Health and Safety

Question 1

What is the HSE?

Answer 1

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.

Question 2

Define what service the HSE provides to improve safety.

Answer 2

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 and law and practice.

Question 3

How long do you need to keep H&S data for?

Answer 3

Technically forever, we need to keep data on long term illness such as asbestos.

Question 4

What is a construction phase health and safety plan?

Answer 4

Developed during the construction phase by the contractor, the purpose is to demonstrate how the building will be built from a safety perspective.

Question 5

What are the key principles of COSHH?

Answer 5

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) 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.

Question 6

What is corporate manslaughter?

Answer 6

An organisation is guilty of corporate manslaughter if the way in which its activities are managed or organized causes a person’s death and if this amounts to a gross breach of a relevant duty of care owed by the organization to the deceased.

Question 7

What is the considerate constructor’s scheme?

Answer 7

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 neighborhood and community

Question 8

What are the main assessment categories within the Considerate Constructor’s Scheme?

Answer 8

There are 5 codes of considerate practice:
- Care about appearance
- Respect the community
- Protect the environment
- Care about safety
- Value their workforce

Question 9

What is the biggest cause of long-term health issues in the construction industry?

Answer 9

Breathing in hazardous dust and fumes

Question 10

Historically, which type of accident kills the most construction workers?

Answer 10

Falls from height

Question 11

What is the minimum height of the main guard-rail on scaffolding?

Answer 11

950mm

Question 12

The Beaufort Scale is important when working at height externally, what does it measure?

Answer 12

Wind Speed

Question 13

When are visitors or works most likely to have an accident on a construction site?

Answer 13

When they first start on a new site

Question 14

When you last visited a construction site, what considerations did you give to your own health and safety?

Answer 14

• 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

Question 15

You are going to complete a site valuation on your own, what should you do before leaving the office?

Answer 15

• 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

Question 16

What H&S hazards have you come across on your projects?

Answer 16

• Impact of site traffic movements
• Poor lighting
• Manual handling
• Slips / trips / falls
• Working at height
• Noise

Question 17

What is a CSCS card?

Answer 17

• Construction Skills Certification Scheme
• Provides proof that individuals working on a construction site has 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

Question 18

What does PPE stand for?

Answer 18

Personal Protective Equipment

Question 19

Can you give some examples of PPE?

Answer 19

• Hard hat
• Gloves
• Steel toe capped boots
• Hi-vis vest
• Eye and hearing protection

Question 20

A member of the public has been injured by work activities and taken to hospital for treatment. What should happen next?

Answer 20

The accident should be reported by the responsible person to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Question 21

The site has been issued with a prohibition notice by the HSE. What does this mean?

Answer 21

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.

Question 22

What should you do first if you find an injured person on site?

Answer 22

• Assess the situation - do not put yourself in danger
• Raise the alarm and call for help

Question 23

There has been a serious accident on site. When should an automated external defibrillator (AED) be used?

Answer 23

AEDs can save the life of someone having sudden cardiac arrest when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating.

Question 24

What does RAMS stand for?

Answer 24

Risk Assessment and Method Statement

Question 25

What is a method statement?

Answer 25

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.

Question 26

What is meant by a risk assessment?

Answer 26

Identifying a hazard, measuring the risk and identifying the method to reduce the risk.

Question 27

What is the hierarchy if H&S risk control?

Answer 27

• Elimination
• Substitution
• Engineering
• Administration
• PPE

Question 28

What do you do if you find asbestos on site?

Answer 28

• Stop work immediately and ensure the area is safe (nobody else can access)
• Report the matter to the Site Manager, there may be an additional requirement to notify the HSE
• The asbestos will need to be tested by a competent contractor to identify the type

Question 29

What regulations are applicable to asbestos?

Answer 29

Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012

Question 30

What are the 3 most common types of asbestos?

Answer 30

Crocidolite:
- Characterized by its straight blue fibres
- This type is considered the most lethal form of the mineral

Amosite:
- Known as brown asbestos
- The second most common asbestos type and second deadliest

Chrysotile:
- Known for its long curly fibres
- Chrysotile is the most common type of asbestos used in the commercial and industrial buildings
- Usually white in colour

Question 31

Name the different types of asbestos survey available.

Answer 31

• Asbestos Management Survey - The purpose of the management survey is to manage asbestos containing materials (ACMs) during the normal occupation and use of the premises.
• Refurbishment / demolition survey - The R&D survey is required where the premises, or part of it, need upgrading, refurbishment or demolition.

Question 32

Where is asbestos commonly found in older buildings?

Answer 32

• Cement gutters and downpipes
• Corrugated roofs
• Floor and ceiling tiles
• Insulated boards
• Lagging
• Textiles
• Soffits

Question 33

What is an asbestos management plan?

Answer 33

An asbestos management plan is a crucial document designed to register and detail how asbestos will be managed in a property and what activities will be engaged to ensure people remain safe from asbestos exposure.

Question 34

What should the asbestos management plan include?

Answer 34

The plan must say who is responsible for what and should include:

• The party responsible for managing 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

Question 35

How can asbestos be managed on site?

Answer 35

• Remove - eliminate the risk
• Encapsulate - process of applying a protective layer onto the asbestos containing material which will contain asbestos fibres and provide some protection to the ACM from damage.
• Manage - set up an asbestos management plan