Health & safety Flashcards
What health & safety legislation are you aware of?
Health & Safety at Work Act 1974
How do you ensure you comply with H&S legislation?
I ensure I comply with health and safety policy by ensuring I comply with my firms written policy
What are the penalties under h&s legislation?
- Some punishments include fines up to £20,000 (or ulimited if lives are endangered)
- Imprisonment
- Disqualification
Is it a criminal offence to breach the H&A at Work Act 1974?
Yes
Tell me about your employers h&s policy
What are your h&s duties as an indivdual surveyor?
- Duty for my own h&s
- Duty for the h&s of those working around or with me
- Duty to comply with my organisations h&s policy
What guidance does RICS produce on h&s?
RICS Guidance Note Surveying Safely 2nd Edition 2019
Tell me something you understand from reading Surveying Safely?
The guidance provides an overview of best practise for surveyors, including personal responsibilites relating to health and safety
When was Surveying Safely last updated?
2019
What are the key changes to the most recent version of Surveying Safely?
- Update to CDM Regs
- Update to H&S sentencing guidelines
- Safe person concept
- Increased awareness of health aspect eg asbestos
What is the safe person concept?
Each individual assumes individual behavioral responsibility for their own, their colleagues and other health and safety while at work
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?
- An estate agent that went missing whilst out working
Why is Suzy Lamplugh important for surveyors?
Raised the importance of safe and sensible lone working procedures
What is PPE?
Personal protective equipment
What is a risk assessment?
The process of carefully examining what in your work could cause harm to people, so that you can judge whether or not you have taken enough precautions to prevent harm
What is a risk?
The possibility of harm being caused
What is a hazard?
The potential source of harm
How would you undertake a risk assessment before attending site?
- Identify hazards
- Decide who may be harmed and how
- Evaluate risk and decide on precautions
- Record findings and implement
- Review and update
- Advise all those affected of the outcome of the assessment and methods of work, or other control measures necessary, to minimize or eliminate risk
What is asbestos?
Naturally occuring fibrous silicate mineral
What legislation are you aware of in relation to asbestos?
The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012
What do you understand by the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012?
The regulations impose the duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic properties
Who is the duty holder?
Control of Asbestos Regulations
The person responsible for the building eg owner
How does asbestos cause lung damage?
- Fibres enter and stick in the lung which irritates the tissue and causes it to become stiff
- Over time the lungs become more and more stiff as scar tissue builds up
- Lungs get to the point where they can no longer expand and contract themself
What are the two types of asbestos survey?
- Asbestos management survey
- Refurbishment and demolution survey
When was asbestos banned?
November 1999
What is an asbestos survey/management plan?
- Used to manage ACMs during the normal occupation and use of premises
Explain the key principles of the new RICS guidance relating to asbestos
All surveyors should have asbestos awareness training, in line with Regulation 10 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. This includes awareness of asbestos when inspecting premises.
A duty to manage asbestos arises under Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. This applies to all non-domestic premises, including public buildings and the common parts of multi-occupied domestic premises.
Where the duty of manage under Regulation 4 does not apply, a duty arises (under Sections 2 and 3 of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974) to minimise the risk of asbestos to the health & safety of others in relation to domestic premises. The Defective Premises Act 1972 and the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 also emphasise this duty in domestic premises
The duty to manage can be fulfilled by ensuring that an asbestos register is available, assessing the risk of any asbestos present and making this information available to anyone liable to disturb the asbestos present
What is occupational health?
Field concerned with the safety, health and welfare of people at work
Why is occupational health important?
Occupational health will keep employees healthy & safe whilst in work and manage any risks in the workplace that are likely to give rise to work related ill health
What are the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2015?
Set of regulations that aim to improve health and safety
When were the CDM regulations last updated?
2015
What were the key changes to the most recent version of the CDM regulations?
Structural simplification of the regulations to make them easier to understand.
The replacement of the Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) with more targeted guidance.
Replacement of the role of CDM coordinator with a new role of ‘principal designer’.
What is a notifiable project?
Construction work on a construction site that is scheduled to last longer than 30 working days and have more than 20 workers working simultaneously at any point in the project; or. exceed 500 person days
Tell me about your understanding of fire safety?
The responsibility and adoption of the right behaviors and procedures that prevent fires
What is the key fire sagety legislation?
Fire (Scotland) Act 2005
Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006
What is RIDDOR?
RIDDOR is the law that requires employers, and other people in charge of work premises, to report and keep records of: work-related accidents which cause deaths
What is a CSCS card?
CSCS cards provide proof that individuals working on construction sites have the appropriate training and qualifications for the job they do on site
What is COSHH?
The law requires you to adequately control exposure to materials in the workplace that cause ill health. This is the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH)
What is the most common type of asbestos?
Chrysotile (white)
What are the requirements of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998?
Places duties on people and companies who own, operate or have control over lifting equipment
How often should a lift be inspected under lOLER?
Every 6 or 12 months depending on the equipment
Why might tagging be used on scaffolding?
Workers know if the scaffolding is safe to use and that it has been inspected and to a high standard
Explain how you ensure your personal safety on site?
- Wear PPE when required
- Carry out an ongoing risk assessment
Explain how you ensure the security of personal possessions on site?
- Ensure items are secured safely
- Lock car
- Don’t leave things lying about
Tell me about when you have used PPE on an inspection
- Self build - wore hardhat, steel toe capped boots and hi-vis
What would you do if you suspected asbestos existed on a site during an inspection?
- Establish whether or not it is safe to go about inspection
Tell me about any specific precautions you would take when inspecting a dilapidated property
- Wore PPE
- Carried out risk assessment in order to establish whether it is safe to go about inspection
What hazardous materials have you come across in your work?
- Asbestos
In the Dyce example, how did you assess the risk of entering the roof space?
Level 2 - SOE
- I established the risk of trying to enter the hatch which was over a set of stairs
- Reached the conclusion that the risk of harm being caused was too great to attempt to enter the hatch
How did you record the limited inspection in Dyce?
Level 2 - SOE
- In site notes and refered to in the report
What did you terms of engagement say about the scope of your inspection?
Level 2 - SOE
- Roofspaces will only be accessed where the hatch is readibly accessible and located no more than 3 meters from ground level
What PPE did you wear on the construction site?
Level 2 - SOE
- Hardhat
- Hi-vis
- Steel toe boots
What is your level 2 example?
Summary of Experience
Home Report in Dyce and I did not enter the roof space as the hatch was positioned over a set of stairs
You’ve mentioned the requirement under the H&S Act to have a health & safety officer, can you name some other requirements?
Health & Safety - Level 1
- Firms must prepare a health & safety policy
- Firms must provide information and training
- Firms must display the h&s poster
How is your health and safety officer?
Health & Safety - Level 1
- Laurence Neil
What are some key concepts in Surveying Safely?
Health & Safety - Level 1
- Regulated Firms must provide a safe working environment, work equipment, systems of work and competent staff
- Safe person concept states that individuals must take responsibility for your own health & safety, those under supervision and a duty to co-operate with employers policies and procedures
What is asbestos and why was it used?
Health & Safety - Level 1
- A naturally occurring fibrous silicate mineral
- Used for its thermal resistance, high tensile strength, weather and sound insulation
When was asbestos banned?
Health & Safety - Level 1
- 1999
Where might you find asbestos?
Health & Safety - Level 1
- Fibourous cement products such as gutters, roof sheets etc
- AIBs
- Artex
- Thermoplastic floor coverings
- Lagging
What is the problem with asbestos?
Health & Safety - Level 1
- Exposure to the fibres can lead to health issues such as asbestosis
How do you assess the presence of hazards/risks and how do you manage these?
Health & Safety - Level 2
- Firstly identify any hazards and risks
- Identify the harm that may be caused and to who
- Identify any precautions that can be taken to minimise this
- Implement and record decision
- Do this on a continous basis
Why did you not enter the roofspace in Dyce and how did you record your desicion?
Health & Safety - Level 2
- Hatch was over a set of stairs so I deemed it not safe to enter
- I recorded it in my site notes and then referred to it in the report
What procedures do you follow when departing office for inspections?
- Inform the office
What are some common dangers in empty buildings?
- Weather damage to properties (falling masonary, burst pipes, unstable chimneys etc)
- Health hazards - rubbish, vermin, syringes
- Potential harm of intruders
Who is you first aid named person?
- Roger Davis
What documents do you have in your office re: accidents?
- Accident record book
- Health and safety policy
- HSE poster in kitchen
What are your firm’s policies on- lone working/empty buildings/after hours working?
- Inform reception of where we are going and how long we expect to be
Does all asbestos require to be removed/treated?
- Asbestos is only dangerous when disturbed and it can often be more dangerous removing it then keeping it in place
What types of asbestos are there?
- Chrysotile (white)
- Crocodlite (blue)
- Amosite (brown)
What is included in an asbestos register?
- Comprehensive list of all ACMs found in the building
- Information on what condition the materials are in should also be contained
Are you aware of the firm’s H & S guidelines and where they may be found?
- Yes
- They can be found on the firms internal database
Have you read Surveying Safely?
Yes
