Okay so I've been lurking here for months and figured it was time to actually contribute something useful. I sat for the HBRI certification in March and April and bombed both times — 67% and 71%, with passing at 75%. Third attempt last week and I finally cleared it with an 82%. I genuinely think the difference came down to how I studied, not how hard I studied.
What changed was switching from just reading the handbook to actually drilling questions. I found a solid HBRI practice test set that mirrored the real item formats way better than the free stuff floating around. The hazardous materials handling and regulatory compliance sections were killing me, so I spent two focused weeks just on those. My study guide notes from the first two attempts were honestly useless — too broad. Narrowing down to weak spots made the difference.
If you're prepping right now, don't skip the scenario-based questions. At least 30% of what I saw involved real workplace situations, not just definitions. Happy to share more specific exam tips if anyone's grinding through this right now.