NEBOSH Open Book Exam: A Short Guide to Structuring Answers

If you’re preparing for the NEBOSH open book exam, you’re probably wondering how to write strong, well-structured answers that meet the examiners’ expectations. The good news? You don’t need to be a brilliant writer to score high marks. You just need to be clear, focused, and relevant.

In this guide, we’ll break down exactly how to structure your answers so you can show what you know—without overthinking it.

Why Structure Matters in NEBOSH Exams

The NEBOSH open book exam isn’t testing your essay-writing skills. It tests how well you understand health and safety principles and how you apply them to real-life situations. A clear structure helps you:

• Cover all the key points the examiners are looking for

• Keep your answers focused

• Avoid repetition and waffle

• Make it easier for the examiner to award marks

Use the Point–Evidence–Explanation Method

Here’s a simple structure that works for nearly any NEBOSH exam answer:

1. Point – Make your main statement.

2. Evidence – Support it with an example (from experience or the scenario).

3. Explanation – Say why the point matters or what the impact is.

Example:

Question: Why does an organisation need to learn lessons from adverse events?

• Point: It helps prevent similar incidents from happening again.

• Evidence: For example, if a fall from height occurs because guardrails were missing, identifying this allows the organisation to install them.

• Explanation: This reduces the risk of repeat accidents, protects workers, and improves overall safety performance.

Do this for each separate point you want to make.

Avoid These Common Mistakes

Many students lose marks not because they don’t know the content, but because of how they write their answers. Watch out for these missteps:

❌ Writing everything you know without focusing on the question
❌ Failing to link answers to the scenario 
❌ Waffling or repeating the same point in different words
❌ Forgetting to explain the impact or relevance of each point

Learn from an Example

Let’s look at a simplified breakdown of a real NEBOSH-style question.

Question: What are the benefits of investigating workplace accidents?

Here’s a weak answer:

“Accident investigations are important. They help the company. They are useful in many ways.”

This doesn’t show any real understanding.

Now here’s a stronger version using the proper structure:

Point: Accident investigations help prevent future incidents.
Evidence: For instance, if someone trips over loose cables, the company can remove or secure them.
Explanation: This makes the workplace safer and reduces the chance of someone else getting injured.

Repeat this structure to cover multiple benefits (legal protection, cost savings, improved morale, etc.), and you’re on your way to a full-mark answer.

Final Tips for NEBOSH Success

• Answer the question—nothing more, nothing less

• Keep sentences short and clear

• Stick to one idea per paragraph

• Use examples wherever possible

• Use the scenario to support your points

Getting top marks in your NEBOSH open book exam isn’t about writing perfectly—it’s about writing clearly, logically, and with purpose. Understand what the question wants, structure your response using point–evidence–explanation, and check your answer against the mark scheme.