3.7 Sources Of Health And Safety Information

Question 1

Nebosh Learning Outcome 2016

3.7 Identify the key sources of health and safety information

Answer 1

3.7 Sources of health and safety information
- Internal to the organisation (eg, accident/ill health/absence records, inspection, audit and investigation reports, maintenance records)
- External to the organisation (eg, manufacturers’ data, legislation, EU (European Union) HSE (Health and Safety Executive) and its publications, trade associations; International, European and British Standards, ILO (International Labour Organisation) and other authoritative texts, IT sources.

Question 2

List the Internal organisational sources of health and safety information

Answer 2

- accident and I'll-health records and
   investigation reports. 
- absentee records
- inspection and audit reports. 
- maintenance, risk assessments, training records
- equipment examination or test reports.

Question 3

List the external sources outside of an organisation of health and safety information

Answer 3

• Health and safety legislation
• HSE publications, like ACoP, guidance
  documents, leaflets, journals, books, HSE
  website
• ILO, ISO
• Health and Safety journals and magazines
• Specialist technical and legal publications
• Manufacturers and suppliers date and info.
• Internet and encyclopaedia.

Question 4

Why consult Internal and External sources of health and safety information?

Answer 4

When health and safety professional, managers or employees confront health and safety problems they need to consult published information to ascertain the scale of the problem and possible remedies.

Question 5

Explain why it is important to use a variety of different methods to communicate health and safety information in the workplace.

Answer 5

• People respond differently to different methods of stimuli
• Using a variety of methods prevents over-familiarisation with one method and can helps to reinforce the information and hence the message.
• Depending on the complexity of the information.
• Different types of information require different methods of communication
• Simple messages may be conveyed via signs, slogans or posters
• The more complex the information the greater the need for instructions and training.
• The need to overcome language barriers and the inability of some employees to read must be considered in deciding how information is conveyed.
• The need to motivate, stimulate interest and gain involvement and feedback from employees on the effectiveness of differing methods of communication is also important.

Question 6

Explain why it is important to use a variety of different methods to communicate health and safety information in the workplace.

Answer 6

• People respond differently to different methods of stimuli
• Using a variety of methods prevents over-familiarisation with one method and can helps to reinforce the information and hence the message.
• Depending on the complexity of the information.
• Different types of information require different methods of communication
• Simple messages may be conveyed via signs, slogans or posters
• The more complex the information the greater the need for instructions and training.
• The need to overcome language barriers and the inability of some employees to read must be considered in deciding how information is conveyed.
• The need to motivate, stimulate interest and gain involvement and feedback from employees on the effectiveness of differing methods of communication is also important.