Inspection

Question 1

What should you consider prior to an inspection?

Answer 1

Reason for inspection
Are you competent to inspect
Do you have appropriate PII cover
Have you undertaken a risk assessment
Access arrangements
What equipment will you need to inspect
Terms of engagement
Other RICS Standards and guidance

Question 2

Why is PPE worn?

Answer 2

To minimize exposure of an individual to hazards.

Question 3

What is radon gas?

Answer 3

A naturally occurring gas which is colourless and odourless. It is radioactive and cancer-inducing. It can only be detected using specialist equipment. Properties in high radon areas require additional underfloor ventilation. High incidence areas include Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Derbyshire, Northamptonshire and Aberdeenshire.

Question 4

What are deleterious materials?

Answer 4

Materials which break down causing properties to experience problems. Some examples include composite panels, high alumina cement (HAC) and cavity wall ties.

Question 5

During an inspection of an industrial unit what additional information will you need to record?

Answer 5

Eaves height
Yard area
Site density
Power supply
Drainage
Loading access to the unit
Heating
Ventilation
Lighting
Mezzanine

Question 6

During an inspection of an retail unit what additional information will you need to record?

Answer 6

Location
Car parking
Frontage
Uppers floors

Question 7

What should you do if you spot a defect?

Answer 7

Take photographs of the potential problem
Ideally place something next to the defect so that the photo has some scale
Make notes about what you see

Question 8

What are the signs of dry rot?

Answer 8

Smell of mushrooms
White fungal growth with yellow and lilac colouration
Deep cracking in timbers

Question 9

What are signs of wet rot?

Answer 9

Distortion, softness, discolouration and cracking of timber
Loss of timber strength
Sometimes fungal growth is visible
Damp, musty smell

Question 10

What are the signs of damp?

Answer 10

Musty smell
Mould or mildew on the walls
Staining/ discolouration to walls
Fragmenting blistering paintwork
Signs of salts coming from plaster walls
External mortar failings/crumbling

Question 11

What are the three kinds of damp?

Answer 11

Rising damp
Penetrating damp
Condensation

Question 12

What is the cause(s) and signs of rising damp?

Answer 12

Cause - groundwater being drawn upwards through a building’s masonry/mortar by capillary action
Signs - wet patches on walls causing paint to peel, damage to skirting boards and plasterwork, damp floor coverings, white powdery salts left on the wall, yellow/brown staining on the wall

Question 13

What are cause(s) and signs of penetrating damp?

Answer 13

Causes - lateral penetrating damp caused when external ground abutting an external wall is above the internal floor level / building defects
Signs - musty smell & mould growth, damaged plaster and internal decoration, rotting floor timbers and skirting boards, patches of damp that don’t dry out

Question 14

What are cause(s) and signs of condensation?

Answer 14

Cause - high levels of humidity are trapped within a building because of poor ventilation
Signs - musty smell, blistering paint or peeling wallpaper, black mould around windows, skirting boards and walls/ceilings

Question 15

What are the signs of Japenese Knotweed?

Answer 15

• Zig-zag growth pattern which appears green but red spotting lower down
• Creamy white flowers appear in late summer
• Green heart shaped leaves with pointed ends
• Red shoots from the ground when first growing

Question 16

What are some common defects that can be found in a building?

Answer 16

Rot, damp, movement, subsidence, decay & infestation

Question 17

What edition is the Surveying Safely guidance note on and when was it published?

Answer 17

2nd edition, November 2018

Question 18

What is the difference between prescriptive systems and self-regulatory systems?

Answer 18

Prescriptive systems set precise requirements that need to be followed in order to comply with health and safety law; self-regulatory system set general requirements, leaving the details and practicalities of achieving compliance to each RICS-regulated firm and RICS member

Question 19

What should an RICS Member/firm do if they are unsure of their legal obligations?

Answer 19

Seek advice from a competent person with knowledge of local health and safety law before proceeding.

Question 20

What is the purpose of health and safety?

Answer 20

Minimise the risk of harm

Question 21

How can RICS firms ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of staff at work?

Answer 21

Provide, monitor and maintain:
- a safe working environment
- safe work equipment
- safe systems of work
- competent staff

Question 22

What is the objective of the ‘safe person’

Answer 22

Ensure that
- individuals who work in all environments, including those presenting potentially higher risks, are safe and remain healthy at all times
- individuals concerned accept the prime responsibility for their own wellbeing

Question 23

What is competence?

Answer 23

Sufficient knowledge, experience and ability to carry out duties in relation to specific tasks, the risks that those tasks entail, recognising one’s limitations and taking appropriate action in order to prevent harm to those carrying out the tasks or those who may be affected.

Question 24

What is a risk assessment?

Answer 24

Carefully examining what in your work could cause harm to people, so that you can judge whether or not you have taken precautions to prevent harm

Question 25

What is a hazard?

Answer 25

Something with the potential to cause harm to someone.

Question 26

What is a risk?

Answer 26

Likelihood of the harm of a hazard being realised.

Question 27

How should you undertake a risk assessment?

Answer 27

Identify the hazards
Decide who might be harmed and how
Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions
Record the findings and implement them
Review the assessment and update if necessary
Advise all those affected of the outcome of the assessment and methods of work, or other control measures necessary, to minimise or eliminate the risk

Question 28

What is the hierarchy of risk control?

Answer 28

Elimination - hazard removed
Substitution - replace proposed work process with a less hazardous one
Engineering controls - e.g., use work equipment to prevent falls when you cannot avoid working from height
Administrative controls - e.g., reducing the need for lone working or ensuring work is completed in daylight
PPE

Question 29

What is a dynamic risk assessment?

Answer 29

Continuous re-evaluation of work whilst risks arise. Likely to occur in high-risk environments. E.g., is the activity still safe to continue? It does not need to be written down but a log of what was done and why needs to be recorded after completing the work activity.

Question 30

How can you measure risk?

Answer 30

Quantitatively or qualitatively or both. There is no fixed rules to carry out a risk assessment but it is important that the method chosen is straightforward and the important significant information is recorded.
An example can be measuring the severity of outcome and likelihood of occurrence on a scale of low-high against a matrix to assess which hazards have the highest risk.

Question 31

What is the aim of a risk assessment?

Answer 31

To identify whether you are doing things in the most appropriate manner. The results will inform what changes you need to make.

Question 32

What are the main considerations regarding an inspection of a 1960s concrete framed office building from a health and safety perspective.

Answer 32

Through carrying out a risk assessment I would identify the potential hazards and calculate how to mitigate the risks presented by the hazards.
I would consider whether I am competent to undertake the inspection.
I would consider the condition including whether there are hazardous materials, asbestos and past uses of the property and whether there is a potential need for PPE.
I would identify the potential risks of meeting an unknown client at the property and consider our companies lone working protocol where we have a ‘buddy’ system.

Question 33

What potential defects or hazards might it be possible to encounter on an inspection of a vacant 1960s concrete framed office building?

Answer 33

Hazards:
Asbestos
Old or failed building services
Defects:
High Alumina Cement (HAC) given age
Infestations given it is vacant
Damp penetration

Question 34

You learn that the developer of a vacant 1960s concrete framed office building has been undertaking invasive testing at a property you are inspecting, how does this information change your risk assessment of your inspection?

Answer 34

Identify potential additional safety concerns
Identify potential defects or hazards
Invasive testing should trigger the question - is it safe for me to inspect, if so what additional PPE or accompaniment is need

Question 35

You learn that the developer of a vacant 1960s concrete framed office building has been undertaking invasive testing at a property you are inspecting, what do you imagine the developer was testing for?

Answer 35

HAC or asbestos given the age of the property

Question 36

List some of the points covered by the checklist of matters to consider under the RICS Guidance Note - Surveying Safely

Answer 36

Travelling to and from site
Lone working
Condition of property
Occupation
Activity
Site rules and welfare
Roofs
High structures
Dangerous substances
Diseases
Special access
Special risks
Access equipment
Other equipment (PPE)
Environmental matters
Personal matters