Health & Safety Flashcards
What is the key RICS guidance in relation to Health and Safety?
RICS Guidance Note ‘Surveying Safely - Health and safety principles for property professionals’ 2018 - effective Feb 2019
What does the GN set out?
Basic, good practice principles for the management of H&S for RICS regulated firms and members
Principles for those engaged in the built environment as property professionals and includes H&S responsibilities:
- At a corporate level (whether small/large)
- At the level of the individual RICS member
What is the structure of the GN
- Personal responsibilities for RICS members and firms
- Assessing hazards and risks
- Workplace H&S
- Occupational hygiene and health
- Visiting premises and sites
- Fire safety
- Residential property surveying
- Procurement and management of contractors
What is the key areas of advice under the GN?
RICS Regulated Firms must ensure they provide:
- A safe working environment
- Safe work equipment
- Safe systems at work
- Competent staff
What is a safe person?
The RICS consider the concept of a ‘safe person’ to mean that each individual assumes individual behavioral responsibilities for their own, their colleagues and others H&S while at work
What else does the GN outline?
Seeks to ensure that individuals accept responsibility for their own actions and they have the tools they need to do their job safely
A requirement for up-to-date personal and corporate responsibilities for property professionals (inc: relevant law, employers liability insurance and public liability)
Legal considerations and duties - for employers and employees to include advice on asbestos
Advice on health, well-being and mental health
How to address fire safety
An audit template is provided to assist members
Assessing hazards and risks
Occupational health
What are some important considerations when visiting premises and site?
Tell someone where you are going and when you leave the building/site
Wear appropriate protective clothing when appropriate inc - high visibility jacket, protective footwear, hard hat, protective goggles, gloves and ear defenses.
Sign in and out of a building or construction site and receive a site induction - do not just enter the site or building and wear PPE
Consider whether safe to inspect alone and observe special lone working arrangements
Check dated tag if going on scaffolding
Wear non-slip sole shoes /boots when going up a ladder
Emphasis is placed on members to have correct operational practices in place
What is the relevant legislation?
Health & Safety at Work 1974
What does the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 state?
Duty to every employer to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees
Must report injuries and dangerous occurrences (1995 Regulations)
Must undertake, record and regularly review a risk assessment (1999 Regulations)
Detailed H&S information is to be held on site - usually in the Operations and Maintenance Manual
Who policies the H&S at Work Act 1974
Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
Who policies the H&S at Work Act 1974
Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
Penalties for breaching the H&S at Work Act?
It is a criminal offence - with fines and/or imprisonment
What is a hazard?
Refers to anything that has the potential to cause harm (such as a wet floor)
What is a risk?
The probability/likelihood that someone will be harmed (such as the risk of falling over on the wet floor)
What is a Risk Assessment?
It is a legal requirement for organisations employing more than 5 staff to have documented health and safety risk assessments of all their significant hazards
Please can you outline the Risk Assessment process?
- Identify the hazards present
- Identify the people at risk from the hazards eg. employers, contractors, visitors
- Evaluation the risk, considering the likelihood and severity of any accidents. Existing precautions in place should be identified and evaluated
- Record the finding on a suitable form
- Review the risk assessment regularly
- Advise all those affected of the outcome of the risk assessment and methods of work and precautions to minimise or eliminate risk
What is a Method Statement?
A document which details the way a work task or process is to be completed and prior approved
It should outline the hazards involved and include a step by step guide on how to do the job safely
It must detail which control measures have been introduced to ensure the safety of anyone who is affected by the task or process
Why is Public Liability Insurance relevant?
A copy of the contractors all risk and public liability insurance is also needed before work is commenced
What is a written health and safety policy document?
A written document required for employers if they employ more than 5 employees
What must a written health and safety policy document include?
- A policy setting out the organisations commitment to H&S
- Details of the organisations H&S structure, with roles and responsibilities for organising H&S
- A risk assessment setting the risks within the workplace and preventative measures in place
- Details of the planning, implementation of the H&S policy and control measures
What is the Six Pack of H&S Regulations?
A group of six regulations introduced on 1 January 1993 which covers various key aspect of H&S compliance
These regulations implement various European Directives on H&S and clarify how employers must comply with their duties under the H&S at Work Act 1974
What regulations are included under the Six Pack?
- Management of Health and Safety at Work
- Display Screen Equipment
- Manual Handling Operations
- Personal Protective Equipment at Work
- Provision and Use of Work Equipment
- Workplace Health, Safety and Welfare
What is RIDDOR
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995
What does RIDDOR outline?
The trigger date for reporting injuries is over 7 days incapacitation
Such an injury must be reported to HSE within 15 days from the date of the accident
All employers must also keep a record of all 3-day plus injuries
The info should be kept in an accident book which must be kept for a minimum of 3 years after an occupational accident or injury
What act relates to corporate manslaughter?
Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007
What does Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 outline?
This Act relates to gross breaches of a duty of care by a corporate body leading to a persons death
What are the penalties under Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007?
Unlimited fine
Imprisonment
Disqualification as a company director by a member of the senior management team
What act relates to fire risk management?
Fire Risk Management Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
What does - Fire Risk Management Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 outline?
Based on risk assessment with the emphasis on fire prevention
Applies to non-domestic property in England and Wales
The Responsible Person - is the employer / occupier who controls the property or owner if vacant
Must be fire precautions in place following a risk assessment
Good record keeping on: risk assessment, fire policy & fire procedures and staff training
Regular review of assessments required and recorded
Reasonable fire precautions measures - fire detection, warning alarm system, fire fighting equipment, safe exit routes, personal emergency evacuation plan, emergency lighting
Matter covered in Part B of the Building Regulations
What is the recent fire safety legislation?
The Fire Safety Act 2021
Why did the The Fire Safety Act 2021 occuer?
Following the Hackett Review (2018) the act reforms the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 as it relates to multi-occupied residential buildings