Health and Safety Flashcards
Does the RICS offer any Health and Safety Guidance?
Yes - RICS Surveying Safely 2018, eff 2019
What are the guiding principles of the RICS Surveying Safely 2018, eff 2019?
Risk Assessment
Hazards
Workplace Health and Safety
Occupational Health and Hygiene
Visiting premises and sites
Fire Safety
Residential Property and Surveying
Procurement and Management of Contractors
Running Around Harrods Wearing Orange High Vis For Real Management Concerns
What must RICS regulated firms provide?
- Safe Working Environment
- Safe Work Equipment
- Competent Staff
- Safe Systems of Work
What does the guidance note RICS Surveying Safely cover?
Basic, good practice principles for the management of Health and Safety for RICS regulated members and firms at both a corporate and individual lvl
What are the key areas of advice in Surveying Safely?
- Safe Person - Each individual assumes individual behavioural responsibility for their own, their colleagues and others health and safety
- Advise on health, wellbeing and mental health
- How to address fire safety
- Seeks to ensure that individuals accept responsibility for their own actions and have the tools to do their job safely
What is a safe person?
Each individual assumes individual behavioural responsibility for their own, their colleagues and others health and safety
How can you be safe as a surveyor?
- Follow RICS guidance, with particular reference to the principles outlined in surveying safely
- Assume responsibility for your own actions
- Be a safe person
What does RICS Surveying Safely say about visiting premises or sites?
- Tell someone where you are going when you leave the building/ site
- Wear the correct PPE
- Sign in and out of construction sites and get a site induction
- Consider Lone Working Policies
- Wear non-slip shoes when going up a ladder
- Members should have the correct operational practices in place
What is the Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974?
A duty of every employer to ensure, so far as reasonably possible, the Health and Safety and welfare at work of all their employees.
What is a hazard
A hazard is anything that has the potential to cause harm
what is a risk?
A risk is the likelihood of someone being harmed
What is a risk assessment?
- Identify the hazards
- Identify who is at risk from the hazards
- Evaluate the risk (considering likelihood and severity of accidents)
- Record findings
- Review findings
- Advise those who are at risk and the methods that should be adopted to minimise that risk.
Why do we undertake risk assessments?
It is a legal requirement under the H&S at Work Act for organisations employing more than 5 staff to carry out risk assessments of all their significant hazards.
What is a method statement?
A document that details the way a work task or process should be completed safely. Should also detail control measures which ensure the safety of anyone affected by the task.
What is needed before works can commence?
A copy of the contractors all risks and public liability insurance
When is a written health and safety policy document neeeded?
When an employer employs more than 5 employees.
What must be included within the written health and safety policy document
- Policy outlining a companies commitment to H&S
- Details of the H&S Structure
- A risk assessment setting out the risks and preventative measures
- Details of H&S policy
What is the trigger date for reporting injuries?
If the injury causes over 7 days incapacitation the injury must be reported to the HSE within 15 days of the accident (RIDDOR 1995)
What is an accident book?
Keeps a record of all 3 day plus injuries and should be kept for three years (RIDDOR 1995)
What is the Fire Risk Management Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005?
- Applies to non-domestic property in England and Wales
- Responsible person is the employer or occupier who controls the property or owner if vacant
- Requires a fire risk assessment
- Requires Reasonable fire precaution measures:
- Fire detection and warning system
- Fire fighting equipment
- Safe Exit routes
- emergency lighting
- suitable fire exit doors
- Covered in Part B of Building Regs
what is the fire safety act 2021?
Following Grenfell and the subsequent Hackitt review the Fire Safety Act 2021 reforms the regulatory Review fire safety order 2005 to include multi-occupied residential buildings
What are the requirements of the fire safety act?
- Requires all responsible people to assess, manage and reduce fire risk posed by the structure, EWS and communal areas
- Allows the fire service to take enforcement action against responsible persons who fail to comply
- Ensuring residents are provided with suitable fire safety instructions
- Ensuring evacuation plans are regularly updated
- Ensuring individual front doors comply with current standards where the external cladding is deemed unsafe.
Why were EWS1 forms introduced?
Following Grenfell, it was found that numerous tall residential buildings were fitted with unsafe cladding. Lenders subsequently withdrew lending on these properties. EWS1 form allows a qualified professional to confirm that the EWS on a residential building has been assessed for safety in line with the government guidance.
What type of property can an EWS1 form be used for?
Residential property of any height, including, block of flats, student accommodation, care homes. EWS1 forms are not intended for use on hotels.
How long are EWS1 forms valid for ?
Valid on the whole of the building for a period of 5 years
When is an EWS1 form required?
RICS Guidance Note Valuation of Multi-Occupancy Multi-story residential buildings 2021 provides guidance on when an EWS1 form is needed
Buildings over 6 storeys - Cladding on the property and or the balconies stack.
Buildings over 5 storeys - there is a significant amount of cladding on the building (over 1 quarter of the elevation)/ There are ACMS/MCMs/ Balconies Stack
Buildings over 4 storeys - There are ACM (aluminium composite material) , MCM (metal composite materials) on the building
Are EWS1 forms working?
They have faced criticism as there are a lack of qualified professionals to confirm the safety of EWS. RICS has aided in this by assisting in the training of professionals.
What is the Building Safety Bill 2021?
Draft legislation intended to enhance regulations for building safety and give residents a stronger voice in ensuring safety within buildings.
What is the occupiers liability act 1957?
Places a duty on those who are in occupation or control of the premises to take such care as in all circumstances of the case is reasonable to see that the visitor will be reasonably safe in using the premises for the purpose he has been invited to be there,
What is asbestos?
An insulating material that was widely used in the UK which can cause serious health problems and fatal diseases.
How common is asbestos?
HSE estimates that over 4 million properties in the UK contain asbestos and it causes over 5,000 deaths per year
What are the three types of asbestos and when were they banned?
White - Banned in 1999
Brown - Banned in 1985
Blue - Banned in 1985
What is the primary legislation relating to asbestos?
Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 - non compliance is a criminal offenc
What is the purpose of an asbestos survey?
To make a materials assessment
Who is the duty holder in the control of asbestos regulations 2012?
The owner of the premises if vacant or the tenant if holding a repairing lease
What are the two types of Asbestos Survey
Management Survey
Refurbishment/ Demolition Survey
What is a asbestos management survey used for?
Locate asbestos/ assess it/ advice on management for normal use of premises
What is an asbestos refurbishment/ demolition survey used for?
Samples of asbestos containing materials are taken and analysed and recommendations are made regarding their management
How do you confirm no asbestos in a new building?
Architects certificat
What are the 5 steps a duty holder must take in regard to asbestos?
- Assess whether the premises has asbestos
- Produce an asbestos management plan
- Produce asbestos register
- Make the register available to all relevant parties
- Review register (HS says 6 monthly)
What are the penalties for Health and Safety regs?
Health and Safety Offences Act 2008 enables fines of up to £20,000 and possibility for up to 12 months in prison for many offences.
Any RICS guidance on Asbestos?
RICS Guidance Note Asbestos, Legal Requirements and Best Practice for Property Professionals 2021
What are the Construction Design Regulations 2015?
CDM regulations seek to improve the management and coordination of health and safety of all stages of a construction project from concept to completion
What is the role of the principle designer in CDM
Principal designers must plan, manage, monitor and coordinate health and safety in the pre-construction phase. In doing so they must take account of relevant information (such as an existing health and safety file) that might affect design work carried out both before and after the construction phase has started
What is the role of the principle contractor?
A principal contractor is the contractor with control over the construction phase of a project involving more than one contractor. They are appointed in writing by the client to plan, manage, monitor and coordinate health and safety during this phase
When are a principle designer and principle contractor needed?
When there is more than one contractor on site. Also need a H&S file.
When must HSE be notified of a construction project
If it lasts longer than 30 days with 20 or more workers working simultaneously on site
Who is responsible for ensuring CDM regulations?
the client
Who polices CDM regulations?
Health and Safety Executive - it is a criminal offence to breach
What is a CDM file?
Contains all aspects of H&S information regarding the property and running of the building.
When is the CDM file written
It must be maintained throughout the construction period and should be passed to the owner/occupier of the building
