Health and Safety – Level 1:

Question 1

What are typical risks you may encounter in your day-to-day work?

Answer 1

• Trips or Falls.
• Sometimes weak and steep cellar/basement steps.
• Driving to and from appointments.

Question 2

Describe your company’s lone working policy.

Answer 2

• I inform my wife when I arrive at an appointment.
• I speak to my colleague during the appointment.
• I call my wife/colleage after the appointment.
• I also have SoloProtect.
• I use What3Words App.

Question 3

How do you undertake a pre-site visit risk assessment to decide what PPE you may require?

Answer 3

• My PPE choices generally stays the same.
• Disposable gloves.
• Face Mask
• Sun Glasses and Glasses.
• Hand Sanitiser

Question 4

Describe how you would identify and assess a risk or hazard?

Answer 4

• A risk is the likelihood that something might happen ranging from Low to High.
• A hazard is something that can cause you or someone harm or worse.

Question 5

What do you know about working at height?

Answer 5

• Ideally if you don’t need to work from height then work from ground level or from a safe elevated position
• If you have to work from height then consider the equipment that you have.
• Consider the weather.
• Use the correct type of ladder.

Question 6

What current challenges is Covid and/or Brexit bringing to Health & Safety?

Answer 6

• PPE Challenges.
• Socialising Challenges.

Question 7

Tell me about the Guidance Nolte: Health and Safety for residential property Managers 1^st Edition 2016?

• General Arrangements.
• Assessment of health, safety, and environmental risks.
• Reporting of accidents.
• HHSRS
• Sales & Acquisitions
• Letting Agents

Answer 7

1. General arrangements.

• All employers have a duty of care.
• Employees have a statutory duty to take reasonable care.
• Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 Section11 sets out standards of repair to property.
• Occupiers’ liability for anyone one of the public entering a building has a duty of care.
• Vicarious liability is where employers are liable for the negligent actions of their employees

1. Assessment of health, safety, and environmental risks.

• Hazard + Likelihood = Risk
• Dynamic Risk assessment – On the day as things may have changed.
• All risk assessments should be carried out by a competent person.
• Landlords employees/agents on site should have an office and welfare facilities.
• Should have a way to communicate to call for help.

1. The management and reporting of accidents in the UK.

• Accident prevention as most common accidents are slips, trips and falls.
• All wet areas should be cleaned and signs put for slippery surface etc.
• Report of accident must be logged and kept.

1. Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)
   * HHSRS was introduced in the Housing Act 2004 as a method for evaluating dwellings that posed a threat.
2. Sales and Acquisitions.

• Agents have a common duty to clients, employees, and viewers.
• Terms of Engagement should include liability on For Sale Boards where a third party has erected them.
• Lone working policy for viewings.

1. Letting Agents

• Similar roles to those of selling agents.
• An implied right under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 where a landlord has a responsibility to repair under the lease.
• Landlord must give 24 hours’ notice except in an emergency, but contact should be made where possible.

Landlords have duties such as Gas Safety Certificates, Electrical Certificates and PAT Tests, Fire and Furnishings, Potentially Asbestos Surveys.

Question 8

Tell me about the Surveying Safely, Health and Safety Principles for Property Professionals 2^nd Edition 2018?

• Personal Responsibilities
• Assessing Hazards & Risk
• Members place of work
• Occupational hegiene and health
• Visiting premiises or sites
• Firs Safety

Answer 8

• Personal Responsibilities.
• RICS regulated firms should consider complying with recognised health and safety management system standards.
• Employees have a responsibility to ensure corporate health and safety policies are practiced effectively.
• Provide individuals with appropriate PPE.

1. Assessing Hazards and Risk.

• Businesses and individuals need to know what risks they are exposing themselves to.
• Extended periods at a desk or computer can cause health problems.
• RICS firms must have a lone working policy.
• Risk Matrix.

1. RICS Members Places of Work.

• From House to contaminated sites.
• Driving to destinations and accidents in vehicles

1. Occupational hygiene and health.

• Exposure to harmful agents.
• Asbestos.
• Chemical Coatings.
• Noise and Vibration.
• Occupational health with work related stress.
• Mental health.
• Sun protection.
• Cancer.

1. Visiting premises or sites.

• Carry out a pre-assessment check.
• How will you travel to your destination?
• Plan your travel like what time you will leave.
• Will you be in rush hour.
• Where to park.
• Is the premises occupied.
• The type of occupants.

1. Fire Safety.

• Caused through natural events like a lightning strike.
• Chemical reaction.
• Overheating components.
• Sparks from welding etc.
• Unsafe or damaged electrical power circuits.
• Consider installing smoke alarms or fire detection equipment and sprinklers.

Question 9

Tell me about the RICS Covid – 19 Guide to Surveying Services: Physical inspections for the purpose of residential valuations and condition-based surveys (England)

Answer 9

• Request vendors to be out.
• Request window to be open.
• Doors to boilers and meter cupboard open.
• Ask for questionnaires to be completed.