The ProQual Level 6 NVQ Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Practice is a competence-based qualification. That means you are not simply being asked to explain what a competent health and safety professional should do. You must demonstrate, through your own workplace evidence, what you have actually done.
ProQual requires candidates to produce a portfolio demonstrating achievement of the Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria. The official specification allows evidence such as candidate work products, reports, professional discussions, witness testimony and oral or written questioning. Assessment measures the candidate's skill, knowledge and understanding against the qualification standards.
However, there is an important point that many NVQ learners initially misunderstand:
Uploading a workplace document does not automatically prove your competence.
A risk assessment proves that a risk assessment exists.
A toolbox talk proves that briefing material exists.
An accident investigation proves that an investigation document exists.
But the assessor still needs to understand:
What did you personally do? Why did you do it? How did you do it in your workplace? What decisions did you make? What happened as a result?
This is where a good evidence caption or candidate explanation becomes extremely important.
What Does Proving Competence Actually Mean?
Competence is more than having access to company documents.
Suppose you upload a toolbox talk called:
Benefits of Reporting Near Misses
The presentation itself may be good evidence.
But on its own, it does not necessarily establish that:
you developed it, you delivered it, you selected the audience, you understood why the briefing was required, or you actually promoted a positive health and safety culture.
Now suppose you submit the same toolbox talk together with photographs of you delivering it, an attendance record identifying you as the presenter, and a detailed explanation of why you delivered it and what you personally did.
The evidence becomes much stronger.
The evidence shows what happened.
Your caption explains your competence behind what happened.
ProQual requires evidence to be sufficient across the Assessment Criteria and permits one piece of evidence to support more than one Learning Outcome or Assessment Criterion where appropriate.
Your Caption Should Explain How I Did It, Not How It Is Done
This is one of the most important principles for Level 6 NVQ candidates.
A generic textbook statement sounds like this:
Toolbox talks are an effective method of communicating health and safety information to employees. They should be delivered regularly and employees should be encouraged to participate.
That explains how toolbox talks are generally used.
It tells the assessor almost nothing about your own competence.
A competence-based explanation should sound more like this:
Following three near-miss reports involving pedestrians entering the forklift loading area at our North Warehouse, I decided that the issue required immediate workforce communication. I prepared the attached toolbox talk using photographs from our own loading area and our existing vehicle/pedestrian segregation procedure. I delivered the briefing to 17 warehouse operatives and two supervisors during the morning shift briefing on 12 August 2026. I explained why near-miss reporting was important, discussed the three recent events and asked employees to identify areas where segregation could be improved. I recorded attendance using the attached register. The photograph attached shows me delivering the session. Two additional blind-spot locations were raised by employees and these were subsequently added to the warehouse improvement action plan.
That is evidence of your professional activity in your workplace.
It cannot easily be replaced with a generic answer copied from a textbook or generated without knowledge of the workplace.
What Should a Good NVQ Evidence Caption Explain?
A useful caption normally answers these questions:
| Your caption should explain | What the assessor needs to understand |
|---|---|
| Where and when did this happen? | The workplace context of the evidence |
| Why was the activity required? | The professional reason for your action |
| What was your personal role? | What you did rather than what your organisation did |
| How did you carry it out? | Your professional approach and decisions |
| Who was involved? | Relevant employees, managers, contractors or stakeholders |
| What was the outcome? | What changed, improved, was approved or was implemented |
| What does the attached evidence prove? | How the document, photograph or record supports your account |
| Why does this demonstrate competence? | The connection between your activity and the Assessment Criterion |
A good rule is:
Write about your workplace, your decisions, your actions and your results.
Avoid writing a mini textbook explaining how somebody should perform the activity.
Unit 1: Promoting a Positive Health and Safety Culture
Example Learning Outcome
LO1 Be able to advocate commitment to a positive health and safety culture in the organisation.
ProQual's criteria include providing people with clear information about the benefits of positive H&S culture and using opportunities to communicate that information.
Example: You Delivered a Toolbox Talk
Suppose you delivered a toolbox talk promoting near-miss reporting.
Minimum evidence example
Submit the toolbox-talk material, evidence of delivery such as an attendance record, and evidence connecting you personally with the activity, such as a photograph showing you delivering it or a record naming you as the presenter.
Weak caption
I conducted this toolbox talk to promote health and safety culture.
This gives the assessor very little information.
Strong caption
Evidence U1-E01 Near-Miss Reporting Toolbox Talk
I developed and delivered the attached toolbox talk at our distribution warehouse on 12 August 2026 following an increase in unreported vehicle/pedestrian near misses. During my weekly inspection I had identified that employees were sometimes treating near misses as insignificant because no injury had occurred.
I prepared the briefing using examples from our own warehouse and explained why reporting near misses allows us to correct hazards before an injury occurs. I delivered the session during the morning shift meeting to 17 warehouse operatives and two supervisors.
The attached briefing notes are the material I prepared. The attendance record confirms the employees who attended and identifies me as the person delivering the session. The attached photograph shows me conducting the briefing.
During the discussion, employees identified two additional visibility problems around the loading area. I recorded these and added them to our corrective-action tracker for review.
I believe this evidence demonstrates that I provided clear information about the benefits of a positive safety culture and used an existing communication opportunity to promote that culture.
Notice how the caption does not explain what a toolbox talk is.
It explains what the candidate actually did.
Unit 2: Developing and Implementing the Health and Safety Policy
Example Learning Outcome
LO2 Be able to develop the Health and Safety Policy.
This Learning Outcome includes identifying deficiencies in the current policy, considering resource constraints, involving stakeholders and revising the policy to address deficiencies.
Example: You Reviewed and Revised Your Organisation's Health and Safety Policy
Minimum evidence example
Submit the policy review or marked-up policy showing the deficiencies you identified, the revised policy, and one piece of evidence showing relevant stakeholder consultation or approval.
Strong caption
Evidence U2-E02 Review and Revision of Health and Safety Policy
I reviewed our Health and Safety Policy in March 2026 as part of its annual review. During my review I identified that the responsibilities section still referred to our previous organisational structure and did not clearly allocate responsibility for contractor management to the Operations Manager.
I also compared the policy arrangements against our current risk-management processes and identified that our recently introduced contractor pre-qualification process was not reflected in the policy.
I prepared the revised draft attached to this submission and discussed the proposed amendments with the Operations Manager and Managing Director. Their comments are shown in the attached email chain.
Following consultation, I amended the responsibilities and contractor-management sections and issued the final draft for approval. The attached approved version shows the resulting changes.
This evidence demonstrates my personal involvement in identifying deficiencies, consulting relevant stakeholders and revising the policy to address the deficiencies identified.
The important words are I reviewed, I identified, I compared, I prepared, I discussed and I amended.
Those statements help demonstrate the candidate's own competence.
Unit 3: Developing Effective Health and Safety Communication Systems
Example Learning Outcome
LO2 Be able to produce communication systems for health and safety information into the organisation.
The criteria include effectively communicating H&S information using a range of methods and managing the organisation's communication arrangements.
Example: You Communicated an Important Safety Change
Suppose a supplier issued updated safety information requiring a change to the way a chemical product was handled.
Minimum evidence example
Submit the safety communication you produced and evidence showing that it reached the relevant workforce.
Strong caption
Evidence U3-E03 Communication of Revised Chemical Handling Requirements
I received an updated Safety Data Sheet from our cleaning chemical supplier on 6 May 2026. When reviewing the new SDS, I identified a change to the recommended hand-protection requirements.
I checked our existing COSHH assessment and found that it still specified the previous glove type. I therefore updated the COSHH assessment and prepared the attached safety briefing for the cleaning team.
I emailed the revised assessment to the Facilities Manager and briefed the eight cleaning operatives at the start of their evening shift. The attached briefing record confirms attendance.
I specifically explained what had changed, why the existing gloves were no longer considered suitable and when the replacement gloves had to be used.
This evidence demonstrates how I evaluated incoming health and safety information, converted it into workplace requirements and communicated the relevant information to the people affected.
The learner is not describing how organisations generally communicate SDS information.
They are explaining exactly how they handled a real information change.
Unit 4: Developing Individual and Organisational Competence
Example Learning Outcomes
LO1 Be able to assess the health and safety competence needs of the organisation.
LO2 Be able to implement health and safety training to meet identified needs.
ProQual requires learners to evaluate competence needs, address identified needs, design and deliver training and monitor whether the training actually met those needs.
Example: Training Need Training Competence Check
This is an excellent example of why NVQ evidence should demonstrate a professional process rather than one isolated document.
Minimum evidence example
Submit the Training Needs Analysis identifying the gap, the training record showing that you addressed it, and the post-training assessment or observation showing whether competence improved.
Strong caption
Evidence U4-E04 Manual Handling Competence Improvement
During my quarterly review of training and incident records, I identified that six new warehouse employees had completed general induction but had not received our task-specific manual-handling training. This was also relevant because two recent minor incidents involved poor lifting technique.
I recorded this gap in the attached Training Needs Analysis and discussed the requirement with the Warehouse Manager.
I then prepared and delivered a 45-minute practical manual-handling session covering the actual loads and handling tasks used within our warehouse. The attached attendance record confirms the six employees who completed the session and identifies me as the trainer.
One week later I observed the employees carrying out routine handling tasks using our competence checklist. Five demonstrated the required technique. One employee required additional coaching, which I provided before reassessing him.
The attached competence record shows that the identified training need was addressed and subsequently checked in the workplace.
This evidence demonstrates that I did not simply deliver training: I identified the competence gap, addressed it and checked whether the required competence had actually been achieved.
That final distinction is important.
A training attendance sheet proves attendance.
It does not, on its own, prove that the competence need was correctly identified or that the training was effective.
Unit 5: Identifying, Assessing and Controlling Health and Safety Risks
Example Learning Outcome
LO3 Be able to implement risk control measures and safe systems of work in the organisation.
The criteria move beyond identifying a hazard. Candidates need to analyse existing controls, identify improvements, consider resources, consult relevant people, plan implementation and maintain appropriate records.
Example: You Identified and Implemented an Improved Risk Control
Minimum evidence example
Submit the risk assessment showing the problem and your proposed control and evidence that the control was actually implemented.
Strong caption
Evidence U5-E05 Pedestrian/Forklift Segregation Improvement
During my inspection of the goods-in area on 4 February 2026, I observed pedestrians regularly crossing the forklift route when moving between the warehouse and staff facilities.
I reviewed the existing workplace-transport risk assessment and concluded that painted floor lines alone were not providing sufficient separation because employees were able to enter the vehicle route at several points.
I recommended installation of a fixed pedestrian barrier with a controlled crossing point. I discussed the proposal with the Warehouse Manager and employee safety representative before obtaining quotations for the work.
The control was approved and installed on 20 February. The attached revised risk assessment shows the original risk, my assessment of the existing controls and the additional control. The photograph shows the completed barrier and designated crossing.
I subsequently briefed warehouse employees on the new pedestrian route and updated the risk assessment to record the completed control.
This evidence demonstrates my involvement from identifying the weakness in the existing control through to selecting, consulting on and implementing the improved risk-control measure.
This is stronger than writing:
The hierarchy of control should be used when selecting control measures.
The assessor wants to know how you applied risk-control principles in your workplace.
Unit 6: Developing Proactive Monitoring Systems
Example Learning Outcome
LO2 Be able to keep stakeholders informed of health and safety proactive performance monitoring outcomes.
The criteria require candidates to communicate monitoring outcomes, prepare reports, interpret results for non-specialists and make recommendations based on those findings.
Example: You Conducted an Inspection and Reported the Results to Management
Minimum evidence example
Submit the completed inspection or monitoring record and the report, email or presentation through which you communicated the findings and recommendations.
Strong caption
Evidence U6-E06 Monthly Warehouse Inspection and Management Report
I carried out the scheduled monthly H&S inspection of our main warehouse on 3 June 2026 using our approved workplace-inspection checklist.
I identified 11 satisfactory items, three minor housekeeping issues and one significant issue involving emergency-exit access being partially obstructed by temporary stock.
I recorded the findings in the attached inspection report and classified the emergency-exit issue as requiring immediate action. I discussed it directly with the Warehouse Manager and the obstruction was removed before the inspection was closed.
I then included the inspection findings in my June H&S performance report to senior management. Because the management team is largely non-technical, I explained the findings using a simple summary showing recurring issues, overdue actions and the areas requiring management attention rather than only attaching the inspection checklist.
I recommended introducing marked exclusion zones around both emergency exits because similar temporary-storage problems had been identified previously.
This evidence demonstrates that I carried out proactive monitoring, recorded the findings, interpreted their significance and communicated recommendations to the appropriate stakeholders.
The competence is not merely doing the inspection.
It is also understanding and communicating what the inspection results mean.
Unit 7: Developing Reactive Monitoring Systems
Example Learning Outcome
LO2 Be able to implement health and safety loss-event investigation systems and procedures.
The criteria include deciding what requires formal investigation, implementing investigation arrangements, investigating events, advising relevant people and managing recommendations arising from the investigation.
Example: You Investigated a Workplace Incident
Minimum evidence example
Submit the completed investigation report and evidence showing that at least the key corrective action arising from your investigation was implemented.
Strong caption
Evidence U7-E07 Investigation of Hand Injury
On 18 March 2026 an employee sustained a minor hand injury while clearing a packaging-machine blockage. I reviewed the incident against our investigation procedure and determined that formal investigation was required because the event had the potential to result in a more serious injury.
I visited the area, photographed the equipment, interviewed the injured employee and shift supervisor and reviewed the existing risk assessment and operating procedure.
My investigation identified that the immediate cause was access to the blockage area before complete isolation. The underlying issue was that the existing operating procedure did not clearly describe the isolation requirement for clearing this type of blockage.
I prepared the attached investigation report and recommended revising the Safe System of Work, providing refresher training and reviewing the relevant risk assessment.
I presented these recommendations to the Production Manager. The attached action record confirms that the procedure was revised and the affected operators were retrained.
This evidence demonstrates my personal involvement in determining the investigation requirement, investigating the event, identifying underlying causes and managing the resulting recommendations.
Again, the learner should not spend the caption explaining the general theory of accident investigation.
Explain how you investigated this accident.
Unit 8: Developing and Implementing Emergency Response Systems
Example Learning Outcome
LO2 Be able to implement procedures for the control of a health and safety emergency.
The criteria include confirming that appropriate facilities and equipment are available, communicating the plan, liaising with relevant external parties and maintaining records of emergency arrangements.
Example: You Tested an Emergency Arrangement
Minimum evidence example
Submit the relevant section of the emergency procedure and the completed drill/exercise record showing what happened and what you did with the findings.
Strong caption
Evidence U8-E08 Fire Evacuation Exercise
I organised our scheduled fire evacuation exercise at the Riverside site on 15 July 2026 to check whether the arrangements in our emergency procedure remained workable following the opening of the new storage extension.
Before the drill I confirmed that the alarm system was operational, fire marshals were available and the assembly-point arrangements reflected the increased workforce.
I initiated the exercise with the Site Manager and observed the evacuation from outside the main production area.
The building was cleared in four minutes and 18 seconds. During the debrief I identified that two contractors initially reported to the old assembly point because the contractor-induction information had not been updated after the site extension.
I recorded this finding in the attached drill report and revised the contractor-induction information and site map.
This evidence demonstrates that I helped implement and test the emergency arrangements, evaluated their effectiveness and acted on a weakness identified during the exercise.
A photograph of a fire drill by itself would be weak evidence.
The caption explains the professional competence behind the photograph and drill record.
Unit 9: Developing and Implementing Health and Safety Review Systems
Example Learning Outcome
LO1 Be able to investigate the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of health and safety management systems.
The criteria require analysis of the management system, identification of essential features, defining review frequency, advising management about improvements, planning changes and maintaining review records.
Example: You Reviewed Part of the H&S Management System
Minimum evidence example
Submit the management-system review or audit report and evidence showing that your recommendations were presented to management and converted into actions.
Strong caption
Evidence U9-E09 Review of Contractor Management Arrangements
As part of our annual H&S management-system review in April 2026, I reviewed the contractor-management element of the system because contractor-related non-conformities had appeared repeatedly in site inspections.
I examined our contractor approval process, induction records, RAMS review process, permit arrangements and inspection findings from the previous 12 months.
My review identified that contractors were being assessed before appointment but there was no consistent process for evaluating their H&S performance after work had started.
I recorded this gap in the attached management-system audit report and recommended introducing a contractor performance review for projects lasting more than four weeks.
I presented the finding at the May management meeting. The attached meeting minute records the decision to adopt the recommendation and assigns responsibility for implementation.
I then added the agreed action to the management-system improvement plan with a completion date of 30 June 2026.
This evidence demonstrates how I analysed part of our H&S management system, identified an efficiency weakness, advised management and planned an improvement to the system.
The evidence demonstrates a management-level process:
review analysis recommendation management advice improvement.
Unit 10: Maintaining Knowledge and Influencing Health and Safety Practice
Example Learning Outcome
LO1 Be able to identify new developments in health and safety.
The criteria include evaluating sources of current information, evaluating the organisational impact of developments, advocating adoption of appropriate developments and maintaining CPD.
Example: You Identified a Development and Applied It at Work
Minimum evidence example
Submit the source or professional update you reviewed and the briefing, recommendation or workplace change demonstrating what you did with that information.
Strong caption
Evidence U10-E10 Evaluation of Updated HSE Guidance
In February 2026 I received an HSE update through the professional information alerts that I monitor as part of my CPD.
I reviewed the updated guidance and compared it against our existing arrangements for the relevant activity. I identified that one recommendation was not clearly reflected in our current internal procedure.
I prepared the attached briefing note for the Operations Manager explaining the change, why it was relevant to our operations and the amendment I recommended.
The proposal was accepted at our monthly H&S meeting and I subsequently updated the relevant procedure and communicated the change to the supervisors affected.
I also recorded the activity in my CPD log, including what I learned and how I applied that learning within the organisation.
This evidence demonstrates that I did more than simply read an industry update. I evaluated its relevance, considered its impact on my workplace and influenced adoption of the improvement.
Simply uploading a webinar certificate or screenshot showing that you read an HSE article may demonstrate participation.
It does not necessarily demonstrate that you evaluated, applied or influenced professional practice.
Evidence + Context + Your Contribution = A Stronger Competence Submission
The difference between weak and strong NVQ evidence can be illustrated very simply.
| Evidence submitted | What is still unclear without explanation |
|---|---|
| Risk assessment | Did you write it? What did you assess? Why did you choose those controls? |
| Toolbox talk | Did you develop or deliver it? Why was it required? |
| Inspection report | Did you conduct the inspection? What did you conclude from the findings? |
| Training record | Did you identify the need or just attend/deliver the training? Did competence improve? |
| Accident investigation | What was your role? What conclusions did you personally reach? |
| Emergency drill record | Did you organise or evaluate it? What did you improve afterwards? |
| Audit report | Which parts did you personally analyse and what recommendations did you make? |
| CPD certificate | What did you learn and how did it influence your professional practice? |
Your detailed caption closes that gap.
A Simple Formula for Writing Level 6 NVQ Evidence Captions
A strong caption can normally be written using this structure:
Context Reason My Role What I Did How I Did It Outcome Evidence Attached Why It Demonstrates the Criterion
For example:
During our quarterly H&S performance review, I identified...
I decided that... because...
My responsibility was...
I carried out...
I consulted...
As a result...
The attached report/email/photo shows...
I believe this demonstrates AC X.X because...
The exact wording should be your own.
The important thing is that another experienced health and safety professional should be able to read your caption and understand what you personally did in your workplace.
Avoid Generic NVQ Captions
A caption should not read like an answer from a health and safety textbook.
Too generic
Risk assessments should be carried out by a competent person. Hazards should be identified and risks evaluated using a suitable risk matrix. Controls should follow the hierarchy of control.
Even if technically correct, this does not demonstrate that you conducted a risk assessment.
Workplace-specific
I carried out the attached risk assessment after our production team proposed installing the new cutting machine in Workshop 2. I observed the proposed operating location, reviewed the manufacturer's information and consulted the Production Supervisor and two operators. I identified access to the cutting area during blade movement as the most significant risk. I recommended fixed guarding with interlocked access rather than relying on procedural controls alone. The revised assessment attached shows the control subsequently approved and implemented.
That demonstrates professional activity.
Do Not Describe What We Did When the Assessor Needs to Know What You Did
Consider this caption:
We reviewed the risk assessment and decided to install a guard.
Who is we?
The assessor still does not know what the candidate personally did.
A clearer version is:
I reviewed the existing risk assessment with the Production Manager. I identified that the existing procedural control did not adequately prevent access to the danger zone and recommended an interlocked guard. The Production Manager approved my recommendation and Engineering subsequently installed the guard.
You can absolutely describe teamwork.
Health and safety is rarely carried out by one person in isolation.
But clearly separate:
what you did
from
what other people did.
Your Caption Should Match the Evidence
Do not write a detailed description of activities that the evidence does not reasonably support.
If your caption says:
I presented the findings to the Board and obtained approval for 30,000 of improvements,
there should normally be some supporting evidence of that activity, such as appropriate meeting minutes, an approval record or relevant communication.
Similarly, if you state:
I delivered the training to 28 employees,
your attendance record or another suitable record should support that claim.
The strongest portfolio is one where:
the evidence supports the caption, and the caption explains the evidence.
What If the Document Does Not Have Your Name on It?
This is common.
Many company documents show only:
Health and Safety Department
or:
Approved by Managing Director
rather than identifying the person who prepared them.
That does not automatically make the evidence unusable.
But you may need stronger supporting authentication.
For example, if you developed a policy but your name does not appear on it, an email showing you circulating the draft, document metadata, meeting minutes recording your presentation or an appropriate witness confirmation may help establish your involvement.
ProQual's assessment framework allows different forms of evidence, including candidate products, professional discussion and witness testimony.
The objective is to give the assessor sufficient confidence that the activity was genuinely yours.
Photographs Are Supporting Evidence, Not the Whole Story
Photographs can be very useful.
A photograph may show you:
delivering a toolbox talk, conducting an inspection, attending an emergency exercise or examining workplace conditions.
But a photograph rarely explains the whole competence requirement.
A photograph of you standing next to machinery does not demonstrate that you assessed its risks.
A photograph of a fire drill does not demonstrate that you developed or evaluated the emergency arrangements.
A photograph of you presenting to employees does not explain what you communicated or why.
Use the caption to explain what the photograph represents within the professional activity.
Your Evidence Should Demonstrate a Process
The strongest Level 6 evidence often shows progression.
For training:
Need identified training designed training delivered effectiveness checked
For risk management:
Hazard identified risk assessed controls evaluated improvement selected consultation implementation review
For incident management:
Incident reported investigation conducted causes identified recommendations made actions implemented lessons communicated
For emergency arrangements:
Emergency identified procedure developed people prepared exercise conducted weaknesses identified arrangements improved
This is much stronger evidence of occupational competence than uploading unrelated documents simply because their titles appear relevant to an Assessment Criterion.
Can One Workplace Activity Demonstrate Several Assessment Criteria?
Yes.
ProQual specifically allows one piece of evidence to meet more than one Learning Outcome or Assessment Criterion where appropriate.
For example, suppose you identify a significant risk during an inspection.
You then:
inspect the workplace conduct the risk assessment consult employees prepare a business case obtain approval implement the control train employees verify completion.
That may generate evidence relevant to several criteria.
You should not artificially duplicate the same evidence simply to make the portfolio appear larger.
Quality, relevance and demonstration of competence are more important than the number of uploaded files.
Workplace Evidence and Written Knowledge Are Different
The qualification contains both competence-based and knowledge/understanding requirements.
A workplace document may strongly demonstrate what you did, but the assessor may still need to establish what you know and understand.
ProQual therefore allows assessment methods including professional discussion and oral or written questioning in addition to candidate work products and workplace evidence.
At ParaQual, Level 6 assessment uses workplace evidence and written responses, with assessor feedback against the qualification criteria.
So do not try to force every knowledge criterion into a workplace document.
Use workplace evidence to demonstrate competence, and provide the required knowledge explanation where appropriate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is uploading workplace evidence enough for the Level 6 NVQ?
Not necessarily. The assessor needs to establish that the evidence is relevant to the Assessment Criterion and genuinely demonstrates your own competence. A clear candidate caption or explanation can show your personal role, what you did, why you did it and what happened as a result.
What should I write in an NVQ evidence caption?
Explain the workplace context, why the activity was required, your personal responsibility, what you actually did, who you worked with, the outcome and how the attached evidence supports your account.
Should my NVQ caption explain health and safety theory?
Only where theory is needed to explain your professional decision. The main purpose of a workplace-evidence caption is to explain how you applied your knowledge in your own workplace, rather than provide a generic explanation of how the activity should normally be carried out.
How long should an NVQ evidence caption be?
There is no ideal word count that applies to every document. The caption should be detailed enough for the assessor to understand your role and how the evidence demonstrates the relevant competence, without repeating information already obvious from the document.
A straightforward piece of evidence may need only a short explanation. A major audit, investigation or risk-control project may require considerably more context.
Should I use I or we in my evidence captions?
Use I when describing your personal actions and decisions.
You can use we when describing a genuine team activity, but clearly explain what your own contribution was.
Can I use evidence created by my company?
Yes, where you genuinely created, contributed to or were responsible for the activity being evidenced and your contribution can be established.
Simply having access to a company document does not demonstrate that you personally produced or implemented it.
Can photographs prove competence?
Photographs can provide useful supporting evidence, but normally need context. Explain what the photograph shows, what you were doing, why you were doing it and how it relates to the competence being assessed.
Can the same evidence support several Assessment Criteria?
Yes, where it genuinely demonstrates more than one criterion. ProQual's qualification specification expressly allows one piece of evidence to support multiple Learning Outcomes or Assessment Criteria where appropriate.
The Assessor Needs to See Your Professional Story
A Level 6 NVQ portfolio should not simply say:
Here is my risk assessment.
It should help the assessor understand:
Here is the risk assessment I completed, this is why I completed it, this is how I approached it, these are the decisions I personally made, this is what happened afterwards, and this is why I believe it demonstrates the required competence.
Do the same with your:
toolbox talks, policies, training, inspections, investigations, emergency arrangements, audits and professional development.
The document provides the evidence.
Your explanation gives the evidence context.
Together, they allow your assessor to understand the competence behind your workplace activity.
That is the central principle of the ProQual Level 6 NVQ Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Practice:
Do not simply explain how health and safety work should be done. Demonstrate how you have actually done it.