NEBOSH has collaborated with Great Britain’s Health and Safety Regulator, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), to develop the NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Process Safety Management.
This process safety management qualification is the result of the unique collaboration which combines the advanced technical ‘high hazard’ expertise of HSE with NEBOSH’s ability to deliver strong vocational OSH qualifications.
This qualification is designed to equip delegates with a broad understanding of the accepted principles and recognised industrial practices for the management of process risk. This will ensure that they can recognise and contribute to the control of process safety hazards.
Our qualifications are developed based on extensive research with health and safety professionals, employers, professional bodies and regulators to ensure they are relevant and rigorous as well as achievable and practical.
Chris Austin, Head of Training and Events at the Health and Safety Executive, said: “We are delighted to collaborate with NEBOSH on the evolution of the Process Safety Management certificate. We hope that by combining our strengths, the qualification will continue to significantly help improve understanding and further reduce health and safety risks in the process industries.”
Process Safety Management, a course book created by NEBOSH, it is not only helpful for learners studying the qualification, but also an invaluable reference source. The book covers process safety leadership, management of process risk, process safety hazard control and fire and explosion protection. You can purchase the book via the NEBOSH Shop. Learners studying for this qualification may be provided with a copy of this book by their Learning Partner.
Who is it for?
Individuals
People from all around the world who work in process industries such as oil and gas, chemicals, plastics and pharmaceuticals.
Ideal for managers, safety representatives and health and safety advisors working within the process industries, both inside and outside the UK.
It is not designed for chemical and process safety engineers experienced in the specification, design and maintenance of process plant.
It is recommended that learners should already have an underpinning knowledge of health and safety issues, and many will have gained another NEBOSH qualification.
Employers
The NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Process Safety management benefits companies working in the process industries such as oil and gas, chemicals, plastics and pharmaceuticals who are seeking to implement effective process safety management.
It is used effectively by industry to help keep people safe from injury and help prevent loss of life. For employers this also means protecting valuable assets and avoiding prosecution, litigation and loss of reputation.
People who hold the NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Process Safety Management have practical knowledge that brings real value, wherever they operate. This can help employers achieve international standards and can even help win new business.
Cert HSE PSM
What you will learn
What does the course cover?
The NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Process Safety Management is designed to cover a range of issues affecting process industries.
Key topics covered by this qualification include:
- Establishment of process management systems
- Asset management and maintenance strategies
- Safe start-up and shutdown of process plant
- Performance standards for safety critical systems and equipment
- Hazards and controls for:
- Chemical reactions
- Bulk storage of dangerous substances
- Fire and explosion
- Purpose and features of emergency plans
The PSM1 unit is divided into the following four key elements:
- Process safety leadership
- Management of process risk
- Process safety hazard control
- Fire and explosion protection
Further details can be found in the syllabus guide which can be downloaded in the Resources Section below
How is the qualification assessed?
Learners will complete a multiple choice question assessment. The assessment is completed online.
Read more about online multiple choice question assessments: Online Multiple Choice.
A qualification parchment will be sent following successful completion of the examination.
Entry requirements and exemptions
Entry requirements
There are no entry requirements for this qualification, but’ it is recommended that learners should already have an underpinning knowledge of health and safety issues, and many will have gained another NEBOSH qualification, such as the NEBOSH General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety.
It is also important that learners have a suitable standard of English language in order to understand and articulate the concepts contained in the syllabus.
NEBOSH recommends that learners undertaking this qualification should reach a minimum standard of English equivalent to an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 6.0 or higher in IELTS tests.
Learners wishing to assess their own language expertise may consult the IELTS website for information on taking the test. Your chosen Learning Partner may also be able to recommend a method of pre-learning assessment of language.
Exemptions
No exemptions are allowed for Unit PSM1.
How to study
Choose a Learning Partner
Every learner must register with a NEBOSH accredited Learning Partner and undertake the relevant learning before taking an assessment and gaining a qualification. It is not possible to self-study for a NEBOSH qualification.
Our global network of Learning Partners provide excellent learning and support and will help you prepare for your assessments. You can search for Learning Partners in our Where to Study section, and can filter the results by multiple factors, such as location and mode of study.
You should ensure that the Learning Partner you choose offers the qualification in the way you want to study. We recommend that you explore your options before selecting a Learning Partner as it is an important personal choice.
The factors you may wish to consider include:
- Mode of Study – Options available include face to face, distance learning, in-company training and eLearning. Has one method of learning been more effective for you in the past?
- Course Structure – If you opt for classroom training, would you prefer day or evening classes, block release or a modular course?
- Location – Being able to study and sit your examinations locally may be an important consideration for you. NEBOSH examinations are taken in over 130 countries.
- On-going support – Will the support provided during your qualification and in the run up to your assessments match your expectations?
Cost
Each Learning Partner sets their own fees to reflect the service offered. We recommend you contact several Learning Partners to establish what their fees are and what is included in the fee. Costs can vary depending on the mode of study, the level of support given, and the inclusion of examination registration fees, for example.
Read more about our Learning Partner Programme and how to choose the right Learning Partner for you: Choosing a NEBOSH Learning Partner.
What does it cost and how long does it take?
Course fees are determined by individual learning partners and vary depending on the format of the course.
You should plan your study around a minimum of 28 taught hours and approximately 20 hours of private study.
Professional recognition and SQA accreditation
Maintaining professional standards
In the UK – and, increasingly, worldwide – regulatory accreditation is recognised as a badge of quality, allowing our qualifications to retain their highly regarded professional status.
UK accredited qualifications provide you with certain guarantees that the qualification:
- Meets specific quality criteria that ensure it is fit for its purpose
- Includes relevant content
- Uses appropriate assessment methodology
- Is mapped to relevant National Occupational Standards (NOS)
- Is supported by relevant stakeholders including employers
The NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Process Safety Management is not accredited by SQA Accreditation. However, it has been credit rated by SQA Awarding against the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) at SCQF level 7. This is comparable to RQF Level 4 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and equivalent to A-level standard in England.
See the Qualifications Can Cross Boundaries chart issued by the UK regulators.
Valued by Employers
NEBOSH qualifications can play an important part in ensuring that the health and safety provision businesses have in place is effective. This may explain why so many organisations choose to include NEBOSH qualifications on their competency matrices.
Examinations
Examination registration
Learners must be registered before they can take an examination. All examination registrations must be completed by an accredited learning partner.
Examination entry confirmation
Once your learning partner has registered you to an examination, they will send you an Examination Entry Confirmation that includes your learner number, and important information relating to your examination and results process. Please ensure that you check your name is spelt correctly and report this to your learning partner and NEBOSH if any changes are required.
The Examination Entry Confirmation is essential to gain entry to the examination room, you will need to show a form of photographic identification to the invigilator and then sign the Examination Entry Confirmation. Please contact your learning partner if you have not received your Examination Entry Confirmation.
Examination dates
PSM1 - multiple-choice question assessment.
This assessment is now be completed online, see Multiple Choice Question Assessments page for more information and available assessment dates.
Examination Results
You will receive your results within 15 working days of sitting the examination. Once you have achieved a pass a qualification parchment will be issued. This is normally within 20 working days of the confirmation of the successful unit.
What next?
If this is your first NEBOSH Certificate level qualification, you may be interested in taking another NEBOSH Certificate qualification, such as the NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety or the NEBOSH National Certificate in Fire Safety and Risk Management.
The connections between our qualifications are illustrated in more detail in the Qualifications Progression Leaflet found in the Resources section below.
Resources
This section provides guidance and useful information in support of this qualification.
If you would like any further information please get in touch through our Contact Us page - our Customer Enquiry Team will be happy to help.
Syllabus Guide
This Qualification Guide contains the detailed syllabus, assessment requirements and example question papers for the NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Process Safety Management.
Policies and Procedures
View all of our Policies and Procedures by clicking here.
Download the Leaflet
NEBOSH HSE Process Safety Management Course Book
Process Safety Management follows the syllabus for the NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Process Safety Management. It provides the knowledge you need to help you gain the qualification.
The book contains activities, examples/case studies, ‘thought provokers’ and gives definitions for key process safety management terminology; these help to illustrate the relevant area of the syllabus being covered. It can be used as part of your studies during a taught course or as a study aid for e-learning, distance learning and revision sessions.
The information is also valuable as a reference source for those putting process safety management principles in to practice at work. For example the book provides information on types of start-up and shut-down processes which are used in the process industries.
Download a course book extract
Learners studying this qualification may receive a copy from their Learning Partner.
Qualification Progression Leaflet
Learner Terms and Conditions
NEBOSH GENERAL CONDITIONS FOR LEARNERS
1. Definitions
1.1. In these Conditions the following terms shall have the following meaning:
“Accredited Learning Partner” means the college/teaching institution or other entity which You have chosen, and which is accredited or otherwise approved by NEBOSH to organise and offer You teaching for NEBOSH Examinations and / or to provide assessment facilities;
“Application Form” means the form submitted by You to NEBOSH when You apply for Enrolment or register for NEBOSH Qualifications;
"Awarding Body" means an organisation or consortium that awards qualifications and which is recognised by the Regulatory Authorities as being permitted to award qualifications of the type as are awarded by NEBOSH;
“Conditions” means these NEBOSH General Conditions for Learners;
“Enrolment” means You are enrolling on to a NEBOSH Product to complete a NEBOSH Assessment. in accordance with these Conditions and NEBOSH’s requirements from time to time;
“Enrolment Fee” means the fee payable by You when you apply to become a learner in order to obtain a NEBOSH Products (where applicable);
“Guide(s)” means the guides issued by NEBOSH from time to time in respect of NEBOSH Qualifications or units thereof as such guides are amended by NEBOSH from time to time;
“IPR” means patents, utility models, rights to inventions, copyright and neighbouring and related rights, moral rights, trade marks and service marks, business names and domain names, rights in get-up and trade dress, goodwill and the right to sue for passing off or unfair competition, rights in designs, rights in computer software, database rights, rights to use, and protect the confidentiality of, confidential information (including know-how and trade secrets) and all other intellectual property rights, in each case whether registered or unregistered and including all applications and rights to apply for and be granted, renewals or extensions of, and rights to claim priority from, such rights and all similar or equivalent rights or forms of protection which subsist or will subsist now or in the future in any part of the world;
“Malpractice Policy” means the latest NEBOSH policy relating to malpractice as amended from time to time;
“NEBOSH” means the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (a company limited by guarantee under company number 2698100) of 5 Dominus Way, Meridian Business Park, Leicester, LE19 1QW;
“NEBOSH Assessment” means assessments of practical units and/or examinations which contribute towards Your NEBOSH Qualification;
“NEBOSH Intellectual Property” means all IPR owned or controlled by NEBOSH;
"NEBOSH Product" means a qualification, award or assessment created by NEBOSH for demonstration of achievement or competence;
“Policies” means the policies of NEBOSH and as amended, updated or added to from time to time;
“Registration Fee“ means the fee payable by you when you register to undertake a specific unit of assessment with NEBOSH;
"Regulatory Authorities" means Government-designated statutory organisations required to establish national standards for qualifications and secure consistent compliance with them;
“Scripts” means the document containing Your answers to NEBOSH’s Assessments; and
“You” refers to you, the learner or prospective learner for NEBOSH Qualifications or units thereof and “Your” shall be construed accordingly.
2. Scope of Terms and Conditions
2.1. These Conditions govern Your relationship with NEBOSH which may come into force through any registration or Enrolment to which you commit directly with NEBOSH for your NEBOSH Qualifications. Should you Enrol or register to undertake a programme of study for a NEBOSH assessment through an Accredited Learning Partner, NEBOSH is not a party to this contract and any queries should be directed to your Accredited Learning Partner.
2.2. For the avoidance of any doubt NEBOSH are not responsible for the provision of teaching, tutorial or other such services at any venue or centre. Any fees, charges, payments due under these Conditions are only in respect of NEBOSH and do not relate to any fees that may be due to your Accredited Learning Partner.
2.3. Your Registration will only be effective once NEBOSH has sent to You an Assessment Registration Confirmation (ARC) document to the email address provided by You.
NEBOSH ASSESSMENTS
3. Enrolment, Transfer and Cancellation
3.1. These conditions set out the basis obligations of NEBOSH and Your obligations and responsibilities which include but are not limited to fees and payments. By registering for a NEBOSH Assessment directly with NEBOSH you accept these conditions.
3.2. Confirmation of your Enrolment with NEBOSH will only be effective if and when NEBOSH communicates this to you and NEBOSH has received the Enrolment Fee and (if applicable) any other fee specified by it in full. NEBOSH may accept or decline Enrolment at its absolute discretion.
3.3. Enrolment is partly for the purposes of identifying You, and tracking progress through NEBOSH Assessments, confirming Your eligibility to participate in NEBOSH Assessments and confirming previous units attained by You which count towards NEBOSH Assessments. You are responsible for ensuring that all information provided for the purpose of enabling Enrolment is complete and accurate. You shall give NEBOSH all information it reasonably requires to complete the Enrolment process. [Information will be stored in accordance with NEBOSH’s privacy policy.]
3.4. Enrolment for a NEBOSH Assessment means that You are agreeing to abide by the regulations for that NEBOSH Assessment, as set out in the relevant Syllabus Guide..
3.5. Any samples, description matter or advertising issued by NEBOSH, and any descriptions contained in NEBOSH’s brochures, are issued or published for the sole purpose of giving an idea of NEBOSH Products. They shall not form part of the Conditions or have contractual force.
3.6. Subject to clause 2.3, these Conditions shall apply to the exclusion of any other terms, or any other terms that You seek to impose, or which are implied by law, custom, practice or course of dealing.
3.7. Once NEBOSH has despatched to You acceptance of Your Enrolment You have 14 days or until the first assessment has been registered for in which to cancel your Enrolment since You agree that NEBOSH will have commenced the services relating to Your Enrolment immediately upon despatch of such acceptance to You.
NEBOSH ASSESSMENTS
4. Registration for NEBOSH Assessments
4.1. Your registration will only be effective once NEBOSH has sent to You an Assessment Registration Confirmation (ARC) document (to the [email address] provided by You to NEBOSH and NEBOSH has received in full the Registration Fee (and any other fee specified by it from time to time)
4.2. When registering for a NEBOSH Assessment You are agreeing to abide by the regulations for that assessment, as set out in the relevant Guide for that assessment.
4.3. Fees and registrations are not transferable to alternative examinations or later examination sittings, or between learners. Details of all NEBOSH fees currently in force are set out in the fee schedule available on the NEBOSH website. NEBOSH publishes details of such fees (which may be amended from time to time) which are due to NEBOSH as a result of any additional work required to be undertaken by NEBOSH on Your behalf such as re-marking and any additional administration required to be undertaken by NEBOSH on Your behalf.
5. NEBOSH’s Liability
5.1. NEBOSH can only assess those Assessment Submissions which it receives. NEBOSH accepts no liability for any Assessment Submissions which may be lost, damaged or incorrectly uploaded before receipt by NEBOSH.
5.2. Subject to clause 5.3, NEBOSH expressly excludes liability for:
5.2.1. any loss or damage to Your property unless caused by the negligence of NEBOSH or its employees;
5.2.2. any:
i. loss of profit;
ii. loss of anticipated savings;
iii. loss of use or corruption of software, data or information;
iv. Failure of Learners technical equipment required to complete assessment including internet access
v. loss of earnings;
vi. loss of opportunity or loss of living expenses; or
vii. indirect or consequential loss suffered by You,
due to the breach by NEBOSH of any obligation to You or due to any other act or omission or negligence of NEBOSH or its employees or agents. Nothing in these conditions shall operate to exclude or limit NEBOSH's liability which cannot be legally limited including (but not limited to) liability for:
5.2.3. death or personal injury due to its negligence;
5.2.4. fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; or
5.2.5. any breach of the obligations implied by section 2 of the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 (title and quiet possession).
5.3. Without prejudice to clause 6.3, NEBOSH's total liability arising under or in connection with these Conditions, whether arising in contract, tort (including negligence) or restitution, or for breach of statutory duty or misrepresentation, or otherwise shall be limited to the Registration Fee paid by You.
5.4. Neither You nor NEBOSH shall have any liability to each other for any failure or delay in the performance of obligations due to any cause beyond the relevant party’s reasonable control.
5.5. NEBOSH shall have no liability to You should its website be unavailable to access at any time or fails to perform within usual parameters or at all. NEBOSH does not guarantee that its website is free from virus and will be uninterrupted or error free. Conditions relating to use of our website can be found here
6. Termination
6.1. Either party may terminate the Conditions with immediate effect by giving written notice to the other party if the other party commits a material breach of any term of the Conditions and (if such a breach is remediable) fails to remedy that breach with 14 days of that party being notified in writing to do so].
6.2. NEBOSH may terminate Your Enrolment or registration at any time by written notice if:
6.2.2 You breach these Conditions or any terms and conditions contained in any letter confirming Your Enrolment or any documents or Policies issued by NEBOSH at any time; or
You fail to pay any fees due to NEBOSH under this Agreement on the due date for payment; or
6.2.3 it is discovered that You have provided NEBOSH with any false or misleading information; or
6.2.4 You do not meet all of the administrative or academic requirements specified in the Guides issued by NEBOSH (where applicable); or
6.2.5 You are verbally or physically abusive in contravention of clause 8; or
6.2.6 You are involved in any malpractice pursuant to NEBOSH’s Malpractice Policy.
7. Consequences of Termination
7.1. Termination or expiry of the Conditions shall not affect any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities of the parties that have accrued up to the date of termination or expiry, including the right to claim damages in respect of any breach of these Conditions which existed at or before the date of termination or expiry.
7.2. Any provision of the Conditions that expressly or by implication is intended to come into or continue in force on or after termination or expiry of the Conditions shall remain in full force and effect.
NEBOSH will not tolerate verbal or physical abuse of its employees or stakeholders. Any such incident of abuse may lead to (a) restriction of communications with You to a specified means eg via letter or email only or (b) in cases which NEBOSH, at its sole discretion, considers to be serious or in repeated cases of physical or verbal abuse, termination of Enrolment and / or registration with NEBOSH, and / or exclusion from future Enrolment or registration with NEBOSH.
9.1. NEBOSH will hold personal information about You and will use the information as follows:
9.1.1. to process Your applications to NEBOSH and administer Your Enrolment and registration for NEBOSH Assessments including post-assessment services;
9.1.2. to respond to employers, recruitment agencies, other Higher Education institutions, and other similar bodies to verify requests from employers or employment agencies by providing verification or otherwise of information provided by You to employers or employment agencies of NEBOSH Products You hold in connection with applications for employment;
9.1.3. to respond to queries raised by You
9.1.4. to administer Policies;
9.1.5. to notify You of Your NEBOSH Assessments results;
9.1.6. to make You aware of services NEBOSH and other similar organisations can offer including information on current and future courses and qualifications unless You have notified us that You have opted out of receiving such information;
9.1.7. to carry out research to help NEBOSH to improve and plan its qualifications. The data used for this is non-identifiable for example (women under 50)
9.1.8. and
9.1.9. As otherwise permitted by the UK Data Protection Act 2018 Click here for more information on how we process your personal data in our Privacy Statement.
9.2. You hereby consent to NEBOSH emailing Your results to you.
9.3. You hereby consent to allow verification of Your NEBOSH results via the NEBOSH online Verification Portal or via the QR code on the Certificates and Parchments.
10. Intellectual Property Rights and Nebosh Website
10.1. All NEBOSH Intellectual Property shall remain vested in NEBOSH. NEBOSH Intellectual Property may not be reproduced/copied/distributed in any way without the prior written consent of NEBOSH or as required by law.
10.2. If You access NEBOSH’s website You must do so only subject to NEBOSH’s terms of use, which is available on request and on its website. You are responsible for keeping secure Your password and learner personal identification number and You agree not to disclose it to any third party.
11. General
11.1. Failure by NEBOSH to enforce strict compliance with these Conditions by You shall not be considered to be a waiver of any provisions of these Conditions.
11.2. If any provision of these Conditions is invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part the validity of the other provisions of these Conditions, and the remainder of the provision in question, shall not be affected.
11.3. A person who is not a party to the contract governed by these Conditions shall not have any rights under or in connection with it by virtue of the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 except where such rights are expressly granted to an Accredited Learning Partner further to these Conditions, but this does not affect any right or remedy of a third party which exists, or is available, apart from in that Act.
11.4. NEBOSH may at any time assign, subcontract, delegate or deal in any other manner with any or all of its rights and obligations under these Conditions.
11.5. You may not assign or deal in any other manner with any of your rights and obligations under the Conditions.
11.6. These Conditions shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with English Law and the parties agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts.
12. Statutory Rights
These Conditions shall not affect Your statutory rights as a consumer.
Learner Fees List
The NEBOSH Learner Fees List is available to download:
- Learner Fees List (version 18), this version is applicable from 01 April 2024
- Learner Fees List (Version 19), this version will be applicable from 01 April 2025
Please note that these are the fees that NEBOSH charges. Some Learning Partners may incorporate these fees within the overall fee you have paid to them.
For further information please contact your chosen Learning Partner or contact us.