Health and safety Flashcards
What is the 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 should H&S data be kept for?
Technically forever (subject to the nature and intended use), information such as asbestos exposure may be required to monitor long term illness such as asbestosis.
What is a Construction Phase Health & 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:
-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 a 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-for-profit independent organisation founded in 1997 to improve the image of the industry. It encourages contractors and their supply chain to implement best practice.
-Aims to promote construction.
-Aims to deliver the best practice in terms of site operations (cleanliness of site etc).
-Voluntary effort.
-Delivering standards and benefitting the surrounding neighbourhood and community.
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, which type of accident kills the most construction workers?
Falls from height.
What is the minimum height of the main guard-rail on scaffolding?
950mm.
The Beaufort Scale is important when working at height externally, what does it measure?
Wind speed.
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.
You are going to complete a site valuation on your own, what should you do before leaving the office?
Advise my manager where I am going and who I am meeting, I would also suggest a time when I am due back to the office.
Make the site manager aware of the visit and check I have the correct PPE.
What H&S hazards have you come across on your projects?
-Impact of site traffic movements.
-Poor lighting.
-Manual handling.
-Slips I trips I falls.
- Working at height.
-Noise.
What is a CSCS card?
-Construction Skills Certification Scheme.
-Provides proof that individuals working on construction sites have the appropriate training and qualifications for the job they do.
-By ensuring the workforce are appropriately qualified, the card plays its part in improving standards and safety on UK construction sites.
What does PPE stand for?
Personal protective equipment.
Can you give some examples of PPE?
Hard hat.
Gloves.
Hi-vis vest.
Steel toecap boots.
Eye and hearing projection.
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 prohibition notice by the HSE. What does this mean?
A prohibition 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 first if you find an injured person on sit
Assess the situation - do not put yourself in danger.
Raise the alarm and call for help.
There has been a serious accident on site. When should an automated external defibrillator (AED) be used?
AEDs can save the life of someone having sudden cardiac arrest when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating.
What does 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 risk assessment?
Identifying a hazard, measuring the risk and identifying the method of reducing the risk.