Health and Safety

Question 1

What is the key Health and Safety legislation in the UK

Answer 1

Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

Question 2

What are the key principles/aspects of Health and Safety at Work 1974 Act?

Answer 2

Duty of every employer to ensure, so far as reasonably practical, the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees.

Policed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as a criminal offence - with fines and or imprisonment

Must report injuries or dangerous occurancies (RIDDOR 1995 regulations)

Must undertake, record and regularly review a risk assessment (1996 Regulations)

Health and Safety records should be held on site, usually in the O&M manual

Question 3

When is a risk assessment required and what does it include?

Answer 3

It is a legal requirement for organisations employing more than 5 staff to carry out documented health and safety risk assessments of all their significant hazards.

A risk assessment will include the following five elements:-

1. Identifying the risks
2. Identify the people at risk from the hazards (eg employees, contractors, visitors etc)
3. Evaluate the risk (considering the likelyhood and severity of any accident using risk matrix)
4. Recording of the findings on a suitable form
5. Review the risk assessment at least on an annual basis

Question 4

What is a method statement and what does it contain?

Answer 4

1. A document that details the way a work task or process is to be completed to be prior approved.
2. It should outline the hazards involved and include a step by step guide on how to do the job safely
3. It must detail which control measures have been used to ensure the safety of anyone who is affected by the task or process

Question 5

What are the ‘six pack’ of H&S Regulations?

Answer 5

1. Managment of Health and Safety at work
2. Display Screen Equipment (DSE)
3. Manual Handling Operations
4. Personal Protective Equipment at Work
5. Provision and use of work equipment
6. Workplace Health, Safety and Welfare

Question 6

What is the Fire Risk Management Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005?

Answer 6

1. Fire risk assessment with emphasis on fire prevention
2. Applies to non-domestic properties in England and Wales
3. A building needs risk assessment, fire policy and fire proceedures and staff training to include nominated wardens to facilitate any evacutation of premises
4. Regular review of assessments required and recorded
5. Reasonable fire precaution measures - fire detection and warning alarm systems
6. Emergency lighting, appropriate fire exit signage

Question 7

What is Asbestos?

Answer 7

Asbestos is an insulating material which causes serious health problems and fatal diseases

Question 8

How long has asbestos been banned in UK

Answer 8

White asbestos has been illegal in the UK since 1999, other types (blue and brown) were banned in 1995

Question 9

what is the key legislation that deals with Asbestos

Answer 9

Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012

Question 10

Does a new build require an Asbestos report?

Answer 10

Yes, the architect of any newly constructed building must sign a certificate to confirm that there is no asbestos in the building

Question 11

How is Asbestos managed within a building?

Answer 11

Any building built before 1999 may well have asbestos present - therefore the owner/occupier must undertake a management survey to detail location and type of asbestos.

The survey becomes part of the Asbestos register which must be produced after the survey and regularly updated.

Any contractor working in the building needs to make reference to the asbestos register in the RAMS.

Question 12

What is the Equality Act 2010?

Answer 12

Equality Act 2010 was brought in to consolidate existing discrimination law (replacing DDA) and to provide broader protection against a wide range of discrimination and inequality to include use of property as well as when dealing with people.

Question 13

What are CDM regulations

Answer 13

The Construction (Design and management) Regulations, 2015 deal with H&S during the design and management of all commercial buillding projects.

Question 14

What paper trail does the CDM Regulations (2015) produce

Answer 14

A CDM H&S file must be maintained during the construction and passed onto the occupiers/owners of the building containing all aspects of H&S information regarding the property and the operation/running of the building (included in O&M file).

Question 15

What are the statutory obligations of a commercial property owner?

Answer 15

1. Asbestos management
2. Gas safety
3. Disability discrimination and equality (previously DDA, now Equality Act 2010)
4. EPC’s
5. Fire safety/fire policy including training in prevention of fire
6. H&S
7. Legionella
8. Fixed wire testing
9. PAT testing
10. Waste management

Question 16

What is the ‘safe person’ concept? (and from what code of practice?)

Answer 16

Surveying Safety 2nd Edition 2019 -
that each individual assumes individual behavioural
responsibility for their own, their colleagues’ and others’
health and safety while at work.