July 2018 unit a exam Flashcards
(1) July 2018 Implementing a H&S Management system - Outline the role of the H&S policy in relation to H&S management (4)
Written statement / objectives, demonstrate commitment to H&S. Notice of the employees. How and who will achieve the objectives set out in the policy. stay compliant with HSWA 1974 SECTION 2(3)
Implementing a H&S Management system - Outline the benefits of an integrated H&S environmental & quality management system. (6)
A well planned IMS is likely to operate more cost effectively then separate systems, and facilitate decision-making that best reflects the overall needs of the organisation.
An IMS offers the prospect of more rewarding career opportunities for specialist in each discipline.
The objectives and processes of management systems are essentially the same
Avoidance of duplication - in person meetings, records, software, audits
reduce the possibility of fixing one problem for discipline but creating another for the other discipline. I.e environmentally friendly to go paperless but the technology is the other discipline is not available.
Positive culture from one discipline could flow over to the other.
(2) Outline the legal criteria that must be satisfied to obtain a
conviction under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate
Homicide Act 2007 (CMCHA). (6)
duty of care was owed to the diseased, and there was a Gross breach of duty
incident did happen due to the negligence of the organisation
the failure was due to a breach in which senior management were involved
the defendant is a qualifying organisation
the substantial breach was in the way those activities were managed or organised by senior management
Identify the bodies responsible for investigating and prosecuting
offences under the CMCHA. (2)
Police and magistrates court
Outline the penalties that may be imposed following conviction
under the CMCHA. (2)
unlimited fine
Remedial order - put right what was wrong that led to the accident
Public order - publicise in a specific way the details of the conviction
3 A vehicle driven by an employee of a delivery organisation was in a
collision with another vehicle driven by a member of the public. The
member of the public was injured but the driver of the delivery vehicle
was unharmed.
(a) Explain why the delivery organisation may have civil liability at
common law for the injury. (2)
They had a duty of care to the claimant as it was there employee, this is called a vicarious liability. one reason is due to the employer having insurance for the claimant to see, as the employee wouldn’t have the financial means.
(b) Outline the legal action available to the injured party in a claim
for compensation and the tests that would have to be satisfied for
the action to succeed. Use case law to support your answer. (8)
smith v Crossley bros ltd - joke of 2 men killed another man
Balance of probabilities
duty was owed to the claimant
duty was breached and the breach led to the injury
the type of damage would be reasonably foreseeable from the negligence
no point sewing the driver as they wouldn’t have the financial means
4 Health and safety performance objectives are being reviewed at an annual senior management meeting.
Outline what should be considered when setting health and safety
performance objectives. (10)
Achievement of specific objectives
external standards and legislation
expectation of stakeholders
organisation arrangements including any changes
internal performance - incident / audit, ill-health
Smart goals - specific - the goal is concrete and tangible everyone know what it looks like , measurable - the goal has an objective measure of success that everyone understands, achievable - with the resources available , relevant meaningful contributions to larger objectives like over all mission. Time bound - has a deadline or a timeline of progress milestones
Question 5 A permit-to-work system has been introduced at a factory that operates continuously over three shifts.
An audit takes place a year later. The audit shows many permits-to-work have not been completed correctly or have not been signed back.
Outline possible reasons why the permit-to-work system is not being followed. (10)
1 - There may not be adequate time to complete the forms correctly due to shift change overs and meeting deadlines
2 - Staff may not be adequately trained on how to complete the permit correctly.
3. The method of completing the permit to work may be over complicated and to much work to complete it.
4. The supervisor of the permit to work may not be conveying the correcting information to the workforce or changing it to suit them and not working collectively.
5. The supervisor may also not be monitoring the permits to work to ensure they are completed to correct due to other pressures.
6. Workers may feel its a waste of time filling out the permit to work for low risk jobs
7. The controls are not able to be put in place before the permit to work can be completed. i.e isolation of a machine or equipment.
8. due to the shift pattens when i permit is opened it is often forgotten to close it before the end of there shift.
9. Due to a poor health and safety culture that comes down from the managers / directors the permits to work system are not seen as a priority from the work force.
10. The permit to work is not being communicated to the new shift works that are coming on duty.
Question 6 Outline organisational factors that may act as barriers to the improvement of the health and safety culture of an organisation. (10)
- lack of leadership buy in
- poor communication between departments
- under reporting and miss reporting
- lack of employee engagement
- negative feedback from employees being ignored
- high accident rates
- double standards
- cost cutting profit prioritization
- lack of training
- lack of qualified supervisor
Question 7 (a) Give the meaning of:
(i) qualitative risk assessment; (3)
Qualitative risk analysis involves identifying threats (or opportunities), how likely they are to happen, and the potential impacts if they do. The results are typically shown using a Probability/Impact ranking matrix. This type of analysis will also categorize risks, either by source or effect
(ii) quantitative risk assessment; (2)
A quantitative assessment is a risk analysis performed with a focus on numerical values of the risks present. The quantitative risk analysis allows you to determine the potential risk of a project. This can help you decide if a project is worth pursuing.
(iii) dynamic risk assessment. (2)
The continuous process of identifying hazards, assessing risk, taking action to eliminate or reduce risk, monitoring and reviewing, in the rapidly changing circumstances of an operational incident.”
(b) Identify sources of information that may be used to identify
hazards during the risk assessment process. (4)
- Accident and incident data
- government agencies
- Safety data sheets / safety manuals for equipment
- Maintenance / cleaning out of production activities
- OSHA 300 reportable injury records
(c) Outline potential difficulties of carrying out qualitative risk
assessments. (7)
Since no metrics are produced during the analysis, the qualitative risk analysis depends solely on the perception of a person carrying out the assessment.
do not allow direct comparison with with external estimates
based on approved guidance and not measurements
could be done by a sole person who doesnt have the practical exspericance of working with the hazard.
(d) Other than significant risks, hazards and record of persons,
outline what should be included in the significant findings
section of a risk assessment. (2)
protective measures and further action required to control risks
Question 8 An employee suffered a fractured skull when he fell 3 metres from storage racking as he was loading cartons on to a pallet held on the forks of a lift truck. An investigation revealed that a written safe system of work had been provided to employees some months ago. It had become common practice for employees to be lifted up on the forks and climb up the outside of the racking. Employees stated that they could not understand the written safe system of work, but admitted that they had not brought this to their employer’s attention. (a) Outline possible relevant breaches of the:
(i) Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974; (7)
(ii) Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations
1999. (3)
(b) The injured employee intends to bring a negligence claim (delict
in Scotland) against his employer.
Outline what the employee will need to show in order for his
claim to succeed. Use case law to support your answer. (6)
(c) Shortly after the injured employee brings his negligence claim,
he is dismissed for ‘a serious breach of safety rules’. The injured
employee considers this to be unfair and decides to bring further
proceedings, this time for unfair dismissal.
(i) Identify the body that would hear such a claim. (1)
(ii) Outline the orders that could be made if the injured
employee wins his dismissal case. (3)
Question 9 An employee was on an elevated working platform when it was struck by a contractor’s vehicle. The platform overturned, the employee fell and was seriously injured. An initial report recommends further investigation.
(a) Outline steps that should be followed when investigating the
accident. (10)
(b) Outline the benefits of conducting an accident investigation. (6)
(c) Outline the criteria that should be used to determine whether the
event and any subsequent injury is reportable under the
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences
Regulations. (4)
Question 10 Contractors are due to start work on a project in a large chemical manufacturing site. The work does not include any confined space working or work at height.
The organisation has assessed the health and safety implications of the work, level of risk and additional information that has been
communicated to the contractor management team. The contractors have been selected based on competence, health and safety policy, risk assessments and method statements.
The organisation and contractor management team have assessed the risks to the organisation’s workers, contractor’s workers and the public, based on the planned work.
Outline practical ways of managing contractors:
(a) in relation to provision of training when they initially arrive on site for work; (7)
- Detail working areas and any areas which should not be accessed at any time
- let them know how to report incidences
- what PPE is required to be worn
- provide emergency site contract details
- show them where facilities are for there welfare
- Tour of area identifying hazardous areas
- identify who the first aiders / supervisors are within the induction training
(b) during work; (10)
- permit to work system
- check if they have changed personel
- undertake regular inspections
- inspect work equipment to ensure it has been maintained and used correctly
- use a scoring system i.e red / yellow cards
- check if they are signing in & out of site
- check there wearing PPE
- review near misses and accidents involving contractors
- check they are working to the correct standards
- check review contractors are following agreed safe systems of work and methods. Inspect at periodic intervals
(c) on completion of work. (3)
- undertake a review of the effectiveness of job planning and the adequacy of hazard identification and risk assessments
- was the work done in accordance with the method statement
- record lessons learnt
- check inspection records, are complete and cover work on site
Question 11 An inexperienced train driver has passed a stop signal. An investigation
finds that the driver had seen the signal gantry but had not perceived the
relevant signal correctly. He was unaware that there had been previous
similar incidents at the signal gantry and had received no local route
training or information.
The signal was hard to see being partly obscured by a bridge on
approach and affected by strong sunlight. The light arrangement on the
signal was non-standard. The driver had no expectation from previous
signals that it would be on ‘stop’.
(a) Give reasons why the driver may not have perceived the signal
correctly. (7)
(b) Outline actions that could be taken in order to help reduce the
likelihood of a recurrence of this incident. (13)
