Health and Safety Flashcards
What is the major legislation for H&S?
Health and Safety at Work Act (1974)
Who are the HSE?
Health and Safety Executive
- Responsible for maintaining, regulation and enforcing H&S in the UK
What are the key requirements under the 1974 Act?
How do I comply with the Act?
- Must report all injuries and dangerous occurrences
- Must undertake, record and regularly review risk assessments
- Detailed H&S info must be kept on site - O&M manuals
Is it a criminal offence to breach the 1974 Act?
Yes - policed by the HSE
What are the current penalties under the Act?
Fines and imprisonments - policed by the HSE
- Magistrates court - up to £20k fine
- Crown Court - unlimited fine
- Community order
- Compensation order
- Remedial order
What is a hazard?
Anything with the potential to cause harm
What is a risk?
The probability/likelihood that someone will be harmed
What are my H&S duties as a surveyor?
- Ensure H&S of myself and others around me
- Undertake and review risk assessments
- Ensure H&S compliance of LL property
- Identify and control hazards and risks
What guidance does the RICS provide on H&S?
RICS Guidance Note - Surveying Safely - Health and Safety for Property Professionals (2nd Edition) 2018
What is the main aim of the guidance note?
Set out the basic, best practice principles of the management of Health and Safety for RICS regulated firms and members
When was surveying safely last updated/
2nd Edition 2018
- Effective Feb 2019
What do you understand from Surveying Safely?
The basic, best practice principles for the management of H&S by property professionals
- Personal and corporate responsibilities
- Assessing and managing risk
- Fire safety
- H&S when visiting site
- Legal considerations - asbestos
- Advice on Health, Wellbeing and mental health
What were the key changes made to surveying safely?
- Introduced the safe person concept
- Provided requirement on what RICS firms must provide
- Greater emphasis on competence
What must RICS firms provide under the guidance note?
- Safe working environment
- Safe working practices
- Safe systems of work
- Competent staff
What is the safe person concept?
Each individual assumes individual behavioural responsibility for their own, their colleagues and others H&S while at work
What does the guidance note require for visiting site?
- Undertake relevant H&S risk assessment
- Diarise and tell people when are going, have left site etc
- Take relevant equipment - PPE, Phone, files etc
- Sign in and out of the building
- Consider whether it is safe to inspect alone
What is PPE?
Personal Preventive Equipment
- Protective, clothing, equipment, helmet etc designed to protect from injury or infection
What is a risk assessment?
Systematic process of evaluating the projected risks involved in a project or undertaking
When is it a legal requirement for a firm to produce a risk assessment?
All organisations with 5 or more staff
What is included in a risk assessment?
- Identification of hazards present
- Identify individuals at risk
- Identify risk and likelihood of accident - review control measures in place
- Record findings in a suitable format
- Review assessment regularly
- Inform those affected of outcome and methods in place to reduce risk
What is a risk assessment?
Document detailing how work or task is to be completed - prior approved
- Identify risks and how the job will be done safely
- Details control measures to ensure safety
What is public liability insurance?
Required from contractors prior to work commencing - protects against claim from 3rd party following an accident
What is a written health and safety policy document and when is it required?
Required for firms with more than 5 employees
Must contain
- Policy setting out firms H&S commitment
- Details of H&S structure
- Workplace risk assessment
- Details of planning implementation of H&S policy
What are the 6 pack of H&S regulations?
6 regulations introduced in 1993
1) Management of H&S at work
2) Display screen monitoring
3) Manual handling operations
4) PPE at work
5) Provision and use of work equipment
6) Workplace health and safety welfare
What is RIDDOR?
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (1995)
What is required under RIDDOR?
Employers and those in charge of workplaces must report certain accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences
When do you need to report under RIDDOR?
- Death
- Hospitalisation
- Where someone in incapacitated for 7+ days
- Over 3 day incapacitation must be recorded
- Certain occupational diseases and dangerous occurrences - held on HSE website
What key fire safety legislation is there?
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
- Fire Safety Regulations (2022)
What is my understanding of fire safety legislation?
What is required under the Fire Safety Order 2005?
- Fire Risk Assessment carried out annually
- Fire policies and procedures must be put in place - e.g. training
- Fire precautions in place - alarms, doors, emergency lighting
- Responsible person - employer, occupier, or owner if vacant
Who is the responsible person?
Employee, occupier or owner of property
What is occupational health?
Maintaining the well being of employees - preventing and removing ill health
- Having systems in place which keep staff with health issues at work
Why is occupational health important?
Ensure health of those at work
- Maintain productivity and staff morale
What is COSHH?
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (2002)
- Eg regulation - not to use prohibited substances unless required for certain circumstances
What hazardous materials have I come across?
- Asbestos
- Pigeons nesting in roof - feathers and excrement
Talk me through your use of Quooda and Meridian?
Allows me to track compliance of all H&S docs for each property and track risk compliance following a risk assessment
- Linked to my email - get alerts in run up to a document becoming uncompliant
What are RAMS?
Risk Assessment Method Statement
- Completed after a risk assessment
- Contain details of hazard and guide to working around it
What issues have you come across on identification of RAMS?
Not site specific and didn’t properly address risks - requested updated RAMS
What is the difference between RAMS and Risk Assessment?
RA - assess risks and likelihood of occurrence
RAMS - details of how to manage risks and work around them
Why are RAMS important?
Protect workers from hazards - reduce risk of injury and harm
What is the hierarchy of risk control?
Eliminate hazard
Substitute hazard
Engineering controls
Administrative
PPE
What should you do if someone is injured at work and taken to hospital?
Report to responsible person and HSE
What is a prohibition notice?
Issued by the HSE to formally stop and certain activity right away
What should you do if you find an inured person on site?
- Make sure area is clear from risk, don’t put yourself in danger
- Raise the alarm and call for help
What is IOSH?
Institute of Occupational Safety and Health
- Global Organisation of H&S
What is an alternative to IOSH?
NEBOSH
National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health
What are the H&S responsibilities for Landlord and PM?
Landlord
- Statutory compliance - GRA, FRA, Electric/Gas Safety, Asbestos Management etc
PM
- Ensuring the H&S of themselves, colleagues and others
- Visitors and non-visitors to site
What is the shelf life of a hard hat?
- around three years
- says on the inside
What is LOLER?
Lifting Operations Lifting Equipment Regulations
- Places duty of people and companies who own operate and have control over lifting equipment
What is Workman’s policy for permit to work?
- Have to be suitably qualified to sign
- Permits required for all high risk works identified in RA or RAMS e.g. hot work, working at height
Where are requirements for RAMS set out?
Managing H&S at Work Regulations (1995)
What is asbestos?
Hazardous material, popular in the 20th Century due to its insulation and fire resistance qualities
How/when is asbestos dangerous?
- When it is damaged or disturbed
- Releases small particles which are harmful when inhaled
How many properties contain asbestos?
4 million
How many deaths are caused by asbestos?
5k annually
How many types of asbestos are there?
3:
- Brown and Blue (outlawed in 1985)
- White (outlawed in 1999)
When was asbestos banned?
November 1999
- Made illegal to buy, sell, import or export any material containing asbestos
What is the key legislation surrounding asbestos?
Control of Asbestos Regulation (2012)
What do you understand from the control of asbestos regulation?
- Minimum standards for protecting employees from health effects of asbestos
- Applies to non-domestic properties and places obligation on duty holder and employer
- Requirements:
- Duty holder must complete risk assessment - obligation to manage risks and prepare plan
- All works must be completed by a licenced contractor
- Asbestos register must be completed and regularly updated
- All new buildings require a certificate that no asbestos present in the building
Who is the duty holder?
Owner of premises if vacant, or tenant under a repairing lease
What should you do if you find asbestos on site?
- Stop work immediately and put warning signs up - ensure no one enters the area
- Apply appropriate controls using a licenced contractor
- Update asbestos management plan
Where is asbestos commonly found?
- Floor and ceiling tiles
- Corrugated roofs
- Insulation
-Guttering and downpipes
What are the health hazards with asbestos?
- Asbestosis
- Mesothelioma
- Lung cancer
What are the two types of asbestos survey?
- Management
- Refurbishment / Demolition
What is a management survey?
Survey to locate and assess asbestos and advise on its management during normal occupation and use of the premises
What is a refurb / demolition survey?
- required where a premises or part is being upgraded, refurbed or demolished
- samples of materials suspected of having asbestos are analysed
- recommendations made for their management
What are the 5 steps to controlling asbestos?
1) Duty holder must assess where there is asbestos and condition
2) Assess risks and produce a management plan
3) Produce asbestos register
4) Make register available to those how may disturb it
5) Review regularly- HSE say every 6 months
What is an asbestos management plan?
Document outlining how asbestos will be managed in a property to prevent harm
What does an asbestos management plan include?
- Responsible party
- Types and location
- Plans for work
- Plans for removal
How can asbestos be managed on site?
- Encapsulation
- Removal
- Management
What are the consequences of a breach of asbestos regulations?
£20k fine or up to 12 years imprisonment
What is RICS guidance on asbestos?
Asbestos: legal Requirements and Best Practice for Property Professionals 4th Edition 2021
- Set out best practice for property professionals
- Details of common asbestos containing materials
- How to commission an asbestos survey
- Contents of a management plan
What are Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015?
CDM regulations
Guides Health and Safety for Construction process of commercial property
Aim to improve the overall H&S process by defining duty holder with varying levels of responsibility
CDM file must be maintained - breach is a criminal offence
When were the CDM regulations last updated?
2015 (6th April)
What were the changes made in the latest CDM updates?
- Simplification of the regulations
- CDM coordinator replaced by principle designer role
- Replacement of Approved Code of Practice with more targeted practice
When must the HSE be notified of a project under CDM regulations?
Where construction project lasts:
- More than 30 days
- Has more than 20 people working at the same time
- Exceeds 500 person days
What is a CSCS Card?
Construction Skills Certification Scheme
- reflecting the different occupations and qualifications within construction
What precautions would you make when inspecting a dilapidated building?
- Undertake risk assessment
- Ensure PPE
- Understand who to call in the event of an accident
- Consider whether it is safe to visit, or visit alone
- What areas are unsafe
- Any site rules to follow
What precautions do I undertake to have regard for H&S regs?
- Before inspection - carry out risk assessment and check the need for PPE
- In office:
- adhere to H&S at Work Act 1974
- e.g. fire evacuation procedures and how to lift heavy items
What is the employers duty?
Duty of employer to ensure health and safety and well being of employees
Why is H&S important?
Ensures H&S & wellbeing of yourself and others around you
What is Workman’s policy for attending site?
Must carry out risk assessment before attending
Carry PPE
Diarise and inform others
Sign in and out
If inspecting a warehouse in the late afternoon, what would I do before leaving the offcie?
In accordance with Surveying safely, i would:
- Carry out a RA
- Update my diary
- Notify colleagues and take a phone
- Tell colleagues what time I will be returning
How do I do my job safely?
Carry out regular risk assessments in accordance with surveying safely
What H&S procedures are undertaken in my office?
- Fire exits
- Fire drills
- Training days
What are the LL and PM responsible for in H&S?
- Depend on lease and who has responsibility
- Employers have responsibility to provide safe area of work
- Landlord/PM - common parts
- If works being done - CDM/Asbestos
- Defective Premises Act (1972)
How do you mitigate hazards?
- Carry out RA and ensuring measures in place to reduce risk
What are the 5 colours of fire extinguishers?
Red - water
Cream - foam
Blue - dry powder
Black - CO2
Yellow - wet chemical
What is legionairres disease?
Potential fatal pneumonia caused by legionella bacteria
- Legionella - found in water - survive in temps between 20dc and 45dc
How can you catch legionairres disease?
Breathing in droplets of water contaminated by the bacteria
At what temperature does legionella thrive?
20dc-45dc - if condictions are right
nutrients e.g. rust, algae help
What must LL do to combat legionella?
- Identify and assess risk
- Prepare action plan to control risk
- Implement management
- Keep records
at systems pose greatest risk to legionella?
- Cooling towers
- Evaporative condensers
- Hot and cold water systems
How can you prevent the presence of legionella?
- Avoid temps that favour legionella
- Ensure water cant stagnate
- Avoid using materials which encourage growth
- Keen system and water clean
In accordance with the Equalities Act (2010), what precautions must be in place to prevent disability discrimination?
- LL must make every effort to be compliant
- Lifts should be wide enough for wheelchair access
- Ramps
Reasonable regarding costs , extent and disruption
Tell me about key Fire Safety Regulations?
- Regulatory Reform - Fire Safety Order 2005
- Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022
When were the Fire Safety regulations updated?
Fire safety regs 2022 - effective from 23 Jan 2023
What changes were made to Fire Safety Regulations?
- High Risk Building regs - subject to more stringent safety checks
