Mandatory - Health & Safety

Question 1

What are the key responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974?

Answer 1

Duty to every employer to ensure the health and safety and welfare at work of all employees.

Question 2

What is the ‘Six Pack’ of H&S at Work Act?

Answer 2

1. Management of H&S at work
2. Display screen equipment
3. Manual Handling Operations
4. Personal Protective Equipment
5. Provision and Use of Work Equipment
6. Workplace health, safety and welfare

Question 3

What important sections are within the H&S Act?

Answer 3

• Section 2: duty on employers to ensure H&S of employees so far as reasonably practicable.
• Section 3: duty to ensure people who are not employees are not exposed to H&S risks.
• Section 4: duty to ensure premises are safe from risks to health.
• Sections 7 & 8: duty on employees to take reasonable care.

Question 4

Who enforces the Health & Safety at Work Act?

Answer 4

Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Failure to comply can result in fines or imprisonment.

Question 5

What is the safe person concept?

Answer 5

Someone who is responsible for their own and other health and safety at work.

Question 6

What is the RICS Surveying Safely Guidance Note?

Answer 6

Sets out good practice principals for the management of health and safety for RICS firms and members.

Question 7

What is the structure of the document?

Answer 7

1. Personal responsibilities for members and firms.
2. Assessing hazards and risk
3. Workplace health and safety
4. Occupational health
5. Visiting premises and sites
6. Fire safety
7. Residential property surveying
8. Management of contractors (CDM)

Question 8

What are RICS-regulated firms responsibilities under the guidance?

Answer 8

Must provide:
* Safe working environment
* Safe work equipment
* Safe systems of work
* Competent staff

Question 9

What are your responsibilities as a member?

Answer 9

• To take reasonable care
• Co-operate with employers H&S policy / requirements
• Use equipment correctly
• Report near misses/incidents/accidents

Question 10

What is a risk assessment?

Answer 10

Assessment of health and safety on site.
1. Identify hazards
2. Identify people at risk
3. Evaluate risk (likelihood x severity)
4. Identify mitigation procedures
5. Record findings
6. Review regularly

Question 11

When is a risk assessment required?

Answer 11

Prior to inspection of any site.

Question 12

What is a method statement?

Answer 12

Details a process of working safely, including details of any control measures which have been put in place to improve H&S.

Question 13

When is a firm required to have a Health and Safety policy document?

Answer 13

If a firm has more than 5 employees.
1. Set out organisation’s commitment to H&S
2. Detail organisation of H&S structure incl. roles and responsibilities
3. Risk assessment
4. Detail planning and implementation of H&S policy

Question 14

What is your company’s H&S policy?

Answer 14

Management structure in place to manage H&S.
* Have a H&S team
* Ensure the H&S of employees as far as reasonably practicable
* Provide regular training
* Make provisions for lone working
* Make provisions for medical conditions

Question 15

How do you make sure a property is safe to inspect (Surveying Safely Checklist)?

Answer 15

Follow CBRE pre-inspection checklist:
* Travelling to and from site
* Lone working
* Condition of property
* Occupation
* Activity
* Site rules and welfare
* Roofs
* High Structures
* Dangerous substances
* Diseases
* Equipment
* Environmental matters
* Personal matters

Question 16

What is your company’s lone working policy?

Answer 16

Buddy system – inform a team member of where you will be and what time and contact them once you have left site.

Question 17

Was there any RICS guidance throughout covid-19?

Answer 17

COVID-19 guide to surveying services

Question 18

What do CBRE have in place for inspections through covid-19?

Answer 18

Include COVID-19 in our risk assessments.

Question 19

What is the Occupier’s Liability Act?

Answer 19

Regulates liability of occupiers for injuries caused to lawful visitors and damages caused to any good as a result of dangers due to the state of the property.

Question 20

What is the Defective Premises Act?

Answer 20

Imposes an obligations on:
* Contractor to build dwellings properly
* Landlord to ensure that the premises comply with its requirements.

Question 21

What is RIDDOR?

Answer 21

Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations.

• Trigger date for reporting injuries is over 7 days incapacitation.
• Must be reported to HSE within 15 days of the event.
• Employers must keep record of all 3-day+ injuries for a minimum of 3 years after incident.

Question 22

What is COSHH?

Answer 22

Control of Substances Harmful to Health.

• Safeguard the health of people coming into contact with hazardous substances.
• Classification = very toxic, toxic, harmful, corrosive or irritant.
• Employers must take appropriate measures to prevent or control exposure.

Question 23

What are Working at Height regulations?

Answer 23

Applicable where there is a risk of fall liable to cause personal injury.

Question 24

What would you expect to be in place for scaffolding?

Answer 24

Tag to certify it is safe.

Question 25

How often does scaffolding need to be inspected?

Answer 25

Weekly or immediately following bad weather.

Question 26

What are CDM regulations?

Answer 26

Ensure that any construction work is designed and carried out safely and can be maintained safely.
See technical competencies for more detail.

Question 27

What legislation / regulations have been enacted since the findings of the Hackitt review?

Answer 27

Fire Safety Order reform via Fire Safety Act.
Fire Safety Regulations from 2023.
Building Safety Bill.
See technical competencies for more detail.

Question 28

What is Control of Asbestos regulations?

Answer 28

Regulations relating to managing and working with asbestos.