Health & Safety Flashcards
What is included within your firms H&S policy?
- Health and Safety Training (Asbestos Awareness Training).
- Accident Reporting
- Fire and Emergency Procedures
- Personal Protective Equipment
- Lone Working
- Managing Stress in the Workplace
What is Lone Working?
The risks of working alone - outlined under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations.
Issues for consideration include.
- The remoteness or isolation of workplaces.
- Condition of workplace.
- The possibility of interference, including violence or criminal activity from other persons.
- The nature of injury or damage to health and the anticipated “worst case” scenario.
- Emergency Procedures.
What is the purpose of the RICS Surveying Safely Professional Standard - What have you taken from this?
This professional standard sets out a good practice and principles for the management of health and safety for RICS-regulated firms and RICS members.
* Risk management
* Fire safety
* Lone working
* Asbestos
* Legal Responsibilities
Are you aware of any updates to RICS Surveying safely?
The Guidance note was recently updated to a professional standard. (February 2024)
– The 2nd edition replaced the 1st edition in 2018.
– Introduced the ‘safe person concept’ to ensure individuals take responsibility for their own and others health and safety while at work.
– There is also a greater focus on the competence of individuals.
What is the maximum height a residential surveyor is expected to access using a ladder?
No more than 3 metres above floor level.
Are you aware of any H&S guidance on working from height?
The Works at Height Regulations 2005.
Working at height includes:
– Working on a ladder.
– Fragile surfaces (flat roof)
– Falls into open ground (excavations)
How do you comply with the ‘Works at Height Regulations 2005’?
I ensure works are properly planned by taking into consideration:
– The weather conditions.
– The height of the task: if more than 3m cannot be accessed via a ladder.
– The duration: Short-duration /low-risk tasks if less than 30min
– Condition of the surface being walked on: Flat roofs or suspended timber floors.
What are the most common causes of accidents when working at height?
Roof works – falling through fragile surfaces and roof lights is the most common cause of workplace death or injury.
Are you aware of any changes to H&S regulations?
Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 2022
The amendment introduced the regulations to a wider group of works defined as Limb A-Limb B workers.
– Limb A – All employees under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
– Limb B – Workers that carry out casual or irregular work for one or more organisations.
Building Safety Act 2022
All new higher-risk buildings must be registered with the Building Safety Regulator.
All responsible persons must record their fire safety arrangements to demonstrate how fire safety is managed in the premises.
What’s the purpose of a risk assessment & method statement?
Risk assessment: Identifying the risk /analyses of risk with a rating.
Method Statement: How the works will be carried out safely in accordance with the known risks.
Different types of risk assessment?
General Risk Assessment:
General H&S risks which employees could be exposed to in the workplace /construction sites.
Site Specific Risk Assessment:
Identifying specific hazards relating to the works such as: working from height, hazardous substances and manual handling.
Dynamic Risk Assessment:
Re-evaluate the work /working environment which may have changed when attending site.
- Is it still safe?
- Are control measures in place?
- If not, retire to a place of safety and reconsider how to continue safely.
What does the term “so far as is reasonably practicable” mean?
That the degree of risk can be balanced against time and cost of taking measures to avoid the risk.
What measures do you take to ensure your own health and safety on inspection?
– Desktop survey to assess any site risks /limitations (overhead cables or access).
– Full details name /number of the person I am meeting.
– Make sure my calendar is updated with where I am at what time and date and who I am meeting.
– I take the necessary Personal Protective Equipment with me.
What considerations do you need to make before inspecting a property in poor repair?
– Consider whether the building is safe to enter.
– If I have the correct PPE.
What act governs Health & Safety?
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
What does the ‘Health and Safety at Work Act 1974’ cover?
– Duty to all employees to ensure the H&S and welfare at work of all employees.
– Reporting of injuries and dangerous occurrences
– Review of risk assessments (The Management of H&S at Work Regulations 1999).
– Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 requires employers to provide appropriate PPE for their employees.
– Policed by the H&S Executive as a criminal offence with fines and or imprisonment.
What is a risk assessment?
Legal requirement for organisations if they employ more than 5 staff to carry out and document H&S risk assessments of all their significant hazards.
What are the five steps to a risk assessment?
– Identify the hazard present
– Identify the people at risk form the hazards
– Evaluate the risk; take into account the likelihood and severity of any accidents.
– Existing controls in place should be identified and evaluated.
– Record findings on a suitable form
– Review the risk assessment regularly.
What is a hazard?
Anything that could cause harm (such as a wet floor).
What is a risk?
The probability that someone will be harmed (falling over on the wet floor).
Tell me about Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995?
– Injuries must be reported to HSE within 15 days from the date of the accident.
– All employers must keep a record of all injuries over 3 days.
– Accident book must be kept for a minimum of 3 years.
What does RIDDOR require reporting of?
Work related accidents causing:
* Death
* Serious injuries
* Diagnosed injuries
What are the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2015?
The aim is to improve the overall management and co-ordination of H&S at all stages of a construction project.
You are inspecting an industrial property and see a blue sign, what does this mean?
This represents a mandatory action such as eye protection MUST be worn.
You are inspecting an industrial property and see a red sign, what does this mean?
This prohibits actions and also denotes emergency equipment such as a fire extinguisher.
You are inspecting an industrial property and see a green sign, what does this mean?
Safe conditions such as safe areas, emergency exits.
You are inspecting an industrial property and see a yellow sign, what does this mean?
Warns against hazards such as slippery surfaces
What is your firms lone working policy?
– The addresses and names and numbers of site visits is to be recorded.
– A call to the office once the inspection is complete is also required.
How do you ensure your personal safety?
– Take a fully charged mobile phone on inspections
– Take appropriate PPE
– Call back system to the office
– Calendar made available to view by colleagues
What do you do when you arrive on site?
– Check in with the contact person
– Explain my method of work
– Read the occupiers safety induction sheet
– Put on PPE needed
– Read instructions about exits, alarms and safe areas.
What do you do whilst inspecting?
– Work safely
– Obey all instructions
– Do not interrupt safe working of others
– Wear ID and PPE at all times
– Avoid dangerous situations or shortcuts
– Do not enter prohibited areas
– Do not use prohibited devices.
What would you do if an accident occurred on site?
– Stop working immediately.
– Call the emergency services if required.
– On return to office report it to my line manager.
– Fill out incident report form.
– Update lone worker spreadsheet (if working alone).
What is a method of work statement?
– A proposal of how any work is carried out:
– Inspection method
– Access requirements
– Survey equipment to be carried on site.
– PPE I intend to wear.
What is the HSE Guidance document on CDM called?
L153: Managing H&S in Construction
What is the key aim of the Construction Design and Management Regulations 2015?
To govern the H&S of projects in the UK.
CDM integrates health and safety into the management of construction works and encourage everyone involved to work together.
It places legal duties on everyone involved in the project from design, through to construction and beyond.
Who are the Duty holders of CDM?
– Client
– Designer
– Principal Designer
– Contractor
– Principal Contractor
– Workers
What experience have you had under CDM regulations?
I have undertaken Principal Designer duties for multiple residential refurbishment schemes to provide supported living accommodation.
This included:
- Requesting information from the contractor prior to works commencement CPP.
- Preparing risk assessments.
What are the General Principles of Prevention?
The general principles of prevention is a term used in the CDM Regulations to describe a systematic way of dealing with potential health and safety risks.
This is also known as Hierarchy of Controls in the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
Provides a framework to identify and implement measures to eliminate or control risks.
What are the 9 Principles of Prevention?
These are listed in Appendix A of L153 ‘Managing H&S in construction’
- Avoid risks.
- Evaluate risks that cannot be avoided.
- Putting control measures in place.
- Adapt the work to the individual, especially regarding the design of workplaces.
- Adapt to technical progress.
- Replace the dangerous by the non-dangerous or the less dangerous.
- Develop a coherent overall prevention policy which covers technology, organisation of work, working conditions, social relationships and the influence factors to the working environment.
- Give collective protective measures priority over individual protective measures.
- Give appropriate instructions to employees.
What are the Clients duties under CDM?
Make suitable arrangements for managing the project:
- Appoint duty holders.
- Allow sufficient time and resources are allocated.
- Prepare and provide relevant information to other duty holders (PCI).
- Ensure PD and PC carry out their duties.
- Welfare facilities are provided.
Who is deemed a client under CDM?
A client is anyone who has construction work carried out for them.
- Commercial clients – provide pre-construction information to designers and contractors.
- Domestic client (own home) - client duties are transferred to the contractor unless written agreement for PD to take on client duties.
What are the Designers duties under CDM?
When preparing or modifying designs to eliminate, reduce or control foreseeable risks.
- Provide information to other members of the project team to help fulfil their duties.
What are the Principal Designers duties under CDM?
Plan, manage and monitor the pre-construction phase of a project. This includes:
- Identifying, eliminating or controlling foreseeable risks.
- Prepare and provide relevant information to the principal contractor to help them plan, manage and coordinate H&S in the construction phase.
What is the Principle Contractors role under CDM?
Plan, manage, monitor, and coordinate construction phase.
- Liaise with client and principal designer.
- Prepare CPP.
- Suitable site inductions are provided.
- Reasonable steps are taken to prevent unauthorised access.
- Welfare facilities are provided.
Contractor – anyone who engages construction workers or manages construction.
What are the workers duties under CDM?
The people who work under the control of contractors on a construction site.
- Be consulted about matters that affect their H&S
- Report anything, they see that may endanger either their own or other H&S
- Cooperate with their employer contractors and other duty holders.
What is Pre-Construction Information?
This can include the location of services, asbestos, site risk assessments etc.
Client must provide soon as possible.
Principal Designer to assist client to gather information.
When does CDM Regulations apply?
To all construction works.
When are construction projects notifiable?
Works last longer than 30 working days and has more than 20 workers working at the same time or Exceeds more than 500 working days.
What is a CPP
A construction phase plan is a collection of documents that need to be kept up to date;
How we are going to plan /manage the works with risk assessments, welfare provisions, access arrangements etc.
Contractor must provide CPP for every construction project.
Who’s responsibility under CDM is it to provide Risk Assessments & Method Statement (RAMS)
PD is responsible for identifying, eliminating or controlling foreseeable risks.
Contractor to provide sequence of how works are to be done and how the risks are to be managed.
Principal Designer can issue a PQQ (pre-qualifying questionnaire) to challenge the contractors if they have the correct qualifications etc.
What is a H&S file?
A series of documents to ensure the Health and Safety of any person carrying out future construction or maintenance works.
This includes the risks and how to maintain the building with the provision of as built drawings.
This is often prepared in the pre-construction phase and updated throughout the project with the information provided by the contractor.
Principal Designer to prepare the H&S file and deliver this at the end of the project.
If the PD has no more involvement in the project at the end the PD can pass their responsibility over to the PC to issue the H&S file at the end.
H&S file is required for all projects where more than 1 contractor or a PD is appointed.
What was the purpose of your inspection at Worden Hall?
I was appointed by the local authority who was planning to renovate the building. To ensure all defects were included within their planned works they required a condition survey to identify defects.
I provided a photo of each defect alongside recommended remedial works, budget costs and a rating system.
Each defect was given a RAG rating (Red, Amber, Green) for each defect identified:
– Red - Immediate work necessary to secure the building and prevent structural deterioration (rotten timber windows and failure of lath and plaster ceilings).
– Amber - General repair work to secure long-term future of the building (clearance of gutters to prevent dampness).
– Green - Refurbishment works to improve the appearance (e.g. decoration).
What H&S information did the client provide at Worden Hall?
The building was owned by the Local Authority who had appointed an architect to manage a project.
With this being part of the planned construction works the architect had produced Pre-Construction Information on behalf of the client to ensure anyone working on site is aware of the H&S elements.
I reviewed the PCI and identified below ground culverts, cellars and rainwater tanks to certain areas of the building. This restricted the safe use of a MEWP so I suggested inspection via a pole mounted camera.
What else did you review /identify in the PCI at Worden Hall?
Asbestos R&D report – ACM’s to the boiler room.
Presence of bats within the clock tower – the inspection was in January. I considered this to be within the hibernation period (between November and February – colder months) and did not inspect the clock tower.
What are limited loading areas and why did this prevent the use of a MEWP?
The platform for the MEWP to be sited should be on firm and level ground.
The underground tanks were housed within covers that could not be possible to determine if they were strong enough to withstand the applied pressure.
Ground features such as trenches, manholes and rainwater tanks can all lead to overturning of the MEWP.
Were there any H&S risks using a telescopic pole camera?
I consider if there were any overhead cables present.
I considered the height required and the weather on the day of inspection (windy).
What were the limitations to a pole camera?
– The telescopic pole camera is 10m which accessed all roof areas in full detail excluding the clocktower.
– This being said, the clock tower roof was visible from the 10m point in sufficient detail for the survey.
What other H&S considerations did you take when undertaking the inspection at Worden Hall?
- Lone working
- Overhead power cables – pole camera.
- Moving vehicles to the rear public car park (hi-vis required.)
What H&S risks are you aware of relating to rainwater tanks?
Contamination of collected rainwater with disease caused from birds and other animals, poses the biggest risk to health.
For example, rainwater collected from the roof that could be contaminated.
What is a Below ground culvert?
A culvert is a closed conduit or tunnel used to convey water from one area to another, normally from one side of a road to the other side.
When is an F10 required?
The F10 notification must be submitted to the Health & Safety Executive for any construction project in the UK that is expected to last longer than:
– 30 working days and have more than 20 workers working simultaneously.
– Exceed 500 person days.
What’s the purpose of an F10 notification?
The F10 notification (Notification of Construction Work) is a requirement under the CDM Regulations 2015.
The purpose is to regulate H&S on construction sites to ensure that proper plans and arrangements are put in place before works commence.
What details are required for an F10 form?
– Site address.
– Brief description of the works.
– Planned construction start and end dates.
– Maximum number of people working on the site.
– Contact details for client, principal designer and principle contractor.
