Health & Safety Flashcards
What are the main RICS documents for H&S?
The RICS Professional Standard ‘Surveying Safely (2018) – effective Feb 2019
What does surveying safely say?
The guidance note sets out:
- Good practice for the management of H&S for RICS firms and members
- Personal responsibilities
- Assessing hazards and risks
- Workplace H&S
- Occupational health and hygiene
- Visiting premises and sites
- Fire safety
- Introduced “safe person” concept where each individual takes responsibility for their own and others’ H&S while at work
What must an RICS firm provide to its employees?
- Safe working environment
- Safe work equipment
- Safe systems of work
- Competent staff
- Requirement for up-to-date personal and corporate responsibilities for property professionals
- Advice on health, well-being and mental health
- Legal duties for employers and employees to include advice on asbestos
- How to address fire safety
- Audit template is provided
How can you be safe as a surveyor when on site or in the office?
- Carry out risk assessment to identify potential risks and mitigate the likelihood of injury occurring
- Input location and time in diary and let others know
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) if required
o High visibility jacket, protective footwear, hard hat, protective googles, gloves and ear defenders - Sign in and out of buildings and receive site induction
- Consider whether it is safe to inspect alone and adhere to lone working arrangements
- Check dated tag if going on scaffolding
- If going up ladder wear non slip shoes
What was the case that highlighted the issues of lone working?
Estate agent Suzy Lamplugh that had an appointment to someone around and she has still not be found
What do you do if you turn up and say that you do not feel comfortable?
You call up the office manager and have a key word: say please tell Mr Green that I will be late to my appointment
What health and safety measures help mitigate accidents from occurring?
I ensure that all viewings are during daylight hours as power lighting is limited and that the onsite team know how many people are visiting the site and at what time
What is the main legislation for H&S?
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
Who polices the H&S at Work Act 1974?
H&S Executive as a criminal offence – with fines and/or imprisonment
Tell me about the H&S at Work Act 1974?
- Duty to every employer to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees
- Must report all injuries (1995 Regulations)
- Must undertake, record and regularly review a risk assessment (1999 Regulations)
- Detailed H&S info is held onsite, usually in the operations and maintenance manual
What is a hazard?
Anything that has the potential to cause harm (e.g. wet floor)
What is a risk?
The probability/likelihood that someone will be harmed (e.g. the risk of falling over on the wet floor)
Tell me about the PPE at Work Regulations 2022
- Extends the employers’ duty to ensure provision of appropriate PPE for employees and contractors, to include even those in casual employment
- Includes cleaning staff, security and construction workers
Talk me through your desktop risk assessment?
I reviewed the processes of undertaking a desktop risk assessment in the RICS Guidance Note ‘Surveying Safely’. The process of doing a risk assessment is:
- Identify hazard
- Identify people at risk
- Evaluate risk
- Record findings
- Review the risk assessment regularly
- Advise those affected of the outcome of risk assessment and precautions to minimise/eliminate risk
On a practical basis I would:
- Do basic research on the type of property you are inspecting
o Go on google maps an identify anything that could be of a risk
o Look at the building survey
o Look at the plans to see where the fire exits might be
- Check with the people on site to see if there’s any health and safety requirements – there might be PPE required
Are risk assessments a legal requirement?
It is a legal requirement for a business with more than 5 staff
