Aug - Oct 2014

Examiners Report
NEBOSH International
Certificate in
Fire Safety and Risk
Management (IFC1)

Examiners Report
NEBOSH INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATE IN
FIRE SAFETY AND RISK MANAGEMENT
UNIT IFC1:
INTERNATIONAL FIRE SAFETY AND
RISK MANAGEMENT
AUGUST OCTOBER 2014

CONTENTS
Introduction

General comments

Candidate performance

Learning outcomes

Examination technique

Command words

Conclusion

2015 NEBOSH, Dominus Way, Meridian Business Park, Leicester LE19 1QW
tel: 0116 263 4700

fax: 0116 282 4000

email: info@nebosh.org.uk

website: www.nebosh.org.uk

The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health is a registered charity, number 1010444

Introduction

NEBOSH (The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health) was formed in 1979 as
an independent examining board and awarding body with charitable status.
We offer a
comprehensive range of globally-recognised, vocationally-related qualifications designed to meet the
health, safety, environmental and risk management needs of all places of work in both the private and
public sectors.
Courses leading to NEBOSH qualifications attract around 50,000 candidates annually and are offered
by over 600 course providers, with examinations taken in over 110 countries around the world. Our
qualifications are recognised by the relevant professional membership bodies including the Institution
of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and the International Institute of Risk and Safety
Management (IIRSM).
NEBOSH is an awarding body that applies best practice setting, assessment and marking and applies
to Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) regulatory requirements.
This report provides guidance for candidates which it is hoped will be useful to candidates and tutors
in preparation for future examinations. It is intended to be constructive and informative and to promote
better understanding of the syllabus content and the application of assessment criteria.
NEBOSH 2015

Any enquiries about this report publication should be addressed to:

NEBOSH
Dominus Way
Meridian Business Park
Leicester
LE19 1QW
tel:
0116 263 4700
fax:
0116 282 4000
email: info@nebosh.org.uk

General comments

Many candidates are well prepared for this unit assessment and provide comprehensive and relevant
answers in response to the demands of the question paper. This includes the ability to demonstrate
understanding of knowledge by applying it to workplace situations.
There are other candidates, however, who appear to be unprepared for the unit assessment and who
show both a lack of knowledge of the syllabus content and a lack of understanding of how key
concepts should be applied to workplace situations.
This report has been prepared to provide feedback on standard date and on-demand IFC1
examinations sat between August and October 2014.
Feedback is presented in these key areas; examination technique, command words and learning
outcomes and is designed to assist candidates and course providers to prepare for future
assessments in this unit.
Candidates and course providers will also benefit from use of the Guide to the NEBOSH International
Certificate in Fire Safety and Risk Management which is available via the NEBOSH website. In
particular, the guide sets out in detail the syllabus content for IFC1 and tutor reference documents for
each Element.
Additional guidance on command words is provided in Guidance on command words used in learning
outcomes and question papers which is also available via the NEBOSH website.
Candidates and course providers should also make reference to the IFC1 Example question paper
and Examiners feedback on expected answers which provides example questions and details
Examiners expectations and typical areas of underperformance.

Unit IFC1
International fire safety and risk management
Candidate performance
This report covers all examinations, both standard and on-demand examination sittings during August
to October 2014.

Learning outcomes
Candidates performed well in this area of the syllabus:
1.5

Explain the purpose of, and the procedures for, investigating fires in the workplace

This area of the syllabus covers requirements and the means by which fires are investigated in the
workplace. Many candidates responded well in this area and were successfully able to identify a
number of external agencies that might be consulted during a fire investigation. Importantly, most
candidates were also able to elaborate in order to show why those agencies should be consulted.
It was pleasing to see that many candidates showed a good knowledge of this area of the syllabus
demonstrating that course providers are teaching this topic effectively.

The following learning outcomes have been identified as being the most challenging area of the
syllabus for candidates in this period:
6.2

Outline the principles and practice of fire safety risk assessments including principles of
prevention (measures to remove and reduce risk)

This area of the syllabus proved to be the most challenging topic for candidates. It was clear that the
majority of candidates did not know the principles of prevention that should be followed when
formulating a strategy to introduce controls to minimise fire safety risk. This is despite the fact that the
principles are listed in the syllabus content. The majority of answers gave a long list of practical
controls that can be used in workplaces but very few detailed the principles that must be applied when
deciding on the most appropriate controls as a part of the fire risk assessment process.
Course providers should ensure that this part of the syllabus is covered sufficiently when teaching this
area and ensure that candidates have a good grasp of these important principles.

5.4

Outline appropriate training requirements

This area of the syllabus covers the purpose and typical content of fire safety training suitable for
members of a workforce with various roles and functions in relation to fire safety. Many candidates
gave poor answers when considering the training required for fire marshals in an organisation. The
majority of answers listed topics more suited to training for the general workforce with very little
emphasis on topics that would be specifically required by those carrying out the role of a fire marshal.
Course providers are advised to emphasise the training requirements of people with particular roles
relating to fire safety in order for candidates to appreciate the different topics and approaches
required.

6.1

Explain the aims and objectives of fire safety risk assessments

This area of the syllabus covers, amongst other things, the reasons why fire risk assessments should
be carried out in workplaces. Candidates tackling this area commonly described the fire risk
assessment process rather than explain why they should be carried out. This was the area where the
use of rote-learned answers was most prevalent.
It is most important that candidates appreciate the need to read and re-read the questions very
carefully in order to reduce the chances of misinterpreting the question and writing an answer that
does not address the topic. Also it cannot be overstated that candidates should not recite preprepared answers as this does not demonstrate knowledge of the topic and if the pre-prepared answer
is not relevant to the actual question will result in low marks being awarded.

Examination technique
The following examination techniques were identified as the main areas of improvement for
candidates:
Candidates did not respond effectively to the command word
The most common weakness in answers reported by the Examiners was insufficient depth being given
in relation to what is expected from the command word. The most common command word used in
Certificate-level examinations is outline, which requires some detail in the answer in order for the
candidate to demonstrate knowledge of the topic (see later). However, in many cases a simple list is
given without any supporting information that does not satisfy an outline question and as a result
Examiners are unable to award marks.
Course providers are encouraged to emphasise the importance of giving sufficient depth of
information in answers and to use the NEBOSH guidance on command words and examination
technique classes as part of their teaching to reinforce this message.

Candidates misread/misinterpreted the question

Examiners again reported that many answers suggested that candidates had misread, or more
commonly, misinterpreted the questions. Answers suggested that many candidates did not have a
sufficient understanding of parts of the syllabus leading to the misinterpretation. It is of upmost
importance that candidates refer closely to the content of the learning outcomes and the syllabus
found in the Guide to the NEBOSH International Certificate in Fire Safety and Risk Management. The
learning outcomes indicate the maximum level of depth that can be set in an examination question in
that area of the syllabus and the content shows the topic matter that is covered by that learning
outcome.
When preparing for the examination, candidates should make use of the course guide to check that
they understand the topic matter in sufficient depth. Where they feel they do not understand a topic
sufficiently further background reading and seeking guidance from their course tutors would help
reinforce their knowledge of the topic in readiness for the examination.
Course providers are advised to make use of tutorial sessions or encourage candidates to approach
them for further help on areas that they are finding difficult to grasp.

Candidates provided rote-learned responses that did not fit the question
It was pleasing to see that there were fewer rote-learned answers noted by Examiners this time than
on previous occasions. However, there were still a significant number of answers that seem to have
been rote-learned, recited in the examination and did not answer the question.
While knowledge of material forms a part of the study for a Certificate-level qualification, a key aspect
being assessed is a candidates understanding of the topic and reciting a pre-prepared and
memorised answer will not show a candidates understanding. In fact, if a candidate gives a
memorised answer to a question that may look similar but actually is asking for a different aspect of a
topic in the syllabus, it shows a lack of understanding of the topic and will inevitably result in low marks
being awarded for that answer.
Course providers should ensure that they impress on their candidates that rote-learning handouts and
pre-prepared answers do not promote understanding of the topic.

Command words
The following command words are listed in the order identified as being the most challenging for
candidates:
Outline
Examiners again noted that many candidates answers to outline questions were in insufficient depth
to gain good marks. The NEBOSH guidance on command words states that outline means To
indicate the principal features or different parts of and that an exhaustive description is not required.
What is sought is a brief summary of the major aspects of whatever is stated in the question.
Outline questions were frequently answered with a bullet-point list without any supporting information
that showed the Examiner that the candidate knew why the point being made is relevant to the topic
matter in the question. The amount of information needed to successfully outline something is not
onerous, often and sentence or two of relevant text is all that is required, but without this the Examiner
is not able to award marks.

Explain
Explain questions expect candidates to demonstrate their understanding and are often in association
with the words how or why. As an example, a question may ask to explain why a fire risk
assessment should be carried out.
In similar fashion as found for outline questions, many answers gave simple bullet-point lists that did
not provide sufficient depth to show that the candidate understood the concepts asked for in these
questions. A discussion of the topic at hand is usually a good means of explaining a topic rather than
giving a series of individual points and such an approach is more likely to gain higher marks.

Identify
Identify questions expect a word or phrase that will name or identify an item or concept with no other
detail required in order to be awarded a mark.
While many candidates gave sufficient answers, it was noted that, contrary to outline or explain
answers, some gave more information than was necessary to gain a mark. This does not affect the
marks awarded but does mean that candidates will take more time than is necessary when writing
these answers.

Give
Questions asking the candidate to give an answer require a statement without additional explanation.
Most commonly, examination questions would ask to give examples of something. Most candidates
were able to answer these questions with sufficient detail to gain reasonable marks.
For additional guidance, please see NEBOSHs Guidance on command words used in learning
outcomes and question papers document, which is available on our website:
www.nebosh.org.uk/students/default.asp?cref=1345&ct=2.

Conclusion
The feedback from Examiners highlighted that candidates taking the IFC1 examinations in August
October 2014 needed most improvement in the areas of the principles of prevention used during the
fire risk assessment process (learning outcome 6.2), relevant fire training requirements (learning
outcome 5.4) and aims and objectives of fire safety risk assessments (learning outcome 6.1).
With regard to examination technique, candidates should focus on reading and re-reading questions to
reduce the chances of their answers moving away from the topic asked for in the question. Also
candidates should focus on ensuring that they understand the level of depth required in answers to
satisfy the various command words used in questions.

The National Examination

Board in Occupational
Safety and Health
Dominus Way
Meridian Business Park
Leicester LE19 1QW
telephone 0116 263 4700
fax 0116 282 4000
email info@nebosh.org.uk
www.nebosh.org.uk