Health and Safety Flashcards
What Health & Safety legislation are you aware of?
Health and Safety at Work 1974
What guidance does the RICS produce about H&S?
Guidance note: RICS Surveying safely: health and safety principles for property professionals 2nd edition, Nov 2018 (effective Feb 19)
How do you ensure you comply with the H&S at Work 1974 legislation?
Report injuries and dangerous occurrences
Undertake, record, and regularly review risk assessments
Keep detailed H&S information on site
What are the penalties under the current H&S legislation?
Policed by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) as a criminal offense -> fines and imprisonment
£20,000 maximum fine -> magistrates court
unlimited fine - Crown Court
Compensation order
Community order
Remedial order
Publicity order (manslaughter only)
What are your H&S duties as an individual surveyor?
Ensure the health and safety of myself and others around me
Carry out risk assessments prior to attending site / review risk assessment
Ensure H&S compliance of properties the Landlord is responsible for
Identify and control hazards and risks
What are the key changes in Surveying Safely?
Introduced ‘safe person’ concept
Greater emphasis on ensuring the competence of individuals, including their responsibility to ensure the use of safe work equipment and safe systems of work
Tell me something you understand from reading Surveying Safely?
sets out basic, good practice principles for the management of health and safety for RICS-regulated firms and RICS members.
A requirement for personal and corporate responsibilities for property professionals
Advice on health, well-being and mental health
What must regulated firms provide?
Safe working environment
Safe working equipment
Safe systems of work
Competent staff
Why is the case of Suzy Lamplugh important for surveyors?
Ensure they understand lone working policy and precautions to take when attending site alone
What is Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?
Protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearers body from injury or infection
What is a risk assessment?
A systematic process of evaluating the potential risks that may be involved in a projected activity or undertaking
How would you undertake a risk assessment?
- identify the risk factors
- identify people at risk
- evaluate the risks and any existing controls
- record the findings
- monitor and review the assessments regularly
Legal requirement for organisations who employ more than 5 staff.
What is a risk?
The likelihood of an event or failure occurring and its consequences or impact
What is a hazard?
Any source of potential damage, harm, or adverse health effects on something or someone
What is asbestos?
Asbestos is a hazardous material popular in the 60s due to its insulation and fire resistant properties - often found in walls and roofs
What legislation are you aware of in relation to asbestos?
Control of Asbestos Regulation 2012
(There is also RICS Asbestos 4th edn 2021 - Professional Standard)
What do you understand by the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012?
Minimum standards for protecting employees from risks associated with exposure to asbestos
Applies to non-domestic premises and places an obligation on both the employer and ‘duty holder’
How does Asbestos cause lung damage?
Safe if undisturbed, but when moved, it releases tiny harmful particles which when inhaled, stick to the lungs
What are the two types of Asbestos surveys?
management survey;
Survey to locate and assess asbestos and advise on its management during normal occupation and use of premises
-> no sampling of materials or analysis is undertaken
refurbishment or demolition survey;
Required where the premises, or part of it, need upgrading, refurbishment or demolition
-> Samples of materials suspected of containing asbestos are taken and analysed and recommendations are made regarding their management
What are the 5 steps to take regarding Asbestos?
- Duty holder assesses whether premises contains asbestos - if in doubt, assume it is present
- Assess risk and produce asbestos management plan - is removal needed?
- Produce asbestos register
- Make register available to all parties who may disturb it
- Review register regularly (HSE recommend every 6 months)
What types of asbestos are there?
Brown - banned in 1985
Blue - banned in 1985
White - banned in 1999
What are the penalties with regards to asbestos?
If a duty holder does not have a plan for dealing with asbestos in place they could face a fine of up to £20,000 or up to six months imprisonment.
A serious breach of the regulations could mean an unlimited fine and/or two years imprisonment.
What is occupational health?
Maintaining the well-being of employees, preventing and removing ill-health
Occupational health teams keep people well at work – physically and mentally.
Why is occupational health important?
Seeks to maintain health of employees ensuring a positive relationship between an employee’s work and their health -
increase in productivity for firm and happiness for employees.
What are the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2015? (6th April 2015)
Aims to improve management of H&S at all stages of construction project -> improves overall H&S process by defining different duty holders with varying levels of responsibility
Main duty holders: Client, Designer and Contractor
Onus on client to ensure CDM arrangements
CDM file must be maintained -> criminal offense to breach CDM regulations
Health and Safety Executive can prosecute and issue fines if regulations are breached
What changes were made in the latest CDM updates?
Simplification to make regulations easier to understand
Replacement of Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) with more targeted guidance
Introduced principal designer role
Tell me about your understanding of Fire Safety?
FRA carried out yearly
Fire policy & procedures in place, including staff training
Fire precautions in place following a risk assessment -> including fire detection, warning systems, fire doors, emergency lighting
Responsible person
What is the key fire safety legislation?
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022
Fire safety Act 2021
Tell me about the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022
Came into force January 2023 - introduce specific duties for responsible persons in multi-occupied residential buildings, particularly those over 11m and 18m. They ensure greater fire service access and resident communication, and require regular checks on doors, lifts, and building information.
What legislation closed the loophole in fire safety law after Grenfell?
The Fire Safety Act 2021, which amended the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
What is the Fire Risk Management Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
The Fire Safety Order 2005 is the main legislation governing fire safety in non-domestic premises. It requires a responsible person to carry out a fire risk assessment, maintain fire precautions, and ensure building occupants are safe. It’s central to compliance in property and facilities management.
Who is legally responsible for ensuring fire safety under the Fire Safety Act 2021?
The designated Responsible Person, typically the landlord or managing agent.
What key elements must now be included in a Fire Risk Assessment under the 2021 Act?
External walls (including cladding, balconies, attachments)
Fire doors to individual flats
What is RIDDOR?
RIDDOR stands for the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013.
What is the implication of RIDDOR
Requires certain work-related incidents, injuries, diseases, and near misses to be reported to the HSE. It ensures that serious risks are formally recorded and investigated, helping to improve health and safety practices.
Death/major injury, occupational diseases, specified dangerous occurrences, gas incidents.
What are the time scales under RIDDOR?
Trigger date for reporting injuries is over 7 days incapacitation
Injury must be reported to HSE within 15 days
Employees must keep record of all 3 day + injuries
Accident book must be kept for minimum of 3 years after injury
What is COSHH?
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002
Not use prohibited substances unless required for certain purposes, in which case control exposure
Tell me about how you ensure good H&S practices whilst on site?
Ensure I am aware of any risks and hazards
Plan my visit beforehand
Wear PPE as and when necessary
Let colleagues know I’m on site
Tell me about when you have used PPE on an inspection?
Inspection of a industrial site in Arundel I wore a high vis jacket when in the service area.
What should you do if you discover asbestos?
Check asbestos register to confirm it is on record, if not then instruct asbestos survey
If undisturbed, then does not need to be removed
Explain your use of QUOODA to manage H&S compliance?
My email is linked to receive alerts in the run up to documents becoming uncompliant or notification of any actions off the back of new documentation i.e. FRA GRA WRA.
Allows me to see and monitor compliance of all H&S documents and resulting actions, I can update actions and clear once complete.
Tell me about any specific precautions you would take when inspecting a dilapidated property?
Ensure PPE is sufficient
Understand who to call in event of an injury/accident
What is the extent of the condition, is it safe to visit?
What areas are unsafe?
Any site rules to follow?
What issues have you identified that you need to overcome?
Contractor RAMS not site specific and did not accurately address risks
-> requested amended RAMS to allow access for works to proceed
Tell me about the precautions and procedures which you undertake to have regard to current H&S legislation?
Prior to carrying out an inspection, I will carry out the relevant risk assessments and check for the need for PPE
In the office, I adhere to all H&S issues in accordance with the H&S at Work Act 1974, including fire evacuation procedures, how to lift heavy items, and a desk assessment at my work station
Why is H&S so important?
Ensures the wellbeing of yourself and others around you.
What is the employers duty?
Duty to every employer to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health, safety, and wellbeing of all employees
Disability discrimination and the Equality Act 2010. What precautions must be in place to prevent disability discriminations?
Landlord must make fair and reasonable efforts to comply with the Act -> if cost effective and not unreasonably disruptive, he should make efforts to make the building compliant
Lifts must be wide enough for wheel chair users
Ramps
Reasonable with regard to cost, extent, and disruption
Provide examples of H&S procedures undertaken in your office?
Fire exits
Fire drills
H&S training days
What are the responsibilities of a Landlord or Property manager in terms of H&S?
Depends on the lease and who controls what areas
Employers have a responsibility to provide a safe environment to work
Landlord/PM -> responsibility of common parts
What is IOSH?
Institution of Occupational Safety and Health
Global organisation for health and safety professionals
You said you’re familiar with RAMS, what is included in a RAMS document? Is there any other kind of documentation you would issue?
Risk Assessment and Method Statement
Risk Assessment = identify hazards, people at risk and likelihood of risk being caused
Method Statement = lay out how to safely complete works
Would request permits where applicable: Permit to work at height, electrical works, hot works etc.
Would request public liability insurance certificate
Statutory obligations of commercial property owner:
Asbestos management
Contamination
Equality Act compliance
Energy Performance Certificates
Fire safety
H&S
WRA
Occupiers liability
PAT testing
Waste management
