[1] Qualifications and courses are delivered by NEBOSH's network of approximately 600 accredited Learning Partners, which are located in countries around the world.

To meet a need for the provision of vocational qualifications in the area of occupational safety and health, NEBOSH was established in September 1979, operating from the offices of IOSH in Leicester.

At the time, the NEBOSH board, led by founding chairman Professor Richard Booth, set out its primary objective: "To improve the quality & quantity of people with vocational qualifications in Occupational Safety and Health".

By October 1981, membership of the NEBOSH board had grown and included representatives from IOSH, UK government departments, various teaching establishments and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).

In June 1997 NEBOSH introduced a "credit mark" to demonstrate a high score in an exam – sitting just below a "distinction."

In October 2006, NEBOSH moved offices to its current location of 5 Dominus Way, Meridian Business Park, Leicester.

[4] In 2011, NEBOSH as well as other UK and international professional bodies developed the scheme for the Occupational Safety & Health Consultants Register (OSHCR),[5] a scheme which provides a centrally held register of qualified health and safety consultants for businesses and employers to easily find and hire for their own places of work.

In 2015 a taught master's degree was developed with options to focus on one or more of the disciplines of occupational health, safety and environmental management.

[6] NEBOSH HSE qualifications are developed in collaboration with the UK's regulator, the Health and Safety Executive.

Certificate-level qualifications are a foundation for managers, supervisors and people at the start of a career in health and safety.

Accredited Learning Partners include educational establishments, commercial training and consultancy providers and large employers.

Through its network of Learning Partners NEBOSH qualifications have been taken in more than 170 countries throughout the world like including the saudi arabia United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Nigeria, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, Qatar, and Kuwait.

As of 2020, the NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety is available in Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish and Turkish.

Since 2006, candidates achieving a NEBOSH Diploma or Masters-level qualification have been invited to attend an annual graduation ceremony, which is regularly held at the University of Warwick.