APC Inspection/H&S Flashcards
What H&S legislation are you aware of? How do you ensure you comply?
MDW, MPP
H&S Act 1974 amended in 2008
And (6 pack) regs introduced per eu directive on Jan 1993 updated in 1999
1. Management of H&S at work
2. Display screen equipment
3. Workplace H&S/welfare
4. Manual handling operations
5. PPE
6. Provision and use of equipment
I Comply by not breaching any of the regs and following guidance
What are the penalties under the current H&S legislation?
Fine or imprisonment
Is it a criminal act to breach H&S 1974?
Yes
Tell me about your employer’s h&s policy?
- Saved location/inspection to outlook
- Peoplesafe device
- Lone worker policy
- Appropriate PPE
- Risk assetment
- Check if IAD on file
- VO’s method of work statement
- Adherence to site rules/activity
What equipment would you carry on an inspection?
Mobile phone
Camera
Tape meaure/laser
PPE
Pen/paper
People safe device
Clipboard
What process would you follow when carrying out an inspection?
- Preliminary H&S risk assetment
- Inspection of surrounding locality
- External inspection
- Internal inspection
Can you talk me through how you would carry out an inspection?
Thorough risk assetment
Adhere to Lone worker policy
Outlook and people safe device
Weather
IAD
Architect plans
SURROUNDING LOCALITY
location/amenities and public transport
Environmental/contamination hazards, floods, crime etc or other risks
Comp evidence or agent letting boards
EXTERNAL
Start from roof down
Construction/repair/p&m/ parking/site boundry
Defects/structural movement
Building date; architecture plans or land reg or architecture style, etc
INTERNAL
layout/spec/condition/defects
What guidance is available from the RICS on H&S?
RICS GN SURVEYING SAFELY: H&S principles for property professionals 2nd ed. 2018
Environmental risks and global real estate 1st Ed. 2018
RICS ASBESTOS 4th Ed. 2021
Have further regard to RICS red book
VPS 4; Investigation, inspection and records
VPGA 8 valuation of real property interest (characteristic of real property and environmental considerations)
What are the different safety signs?
Blue: Mandatory- explain specific behaviour or action
Yellow: warning signs
Red: telling you that you must not do something in addition to denoting fire safety equipment
Green: refer to emergency escape and fist aid equipment
When was the surveying safely last updated? Key changes?
November 2018, safe person concept
What is the safe person concept? What is it’s purpose?
Individuals are responsible for their own behaviours, colleagues, and others H&S whilst at work
Purpose: minimise risk of harm
What are the responsibilities under the ‘safe person concept’?
TIPEE VAT
Firm responsibilities
1. Training
2. Information
3. PPE
4. Environment
5. Equipment
Individual responsibilities
- Vigilance
- Awareness
- Teamwork
What is a risk/hazard?
Risk: high/low chance that a hazard may cause harm
Hazard: something that can cause harm
What is a risk assestment?
Process of evaluating risk for H&S releated matters
How would you undertake a risk assestment?
Per RICS surveying safely
- Identify hazard
- Acertain it’s level/risk of harm
- Take precautionary measures to mitigate risk
- Record findings
- Incorporate findings/update risk assetment
- Inform all relevant stakeholders
What is asbestos?
Generic name given circa 6 naturally occurring fibrous mineral that have christallised to form fibres. It has heat resistant fibres.
Insulating material which can cause serious harm if disturbed
When disturbed releases small toxic fibres which causes cancer
HSE reckon circa 5k deaths are causes anually
What are three main types of asbestos?
Crocoldilite: Blue banned 1985
Amosite: Brown banned in 1985
Chrysotile: White banned in 1999
What legislation covers asbestos?
Control of asbestos regulations 2012
Reg 4: duty holder must ensure asbestos is controlled. Applies to all non domestic buildings or domestic blocks of flats.
Reg 5. Construction work asbestos management applies to both domestic or non domestic
H&S Act 1974 amended in 2008
What RICS documents relate to asbestos?
RICS asbestos PS 2021 4th Ed.
Explain what happens if you fail to comply with asbestos regs?
20k fine 1 year or if serious 2 years imprisonment
What are the current asbestos obligations for duty holders under the current regs?
- Duty holder: owner of premises if vacant or tenant if FRI lease or building manager
- Make a material assetment survey and regularly update it
- Requires on buildings but pre 2000
- NNLW still need to be notified to HSE
What is the most common use for asbestos?
ACM asbestos containing materials were used for:
1. Insulation between floors
2. Sprayed on girders and beams
3. Pipework lagging
4. Flooring
5. Insulating board
6. Cement.
7. Roof and wall cladding/facias
8. Paint
What are the 2 types of asbestos survey?
- Management asbestos survey
- Refurbishment and demoltion asbestos survey
What is an Asbestos management plan?
Document which registers and details how asbestos is managed, monitored and reviewed to ensure H&S is upheld
What legislation governs Japanese Knotweed?
Environmental Protection Act 1990
Requires to be legally disposed
Wildlife and countryside Act 1981
Allow to spread criminal offence
What is the most recent RICS paper on Japanese Knotweed? What was its main purpose?
RICS PS JAPANESE KNOTWEED AND RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY UK 1ST ED March 2022
Aims to address current approach, highlighting that it does not have to derail hime sales. This is following the fennel report in 2018
What is Japanese knotweed?
Invasive plant: purple/green hollow stem with large heart shaped green leaves.
Damages hard surfaces; foundations and tarmac. Not easy to control and is costly to eradicate
What are the repercussions for non compliance with Japanse knotweed regs?
Magistrates court: up to 6mth prison 5k fine or both
Crown court: up to 2yr prison or 20k fine or nothing
LA: Community protection notice 2.5k/20k for organisation
How would you reflect Jk
Like any other defect, cost to remediate + possible cost for stigma. Caveat getting specialist report
What is the 7 or 3 meter rule?
Now revised to 3 meters…no concern if plant is not widespread and is more than 3 meters from boundry
Any recent caselaw on Jap notweed
Davies v Bridgend Council 2024
Any dimunation in value which has occured prior to defendants breach will not form part of an award. (Prior to 2012 was not claimable, thereafter RICS guidance made claims from this date onnwards claimable) Proven that council had let the issue continue so they were sued for the part which became worse from 2012 onwards)
Williams v Network Rail 2017- Court held that Network Rail was liable for costs of treating the invasive plant plus damages for the diminution in value of the property. Reduced value even after the plant was treated to reflect the stigma attached to the property.
Name common types of foundations?
Trench (used for resi)
Raft (slab foundation over while site for lightweight load bearing structure )
Piled (long concrete cylinders)
Pad (columns loads spread evenly)
Name different types of brickwork?
- Solid wall construction
- Cavity wall construction with metal ties
Name the general spec for a shop/office/whs?
Shop cat A
1. Steel/concrete frame
2. Concrete floor
3. Let in shell condition
Office Cat A
1. Steel or concrete frame
2. Raised floors
3. Suspended ceilings
4. Double glazed windows
5. Aircon
Warehouse
- Steel portal frame with profiled Steel cladding
- Could have brick/blockwork walls
- Loading doors
- Three phase electric supply
Describe Grade A/B for offices
Grade A
Basic level of finish/m&e
Grade B
High end fitout complete to occ’s specific requirements
Describe what you would do if you identified a defect?
- Take photos
- Try to establish cause
- Inform client
- Reccomend specialist advice from relevant professional
What are the common cause for defects?
Movement/water/defective or deteriorating building materials
What is a latent/inherent defect?
Inherent: defect in design or material that has always been present
Latent: fault of property which could not be reasonably uncovered when undertaking a thorough inspection
What inspection characteristics affect value?
Age, size, spec, location, condition and repair
Name common movement issues at properties?
- SUBSIDENCE: vertical crack foundation support failed
- CAVITY WALL TIE FALIURE: Horizontal crack in brickwork
- Thermal expansion or movement
- Settlement cracks
- Shrinkage: caused on new plaster
Name common damp issues?
WET ROT
Damp and timber decay. Wet and soft timber
DRY ROT
Caused by fungal attack (white fluff)
RISING DAMP
stops at 1.5mm above ground level
CONDENSATION
Lack of ventilation
DEFECTIVE PLUMBING
What is a method of work statement?
Document detailing exactly how to carry out work safely. Describes safety precautions, risk assessments and ppe etc.
What is an accident?
Unintended, normally unwanted event. Implies no one should be blamed
Where does asbestos come from?
Natural occurring in ground and open pit mined
In general, what does the RICS surveying safely guide reccomend for asbestos?
Necessary to identify ACM.
Produce management plan for preventing exposures
Under asbestos regs who is the duty holder?
Persons responsible for maintaining the property
What is licensed/non licensed asbestos work?
Licensed: Exposure to material is high and work will take more than 1hr in a two hr period over 7 days
Non licensed: sporadic/low intensity work and acm is in good condition.
How do you identify asbestos?
By knowing the age of a property, can determine likelihood of asbestos. I am not an asbestos surveyor to definitely comment on it’s status and would advise for a management survey to be carried out
What is contamination? What legislation does it fall under?
Contamination exists due to issues caused by heavy metals, radon, methane gas, diesel, oil and chemicals
Environmental protection act 1990
DIR
Describe typical phase of investigation for contamination?
- Desktop study, Review site history, inspection and investigation
- Investigation to identify nature and extent of contamination
- Remedial report meeting out Remedial options
What should you do if a property is contaminated when undertaking a survey?
- Don’t advise until specialist report comissioned
- Caveat advive that you are using special assumption
- Deduct remedial costs from gross site value
What are deleterious materials?
Materials which degrade with age and cause structural issues
High aluminia cement
Woodwork shuttering
Calcium chloride
Signs: brown stains on concrete 60’70’s building
What is a hazardous material?
Material harmful to health
Asbestos
Lead piping/paint
Rust
Radon etc
Reccomend specialist report
What RICS guidance is available for contamination?
RICS GN Environmental risks and global real estate November 2018
VPGA 8
VPS 4 scope of investigation and inspection and records
Tell me about your understanding of fire safety.
FIRE SAFETY ORDER 2005 and Part B of Building Regs 2010
- Based of risk assetment with emphasis on fire protection
- Responsible person; one who controls property
Post Grenfell-Hacket review
Fire Saefty Act 2021 requires all responsible persons to assess manage and reduce harm
Applies to buildings above 18m or at least 7 storeys which 2 or more domestic occupiers
Includes
1. Maintaining and providing access to relevant services for floor plan
2. Inform authorities if fire prevention or related equipment requires maintenance or fixing
3. Undertake monthly inspections
Explain what RIDDOR is?
Reporting of Injuries, Desease and Dangerous Occurrances Regs 2013
- Injuries incapacitating work more than 7 days must be reported to HSE within 15 days
- Injuries incapacitated for 3 days or less must be recorded in accident book and retained on file for 3 years
What are recent changes in Part B
Ban on combustible materials for external walls of buildings
Explain the Occupiers liability Act 1957/85
All entrants to property should be owed a duty of care even trespassers
PRD
Explain health and safety document requirements?
PRD
Required for more than 5 employees
1. Policy confirming firms commitment to H&S
2. Risk assessment
3. Details of firms H&S structure/how controls are implemented
Hierarchy of risk control
- Elimination
- replace hazard
- Isolate people from hazard
- Administrative controls
- PPE
Can you expand on Working at Height Regs 2005
Purpose is to prevent death/injury caused by fall from height. Those who are duty holders must ensure procedures are in place to prevent harm
What does UK PPE standards abbreviation CE stand for?
Conformitè Europèene
If sold within European economic area must have it
Explain the HASWA 1974?
Duty for employers to reasonably ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees at work
What happened in the case of Suzy Lamplugh? Why is this important for surveyors
She disappeared in 1986 after showing client around house. It’s important for surveyors as we often work alone
How to recognise the differance between condensation and rising damp?
Rising Damp emanates from ground water, which includes salts so will always leave discouloration marks
Condensation is pure water and originates from inside the building
DPC will not help if issue is condensation
What is Efflorescence
Migration of salt to surface of brick mortrar creating a white film
Name different types of Damp
- Condensation (warm/moist air comes into contact with cooler surface causing moistire in air to condense into water)
- Rising damp (ground water rises up through walls/floors of building when DPC fails)
- Penetrating damp (water infiltration from outside - causation; leaking roofs, gutters and damaged walls)
