to the required standard.

They are developed by representatives from leading groups within the specific industry/sector and have been approved by the National Council for Vocational Qualifications (NCVQ). The Awarding Body is The City and Guilds of London Institute.

NVQ's in Occupational Health and Safety qualify the successful candidate for membership to the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (I.O.S.H.) the UK's leading professional body for safety and health practitioners.

NVQ's in Occupational Health and Safety are a relatively inexpensive method of gaining professional health and safety qualifications and also attract partial funding (as much as 50%) towards the cost.

NVQ's in Occupational Health & Safety are different from traditional qualifications in the following ways:

• there are no formal entry requirements for candidates
• the qualification can be gained in a variety of ways
• the qualification can take into account your recent relevant experience
• the qualification allows you to work at your own pace
• assessments are based on what happens in your workplace
• credit is given for what you can do as well as what you know
• "units" can be gained one at a time. The NVQ certificate is awarded when the full set of units has been achieved.

Occupational Health & Safety Practice Short Guide

What are NVQ's ?

City & Guilds NVQ's (National Vocational Qualifications) in Occupational Health and Safety are nationally recognised qualifications which show you have the practical skills to work in the health and safety sector. They are awarded by City & Guilds, the UK's largest assessment and awarding body. NVQ's are achieved by acquiring units (A certificate is awarded for each unit). Candidates have to obtain all the mandatory units, plus the required number of optional, or practice specific, units to obtain the NVQ. They are available at levels 3 and 4.

The NVQ Level 3 in Occupational Health and Safety Practice has been developed for competent persons appointed to provide health and safety assistance in organisations with hazards and risks of a relatively straightforward nature. Successful completion of NVQ Level 3 permits the application for Associate Grade Membership of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health.

The NVQ Level 4 is aimed at higher risk organisations and successful completion permits the application for Corporate Grade Member of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health.

The NVQ Programme

Once you enrol on the NVQ programme, Safety Advisory Services Limited team of assessors will provide you with the support you need.

Your course fee includes all costs payable to City and Guilds plus the following:

• Preparing a Personal Action Plan

Both the assessor and the candidates agree on a workable action plan for identifying and gathering the appropriate evidence in the time scale agreed. Once the plan is agreed candidates will be encouraged and supported in keeping as closely as possible to the plan.

• Portfolio Review

Assessors are likely to see portfolios on several occasions whilst candidates tackle various elements and units. When reviewing portfolios for the targeted elements, an assessor should first decide whether there is enough performance evidence to satisfy the standards.

• Assessment

Assessment will cover each element within the unit. All elements need to be passed before unit is acquired. Each element is assessed on performance evidence and knowledge evidence.

• Interviewing and recording

To gather further evidence from candidates in order to settle any doubts about the evidence presented, and close any gaps in the evidence, particularly with reference to ranges and knowledge.

When candidates have provided sufficient and adequate evidence to be accredited with a unit, assessors will complete the Unit Summary Sheet appropriately.

• Entry requirements

Candidates should be at least 16 but otherwise there are no formal entry requirements.

• Health and Safety Forum

Membership of Safety Advisory Services Limited Consultancy Service will provide access to the health and safety information contained in the library and a telephone help line run in co-operation with our Consultancy and Training Service.

The common structure of the Occupational Health and Safety Practice NVQ at Level 3

In order to achieve the Award you must be successful in achieving The Mandatory or Common Units:

C007 Maintain and enhance health and safety systems.

C002 Seek, evaluate and organise information for action (MCI-I-8).

C008 Promote a positive culture of health and safety.

C005 Exchange information to solve Problems and make decisions (MCI-I-9).

C009 Create, develop and maintain effective working relationships (Administration Level 3, Unit 4).

plus, for occupational health and safety practice:

G031 Determine requirements for improved control of health and safety risks.

G032 Contribute to improved control of health and safety risks.

G033 Maintain the health and safety policy.

If you have the opportunity to generate the performance evidence you may wish to take one or more additional units over and above those required for the qualification, for example:

A050 Facilitate learning in groups through presentations and activities (TDLB C23).

A051 Facilitate learning through demonstration and instruction (TDLB C24).

A052 Plan and implement the continuous development of professional competence.

The common structure of the Occupational Health and Safety Practice NVQ at Level 4

In order to achieve the Award, you must be successful in achieving the Mandatory or Common Units:

C001 Maintain and enhance health and safety systems for complex risks.

C002 Seek, evaluate and organise information for action (MCI-I-8).

C003 Contribute to, and keep pace with, improvements in health and safety practice.

C004 Promote a positive culture of health and safety for complex risks.

C005 Exchange information to solve problems and make decisions (MCI-I-9).

C006 Establish and maintain productive working relationships (Administration Level 4 Unit 4).

plus, for occupational health and safety practice, the Risk Assessment and control units:

G010 Determine requirements for improved control of complex health and safety risks.

G011 Contribute to improved control of complex health and safety risks.

G012 Maintain the health and safety policy for complex risks.

G013 Contribute to the maintenance and development of emergency response capability.

If you have the opportunity to generate the performance evidence you may wish to take one or more additional units over and above those required for the qualification, for example:

A050 Facilitate learning in groups through presentations and activities (TDLB C23).

A051 Facilitate learning through demonstration and instruction (TDLB C24).

A052 Plan and implement the continuous development of professional competence.

Units C002, C005, A050, A051 and A052 are common to both levels 3 and 4, and consequently bear the same unit numbers.

Safety Advisory Services Limited

Unit 42 Parkhouse East Industrial Estate, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire ST5 7RH

Telephone: 01782 566311 Fax: 01782 562480 E-mail: services@sas-ltd.co.uk Web Site: www.sas-ltd.co.uk