Who is this diploma for?
This qualification is aimed at people taking responsibility for health and safety policy and management, including those preparing for more senior roles. It develops the ability to evaluate an organisation’s arrangements, recommend improvements and put them into practice.
The diploma’s qualification number is 603/5002/7. It has seven compulsory units. The specification also describes a separate four-unit Certificate; this guide covers the Diploma.
Level 6 describes the academic difficulty of the learning. It does not make this 60-credit diploma a complete bachelor’s degree.
Seven units: content and study commitment
The table sets out the seven mandatory units, their learning focus and study commitment.
| Unit and learning focus | Credits | GLH | TQT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health and Safety Management Principles and PolicyH/617/7539Analyse the reasons for managing safety and evaluate the organisation’s policy and management-system approach. Consider how legal duties, leadership and organisational change affect the policy, then justify improvements that fit the organisation’s work and objectives. | 8 | 30 | 80 |
| Health and Safety Management PracticeY/617/8526Turn policy into practical arrangements through resources, responsibilities, communication and implementation planning. Review how the system performs and use monitoring, audit and evaluation to identify changes, rather than treating a policy document as evidence that controls are effective. | 10 | 40 | 100 |
| Risk and Incident ManagementY/617/7540Assess workplace risks and choose suitable controls, then examine how incidents are investigated and reported. Connect immediate and underlying causes with corrective actions, and consider the records and review needed to prevent recurrence. | 8 | 30 | 80 |
| Promoting a Positive Health and Safety CultureY/617/8543Evaluate attitudes, leadership, worker involvement and the organisation’s safety culture. Develop a reasoned improvement plan and review how policy, communication and management actions can influence everyday behaviour and commitment. | 6 | 20 | 60 |
| Maintaining a Safe Workplace EnvironmentR/617/9092Evaluate controls for workplace conditions and operational hazards, including fire, substances, machinery, electricity and work activities. The unit develops the ability to judge whether arrangements are suitable for the environment and recommend practical improvements. | 12 | 40 | 120 |
| Health and Safety Law, Regulation and InfluenceH/617/7542Examine legal and regulatory responsibilities and the wider influences on health and safety decisions. Analyse how legislation, enforcement and organisational duties affect policy and practice, using the legal context relevant to the issue being considered. | 8 | 35 | 80 |
| Development of the Health and Safety PractitionerK/617/7543Review the practitioner’s role, skills and professional development needs. Use a skills audit, training plan and reflective portfolio to connect individual capability, team development and the organisation’s need for competent health and safety support. | 8 | 25 | 80 |
| Diploma total | 60 | 220 | 600 |
600 hours is the overall estimated workload. It includes the 220 guided hours, together with independent learning, preparation and assessment. These figures are not a promise of a particular number of calendar weeks.
How your work is assessed
The award uses assignments and a portfolio of evidence, with a Pass / Fail result. The centre assesses your work and OTHM externally verifies it. You need evidence meeting every learning outcome and assessment criterion for each unit; this is not a qualification awarded through a single percentage-based final examination.
Evidence varies by unit. The specification includes policy analysis, management plans, performance reviews, audit and investigation work, risk-control evaluations and reflective professional development.
Examples of the written workload
- The policy unit indicates approximately 4,500 words of coursework.
- The risk and incident unit sets out four written tasks of approximately 1,000 words each.
- The law unit lists reports of approximately 2,500 and 1,500 words.
These examples describe indicative lengths in the specification, not a complete assignment brief. Use the centre’s current briefs for task instructions, evidence requirements and submission dates.
Professional development evidence
The practitioner unit includes a report, a skills audit and training plan, and a portfolio drawing on your CV, reflection and personal development planning. Its assessment parameters are given in the assignment brief.
Entry requirements and English
- You must be at least 18 when the course starts.
- The usual route is a recognised, relevant health and safety qualification covering the foundations needed for Level 6 study.
- OTHM also allows consideration of mature applicants over 21 with at least two years of practical experience.
- Applicants from countries where English is not the majority language need evidence of English competence.
Ask the centre to assess your actual qualifications and experience before registration. A qualification with a similar name is not automatically accepted.
Study route and planning
OTHM’s qualification page gives approximately four months as a full-time design duration, with flexible part-time and distance arrangements. Your centre’s timetable, tutor support and assessment dates determine the actual schedule. Ask how guided support and independent work are organised before choosing a course.
What can follow the diploma?
OTHM describes progression towards its Level 7 Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Management and relevant postgraduate study. Any university admission or credit recognition depends on the receiving institution’s requirements.
For professional development, review the Level 7 course listing alongside your experience and career plans. A further qualification or membership application is a separate step; completion does not guarantee admission, employment or professional status.
How does Level 6 differ from Level 7 and the NEBOSH Diploma?
The OTHM Level 6 Diploma develops practitioner competence across policy, workplace controls and management practice. Level 7 increases the emphasis on strategic evaluation, organisational influence and research.
The OTHM Level 6 Diploma and the current NEBOSH International Diploma are both positioned at RQF Level 6, but they are different qualifications. OTHM has 60 credits and centre-assessed assignments and evidence; the NEBOSH Diploma has 42 credits and its DI1–DI3 assessment route. Similar level numbers do not make the content or assessment interchangeable.
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.