Health and Safety 1

Question 1

Are all accidents at work preventable?

Answer 1

Well, the answer is yes, within reason.

Question 2

What is most important: culture or legislation?

Answer 2

If legislation is the stick then culture is the carrot. Culture is more important and stems from management.

Question 3

Name some construction related health problems.

Answer 3

Dermatitis, vibration white finger, muscoskeletal issues, respiratory, stress.

Question 4

Name some construction safety issues.

Answer 4

Falls, Falling objects, Slips, Trips, Electrocution, Transport, Poison

Question 5

What percentage of incidents are related to human error in the construction industry?

Answer 5

80%

Question 6

Name some safety failures.

Answer 6

Lapses of memory, (lack of) knowledge based mistakes, wrong action, procedure used incorrectly, Deliberate Violation ( Routine, situational, exceptional)

Question 7

How can mistakes be reduced?

Answer 7

Increase and improve training,
Improve the working environment,
Plant and equipment design,
Effective supervision,
Clarity of communication,
Consider human error in planning.

Question 8

What are the costs of ‘accidents’?

Answer 8

Injury Claim, Production Loss, Reputation Loss, HSE Fine, Legal Costs, Increased Admin Costs, Low Morale, Possible criminal investigation.

Question 9

What are the top five workplace risks?

Answer 9

Machines or Tools, Lifting/Moving, Vehicles, Repetitive Movement, Slips, Trips and Falls.

Question 10

What is the over arching enforcement force?

Answer 10

Health and Safety Executive (HSE)

Question 11

What powers do the HSE have?

Answer 11

Inspect, Direct and Prosecute. Issue Improvement Notices, Prohibition Notices, Fines.

Question 12

Why is good order or good housekeeping important?

Answer 12

It reduces the capacity for slip, trip and fall injuries and also promotes a positive workplace culture.

Question 13

What is the major legislation concerning H & S?

Answer 13

Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA)

Question 14

What is the principle legislation concerning construction H & S?

Answer 14

Construction Design and Management Regulations 2015 (CDM15).

Question 15

When is CDM applied?

Answer 15

On all construction projects.

Question 16

Name some important construction based H & S Regulations.

Answer 16

Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 2002
Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996
Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974
Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) 1998
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998
Work at Height Regulations 2005

Question 17

What does ‘Reasonably Practicable’ mean?

Answer 17

It means doing what you are reasonably able to do to ensure the health and safety of workers and others like volunteers and visitors. Risks and hazards to be identified, quantified and recorded.

Question 18

Define what a HAZARD is.

Answer 18

A hazard is something that can cause harm, e.g. electricity, chemicals, working up a ladder, noise, a keyboard, a bully at work, stress, etc.

Question 19

Define what a RISK is.

Answer 19

A risk is a chance, high or low, that any hazard will actually cause somebody harm.

Question 20

What does ‘ALARP’ mean, and what does it set out to do?

Answer 20

As Low As Reasonably Practicable.

Question 21

What is Section 2 of the HSWA?

Answer 21

Section 2 of the HSW Act deals with employers’ duties, and states: “It shall be the duty of all employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health safety and welfare of all their employees whilst they are at work.” To achieve this employers’ need to: Provide and maintain safe plant and equipment.

Question 22

What is Section 33 of the HSWA?

Answer 22

Under the HSWA 1974, offences are created via section 33, under which it is an offence for a “person” to breach a duty under the Act. The person does not have to be an individual – it can be a company or an organisation that has a legal entity as a person.

Question 23

What is RIDDOR and why is it needed?

Answer 23

Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences regulations. RIDDOR puts duties on employers, the self-employed and people in control of work premises (the Responsible Person) to report certain serious workplace accidents, occupational diseases and specified dangerous occurrences (near misses).

Question 24

What is COSHH and why is it needed?

Answer 24

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health. Control of the occupational use of nanomaterials.

Question 25

Why are Working at Height Regs required?

Answer 25

The purpose of The Work at Height Regulations 2005 is to prevent death and injury caused by a fall from height. If you are an employer or you control work at height the Regulations apply to you. Falls from height are one of the biggest causes of workplace fatalities and major injuries.

Question 26

What is the starting point of Working at Heights?

Answer 26

Avoid working from height.

Question 27

What is the definition of an accident?

Answer 27

HSE: “Any unplanned event that resulted in injury or ill health of people, or damage or loss to property, plant, materials or the environment or a loss of business opportunity”.

Question 28

What makes a construction project notifiable and who makes the notification?

Answer 28

A project is notifiable when: The construction is scheduled to last longer than 30 working days, and it will have more than 20 workers working at the same time at any point in the building project. Or, if the construction work has more than 500 person-days. The client makes the notification.

Question 29

What is F10?

Answer 29

This is the form used for notifiable projects.

Question 30

Define a Domestic Client.

Answer 30

A domestic client is anyone who has construction work carried out for them that is not done in connection with a business - usually work done on their own home or the home of a family member.

Question 31

What are the CDM roles?

Answer 31

Client, Principle Designer, Principle Contractor, Contractors, Workers.

Question 32

What are the 3 core CDM documents?

Answer 32

The pre-construction information, the construction phase plan, and the health and safety file.

Question 33

What is the Corporate Manslaughter Act?

Answer 33

Companies and organisations can be found guilty of corporate manslaughter as a result of serious management failures resulting in a gross breach of a duty of care.