The NEBOSH Environmental Diploma is designed to equip health and safety practitioners with an appropriate professional level qualification to undertake responsibilities in relation to the risks of damage to the environment posed by work activities. Holders of the Environmental Diploma may use the designatory letters SpDipEM after their name. The intended learning outcomes are that holders of this award should be able to:

• advise management on the likely environmental impact of an organisation's activities and the action needed to avoid or minimise the harmful effects;

• arrange for appropriate action to be taken either by themselves or in co-operation with other specialist staff;

• appreciate the inter-relationship between actions taken to protect workpeople and those taken to protect the environment so that the best combination of measures is adopted.

The syllabus comprises three modules: Management of Environmental Risk (Module A); Legal and Organisational Factors (Module B); and Control Measures for Environmental Risks (Module C).

MODULE A - Management of Environmental Risk
Unit A1 - Principles of Environmental Risk Management
Unit A2 - Environmental Risk Evaluation
Unit A3 - Control Strategies for Environmental Risk
Unit A4 - Monitoring, Review and Audit

MODULE B - Legal & Organisational Factors
Unit B1 - Environmental legislative framework and methods of enforcement
Unit B2 - Public Access to Environmental Information
Unit B3 - Developments in Environmental Legislation
Unit B4 - Civil Liability

MODULE C - Control Measures for Environmental Risks
Unit C1 - Solid and Liquid Wastes
Unit C2 - Gaseous and Particulate Releases to Atmosphere
Unit C3 - Water Pollution
Unit C4 - Noise and Nuisance
Unit C5 - Hazardous Substances
Unit C6 - Development and Land Use

There are two units of assessment:

• a written examination

• a workplace-based project.

Entry requirements:

The NEBOSH Specialist Diploma in Environmental Management is intended primarily for health and safety practitioners within, or eligible for, the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) grades of Member (MIOSH), Fellow (FIOSH) or Technician Safety Practitioner (TechSP).

For those who do not hold IOSH membership at one of these grades (or qualifications that would entitle them to at least TechSP status), entry to a programme of study requires candidates to be able to demonstrate both (i) an ability to undertake successfully an intensive programme of study, and (ii) a background knowledge of health and safety. In order to satisfy criterion (i), the applicant must possess either an HND or degree level award or a qualification leading to full membership of a recognised professional body (eg IChemE, CIWEM, CIPD). In order to satisfy criterion (ii), the applicant must have proven extensive experience of health and safety or hold a sound basic level qualification, such as the NEBOSH National General Certificate.

Examination details

The examination is held twice each year and comprises one 3-hour written paper. Candidates are required to select five from eight questions.

Telephone: 01482 806805 or email: training@sheilds.org