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1.
a) Outline the key features of
b) Explain how the findings of an audit may use to improve the health and safety
performance. (12)
The findings of a health and safety audit may be used for improving health and safety
performance by identifying areas of compliance and non-compliance and the reasons
for the short comings. The nature of the non-compliance helps in identifying the
strengths and weaknesses of the existing system. It enables the comparison and
benchmarking with other similar organisations which communicates the findings to
management and staff by informing them to take the remedial actions emphasizing
the need for proactive measures rather than reactive measures. It aids in prioritizing
the major and minor issues founded which helps in allocating the necessary resources
to the issues identified and rectify them producing evidence of commitment by the
organisation in putting health and safety on the first. It helps in encouraging continual
improvement the organisation.
2. An organisation needs to train workers to carry out the risk assessment. Outline the content
of this training? (8)
Content of the risk assessment training include:
What is risk assessment
Different techniques of identifying the hazards like task analysis, inspections etc.
How to carry the team approach assessment
How to calculate risk rating and give the control measures based on priorities
How to interpret things and find the relevant guidance
Find the control measures based on hierarchy
How to set the target dates to complete the findings
What criteria for the risk assessment has to be dealt
When to review the risk assessments like legal change, management change etc.
b) Workers (4)
Take reasonable care of their own safety and that of other people who might be
affected by the things that they do and the things that they fail to do.
Comply with safety instructions and procedures to avoid mishappenings
Use all safety equipment properly and not tamper with it as it should not provoke to
some faulty conditions in future
Report any situation which they believe could be a hazard and which they cannot
themselves correct to safeguard themselves and also others which can avoid cost
involved in it if some things goes wrong
Report any work-related accident or ill-health to find the reason of it and also increase
the moral of them by taking measures to it.
4. Identify the sources of information that should be consulted when developing a safe system
of work? (8)
Training records provided to the employees
Health surveillance or medical records of the employees
Previous accident/incident records.
Previous risk assessment records
Legislation related health and safety
Safety Manuals
Information from trade association
Approved codes of practice(ACoP)
Health and safety publications
5.
a) Give the meaning of the terms
I. Active Monitoring (2)
1) Safety inspection:
A workplace inspection is a general examination of health and safety
performance at a particular point in time which done before any event had
happened. This Inspection also demonstrates the management
commitment which helps in identifying the workplace hazards and
implement immediate corrective action where ever possible.
2) Safety survey:
A safety survey is a detailed examination of one particular issue
or topic, e.g. a detailed examination of the provision of emergency lighting
within a building. The word “survey” can be used to refer to various types
of detailed examination. For example environmental monitoring is a form
of safety survey, e.g. a noise assessment usually requires that a noise
survey is carried out by a competent person using a sound-level meter.
6.
a) Identify the general principles of prevention that may help to reduce the risk injury
in the workplace. (6)
Avoid risks
Evaluate risk which cannot be avoided
Control hazards at source
Adapt work to suit the individual
Adapt to technical progress
Replace dangerous to non-dangerous
Overall prevention policy
Give priority to collective protective measures
b) Outline why the general principles of prevention should be applied in order to help
reduce risk? (2)
The reasons why general principles to be applied is it gives a good way to approach
as we can address the issue from the base and helps us to rectify it. This also will
helps us to follow a hierarchy.
7. Outline how national governments can contribute towards good standards of health and
safety? (8)
National Government can enact regulations regarding health and safety taking cognizance
from international law , for example, member of the states of United Nations are obliged to
incorporate ILO-Occupational Safety and (C155) and Recommendation(R164) that has been
ratified by them, into their national legislation. Health and safety law reflects the expectation
of society and hence can be more stringent in promoting good standards of health and safety.
Moreover National Governments shall constitute enforcement agency with discretionary
powers backed and supported by Nations judiciary system.
There are various ways in which national governments contribute towards good standards of
health and safety
National governments which supports enforcement actions that may be punitive
and deterrent would go a long way in uplifting and maintaining good standards
of health and safety
Provide advice on improving the management system and to rectify the
shortcomings
Investigate workplace accidents
8. Identify the three main section of health and safety policy and outline each of their purpose.
(6)
b) Outline why it is important that the outcome of the review is reported to the most
senior person of an organisation such as a managing director or supervisor?(2)
The outcome of the review to be reported to higher management because they are
the one takes the decision and release the funds for the improvement. Not only if
changes and order comes from the higher authority for the improvement of the
wellbeing will it increase the morale of the workers.
11.
a) Give the meaning of the term “Permit to work”. (2)
A permit to work is a formal documented control process which takes account of all
the foreseeable interactions between the worker, the environment and the
associated hazards. It defines the procedures and precautions to be undertaken and
the sequence in which they should be carried out.
b) Outline the details to be include in a permit to work for a confined space.(6)
A confined space is a place which is substantially enclosed (though not always
entirely), and where serious injury can occur from hazardous substances or conditions
within the space or nearby (e.g. lack of oxygen).The details that should be included in
permit to work of a confined space are like giving the description of confined and
describing its hazards of it based upon the environmental conditions. Carry out the
assessment of hazards with the activity going to be performed and mention them in
it. Then the necessary control measures has to be discussed in with respect to the
assessment like the requirement of PPE and additional control measures to be
included. Then the signature of the issuer, receiver has to be included.
MARCH 2018
1. A fire has occurred at a work place and a worker has been badly injured
a) Outline the process for investigating the accident.(10)
When investigating an accident or other types of incident there are some basic principles and
procedures that can be used:
Step 1: Gathering Information
Secure the scene as soon as possible to prevent it being altered.
Collecting witnesses' details, before they start to move away.
Collecting factual information from the scene and recording it which might be done by
means of: Photographs, Sketches, Measurements, Videos
Written descriptions of factors such as wind speed, temperature, etc.
Marking up existing location plans.
Interview the witnesses who often provide crucial evidence about what occurred before,
during and after incidents.
Checking the documentation like: Site plans, area layout plans, Company policies, Risk
assessments, Training records, Safe systems of work, Permits to-work, Maintenance
records.
Step 2: Analyzing Information
The purpose here is to draw conclusions about the immediate and root causes of the incident,
Immediate causes are the unsafe acts and unsafe conditions that gave rise to the event
itself. These will be the things that occurred at the time and place of the accident.
Underlying or root causes are the things that lie behind the immediate causes. Often root
causes will be failures in the management system, such as: Failure to adequately
supervise the workers, Lack of maintenance, inadequate inspections.
Step 3: Identify Suitable Control Measures
Once the immediate and underlying causes of the accident are known, appropriate
control measures can be identified. It is important that the correct control measures are
established, otherwise time, money and effort will be wasted on inadequate and
unnecessary measures that will not prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Immediate causes are usually easy to identify whereas underlying causes can be harder
to determine because they reflect failure of the management system, but it is essential
that the correct control measures to remedy the failure of the management system are
identified because this will help prevent similar accidents occurring in similar
circumstances.
Step 4: Plan the Remedial Actions
Unsafe conditions must not be allowed to persist in the workplace; Dangerous practices
and high risk activities must be dealt with immediately; Machinery and equipment may
have to be taken out of action, certain work activities suspended, and locations
evacuated. There may be interim control measures that can be introduced in the short to
medium term to allow work to proceed while longer-term solutions are pending.
b) Outline why the investigation reports to be submitted to senior management.(5)
The investigation reports have to submitted to the senior management because as
they are ultimate authority to face the legal issues. By reporting they will be able to
take the necessary control measures proposed. This will help them to reassess the
policy, to allocate the necessary resources for the improvement of the condition
which led to the accident.
c) In addition to senior managers, identify who may need to know the outcome of the
investigation. (5)
3.
a) Identify the types of emergency in the work place that may require the evacuation of
works. (4)
Fire
Bomb threat
Spillage of a hazardous chemical
Release of a toxic gas
Outbreak of disease
Severe weather or flooding
Multiple casualty accident
b) Outline why the arrangements for contacting the emergency services and
rescue services need to be included when developing emergency
procedures.(4)
The reasons for including emergency services in the arrangements of emergency
procedures are
It helps the victim to contact during mishap in the working area
It creates an awareness among the people who are working in the area
It is one of the communication methods used which will educate and alarm
them often about the displaying of services
As displaying of emergency services is one of legal requirement it must be
included in the procedure
This will also help the people to quickly react to the situation and evacuate
safely.
4. Explain reasons for maintaining and promoting good standards of health and safety in the
workplace. (8)
The Three main reasons are
Moral Reason:
A huge amount of pain and suffering is experienced by people who simply go to work to
earn a living. Scale of the problem is very high. When health and safety is not managed
properly people get killed and injured in gruesome ways or suffer terrible diseases that
have a massive impact not only on them, but also their dependents, families, friends and
colleagues. Society as a whole considers these events can’t be morally unacceptable, and
injury or ill-health should not be a price that has to be paid in order for the worker to feed
their family. Employers have a moral responsibility to provide safe and healthy working
conditions.
Legal Expectations:
The legal reasons for managing health and safety relate to the framework of international
and national laws that govern the conduct of businesses and organisations. Most
countries have laws that set standards for the conduct of organisations with regard to
health and safety. Failure to achieve these legal minimum standards can lead to
enforcement action by the enforcing authorities or prosecution before the courts.
Economic case:
The economic case for health and safety is simply that accidents and ill-health cost money.
When an accident occurs there will be direct and indirect costs associated with that event.
Some of these losses can be insured against, but many cannot. The financial impact of
accidents and ill health can have significant effects on the profitability of an organisation
and in some cases can lead to bankruptcy.
5.
a) Identify a range of health and safety targets that may be included in the
statement of intent section of health and safety policy. (4)
A specific reduction in the number of accidents and work related ill-health
Reduction in the level of absence due to sickness
To increase the number of employees trained in health and safety
To increase the reporting of minor accident and near miss
b) Describe the purpose of health and safety policy.(4)
The health and safety policy of an organisation is an important document that
sets out the organization’s aims with regard to health and safety, who is
responsible for achieving these aims, and how the aims are to be achieved.
This policy has a role in the decision-making of both senior management, who
formulate it, and middle and junior management, who are required to
implement it.
6. Outline why it is important for an organisation to investigate near miss incidents. (8)
The near miss should be investigated in the first instance to prevent a
recurrence by identifying its causes and any weaknesses in the existing
procedures and systems. It would also help to set priorities for any remedial
action found to be necessary if for instance risk assessments and safe systems
of work need to be amended. An investigation would additionally help to
demonstrate management commitment to health and safety and assist in
maintaining and even improving the health and safety culture of the
organisation and the morale of the workforce. It will help the management to
take the disciplinary action as it will make way for improving the behaviour of
the working personnel also and acts as way to update the risk assessments.
7. Outline the factors to be considered when developing safe systems of work. (8)
9. Identify the ways in which an organisation can positively influence the health and
safety behaviour of the workers.(8)
10. A manager is required to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment on a work
activity.
a) Identify the possible sources of information that might help the managers to assess
the risk actively (5)
Training records provided to the employees.
Health surveillance or medical records of the employees.
Previous accident/incident records.
Previous risk assessment records
Legislation related health and safety
Safety Manuals
Information from trade association
Approved codes of practice(ACoP)
Health and safety publications
b) Outline the criteria that must be met for a risk assessment to be suitable and
sufficient.(3)
A risk assessment should be ‘suitable and sufficient’. In other words, it should be
good enough to fulfill legal requirements and prevent foreseeable injuries and ill
health from happening. In particular, it should:
• State the name and competence of the assessor (and any additional specialist help
obtained in carrying out the assessment).
• Identify the significant hazards and risks arising out of or connected with the work,
i.e. those that are most likely to occur and result in harm being caused, with any
remaining risks being at an acceptable low level.
• Identify all those persons who could be at risk, including workers and others, such
as visitors. Vulnerable people, such as young persons, should also be identified.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of current controls.
• Identify other protective measures that are required to control the risk to an
acceptable level.
11.
a) Give the meaning of the term
i. Active monitoring (2)
Monitoring which monitors the achievement of plans and the degree of
compliance with standards before an Accident, Incident on Ill Health.
ii. Reactive monitoring (2)
Monitoring which monitors on accidents, ill health and incidents data’s in
order identify the causes and to take necessary actions for performance
enhancement.
b) Outline Two active monitoring methods that can used when assessing the
organization’s health and safety performance. (4)
The two active monitoring are
Safety inspection:
A workplace inspection is a general examination of health and safety performance at
a particular point in time. As well as demonstrating management commitment, its role
is to identify workplace hazards and also by implementing immediate corrective
action where this is possible which ensures compliance with the laws and laid down
standards.
Safety survey:
A safety survey is a detailed examination of one particular issue or topic, e.g. a
detailed examination of the provision of emergency lighting within a building. The
word “survey” can be used to refer to various types of detailed examination like
Environmental monitoring is a form of safety survey, e.g. a noise assessment usually
requires that a noise survey is carried out by a competent person using a sound-level
meter.
FEBRUARY 2018
1.
a) Outline the reasons why organisation should investigate accidents. (6)
Reasons for investigating incidents:
• To identify the immediate and root causes of the incident – incidents are usually
caused by unsafe acts and unsafe conditions in the workplace, but these often arise
from underlying, or root causes.
• To identify corrective action to prevent a recurrence – a key motivation behind
incident investigations.
• To record the facts of the incident – people do not have perfect memories, and
accident investigation records document factual evidence for the future.
• For legal reasons – accident investigations are an implicit legal duty imposed on the
employer in addition to any duty to report incidents.
• For claim management – if a claim for compensation is lodged against the employer
the insurance company will examine the accident investigation report to help
determine liability.
• For staff morale – non-investigation of accidents has a detrimental effect on morale
and safety culture because workers will assume that the organisation does not value
their safety.
• For disciplinary purposes – though blaming workers for incidents has a negative
effect on safety culture, there are occasions when an organisation has to discipline
a worker because their behaviour has fallen short of the acceptable standard.
• To enable risk assessments to be updated (an incident suggests a deficiency with
the risk assessment, which should be addressed).
It is only by carrying out investigations which identify root causes that organisations
can learn from their past failures and prevent future failures. Simply dealing with the
immediate causes of an adverse event may provide a short-term fix. But, in time, the
underlying/root causes that were not addressed will allow conditions to develop
where further adverse events are likely, possibly with more serious consequences. It
is essential that the immediate, underlying causes and root causes are all identified
and remedied. Investigations should be conducted with accident prevention in mind,
not placing blame. Attempting to apportion blame before the investigation has
started is counterproductive, because people become defensive and uncooperative.
Only after the investigation has been completed is it appropriate to consider whether
any individuals acted inappropriately. Investigations that conclude that operator error
was the sole cause are rarely acceptable. Underpinning the ‘human error’ there will
be a number of underlying causes that created the environment in which human
errors were inevitable. For example inadequate training and supervision, poor
equipment design, lack of management commitment, poor attitude to health and
safety. The objective is to establish not only how the adverse event happened, but
more importantly, what allowed it to happen. The root causes of adverse events are
almost inevitably management, organisational or planning failures.
c) In addition to senior managers, identify who may need to know the outcome of the
investigation. (4)
5.
a) Identify the sources of health and safety information that are internal to an
organisation.(4)
Internal information sources include:
Accident records.
Medical records.
Absence records.
Risk assessments.
Maintenance reports.
Safety representative inspections.
Audit reports.
Safety committee meeting minutes.
b) Identify the sources of health and safety information that are external to an
organisation. (4)
External information sources include:
National legislation (e.g. regulations).
Material safety data sheets from manufacturers.
National codes of practice and guidance notes.
National and international regulatory bodies
Manufacturers’ operating instructions.
Trade associations.
Safety journals and magazines.
6. A worker has been seriously injured after being struck by a forklift truck in a loading bay area.
Outline the principles of good interviewing techniques. (8)
Hold the interview m a quiet room or area free from distractions and
interruptions.
Introduce themselves and try to establish rapport with the witness using
appropriate verbal and body language.
Explain the purpose of the interview (perhaps emphasizing that the interview
is not about blaming people).
Use open questions, such as those beginning with What? Why?, Where?,
When?, Who?,
How? etc. that do not put words into the witnesses' mouths and do not allow
them to answer with a "yes or "no"
Keep an open mind.
Take notes so that the facts being discussed are not forgotten.
Ask the witness to write and sign a statement to create a record of their
testimony
Thank the witness for their help.
7.
a) Explain the difference between consulting and informing workers of health &
safety issues (2)
Consulting: The two-way exchange of information and opinion between the
employer and workers so that the best course of action can be agreed. This
implies that the employer listens to the concerns of his workers and changes
his plans as necessary. True consultation therefore provides an opportunity for
workers to feed back to management on their feelings and opinions on health
and safety matters.
Informing: Involves providing information to workers in a form that they can
understand and then checking that the information has been understood. The
information flow is one-way and the employer does not have to take any
notice of feedback.
b) Outline factors that may determine the effectiveness of a health and safety
committee? (6)
The factors that may determine the effectiveness of a health and safety committee
Action taken: the action taken after the committee meetings and decision
implemented
Changes: significant changes made on priority basis based on the committee
meeting will decide the effectiveness
Awareness: the awareness created and followed by all the workers after
implementing the actions discussed
Reporting incident: increase in reporting incident since the awareness is
created and followed
Reduced incident rates: immediate actions taken after report which will
ultimately reduce the incident or accident rates
All the above actions and changes clearly show the effectiveness of the
health and safety committee.
8. Outline why an organisation may have poor standards of health and safety performance.
(8)
As safety is so important in company it has to be well maintained and governed too. There
can be various reasons that why an organization may have poor standards of health and
safety performance , simply we can say the culture of the organisation is being negative
will put down the development of company as well as the standards of health and safety.
Not only this will the unclear health and safety policy make the people not to work against
the aims of targets of them. Minority of people following safety will be very less which will
indulge the guys who are having safety concern. The commitment of the management
towards safety is very less which will bring the standards of safety performance. The levels
of supervision over the workers is not stringent and it so lite causing the trouble to
develop the performance. when the worker are not given leisure time to relax pressurizing
them with lot of workloads will apparently reduce the performance of safety. As being the
great factor motivation in people if it lacks it will not encourage the person to perform his
duties in safe which will in turn lead to a chaos of the incident occurring due to it.
9. Identify factors that should be considered in order to help reduce the risk of workers
required to work alone (8)
Lone Workers are people who work entirely on their own for longs periods of time, or
those who are not alone but are not with colleagues whom they can rely on for help,
might be classified as lone workers. The following factors may need to be considered
Whether the particular workplace presents a special risk to someone working alone?
Is there safe egress and exit from the workplace?
Can all the equipment and substances be safely handled by one person?
They may be more at risk of violence, particularly if the worker is exposed to
members of the public, has to travel out into the community or is involved in
work that brings them into contact with violent people, e.g. prison staff or
mental health nurses.
Is the worker medically fi t and suitable for working alone?
They may be more at risk if they are injured or fall ill.
Would vulnerable groups like women and young persons be especially at risk?
Any special training and supervision required?
Certain types of work involve a high risk of personal injury or ill-health( e.g.
confined space entry) also needs to be considered
10.
a) Give the meaning of health and safety audit (2)
It is the structured process of collecting independent information on the effectiveness
and reliability of the total health and safety management system and drawing up
plans for corrective action.
b) Outline issues that need to be considered at the planning stage of a health and safety
audit.(4)
Before the audit starts the following should be defined:
The scope of the audit - will it cover health and safety. Or health, safety and
environmental management as well?
The area of the audit - one department, one whole site, all sites?
The extent of the audit - fully comprehensive (which may take weeks) or more
selective?
Who will be required - auditors will need to be accompanied during their visit and
will need access to managers and workers for information-gathering. Therefore
those required for interviews should be notified in advance.
Information-gathering it is common practice for auditors to ask for copies of
relevant documentation before starting the audit so that they can prepare.
The organisation will have to ensure chat the auditor is competent, i.e. That they
have the relevant qualifications, experience and knowledge to do the job well. This
can apply to both internal and external auditors If internal staff are used as auditors
sufficient time and resources will have to be allocated so that they can be trained
and developed in that role All of these elements of the audit process require the
allocation of sufficient management time and resources.
c) Identify methods of gathering information during a health and safety audit. (2)
Auditors use three methods to gather factual information:
Reference to paperwork - the documents and records which indicate what should
be happening and what has happened relevant to a particular issue.
Interviews - word-of-mouth evidence given by managers and workers
Direct observation - of the workplace, equipment, activities and behaviour
11.
a) Identify a range of health and safety targets that may be included in the
statement of intent section of health and safety policy. (4)
A specific reduction in the number of accidents and work related ill-health
Reduction in the level of absence due to sickness
To increase the number of employees trained in health and safety
To increase the reporting of minor accident and near miss
Reduction in the number of civil claims
Improvement in the Audit scores
Achievement of standards such as OSHAS 18001
b) Outline the social reasons for maintaining and promoting good standards of health
and safety in the workplace (6)
The social (or legal) reasons for managing health and safety relates to the framework
of international and national laws that govern the conduct of businesses and
organisations. Most countries have laws that set standards for how organisations
should conduct themselves with regard to health and safety. Failure to achieve these
legal minimum standards can lead to enforcement action by the authorities or
prosecution before the courts. Successful prosecution can lead to a fine and, in many
countries, to imprisonment for the individuals concerned. Most countries have these
legal standards in place in order to meet the expectations of their society. These
expectations are translated into the laws that govern the conduct of individuals and
organisations. The expectations of society tend to increase over time so the standards
Of behaviour of organisations have to meet these higher expectations. In this way,
basic health and safety laws are amended over time to become more stringent. One
of the social responsibilities of the employer is to provide a safe place of work, safe
plant and equipment, safe systems of work, adequate training and supervision, and
competent employees.
c) Outline the potential barriers to achieving the good standards of health and safety.
(8)
There are many barriers to good standards of health and safety in workplace:
Complexity - workplaces can be complicated areas, involving the co-ordination of
many people performing many different activities. Finding a solution to a specific
health and safety problem or issue can be complex, requiring extensive
background knowledge and awareness of the possible consequences of the
various courses of action that are available.
Conflicting demands - there are often competing and conflicting demands placed
upon people and organisations. A common conflict of interest is that between the
need to supply a product or a service at an appropriate speed so as to make a
profit, and the need to do so safely and without risk to people’s health. Another
conflict can be created by the need to comply with different types of standards at
the same time, e.g. health and safety law as well as environmental protection law.
Behavioural issues - good health and safety practice often relies on the perfect
behaviour of individuals, and people sometimes do not behave in this ideal way.
The solution to a health and safety problem usually requires a worker to carry out
their job in a particular way. For example, a worker on a construction site should
wear a hard hat to protect themselves from falling object. But people are not
robots; they do not behave as they are supposed to all the time. Workers
sometimes make mistakes (they do the wrong thing thinking that it is the right
thing to do). Sometimes they deliberately do the wrong thing, knowing that it is
wrong, but doing it anyway. The fact that health and safety standards are affected
by worker behaviour can be a significant barrier to maintaining good standards in
a workplace.
2. A workers has been seriously injured in an accident at work. Outline the immediate and longer
term actions to be taken. (8)
Immediate actions to be taken:
Clear the area of accident to be safe for approach
Ensure the casualty has received first aid or hospitalization if needed
Secure the scene for investigation
Care should be taken for the bystanders in shock
Longer term actions to be taken:
Carry out the accident investigation to prevent the recurrence
Updation of the risk assessment carried out
Rehabilitation of the injured worker
Sick pay to the injured worker
3. Outline the factors to be considered when assessing the health and safety competence of the
contractor.(8)
For assessing the health & safety competence of a contractor might include
certain checks can be made such as:
A copy of their health and safety policy.
Examples of risk assessments.
The qualifications and training records of staff.
Membership of a professional organization or certified body.
Records of maintenance and test for plant and equipment.
Names of previous or current clients.
Accident history records.
Records of enforcement action taken by authorities against them.
Proof of adequate resources, such as access to specialist safety advice.
4. An organisation has found that the number of absences due to work-related upper limb
disorders is increasing. Identify the possible sources of information that could be used when
investigating the increase in absences. (8)
Internal information sources include:
Accident records.
Medical records.
Absence records.
Risk assessments.
Maintenance reports.
Safety representative inspections.
Audit reports.
Safety committee meeting minutes.
External information sources include:
National legislation (e.g. regulations).
Material safety data sheets from manufacturers.
National codes of practice and guidance notes.
National and international regulatory bodies
Manufacturers’ operating instructions.
Trade associations.
Safety journals and magazines.
5.
a) Outline the health and safety responsibilities of employers towards workers at work.
(4)
The health and safety responsibilities of employers towards workers at work are
Safe Place of Work
The employer creates the place of work, which should be reasonably safe and
without risk to health. What is considered “reasonable” may vary with the
type of work. The employer should also provide safe access to and from the
Workplace.
Safe Plant and Equipment
All the machinery, tools, plant and equipment used by employees at work should be
reasonably safe and without health risk. Exactly what this means will depend on the
type of work being carried out. The greater the risk involved, the greater the care that
must be taken. For example, machinery would need to be inspected; serviced;
repaired and replaced in a steel-making factory, whereas in an office a very simple
inspection regime might be sufficient.
Safe Systems of Work
There should be recognised procedures for the safe conduct of all work activities.
These procedures should cover all foreseeable possibilities, e.g. the operation of
drilling equipment in different types of weather, rather than just a set of rules which
ensure safety when the weather is good. Procedures should cover the routine day-to-
day activities of the organisation and the non-routine, occasional or one-off activities,
as well as any foreseeable emergencies that might arise.
Training, Supervision and Competency of Staff
Workers must be able to carry out the necessary procedures. Employers have a duty
to provide appropriate training so that workers are aware of the hazards and risks
inherent in their work, the safe systems of work and the emergency procedures. This
training can be reinforced by providing information and instruction.
7.
a) Give the meaning of the term safe systems of work?(2)
A safe system of work is a formal procedure based on a systematic
examination of work in order to identify the hazards. It defines safe methods
of working that eliminate those hazards, or minimise the risks associated with
them.
8.
a) Outline why an organisation should have internal reporting systems for the
internal reporting of accidents. (4)
The reasons why an organisation should have internal reporting systems for the
accidents is to trigger the provision of first aid treatment for the mishap happened
and not to aggravate the incident happened. This also helps to preserve the accident
scene for the investigators not to hinder the evidence in the area affected. This
enables the organisation to carry out the investigation and to prevent its recurrences.
At the most it helps in meeting any legal requirements with respect to reporting
accidents. The reporting will be used as a record that an incident has occurred in the
event of subsequent civil claims, insurance purposes and also as reference in the
future.
b) Identify why worker might not report accidents at work.(4)
b) Identify the circumstance that would require the health and safety policy to
be reviewed. (6)
Technological changes, e.g. introduction of new plant or processes.
Organizational changes, e.g. changes to key personnel, such as a new CEO or MD,
or changes to the management structure of the organization.
Legal changes, such as the introduction of new legislation applicable to the
organisation.
Changes to the type of work that the organization does.
Where an audit, investigation or risk assessment suggests the policy is no longer
effective.
When requested by a third party, such as an insurance company or client.
Following enforcement action.
Following consultation with the workforce.
After the passage of time (e.g. an annual review is a common practice)
10. Outline the factors that would determine the frequency with which health and safety
inspection to be carried out in a workplace. (8)
Factors to take into account when determining the frequency of inspections:
Statutory requirements may dictate an inspection frequency.
The activities carried out and the level of risk.
How well established the process is, e.g. new equipment may require more
frequent monitoring.
Risk assessments may suggest inspections as a control measure.
Manufacturers may make recommendations in relation to inspection frequency
and content.
The presence of vulnerable workers, e.g. young and inexperienced people.
Findings from previous inspections, which may suggest compliance concerns.
Accident history and results of investigations.
Enforcement authorities may recommend inspections.
Whether workers have voiced concerns.
11.
b) Outline the social reasons for maintaining and promoting good standards of health
and safety in the workplace (6)
The social (or legal) reasons for managing health and safety relates to the framework
of international and national laws that govern the conduct of businesses and
organisations. Most countries have laws that set standards for how organisations
should conduct themselves with regard to health and safety. Failure to achieve these
legal minimum standards can lead to enforcement action by the authorities or
prosecution before the courts. Successful prosecution can lead to a fine and, in many
countries, to imprisonment for the individuals concerned. Most countries have these
legal standards in place in order to meet the expectations of their society. These
expectations are translated into the laws that govern the conduct of individuals and
organisations. The expectations of society tend to increase over time so the standards
Of behaviour of organisations have to meet these higher expectations. In this way,
basic health and safety laws are amended over time to become more stringent. One
of the social responsibilities of the employer is to provide a safe place of work, safe
plant and equipment, safe systems of work, adequate training and supervision, and
competent employees.
c) Outline the potential barriers to achieving the good standards of health and safety.
(8)
There are many barriers to good standards of health and safety in workplace:
Complexity - workplaces can be complicated areas, involving the co-ordination of
many people performing many different activities. Finding a solution to a specific
health and safety problem or issue can be complex, requiring extensive
background knowledge and awareness of the possible consequences of the
various courses of action that are available.
Conflicting demands - there are often competing and conflicting demands placed
upon people and organisations. A common conflict of interest is that between the
need to supply a product or a service at an appropriate speed so as to make a
profit, and the need to do so safely and without risk to people’s health. Another
conflict can be created by the need to comply with different types of standards at
the same time, e.g. health and safety law as well as environmental protection law.
Behavioural issues - good health and safety practice often relies on the perfect
behaviour of individuals, and people sometimes do not behave in this ideal way.
The solution to a health and safety problem usually requires a worker to carry out
their job in a particular way. For example, a worker on a construction site should
wear a hard hat to protect themselves from falling object. But people are not
robots; they do not behave as they are supposed to all the time. Workers
sometimes make mistakes (they do the wrong thing thinking that it is the right
thing to do). Sometimes they deliberately do the wrong thing, knowing that it is
wrong, but doing it anyway. The fact that health and safety standards are affected
by worker behaviour can be a significant barrier to maintaining good standards in
a workplace.
2. One way that an organisation can protect the workers is by carrying out risk assessment
a) Identify the categories of worker who may require special case of application. (2)
The categories of worker who may require special case of application are
Pregnant women
Young person
Lone worker
Physically challenged person
b) Other than carrying out risk assessments, outline the roles and responsibilities of
middle managers and supervisors to those workers. (6)
The ways in which the middle managers and supervisor can do some justice to the
special case workers is to have some consideration with the activities they are carrying
out. For example not letting the pregnant women to carry out the manual handling of
weights as it will affect her strength and also the baby she is carrying. They can ensure
that they are not burdened with too much work pressure or work pattern as they will
not be able to take up the stress. They can carry out close supervision as they are
highly vulnerable to risk and also guide the young worker by giving support with the
information required as he is new the workplace. They can give them the necessary
rest breaks than the normal workers. They should focus how these people will be
evacuated from the workplace in the case of emergency. They can enable the special
health surveillance to be carried upon them to ensure that they are hail and healthy
to work in the environment.
3.
a) Outline the factors to be considered when developing safe systems of work.
(4)
b) Outline why it is important for a safe system of work to being writing. (4)
Documenting “SSW’s” provides a precise reference for all workers, and ensures
consistency of method, especially as the procedure may be complex or detailed
because passing information verbally is an unreliable method of communication
and prone to errors. It also provides a reference for use in training and instruction
of safe procedures, and as most procedures will need to be consulted on more than
one occasion, creating a definitive document is a way of ensuring consistency
whenever the process is carried out. Written SSWs also establish a standard which
can be audited, and provide the employer with a written record which may be
required for legal reasons, such as in incident investigations or during
enforcement action.
4. A serious accident has occurred to a worker and, as a result, there will be costs to the
organisation.
a)
i. Identify costs that are likely to be insured (3)
The costs that are likely to be insured are
Damage to plant
Compensation paid to injured person
Medical costs
Legal costs (civil claims)
5. Outline the reasons why it is important for an organisation to investigate near miss
incidents. (8)
The near miss should be investigated in the first instance to prevent a recurrence by
identifying its causes and any weaknesses in the existing procedures and systems. It
would also help to set priorities for any remedial action found to be necessary if for
instance risk assessments and safe systems of work need to be amended. An
investigation would additionally help to demonstrate management commitment to
health and safety and assist in maintaining and even improving the health and safety
culture of the organisation and the morale of the workforce. It will help the
management to take the disciplinary action as it will make way for improving the
behaviour of the working personnel also and acts as way to update the risk
assessments.
6.
a) Explain why an organization should consider its health and safety policy when
making business decisions (4)
An health and safety policy provides a framework of general and specific health and safety
responsibilities for staff, and guidance on the detailed operational arrangements to be
taken to protect employees and others from harm as a result of workplace activities.
Influence decision-making within the organization. This will occur in two ways firstly,
senior management has to decide what kind of health and safety standards they are
committing the organization to and will have to allocate resources accordingly. Secondly,
other managers have to ensure that their decision-making is in line with the policy and
does not work against the organization's stated aims and objectives.
b) Explain why organization should develop their own health and safety policy (4)
Every organization should have a clear policy for the management of health and safety so
that everybody associated with the organization is aware of its health and safety aims and
objectives. As it is domain specific the policy should be different for each and every
organization based on their requirements. One foundation stone of good health and safety
management in any organization is the health and safety policy. A good health and safety
policy sets out the organization's general approach and commitment to achieving
particular aims and objectives. A health and safety policy will also enhance the performance
of the organization in areas other than health and safety, help with the personal
development of the workforce and reduce financial losses. As it is domain specific the policy
should different for each and every organization based on their requirements.
7.
Identify
a) Four active means by which an organization can monitor its H & S performance.
Safety Inspection
Safety survey
Safety sampling
Safety Tour
b) Four reactive means by which an organization can monitor its H & S performance.
Near miss report
Enforcement action
Civil claims
Dangerous occurrence
Accident reports
8.
b) Outline the actions that an employer may take when a risk to a pregnant woman
cannot be provided? (2)
The actions that an employer may take when a risk to a pregnant woman by
changing the type of work or the way that it is done and changing the hours of
work or suspend the woman from the workplace.
9. An organization recently recruited several new managers. Outline the content to be included
in management of health and safety training course? (8)
Health and safety policy of the company
Hazards and risk profile of the company
How to show the Commitment towards health and safety
Safety committee importance
Roles and responsibility of the manager
Reporting and line of communication
How to deal with the workforce on H & S matters
How to keep up to date with regulations
10.
a) Outline the reasons why management has to consider the number and type of
accident. (4)
Once an incident has been reported and a record of that report has been made, the
record is usually collected by a nominated responsible person such as a safety
assistant. Information can then be extracted and analyzed which will give the
following information like what is the trend in accident incidence rate over the last
five years. The most common types accident and injury happening. Which time of the
day all this issues are happening so as to address the issue and give the necessary
control measures. It will help us to know which part of the body is most frequently
injured make changes in the working which lead to this issue. It can be broadly worked
on which department has the highest accident rate. This information can then be used
to target certain areas of performance where problems have been identified.
b) Outline:
I. Common immediate causes of accidents. (2)
Immediate causes are the obvious causes that gave rise to the event itself. These will
be the things that occurred at the time and place of the accident. It is common to
think of these in terms of unsafe acts and unsafe conditions. So here, for example, we
might have the slippery oil (unsafe condition), and the worker walking through it
(unsafe act).
II. Common Root causes of accidents. (2)
Underlying or root causes are the things that lie behind the immediate causes. Often,
root causes will be failures in the management system, such as Failure to adequately
supervise workers, failure to provide appropriate PPE, failure to provide adequate
training, Lack of maintenance from the organisation.
11.
a) Identify the general principles of prevention that may help to reduce the risk of
injury in the work place (6)
The general principles of prevention that can be applied to eliminate hazards and reduce
risk are
Combat risks at source - by going to the source of the problem directly (e.g. if there is a
noise hazard in the workplace, tackle the source of the noise)
Adapt work to suit the individual - by applying good ergonomic principles to job and
workplace design (e.g. if people are becoming fatigued when carrying out repetitive work
introduce job rotation).
Adapt to technical progress - by taking advantage of new technology as it becomes
available (e.g. buy mobile phones for lone workers).
Replace the dangerous with the non-dangerous or less dangerous - by substituting one
hazard with something else which is less hazardous (e.g. replace a corrosive chemical with
one that does the same job but is classified as "irritant" and therefore less harmful).
(b) Outline why the general principles of prevention should be applied in order to
help reduce risk (2)
All workplaces have hazards and all hazards create risk. Good safety management is the
logical process of identifying the significant hazards, evaluating the risk created by each
and then either eliminating the risk entirely or reducing it to an acceptable standard by
the introduction of controls where necessary. The principles of prevention are guidelines
on the way in which employers should approach the prevention and control of risks.
JANUARY 2018
1. A worker has been seriously injured after being hit by a reversing vehicle in a loading bay
a) Give reasons why the accident should be investigated (6)
To identify the immediate and root causes of the incident - incidents are usually
caused by unsafe acts and unsafe conditions in the workplace, but these often arise
from underlying or root causes.
To identify corrective action to prevent a recurrence- a key motivation behind incident
investigations.
To record the facts of the incident - people do not have perfect memories and
accident investigation records document factual evidence for the future.
For legal reasons - accident investigations are an implicit legal duty imposed on the
employer in addition to any duty to report incidents.
For claim management - if a claim for compensation is lodged against the employer
the insurance company will examine the accident investigation report to help
determine liability.
For staff morale - non-investigation of accidents has a detrimental effect on morale
and safety culture because workers will assume that the organisation does not value
their safety.
For disciplinary purposes - though blaming workers for incidents has a negative effect
on safety culture, there are occasions when an organization has to discipline a worker
because their behaviour has fallen short of the acceptable standard.
To enable the updating of risk assessments (an incident suggests a deficiency with the
risk assessment which should be addressed).
To discover trends.
b) Outline the information that should be included in the investigation report. (8)
The information that should be included in the investigation report are
Date and name of the incident.
Location of the modem,
Details of the injured person/persons involved (name, role, and work history).
Details of injury sustained.
Description of the activity being earned out at the time.
Drawings or photographs used to convey information on the scene
Immediate and root causes of the incident
Assessment of any breaches of legislation
Details of witnesses and witness statements.
Recommended corrective action, with suggested costs, responsibilities and
timescales.
Estimation of the cost implications for the organisation.
c) Outline
I. Possible immediate causes. (3)
There are various immediate cause that would have led to the injury is when
the reversing vehicle didn’t have the reverse horn leading to the less alertness
for the people moving there. The person who was working in the loading bay
would have not worn the reflective jackets. The banks man would have given
the wrong signal for the reversing vehicle. The barrication of the loading area
wouldn’t have been done which led to people maneuvering in the area of
loading.
II. Possible root causes
The root cause for the accident would be less level of supervision in the area
leading to collision. The driver of the vehicle wouldn’t have received the
required training for the movement in the loading area. The signal man would
have been incompetent person leading to giving miscommunication. The lack
of safe system of work to carry out loading operation would have led to
accident by not taking the control measures in prior.
2. A serious accident has occurred to a worker and, as a result, there will be costs to the
organisation.
a)
i. Identify costs that are likely to be insured (3)
The costs that are likely to be insured are
Damage to plant
Compensation paid to injured person
Medical costs
Legal costs (civil claims)
4.
a) Identify why young workers could be at increased risk of accidents at work? (4)
There are several reasons why a young person might be more vulnerable to risk in
a workplace:
• Lack of experience in workplaces in general.
• Physical and, perhaps, mental immaturity.
• Poor perception of risk.
• Heavily influenced by peer group pressure.
• Eager to show a willingness to work.
• Less developed communication skills.
b) Outline control measures that could be taken in order to minimize risk to the
workers? (4)
The control measures that could be taken in order to minimize risk to the young
workers are to carry out risk assessments specifically with young persons in mind
and identify the various hazard they are exposed to. After identifying it will help us
to take the necessary steps whether to withhold the young persons are to prohibit
him from carrying out certain high risk activities (e.g. operating complicated
machinery). Other ways are to restrict their work patterns and hours (no night-shift
work or overtime) and Train and supervise them more than other workers. By
providing mentors to monitor and supervise young people more closely than other
workers and to provide clear lines of communication will help to prevent the
mishaps happening to him.
5. Outline the factors that would determine the frequency with which health and safety
inspection to be carried out in a workplace. (8)
Factors to take into account when determining the frequency of inspections:
Statutory requirements may dictate an inspection frequency.
The activities carried out and the level of risk.
How well established the process is, e.g. new equipment may require more
frequent monitoring.
Risk assessments may suggest inspections as a control measure.
Manufacturers may make recommendations in relation to inspection frequency
and content.
The presence of vulnerable workers, e.g. young and inexperienced people.
Findings from previous inspections, which may suggest compliance concerns.
Accident history and results of investigations.
Enforcement authorities may recommend inspections.
Whether workers have voiced concerns.
6.
a) Outline why it is important for an organization to set health and safety targets (2)
Targets are useful as they allow performance to be measured and provide a
tangible goal for staff to aim for which helps to indicate that there is a management
commitment to improve health and safety performance. It helps motivate the
workforce to achieve goals in order to collect awards. They offer evidence during
monitoring, review and audit process of the management systems and help to drive
continual improvement.
(b) Identify health and safety targets that an organization could set (6).
7.
a) Outline the main health and safety responsibilities of an employer. (6)
The legal responsibility for health and safety at work rests primarily on the
employer. The employer has a duty to provide the following:
Safe Place of Work
The employer creates the place of work, which should be reasonably safe and
without risk to health. What is considered “reasonable” may vary with the type of
work. The employer should also provide safe access to and from the workplace.
Safe Plant and Equipment
All the machinery, tools, plant and equipment used by employees at work should be
reasonably safe and without health risk. Exactly what this means will depend on the
type of work being carried out. The greater the risk involved, the greater the care
that must be taken. For example, machinery would need to be inspected; serviced;
repaired and replaced in a steel-making factory, whereas in an office a very simple
inspection regime might be sufficient. A worker inspects equipment to ensure that it
is safe
Safe Systems of Work
There should be recognized procedures for the safe conduct of all work activities.
These procedures should cover all foreseeable possibilities, e.g. the operation of
drilling equipment in different types of weather, rather than just a set of rules which
ensure safety when the weather is good. Procedures should cover the routine day-
to-day activities of the organisation and the nonroutine, occasional or one-off
activities, as well as any foreseeable emergencies that might arise.
Training, Supervision and Competency of Staff
Workers must be able to carry out the necessary procedures. Employers have a duty
to provide appropriate training so that workers are aware of the hazards and risks
inherent in their work, the safe systems of work and the emergency procedures. This
training can be reinforced by providing information and instruction.
b) Identify the actions that an enforcement agency could take if it finds that an
employer is not meeting their responsibilities. (2)
The actions that an enforcement agency could take if it finds that an employer is not
meeting their responsibilities;
Formal enforcement action: an employer to make an improvement within a given
time period
Prohibition notice: stopping high risk activities altogether until improvements are
made.
Prosecution of the organization in the criminal courts: resulting in
punishment in the form of a fine and/or imprisonment
8.
a) Give the meaning of the term ‘risk’ and Give an example of a workplace risk. (3)
The Likelihood of hazard causing harm along with the severity of the harm is called
as risk. e.g., working with faulty electrical equipment there is a risk of shock which
will cause burn or heart fibrillation based upon current passed and also working near
an unprotected edge there is a risk of fall which will lead to death or broken bones
of the person working.
10.
a) Give the meaning of the term ‘ Hierarchy of control ‘(2)
The Hierarchy of Control is a list of control measures, in priority order, that can be
used to eliminate or minimize exposure to the hazard.
b) Outline with examples the standard hierarchy of control that should be applied when
controlling health and safety risks in the workplace.(6)
Elimination: If a hazard can be eliminated then the risk created by that hazard
disappears. This might be done by completely avoiding an activity that gives rise to
risk. E.g. an assembly workshop could stop welding steel in order to avoid the risks
inherent in welding operations, and could buy in pre-fabricated metal components.
Substitution: Sometimes hazard elimination cannot be achieved, but it is possible to
substitute one hazard with another that creates less risk. E.g. hazardous substance
classified as "toxic” is substituted with one that is "irritant", in this case the risk
associated with the chemical hazard is substituted
Engineering Controls: Engineering controls involve the use of an engineering solution
to prevent exposure to the hazard. This might be done by:-
Isolation or total enclosure- e.g. total enclosure of a process which generates
noise to reduce the risk of exposure to noise.
Separation or segregation - e.g. the use of goalposts to warn plant operators
on a construction site of the safety distances for live electrical overheads
Safety devices - , interlock switches are fitted to movable guards on
machinery to ensure that when the guard is open the machine will not
operate
Administrative Controls: Administrative controls are those that rely on procedures and
behaviour, such as:
Safe Systems of Work - is a formal procedure which defines a method of working
that eliminates hazards or minimizes the risks associated with the.
Reduce Exposure - , an engineer who spends all day working on noisy machinery
is more likely to suffer injury than an engineer who only spends one hour of
their working day exposed to the same hazard
Provision of Information, Instruction, Training and Supervision – These are
controls meant to ensure the correct behaviour at work by using the control
measures specified in the information instructions and training. Supervision will
monitor the behaviour as human being have a tendency to make mistakes
PPE: Equipment or clothing that is worn or held by a worker that protects them from
one or more risks to their safety or health. E.g. Ear defenders for noise, Gloves to
prevent contact with substances hazardous to the skin and Respiratory protection
against substances hazardous by inhalation.
11. Identify the issues to be considered at a safety committee meeting. (8)
The issues to be considered at a safety committee meeting are
Legal compliance
Accident and incident data
Findings of safety surveys, tours and sampling and workplace or statutory inspections
Absence and sickness data
Audit reports
Monitoring data/records/reports - the findings of monitoring activities should be
considered.
Consultation with workers.
Actions from previous reviews