Resources
Qualification levels, from 4 to 7
A qualification level describes responsibility, not years of study. Moving from 4 to 7 means moving from a qualified post you hold to decisions you carry for an entire organisation.
Responsibility, the single criterion
At level 4 you carry out a qualified activity within a defined frame: you apply a method and report on it. At level 5 you organise other people's work and answer for a result. At level 6 you design the method itself and commit a scope. At level 7 you decide for the organisation: you choose what will be done, with which resources, and you answer for it to a board. Training volume follows that progression rather than defining it.
- Level 4: a qualified activity carried out within a given frame
- Level 5: organising a team's work and owning a result
- Level 6: designing the method and committing a scope
- Level 7: deciding for the organisation and answering to the board
- Professional experience opens access to levels 6 and 7
How the catalogue breaks down
Each segment is a real count of titles listed in the official catalogue. The density at level 4 reflects an intention: open the entry doors to the labour market first, then support the rise in responsibility.
- Level 4
- 20 (28 %)
- Level 5
- 18 (25 %)
- Level 6
- 17 (24 %)
- Level 7
- 17 (24 %)
One field, four floors of responsibility
The health, safety and environment track illustrates the full progression. The field stays the same; what changes is the breadth of what you decide and the training volume that prepares it.
| Professional title | Level | Duration | Credits | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health, Safety and Environment Officer | Level 4 | 9 months | 60 | 600 h |
| HSE Supervisor | Level 5 | 9 months | 70 | 700 h |
| Industrial Risk and HSE Director | Level 7 | 9 months | 70 | 700 h |
| Site HSE Manager | Level 6 | 1 year | 80 | 800 h |
Questions about levels
Do I have to climb the levels in order?
The order is the shortest path when you are starting out. A professional already in post enters at the level matching their current responsibilities: at levels 6 and 7 it is exercised experience that opens access, and the application file documents it.
Does a level 4 lead to a level 5?
Yes, and blocks already validated are recognised. Progression is built by addition: you complete the higher-level standard with the blocks you still need, keeping what you have earned.
How many hours separate a level 4 from a level 7?
Level 4 titles total 11800 hours in the catalogue, level 7 titles total 11900. Per title, the gap comes mainly from the breadth of the standard: level 7 covers decision-making, steering and legal responsibility.
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