Health and Safety - Summary of Experience Flashcards
What does the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 say?
Places a duty on employers to ensure H&S and wellbeing of employees is not at risk including:
- Providing and maintaining equipment
- Safe systems of work and safe premises
How do you ensure you comply with the requirements under the 1974 act?
- Undertake, record and regularly review risk assessments
- Keep detailed H&S information on site
- Report injuries or dangerous events
Is it a criminal offence to breach the 1974 Health and Safety Act?
Non-compliance can result in significant penalties from HSE:
- Fines and imprisonment (£20k fine)
- Organizations and individuals can be held liable for breaches
- No maximum limit on fines
Who enforces the 1974 act?
HSE inspectors - Have powers to enter workplaces, investigate accidents and issue improvement notices
What is the RICS guidance on Health and Safety?
RICS Professional Standard: Surveying Safely (2nd Edition, November 2018)
What is the major legislation on H&S?
- Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
- Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012
- Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2015
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
- Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022
What do you understand within the RICS surveying safely professional standard?
- Assessing hazards and risks
- Workplace health and safety
- Occupational hygiene and health
- Visiting sites
- Fire safety
- Residential surveying
- Procurement and contractor management
- Personal responsibilities for RICS members and firms
Name a key point from RICS surveying safely
Introduced the safe person concept = each individual assumes individual behavioural responsibility for their own, their colleagues and others H&S while at work
Seeks to ensure individuals accept responsibility for their actions and have necessary tools to do their job
Why are regular H&S inspections important?
Allows you to identify and hazards and risks to the tenants and general public
What legislation are you aware of in relation to asbestos?
Control of Asbestos Regulations (2012)
What are the penalties for breaching control of asbestos regulations 2012
- 20k fine
- up to 12 months imprisonment
- more serious breaches can be escalated further
What is a risk assessment and why are they important?
Process of evaluating risks and assessing what has the potential to cause harm.
Important as they create awareness of the surrounding environment and who could be at risk
How do you mitigate hazards?
Carrying out risk assessments and put measures in place that reduce risk
What is the safe person concept?
Each individual assumes responsibility for their own, their colleagues and others’ H&S while at work
When did the RICS surveying safely become effective?
February 2019 - Both GN and PS
What is IOSH?
Institution of Occupational Safety and Health - Global organisation for H&S professionals
What did you takeaway from IOSH?
How to create a risk assessment, helping me better identify both risks and hazards within properties I manage
Are there any alternatives to IOSH?
NEBOSH - National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health
What are the steps to undertaking a risk assessment?
1) Identify hazard
2) Identify people at risk from hazard
3) Evaluate risk-likelihood-severity
4) Record findings (write up)
5) Continually review
What are RAMS?
Risk Assessment Method Statement (completed after risk assessment)
- Contain details of hazard and guide to working around the hazard
- Needs to be approved prior to work starting
Why are RAMS important?
Provides a guide on how to manage the risk that has been identified and how it can be worked around
What is the difference between a risk assessment and RAMS?
Risk assessment = identifying risk-likelihood-severity
RAMS = Shows how to manage the risk and work around it
How does your use of Meridian and Quooda ensure compliance of health and safety regulations?
Make sure GRA, FRA, Asbestos etc are up to date on there. Action any necessary works/measured to reduce hazards
Can you take me through the steps you undertook to ensure safety of the Foundry Lane site?
1) Went to site with PPE
2) Undertook risk assessment to assess the hazard
3) Assessed the severity and recognised the pallets were causing a fire and health and safety risk
4) Contacted the tenant to remove and reattended site to confirm
Tell me about your employer’s H&S policy?
- Concentrating on the elimination of risks to persons and then on risk reduction, prevention of injury and loss due to damage
- Identify and manage hazards
- Work to safety standards: review and develop these continuously
What are your H&S duties as an individual surveyor?
- Undertake risk assessments
- Plan inspections (PPE)
- Adhere to office health and safety (e.g. fire evacuation procedure, H+S training and lifting heavy items)
When was RICS surveying safely last updated? Tell me something that changed
Last updated in Nov 2018 (Effective Feb 2019)
- Introduction of the safe person concept = each individual assumes individual behavioural responsibility for their own, their colleagues and others’ H&S at work
- Greater emphasis on competence of individuals to use safe work equipment
What must regulated firms provide?
- Safe working environment
- Safe work equipment
- Safe systems of work
- Competent staff
What happened in the case of Suzy Lamplugh? Why is this important for surveyors?
- Working as an estate agent and disappeared during the middle of the day
- Relates to whereabouts - Lone working policy
What is personal protective equipment?
Equipment that is worn to prevent or minimize exposure to hazards
What health and safety regulation relates to fire escapes and safety?
Fire Safety Regulatory Reform 2005
Fire Safety Act 2021
Fire Safety Regulations 2022
What is a method statement?
Document detailing how to carry out work safely
What is public liability insurance?
Insurance that needs to be in place to cover you if a client or member of public claims to have been injured or their property damaged because of your business activities
What is RIDDOR?
Reporting of injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences regulations 2013
- Events have to be reported if they are fatal, serious injury + certain industrial diseases
When would you be required to report a RIDDOR incident?
- Over 7 days of incapacitation of a worker
- Must be reported to HSE within 15 days of the incident
What PPE have you had to wear?
Inspection a warehouse/factory: hard hat, steel toe cap boots, safety glasses and high vis
What type of H&S training have you had?
- Legionella awareness
- Asbestos
- General H&S
- Contractor management
Who are the HSE?
Health and Safety Executive
- Responsible for maintaining, regulating and enforcing H and S in the UK
What is a hazard?
Anything with the potential to cause harm
What is a risk?
Probability/likelihood that someone will be harmed
What must RICS firms provide under surveying safely?
- Safe working environment
- Safe working practices
- Safe systems of work
- Competent staff
When is it a legal requirement for a firm to produce a risk assessment?
All organisations with 5 or more staff
What is a written health and safety policy document and when is it required?
For firms with 5 employees or more and contains:
- Policy setting out H&S commitment
- Details of H&S structure
- Workplace risk assessments
- Details of planning implementation of H&S policy
What is the six pack of H&S regulations?
Introduced in 1992 and refer to main health and safety regulations in UK:
1) Management of H&S at work
2) Display screen monitoring - screen at eyesight
3) Manual handling operations
4) PPE at work
5) Provision and use of work equipment
6) Workplace H&S welfare
What is COSHH?
Control of substances hazardous to health regulations (2002)
- Regulation to not use prohibited substances unless required for certain circumstances
What is the hierarchy of risk control?
Method to identify and rank safeguards to protect people from hazards
1) Eliminate hazard
2) Substitute hazard - Replace
3) Engineering controls - isolate people
4) Administrative - Change way people work
5) PPE - Protect
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?
Notice served by HSE to formally stop activity right away
What is occupational health and why is it important?
Maintaining the well being of employees and preventing and removing ill health
- Important to ensure health of those at work and maintain productivity
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
- 1.5m at height too
What is asbestos?
Naturally occurring fibrous silicate mineral - Hazardous material
How many deaths are caused by asbestos annually?
5,000
What are the types of asbestos?
Brown and blue - outlawed in 1985
White - outlaws in 1999
What are the health hazards of asbestos?
- Asbestosis
- Mesothelioma
- Lung cancer
What are the steps to controlling asbestos?
1) Assess asbestos and condition
2) assess risk
3) produce register
4) make register available
5) review register regularly
What is an asbestos management plan?
Document outlining how asbestos will be managed to prevent harm
What are the fines on asbestos?
20k fine or up to 2 years imprisonment
- There are unlimited fines for larger breaches
What are construction (design and management) regulations 2015?
CDM regulations - Guide H&S for construction in commercial property
- Aim to improve H&S process by defining duty holder with varying levels of responsibility
- CDM file must be maintained - criminal offence if not
What were the latest CDM regulations updates?
6th April 2015
- Simplified regulations
- CDM coordinator replaced by principal designer role
- Replacement of approved code of practice with more targeted practice
When must HSE be notified of a project under CDM regulations?
F10 - Where construction project:
- Lasts more than 30 days
- Has more than 20 people working at same time
- Exceeds 500 person days
What is a construction phase plan?
Document detailing health and safety risks associated with the construction phase of a project
What precautions would you make when inspecting a dilapidated building?
- Undertaking risk assessment
- Ensure PPE
- Understand who to call in event of accident
- Consider whether safe to visit alone
- Any site rules to follow
What is the employers duty?
Duty of employer to ensure health and safety and wellbeing of employees
What H&S procedures are undertaken in my office?
- Existence of fire exits
- Fire drills
- Regular training sessions
What are the five colours of fire extinguishers
Red - water
Cream - foam
Blue - dry powder
Black - CO2
Yellow - wet chemical
What is legionnaires disease?
Potentially fatal pneumonia caused by legionella bacteria, which is found in stagnant water
How do you catch legionnaires?
Breathing in droplets of water contaminated by the bacteria (20-45 degrees c)
What are the stages of dealing with legionella?
- Identify and assess risk
- Prepare action plan to control
- Implement management
- Keep records
What poses most risk to legionella?
FROM: cooling towers, evaporative condensers, hot and cold water systems, systems containing sources of nutrients (rust, sludge, organic matter)
How do you prevent legionella?
- Avoiding temps that favour legionella
- Ensure no water stagnation
- Avoid using materials that encourage growth
- Keep water systems clean
Tell me about key fire safety regulations?
- Regulatory Reform - Fire Safety Order 2005
- Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022
What were the updates to the fire safety regulations?
Fire Safety Regulations 2022
- High Risk Building regs - subject to more stringent safety checks
- Improved cooperation and coordination between responsible persons (Those who take responsibility in non-domestic buildings)
- Easier for enforcement organisations to take action against non-compliance
- Applies to high risk buildings - 18m tall, 7 storeys or 2 or more resi units
- Aluminium composite material cladding now banned due to poor fire resistance
- Buildings over 11m - Secure Info Box (gives into to fire rescue services in event of fire)
Tell me about the building safety act 2022?
Building Safety Act came effective in April 2022 - After Grenfell
- Enhanced regulatory framework - Establishing building safety regulator
- Introducing accountable person and building safety managers (manage day to day safety)
- Focus on high risk buildings - over 18m in height, 7 storeys
- Enhanced residents voice including safety committees
- Building Safety Act charge can be levied on leaseholders - distribution of cost
What is LOLER?
Lifting Operations Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998
- Places duty on people and companies who own operate and have control over lifting equipment
How can asbestos be dangerous?
If it is damaged or disturbed it releases small particles which are harmful if inhaled
How many properties contain asbestos?
Around 4m
What are the 5 stages for the duty holder in managing asbestos
CRRAR (contain, risk, register, available, review)
- Asssess if premises contains asbestos
- Assess risk
- create register
- make register available
- review register
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
Where is asbestos commonly found?
- floor and ceiling tiles
- corrugated roofs
- insulation
What is included in an asbestos managemnt plan?
- Duty holder
- Type/location
- Plans for works / removal
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)
What is a hard hats shelf life and how do you check?
Usually 3 years old - Can check on the inside of the hard hat
Where are RAMS requirements set out?
Managing H&S at Work Regulations 1989
When do you report in an accident log?
- 3 days incapacitated
- Should report all incidents
Certificate for a MEWP?
IPAF - Licence to use
Who enforces MEES?
Local council
Difference between MEES and EPC?
(All buildings must have an) EPC - Temporary, religious
MEES - Lease length, devalued, costs
What is the construction of Foundry Lane, Horsham?
- 1970s Industrial Unit
- Roller shutter at the front of the unit
- Ancillary trade/office
- Concrete screed floor
- Steel and block construction
- Previously removed asbestos roofing
- Aluminium cladding and roofing
What is your firms policy regarding working at Height?
Permit to work must be in place for works 1.5m and above
What is a disability access audit?
Assessment of a building against best-practice standards to benchmark its accessibility to disabled people (Regent Park example)
At your firm how do you store H&S reportS and how are kept up to date?
Stored on Meridian and QUUODA
- Annual date checks are recorded
- Use a traffic light system to tell surveyors when a document is about to expire
What is needed under LOLER?
Employers have a legal responsibility to ensure that lifting operations are properly planned, supervised, and carried out by competent individuals.
- Selecting right equipment
- Certifying equipment
- Risk assessments
- Record keeping
How often does a fire drill need to be undertaken?
Once a year, but will depend on what the FRA outlined.
What report was published after Grenfell?
Hackitt Report 2018
- Focused on high rise resi above 10 storeys
- This was encapsulated in Fire Safety Report 2021
Who are the duty holders CDM regulations?
- Client
- Principal contractor
- Principal designer
IF MORE THAN ONE THEN MUST HAVE A PRINCIPAL
What test would you undertake for legionella?
ACOP L8 risk assessment
How often do you need to test for legionella?
- Quarterly in open systems (evaporative condensers, cooling towers)
- Monitoring not usually required in enclosed systems (hot and cold water systems)
When did RIDDOR come into force?
First came into force in 1996, however, there were updates in 2013
What is the difference between a principal designer and a principal contractor under CDM?
- Principal designer = has control over pre-construction phase of project
- Principal contractor = Appointed by client to control construction phase of project
What is a dynamic risk assessment?
Risk assessment carried out in real time during work activities, often while hazardous situation is developing
How do you report under RIDDOR?
Through an online form on the HSE website
How did the building safety act 2022 amend limitation periods for claims under defective premises act 1972?
New limitation periods:
- 15 years for claims regarding works completed after 28 June 2022
- 30 years for claims regarding works completed before 28 June 2022
What are the 5 types of PPE?
- Respirators.
- Protective gloves.
- Protective clothing.
- Protective footwear.
- Eye protection
For the issue with the pallets at Foundry Lane, when did you contact the tenant?
Immediately, due to the health and safety/fire risks - potential slip and trip hazards
