Health & Safety

Question 1

What are the CDM 2015 regulations?  

Answer 1

the main set of regulations for managing the health, safety and welfare of construction projects. CDM applies to all building and construction work and includes new builds, demolition, refurbishment, extensions, conversions, repair and maintenance.
Domestic clients are not generally required to carry out their duties as these are typically passed to the other duty holders such as the contractor. For commercial clients they must make arrangements for managing their project to ensure that H&S risks are managed in a proportionate way.

Question 2

Under the CDM regulations, what duties does the Principle Designer have?

Answer 2

Manage H&S pre-construction
Risk Management
Liason, prepare and provide information with other dutyholders
Ensure designers carry out thier duty.

• Plan, manage, monitor and coordinate H&S (pre-construction). Identify, eliminate or control foreseeable risks.
• Ensure client and designers are aware of their duties and advise client on bringing together the pre-construction information. Provide relevant information to other duty holders.
• Liaise with principal contractors in the planning management, monitoring and coordination of the construction phase

Question 3

Under the CDM regulations, what duties does the Client have?

Answer 3

Client
* Appoint competent duty holders.
* Allow sufficient time and resources.
* Prepare and provide relevant information to duty holders.
* Ensure that the principal designers and contractor carry out their duties.
* Ensure welfare facilities.

Question 4

What are the key implications of the CDM regulations?

Answer 4

• More focus on clients to put in place regulations to ensure H&S.
• Clients can no longer assign their legal responsibilities to agents.
• There must be a declaration of how long contractors will be given to plan and prepare for construction work.
• Clients are deemed to assume the role of the principal contractor for any period during which other appointments aren’t made.

Question 5

What items would you expect to find in the Pre-Construction Information?

Answer 5

Pre-Construction information - CDM require that construction clients provide pre-construction information as soon as practicable to every designer and contractor appointed.

Pre-Construction information might include:
* A project description * H&S file requirements.
* Clients’ considerations and management requirements for hoarding, welfare facilities, traffic restrictions and permits to work.
* Environment restrictions and existing on-site risks such as site restrictions, previous H&S files, ground conditions, existing services, asbestos surveys, contamination and unsafe conditions.
* Significant design and construction hazards such as design risks assessment, suggested method statements, arrangements for coordination post contract design, work and changes.

Question 6

What Would you find in the Construction Phase Plan?

Answer 6

Construction phase plan is a document that ensures the H&S on site for a construction project.

It outlines key stakeholders, possible risks on the site, and the plan to prevent or eliminate these risks.

A phase plan also includes chosen communication methods and contract details of the workers involved.

• A project description
  -Processes for management of the works including site inductions, training, communications, welfare facilities, design coordination, site rules and emergency procedures.
• Arrangements for controlling significant site risks such as handling of deliveries, working at height, deep excavations, preventing falls, site segregation, maintenance of plant and equipment, removal of asbestos, reducing noise and vibrations and manual handling.

Question 7

What would you find in the H&S File?

Answer 7

• Useful H&S information for the planning of future works or maintenance
• Comprised of:
  o Brief description of the work carried out.
  o Any residual hazards which remain and how they have been dealt with e.g. surveys or other information concerning asbestos, contaminated land, water bearing strata and buried services.
  o Key structural principles e.g. bracing and sources of substantial stored energy.
  o Hazardous materials used (COSHH) e.g. lead paint, pesticides, special coatings that should not be burnt off.
  o Nature and location of significant services, including underground cables, gas supply equipment and fire-fighting services

Question 8

What is a F10?

Answer 8

F10
- F10 form is used to notify the HSE of the project
- Should contain:
o Address of construction site
o Name of the local authority where the site is located
o Brief description of the project and the construction works it entails.
o Contract details for the client and the principal contractor
o Indication of times allowed by the client for the PC to plan and prepare for the construction work.
o Planned date for the start of the work, duration of construction phase and give a number of people at work on site at any one time.

Question 9

What does RIDDOR stand for?

Answer 9

• Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 2013
• the responsible person to notify any death, reportable injury, disease or dangerous occurrences to the HSE (on-line or phone for death & serious injury).
• Responsible person is the employer or, for the self-employed, the contractor or principle contractor.

Question 10

What incidents are reportable? (RIDDOR)

Answer 10

Reportable Incidents:
Death and major injuries

such as loss of consciousness/limb.

Occupational disease

Dangerous occurrences

e.g. explosions, hazardous substances, structural collapse or collision etc.

Gas incidents

Question 11

What does COSSH stand for?  

Answer 11

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 2002 - extends the steps required under risk assessments and a duty to deal with accidents and emergencies. COSHH covers most substances hazardous to health in workplaces and covers persons who may be on the premises but not employed whether they are at work or not, including visitors and contractors.

Question 12

What H&S precautions do you take when going on site?

Answer 12

I ensure that I have PPE and that I have had a site induction

Question 13

Who do you inform that you are going on site?

Answer 13

I sign in the attendance register and report to the site office to make them aware of my presence.
I ensure my own company is kept updated on my whereabouts.

Question 14

What does PPE stand for?

Answer 14

Personal Protective Equipment

Question 15

What PPE would you wear when visiting a site?

Answer 15

Safety Helmet
Eye Protection
High Vis Clothing
Protective Gloves
Protective Footwear

Question 16

Have you passed your CSCS test? How did it benefit you?  

Answer 16

Yes, it made me aware of H&S issues to consider when attending construction site

Question 17

What does CSCS stand for?

Answer 17

Construction Skills Certification Scheme

Question 18

On the project described in your case study, what measures did you or your company take to ensure standards of H&S when either undertaking your work or delivering the projects?

Question 19

What are the 5 steps to risk assessment?

Answer 19

1. Identify the hazards
2. Decide who might be harmed and how?
3. Evaluate the risks and decide on the precautions.
4. Record your findings and implement them.
5. Review your assessment and update if necessary

Question 20

What is the role of the HSE?

Answer 20

Health and safety Executive

Role of the HSE is to: prevent work-related death, injury and ill-health. Provide support to the public and businesses with guidance, statistics and research.

Question 21

What are the powers of the HSE?

Answer 21

Powers of the HSE: * Inspectors can visit site without notice, talk to workers, take pictures and samples. * to issue written or verbal information and advice. *encourage good H&S practices. * some inspections are to response to a complaint or follow-up an investigation. * to impose sanctions including stop and improvement orders

Question 22

What is your company’s H&S policy?

Answer 22

Committed to supporting the H&S and wellbeing (w) of all its employees and to ensure that high standards of H&S&W at work are embedded as life skills to keep everyone safe at all times.

Take all reasonably practicable measures to eliminate hazards and minimise the risks to employees or others, to whom we have a duty of care and those affected by our work.

Committed to integrating H&S&W into everything we do.

All Employees and contractors are responsible for carrying out their work with minimum risk to themselves and others.

Approach –
H&S&W management system provides an process to ensure we meet our commitments to our internal operations and projects. It sets the framework for our H&S objectives and confirms to ISO 45001. Safety and Wellbeing managers provide information, advice and support to employees on safety and wellbeing matters.

Question 23

What is the RICS Surveying safety publication?

Answer 23

RICS guidance on personal safety at work

It sets out principles for those engaged in the built environment as property professionals

and includes health and safety responsibilities:

at a corporate level (whether the RICS-regulated firm is large or small)

and at the level of the individual RICS member.

It covers property-related businesses and identifies the moral, ethical and practical issues that confront RICS-regulated firms and RICS members everywhere, in all the work that they undertake.

Question 24

What other guidance is available?

Answer 24

Other guidance’s
HSE has published a similar guide to RICS ‘H&S in Great Britain’ – but is generic and not focused on construction.
HSE Five Steps to RISK Assessments.
Managing H&S in Construction – Approved code of Practice (ACoP)

Question 25

Which accident kills the most operatives in construction?

Answer 25

Falls from height

Question 26

What is the Considerate contractors scheme?

Answer 26

Considerate Constructors Scheme
CCS set up in 1997 and is responsible for improving the image of construction. It monitors all registered sites and ensures best practices are carried out. In particular items such as engaging with local communities and site cleanliness.

Question 27

What is the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974?

Answer 27

Is an Act of Parliament that sets out the framework for managing workplace health and safety in the UK.

The act defines the general duties of everyone from employers (section 2) and employees (section 7,8) to owners, managers and maintainers of work premises (etc) for maintaining health and safety within most workplaces.

Question 28

What would you do if you come across an injured person on site?

Answer 28

• make sure it’s safe for you to approach
• Alert a supervisor
• Call for medical help
• Do not move the injured person: Unless they are in immediate danger
• While waiting for professional help, try to comfort and reassure the injured person.

Question 29

What are the Individual Responsibilities for health and safety as defined in RICS Surveying Safely?

Answer 29

Be compentent to ensure you carry out your work safely, be adpatable and viligent, be aware of own limitations and be an effecgtive member of the team.

• Perform their work safely (competency)
• Able and prepared to work within systems of work.
• Adaptable
• Vigilant – of safety of theirs and others.
• Awareness – aware of own abilities and limitations.
• Teamwork – effective member of the team.

Question 30

What are the Organisational Responsibilities for health and safety as defined in RICS Surveying Safely?

Answer 30

Provide training, provide information on risks and controls, provide suitable equipment, provide safe sysmes of work and provide PPE.

• Selection – everyone having/capable of developing hob skills and competent.
• Training
• Information – providing info to staff on risks and control workplace measures.
• Equipment – suitable for purpose
• Safe Systems of Work – to ensure work activities undertaken safely.
• Receive clear instructions.
• Supervision and expert support where necessary
• PPE to be provided.

Question 31

Who is responsible for CDM?

Answer 31

Clients, Domestic Client, Designers, Principal Designer, Principal Contractors, Contractor, Workers.

Question 32

What is RICS Safe Person concept?

Answer 32

Defined in the Surveying Safely Professional Standard

RICS considers the concept of a ‘safe person’ to mean that each individual assumes individual behavioural responsibility for their own, their colleagues’ and others’ health and safety while at work.

Understand owns limitations and compentency
Adhere to accepted system of work
Be an effective team member
Recognise & adpat to challenging circumstances
Remain viligent at times
Awarness of competency of others.

Question 33

What are the key legislation for H&S in your industry?

Answer 33

A prominent piece of legislation related to workplace safety is:

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
(describes the general duties that employers have towards their employees and to members of the public in the UK).

Though, more specifically for construction, is the:

Building Safety Act 2022
(The objectives of the Act are to learn the lessons from the Grenfell Tower fire and to remedy the systemic issues identified by Dame Judith Hackitt by strengthening the whole regulatory system for building safety. This will be achieved by ensuring there is greater accountability and responsibility for fire and structural safety issues throughout the lifecycle of buildings in scope of the new regulatory regime for building safety.)
- The Act will create a clear, proportionate framework for the design, construction and management of safer buildings in England in the years to come

Construction Design and Management Regulations 2015
The main set of regulations for managing the health, safety and welfare of construction projects. QS is a Designer.