Accidents

Question 1

Accident incident rate

Answer 1

Number of accidents / incidents per thousand employees.

Question 2

Why should H&S Record should be maintained

Answer 2

1) Legal requirements (RIDDOR & BI 510)
2) Identifying the trends for Health & Safety Management systems.
3) Insurance company requirements to maintain coverage

Question 3

List major injury

Answer 3

Fracture
Amputations
Loss of consciousness due to electric shock
Loss of consciousness due to substance exposure
Eye injuries requiring immediate medical treatment
Injury leading to more than 24 hour hospital admission

Question 4

Outline procedure of Reporting to Enforcement Authority

Answer 4

Notification must be done by the quickest method possible after the incident, phone,email, internet. Then the Form 2508 must be completed and submitted within 10 days of the accident

Question 5

Reasons for reporting accidents at work.

Answer 5

i) Monitoring of accident data analysis & Identification of trends. (H & S Performance).
ii) Legal requirement under RIDDOR 1985
iii) The provision of information based to accident investigation & to help in civil claims
iv) It provides essential information for reviewing risk assessment and achieving better control over accidents.
v) Benefits to individual organization and on a national scale.
vi) Preventing a recurrence & reducing losses.

Question 6

What are the objective of an Accident Investigation

Answer 6

i) To establish all the causes of an accident (immediate & underlying) to take preventive action.
ii) To determine economic losses to establish true cost to the organization.
iii) To determine the compliance with the law.
iv) To improve staff relation by demonstration commitment of H & S, thus increasing staff moral.

Question 7

Outline the factors that should be considered before undertaking an investigation of an accident

Answer 7

• Determine who should be involved to give the team the necessary skill and expertise.
• Ensure that accident scene is left unaltered (as long as it is safe to do so) etc.
• Identifying the persons (witness, supervisors) to be interviewed during the investigation
• Checking the legal reporting requirements have been met.
• Ascertaining the equipment that will be needed (e.g measuring tape, plans, camera).
• The reports style formal / informal who is going to receive it. The depth of the investigation required usually determined by a number of factor e.g the seriousness of the accident, number of people involved etc.

Question 8

Outline the reason for reporting accidents at work.

Answer 8

i) To implement initial controls.
ii) As a trigger for investigation.
iii) To prevent a recurrence and further injuries and losses.
iv) To comply with a legal requirements.
v) To provide information for Civil action.
vi) To highlight the need for and to assist in reviews of risk assessment.
vii) To provide data for used in the monitoring of safety performance.

Question 9

Permit to Work: Explain the practical measures that should be taken to ensure maintenance work is undertaken safely in an underground storage vessel.

Answer 9

i) Essential elements of permit to work system ( briefly)
ii) Pre cleaning.
iii) Purging
iv) Testing
v) Emergency procedures/ precautions.
vi) Lighting
vii) Access & Training.

Question 10

a) Safe system of work:

Answer 10

• Integration of people equipment, material and environment to produce an acceptable level of Safety.

Question 11

b) Describe the enforcement action that could be taken when safe system of work has not been implemented.

Answer 11

• Improvement notices.
• Prohibition notices.
• Prosecution.

Question 12

Describe the practical measures that must be taken to ensure maintenance work is undertaken safely in an underground storage vessel

Answer 12

1) Permit to work procedure.
2) Pre cleaning / purging
3) Atmospheric testing
4) Competent personnel
5) Suitable tools.
6) Adequate lighting
7) Appropriate PPE
8) Communication system
9) Emergency arrangement for safe evacuation of staff.

Question 13

Permit to Work

Answer 13

A formal documented control system applied to a high risk activity to ensure that all safety procedures are carried out”.

Question 14

Outline three practical situations that may require a permit.

Answer 14

1) Confined space work
2) Work on high voltage electrical systems
3) Maintenance on dangerous plant and hot work

Question 15

Signs and signals: Describe with the aid of sketches, 4 different kinds of safety signs that may be displayed in the work place.

Answer 15

1) Prohibition signs
2) Warning signs
3) Mandatory signs
4) Emergency exit OR First aid (advisory)

Question 16

a) Explain the meaning of term “Safe System of Work”.

Answer 16

“Integration of people, equipment, materials & environment to produce an acceptable level of safety”.

Question 17

b) What factors should be considered when designing a safe system of work?

Answer 17

Hazards, who, when, where, how, prevention, documentation & risk assessment , JSA.

Question 18

Outline techniques for identifying hazards in the workplace.

Answer 18

1) Inspections/ tours
2) Audits
3) Accident analysis
4) Hazop
5) JSA

Question 19

Outline the duties placed on employees under the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992.

Answer 19

1) Avoiding manual handling operations wherever possible.
2) Conducting suitable & sufficient assessment of the tasks.
3) Taking steps to reduce the risk of injury to the lowest level reasonably practicable.
4) Providing information to employees on the weight & weight distribution of the load.
5) Reviewing assessments as necessary.

Question 20

Describe the four factors that should be considered when making assessment of manual handling operations.

Answer 20

1) The task.
2) The load.
3) The environment.
4) The individual.

Task:- the distance of the load from the trunk, body movements & posture required.
E.g. twisting, stooping, stretching, excessive carrying, excessive pulling, pushing & the work rate imposed by the process.

Load:- Its weight, bulkiness, stability, sharpness, temperature and the ease with which it can be grasped.

Environment:- Ambient temperature, floor conditions, space & lighting.

Individual:- Suitable & sufficient assessment of individual by looking at physical capabilities, health (e.g. fitness, pregnancies) & the requirement for social information & training.