Health and Safety Flashcards
What is HSE?
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the national independent watchdog for work-related health, safety and illness. It acts in the public interest to reduce work-related death and serious injury across Great Britain’s workplaces.
Define what service the HSE provides to improve safety?
- The HSE is there to protect people’s health and safety by ensuring risks in the changing workplace are properly controlled.
- The HSE helps businesses adapt to changes in occupational health and safety law and practice.
How long do you need to keep H&S data for?
Technically forever, we need to keep data on long term illness such as asbestos.
What is a Construction Phase Health and Safety Plan (CPH&SP)?
Developed during the construction phase by the contractor, the purpose is to demonstrate how the building will be built from a safety perspective.
What are the key principles of COSHH?
COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) requires employers to prevent or reduce workers’ exposure to substances including the following:
- Chemicals
- Fumes, gases, vapours and mists (paint, glue, welding, cleaning agents).
- Dusts (asbestos, silica).
- Biological agents and germs.
What is corporate manslaughter?
An organisation is guilty of corporate manslaughter offense if the way in which its activities are managed or organised causes a person’s death and if this amounts to a gross breach of a relevant duty of care owed by the organisation to the deceased.
What is the Considerate Constructor’s Scheme?
it is a non-profit independent organisation founded in 1997 to improve the image of the industry. It encourages contractors and their supply chain to implement best practice.
What are the main assessment categories within the Considerate Constructor’s Scheme?
There are 5 codes of considerate practice:
- Care about appearance.
- Respect the community.
- Protect the environment.
- Care about safety.
- Value their workforce.
What is the biggest cause of long-term health issues in the construction industry?
Breathing in hazardous dust and fumes.
Historically, what type of accident kills the most construction workers?
Falls from height.
What is the minimum height of the main guard-rail on scaffolding?
950mm.
When are visitors or works most likely to have an accident on a construction site?
When they first start on a new site.
When you last visited a construction site, what considerations did you give to your own health and safety?
- Preparing or contributing to method statements or risk assessments.
- Wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).
- Attending site inductions and adhering to the contractor’s site rules.
- Ensuring that health and safety was discussed at meetings.
- Reporting any issues to site management.
What H&S hazards have you come across on your projects?
- Impact of site traffic movements.
- Poor lighting.
- Manual handling.
- Slips/trips/falls.
- Working at height.
- Noise.
What is a CSCS card?
- Construction Skills Certification Scheme.
- Provides proof that individuals working on site have the appropriate training and qualifications for the jobs that they do.
- By ensuring the workforce are appropriately qualified, the card plays its part in improving the standards and safety on UK construction sites.
A member of the public has been injured by work activities and taken to hospital for treatment. What should happen next?
The accident should be reported by the responsible person to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
The site has been issued with a prohibitive notice by HSE. What does this mean?
A prohibitive notice normally requires the site to stop a particular activity straight away. The site must not resume activity until action has been taken to remove or control the risk.
What should you do if you find an injured person on site?
- Assess the situation - do not put yourself in danger.
- Raise the alarm and call for help.
What do RAMS stand for?
Risk Assessment and Method Statement.
What is a method statement?
a statement/methodology that details the way work will be completed. the method statement should outline the hazards involved and include a step-by-step guide on how to execute safely.
What is meant by a risk assessment?
Identifying a hazard, measuring the risk and identifying the method of reducing the risk.
What is the hierarchy of H&S risk control?
Elimination>Substitution>Engineering>Administrative>PPE
What do you do if you find asbestos on site?
- Stop work immediately and ensure the area is safe (nobody else can access).
- Report the matter to the Site Manager, there may be requirements to notify the HSE.
- The asbestos will need to be tested by a competent contractor to identify the type.
What regulations are applicable to asbestos?
Control of asbestos regulations 2012.
What are the three most common types of asbestos?
Crocidolite, Amosite, Chrysotile.
Name the different types of asbestos survey available?
- Asbestos Management Survey - The purpose of the management survey is to manage asbestos-containing minerals (ACMs) during the normal occupation and use of premises.
- Refurbishment/demolition survey - the R&D survey is required where the premises, or part of it, need upgrading, refurbishment, or demolition.
Where is asbestos commonly found in older buildings?
- Cement, gutters and downpipes.
- Corrugated roofs.
- Floor and ceiling tiles.
- Insulated boards.
- Lagging.
- Textiles.
- Soffits.
What should be included in an asbestos management plan?
The plan must say who is responsible for what and should include:
- The party responsible for managing the asbestos
- The asbestos register identifying type and location etc.
- Plans for work on asbestos material.
- The schedule for monitoring the materials’ condition.
- Telling people about your decisions.
How can asbestos be managed on site?
- Remove - eliminate the risk.
- Encapsulate - process of applying a protective layer onto the asbestos containing material (ACM) which will contain asbestos fibres and provide some protection to the ACM from damage.
- Manage - Set up an asbestos management plan.
What are the main health hazards when someone is exposed to asbestos?
- Asbestosis - a chronic lung disease that can cause shortness of breath, coughing and permanent lung damage.
- Lung cancer.
- Mesothelioma - a cancer of the thin membranes that line the chest and abdomen.
When is an employer required to have a written H&S policy in the UK?
When they employ more than 5 people.
Are you aware of any other H&S regulations that may be applicable to the construction industry?
- Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
- Construction (Design and Management) (CDM) Regulations 2015.
- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002.
- Work at Height Regulations 2005.
What is the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974?
- The basis of British health and safety law.
- The act sets out the general duties which employers have towards employees and members of the public and employees have to themselves and each other.
- These duties are qualified in the Act by the principle of ‘so far as is reasonably practicable’.
The main requirements on employers is to carry out a risk assessment. Employers with five or more employees need to record the significant findings of the risk assessment.
What does RIDDOR stand for?
Reporting of Incidents Diseases and Dangerous Occurrence Regulations.
