Who is the Level 3 Technical Certificate for?
The certificate suits people starting a health and safety career and employees taking on safety responsibilities. It connects the reasons for managing safety with the everyday work of reviewing procedures, recognising hazards and communicating improvements.
You study three mandatory units. The focus is practical workplace understanding: what needs to be controlled, who is responsible and how to check that arrangements remain useful.
Three units: content, credits and study hours
The qualification has 34 credits, 340 hours of total qualification time (TQT) and 220 guided learning hours (GLH). The unit summaries explain the learning focus; the official specification sets out the full assessment criteria.
| Unit and learning focus | Credits | GLH | TQT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health and Safety Principles in the Working EnvironmentL/618/6932Explain safety and welfare requirements, employer and worker responsibilities, and the organisational case for managing health and safety. Connect prevention with legal duties, workplace arrangements and the costs of poor performance. | 10 | 60 | 100 |
| Maintaining a Healthy and Safe Working EnvironmentR/618/6933Review procedures and sources of safety information, contribute to improvement and communicate changes clearly. Explore teamwork, coordination and work priorities so that responsibility for a safe workplace is reflected in everyday practice. | 14 | 100 | 140 |
| Principles of Risk and Incident Management in the Working EnvironmentY/618/6934Identify hazards and people at risk, select appropriate controls and document an assessment. Understand incident causes, investigation information and reporting, then use monitoring to review risks and recommend improvements. | 10 | 60 | 100 |
| Qualification total | 34 | 220 | 340 |
How do credits differ from teaching hours?
One OTHM credit represents ten hours of estimated total qualification time. TQT includes guided learning, preparation, independent study and assessment. GLH is the part supported directly by a tutor or supervisor, so the 220 guided hours are already included in the 340 total hours.
Plan time to apply concepts to workplace examples and prepare your answers, as well as attending teaching sessions. The centre’s timetable determines the actual calendar schedule.
How is the certificate assessed and passed?
Unit 1 uses short-answer questions. Units 2 and 3 use assignment tasks and/or short-answer questions. The centre assesses your evidence and OTHM externally verifies it. The result is Pass / Fail.
To pass a unit, you must meet every specified learning outcome and assessment criterion. There is no single published percentage-based final exam that replaces the three units. If evidence is incomplete, the centre should provide feedback and arrange the required further learning before reassessment.
Entry requirements and English
The qualification is available from age 16, with no specified formal academic entry requirement. The centre checks that you can work at the required level. Existing knowledge of workplace safety is helpful.
Assessment is in English. Learners from countries where English is not the majority language need evidence of English competence appropriate to the programme.
What can follow Level 3?
It can support workplace safety responsibilities and further study. Progression towards the OTHM Level 6 Diploma requires appropriate experience and a separate admission check; the Level 3 certificate does not automatically waive Level 6 entry conditions.
If you are deciding between the two, Level 3 builds the foundations, while Level 6 expects greater depth in policy, management practice and professional judgement.
Official qualification resources
- OTHM: qualification overview and entry requirements
- OTHM: official specification, units and assessment guidance (PDF)
Reviewed 25 October 2026. The current specification and registered assessment instructions apply.