Health & Safety

Question 1

What are the CDM 2015 Regulations?

Answer 1

The Construction Design & Management Regulations are intended to ensure that health and safety issues are properly considered during a projects development so that the risk of harm to those who have to build, maintain and use structures is reduced.

Question 2

What do the CDM Regulations apply to?

Answer 2

To all building and construction work.

Question 3

Are domestic clients required to carry out their duties?

Answer 3

Generally not, as these are passed on to the other duty holders such as the contractor in charge of the works.

Question 4

Provide some examples of Principal Designer duties under CDM 2015.

Answer 4

1 - Plan, manage, monitor and co-ordinate health & safety during pre-construction stage.
2 - Identify, eliminate or control foreseeable risks.
3 - Ensure client and designers are aware of their duties, and advise the client on bringing together the Pre-Construction Information (PCI).
4 - Provide relevant information to other duty holders.
5 - Liaise with the Principal Contractor in the planning management, monitoring, and co-ordination of the construction phase.

Question 5

Provide some examples of Client duties under CDM 2015.

Answer 5

1 - Appoint competent duty holders.
2 - Allow sufficient time and resources.
3 - Prepare and provide relevant information to duty holders.
4 - Ensure that the Principal Designer and Contractor carry out their duties.
5 - Ensure welfare facilities.

Question 6

What are the key implications of the CDM 2015 Regulations?

Answer 6

1 - There is more focus on clients to put in place arrangements to ensure health & safety.
2 - Clients can no longer assign their legal responsibilities to agents.
3 - There must be a declaration of how long contractors will be given to plan and prepare for construction work.
4 - Clients are deemed to assume the role of the Principal Contractor for any period during which appointments are not made.

Question 7

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

Answer 7

1 - A Project Description
2 - Clients Requirements for Site Security & Management
3 - Environmental Restrictions and existing on-site risks, such as site restrictions, previous H&S files, ground conditions, existing services, asbestos surveys, contamination, and unsafe structures.
4 - Significant design and construction hazards, such as design risk assessments, suggested method statements, arrangement for co-ordination post contract design work and changes.
5 - Health & Safety File requirements.

Question 8

What would you find in the Construction Phase Plan?

Answer 8

1 - A Project Description
2 - Processes for management of the works, including site inductions, training, communication, welfare facilities, design co-ordination, site rules and emergency procedures.
3 - Arrangements for controlling significant site risks, such as handling of deliveries working at height, deep excavations, preventing falls, site segregation, maintenance of plant & equipment, removal of asbestos, reducing noise and vibrations, and manual handling.

Question 9

What would you find in a Health & Safety File?

Answer 9

H&S information that is useful for planning of future works or maintenance.
1 - A brief description of the work carried out.
2 - Any residual hazards and how they have been dealt with, for example surveys or other information concerning asbestos , contaminated land, water bearing strata and buried services.
3 - Key structural principles
4 - Hazardous materials used, for example lead paint, pesticides, special coatings which should not be burnt off.
5 - The nature and location of significant services, including underground cables, gas supply equipment and fire fighting services.

Question 10

What is an F10 Form?

Answer 10

A form to notify the HSE of a project. It should contain:
1 - Address of construction site
2 - Name of the Local Authority
3 - Brief description of the project and the construction work it entails.
4 - Contact details for the Principal Contractor.
5 - Indication of the time allowed by the Client for the PC to plan and prepare the construction work.
6 - A planned date for the start of the work, duration of construction phase, and number of people at work on site at any one time.

Question 11

What does RIDDOR stand for?

Answer 11

Reporting of Injuries, Diseases & Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013.
It requires the Responsible Person to notify any death, reportable injury, disease, or dangerous occurrence to the HSE.
The Responsible Person is the Employer or, for the self-employed, the contractor or Principal Contractor.

Question 12

What incidents are reportable?

Answer 12

1 - Death and major injuries such as loss of consciousness or loss of a limb.
2 - Occupational diseases.
3 - Dangerous occurrences, for example, explosions, hazardous substances structural collapse, or collision etc.
4 - Gas incidents.

Question 13

What does COSHH stand for?

Answer 13

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health.
The regulations aim to avoid exposure to hazardous substances, or if not possible, to control exposure by measures that are proportionate to the health risk.

Question 14

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

Answer 14

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

Question 15

Who do you inform that you are going on site?

Answer 15

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

Question 16

What does PPE stand for?

Answer 16

Personal Protective Equipment.

Question 17

What PPE would you wear when visiting a site?

Answer 17

1 - Hard hat
2 - Boots
3 - Eye protection
4 - Gloves
5 - Hi-vis Vest
6 - Ear defenders (if required)
7 - Face mask (if required)

Question 18

Have you passed the CSCS test, how did it benefit you?

Answer 18

Yes. It made me aware of the general H&S issues to consider when attending construction sites.

Question 19

What does CSCS stand for?

Answer 19

Construction Skills Certification Scheme

Question 20

On the project described in your case study, what measures did you or your company take to ensure good standards of health and safety when either undertaking your work or delivering the project?

Answer 20

1 - Preparing work risk assessments.
2 - Wearing PPE on site.
3 - Adhering to contractor site rules.
4 - Attending site inductions.
5 - Ensuring health & safety was discussed at meetings.
6 - Reporting visible risks, for example traffic management issues.

Question 21

What is a risk assessment?

Answer 21

It is a process of identifying any hazards which may be present, and assessing the likely risk of those hazards occurring. Measured are then applied to minimise that risk.

Question 22

What are the 5 steps to risk assessment?

Answer 22

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

Question 23

What is the role of the HSE?

Answer 23

1 - To prevent work related death, injury and ill-health.
2 - Provide support to the public and businesses with guidance, statistics and research.

Question 24

What are the powers of the HSE?

Answer 24

1 - Inspectors can visit site without notice, talk to workers, take pictures and samples.
2 - Issue written or verbal information or advice
3 - Most inspections are planned to encourage good health and safety practices.
4 - Some inspections are to respond to a complaint, or to follow up an investigation.
5 - To impose sanctions, including stop and improvement orders.

Question 25

What is your company’s Health & Safety Policy?

Answer 25

1 - Prevent work-related injuries or illnesses.
2 - Prevent damage to property and or equipment from our activities.
3 - Prevent adverse impacts to the environment from our ongoing projects or operations.

Question 26

What is the RICS Surveying Safely Publication?

Answer 26

The RICS guidance on personal safety at work.
1 - General Statement. Employers / employees have a duty of care under the law of tort towards those who may be affected by their actions.
2 - Safety of Employees. Actions that must be taken by employers.
3 - Workplace. Fire and first aid provisions.
4 - Hazards and risk assessment requirements.
5 - Visiting sites. PPE, lone working, access provisions.
6 - During Site Visits. Key hazards assessments including structures, roofs and contamination.
7 - Safety of you and others. Everyone is to take responsibility of their own health and safety.
8 - Legal Duties. Criminal liability and CDM guidance.

Question 27

What other guidance is available?

Answer 27

1 - The HSE has published a similar guide ‘Health & Safety in Great Britain’, but it is more generic and not focused on construction.
2 - HSE - 5 steps to risk assessments
3 - Managing Health & Safety in Construction (ACoP)

Question 28

The construction industry is notorious for accidents and death on site and death; what measures are there to prevent this occurring?

Answer 28

1 - Eliminate the risk of accidents occurring at the source.
2 - Planning and programming of work.
3 - Allowing sufficient time for work tasks.
4 - Carrying out RAMS and educating workers.
5 - Training inductions and CSCS qualifications
6 - Ensuring safe working sites and access and egress points.

Question 29

Which accident kills the most people on construction sites?

Answer 29

Falling from height.

Question 30

What is the Considerate Contractor Scheme?

Answer 30

1 - Set up in 1997 and responsible for improving the image of constructions.
2 - It monitors all registered sites and ensures best practices are carried out, in particular on items such as engaging with local communities and cleanliness.

Question 31

What is the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974?

Answer 31

1 - The primary piece of umbrella legislation governing health and safety in the UK.
2 - It places a statutory duty on all employers to provide and maintain equipment and systems or works that are safe and without risk to the health and safety of employees, or other who may be affected by their undertaking.
3 - All other H&S regulation, such as CDM, RIDDOR, COSHH, Management of H&S at Work Regs, etc.