NEBOSH IG2 — Risk Assessment Assignment

Unit IG2 (Risk Assessment), part of the NEBOSH International General Certificate, is a practical assignment: you describe an existing workplace you can access, gather real observations and communicate about risks and controls the way a junior HSE professional would to management — only in a formal written document rather than verbally.

Unlike IG1, IG2 is not an open-book theory exam. There is no large scenario-question session, but a dossier that shows you methodically recognise hazards, set priorities and justify suitable controls. The assignment tests application of knowledge, not just recognition of terms.

A solid IG2 document usually covers the following blocks:

1. Situation and scope — where you have been, the boundaries of your risk assessment: date, part of the organisation.
2. Organisational context — core activity, relevant HSE roles and which documents you consulted.
3. Legal and normative context — short, relevant references (e.g. national law versus UK/EU where applicable to your case).
4. Methodology — how you observed, who you interviewed, which checklist or route you followed.
5. At least five hazards in separate blocks — each: description, those exposed, existing controls, a quantified or qualified estimate of the risk, and recommended improvements with owners and a timeline.
6. Conclusions and recommendations to management — focused on the largest residual risks (risks remaining after controls are applied).
7. Appendices — a simple sketch, photo or table where permitted.

1. Preparation and approval — permission, safety rules, PPE requirements and planning a walk-round without disrupting work.
2. Hazard scan — systematically go through energies, equipment, human behaviour and environment; note work processes where a risk builds up.
3. Select five strong hazards — choose different types (e.g. physical and ergonomic and organisational) so breadth is visible.
4. Risk rating and rationale — explain why likelihood and impact are high; avoid arbitrary labels.
5. Improvement programme — work along the hierarchy of control, from elimination to PPE; add a KPI or follow-up inspection where useful.

Office: display screen/RSI health, fire and evacuation, work stress/schedule pressure, cable trips and slips at entrances, acoustics and concentration load.

Construction: falls from height, collapsing excavation walls, crane/lifting lines, dust including silica, power tools on temporary supply, site traffic.

Port: conflict with internal transport and crane runways, working near water or jetties, dangerous goods (ADR/IMDG), noise and vibration, hot work and flammable environments, communication during lifting and manoeuvring.

Healthcare: biological agents and exposure, lifting and patient mobility, aggression towards staff, chemical agents (disinfectants), electrical equipment on wards, slippery floors after cleaning.

Use this as inspiration; your own workplace determines what can be honestly described.

1. Copying hazards from the internet without local evidence — marking stops at generic clichés.
2. The same hazard five times with minor variation — does not count as a broad panorama.
3. Putting PPE first — examiners expect higher-level controls first under the hierarchy of control.
4. A risk matrix without explanation — only coloured boxes without a sentence about who could be harmed and when.
5. Legal references too vague — use precise article-level detail only where truly relevant, but do name the frameworks that apply to the workplace.

Although wording shifts slightly per cohort, markers almost always weigh these areas:

• Application of the five main risk assessment steps from identification through to the feedback loop.
• Depth per hazard: at least five distinct hazards with a real workplace photo or observation where possible.
• Technical language in line with the NEBOSH lexicon (hazard, risk, control).
• A concrete improvement list aimed at management, with priority and ownership — no vague generalities.
• Professional report layout, correct references and word count within official guidelines.

Always consult your official NEBOSH study guide for the latest mark-scheme nuances.

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