PAST PAPER QUESTIONS ELEMENT 3

1. Outline the benefits to an organisation of having a health an safet! "o##ittee $%

MAR&S'
Consultation with employees
Comply with legislation
Increase ownership
Gets people involved in H&S
Obtain a realistic view of the hazards and risks on the shop floor
2. Outline the reasons (h! a health an safet! "o##ittee #a! )rove to be ineffe"tive in
)ra"ti"e $* MAR&S'
!"S#$%
a lack of management commitment;
no agenda or remit and/or
no minutes or notes of the meetings being produced;
an uneven balance between management and employee representatives;
poor chairmanship;
no access to the decision-making processes;
infrequent meetings;
inappropriate topics; and
no access to health and safety expertise
3. Ientif! a range of #ethos that an e#)lo!er "an use to )rovie health an safet!
infor#ation ire"tl! to iniviual (or+ers $* MAR&S',
!"S#$%
Safety circles
H&S Committees
&lyers
'oolbo( talks
'eam meetings
Intranet sites
)osters
H&S Handbooks
!rticles in magazines
H&S "otice boards
4. Outline (h! it is i#)ortant that all )ersons are a(are of their roles an
res)onsibilities for health an safet! in an organisation $* MAR&S',
!"S#$%
So that the H&S *anagement system operates effectively
'o ensure that resources are made available to management
'o ensure that hazards are identifies and risks assessed
'o ensure controls are implemented on site
'o ensure staff have access to occupational H&S advice
'o ensure H&S standards are monitored
'o prevent accidents+ incidents+ near misses
'o ensure all accidents are reported
'O avoid enforcement actions
5. List the fa"tors that "oul be "onsiere (hen assessing the health an safet!
"o#)eten"e of a "ontra"tor $* MAR&S',
Suitability of H&S policy
)revious e(perience carrying out similar work
$mployers liability and public liability insurance
$nforcement actions
!ccess to competent advice
%isk assessment+ method statements for previous ,obs
COSHH assessments
Copies of audits inspection
$mergency procedure
'raining and competence
6. -ollo(ing a signifi"ant in"rease in a""ients. a health an safet! "a#)aign is to be
laun"he (ithin an organisation to en"ourage safer (or+ing b! e#)lo!ees,
i, Outline ho( the organisation #ight ensure that the nature of the "a#)aign
is effe"tivel! "o##uni"ate to. an unerstoo b!. the e#)lo!ees $*
MAR&S'
ii, Other than )oor "o##uni"ation. es"ribe the organisational fa"tors that
"oul li#it the effe"tiveness of the "a#)aign $/0 MAR&S',
!"S#$%
In answering part (i) of the question candidates were expected to outline the key
!equirements to ensure that everybody within an organisation knows the part that they
are to play in a health " safety campaign#
$n important prerequisite is to have clear ob%ectives and targets for the campaign and to
clear on the means of achieving them# It is also important that key responsibilities for
aspects of the campaign are allocated and accepted with due commitment in order to
avoid mixed messages# &hile an outline of the different means of communication should
have been included in the answer many candidates concentrated solely on this point and
the number of marks that they could have gained#
In this respect though a variety of means (posters '-(ails toolbox talks training
sessions etc) could be used to communicate and reinforce the message with account
taken of the language used to facilitate understanding of (avoidance of %argon use of
plain 'nglish etc) tool )ox talks suggestion boxes surveys and informal means of
consultation can be used to involve employees and to provide a feedback loop to check
that employees understand what the campaign is about and to assess the level of
support#
It is important to provide feedback to employees on how the campaign is progressing so
that focus on the campaign*s ob%ectives is maintained
(any candidates did not read part (ii) of the question with sufficient care and referred to
communication problems rather than a range of other organisational factors that might
affect the success of a health and safety campaign#
+uch issues can include,
-ack of senior manager commitment;
production or other pressures taking priority over health and safety;
insufficient resources allocated to the campaign; and
a poor safety culture in general#
It should also have been recognised that poor working conditions are likely to induce
cynicism towards the campaign amongst employees#
In addition poor Industrial !elations or a lack of confidence in management*s ability could
mean that the campaign is not given the support of influential members of staff#
&ork patterns (e#g# shiftwork ) could also mean-that some sections of the workforce are
not fully considered or supported possibly due to the non-availability of key staff#
.verall this question was not well answered and many candidates either treated it as a
/eneral question on communication or produced an explanation of how accidents 0ould
be prevented (i#e# what a health and +afety campaign should comprise)# In addition many
answers were too brief for an outline or description#
1oints should have been supported by sufficient reasoning to show their relevance to the
question#

7. Outline the fun"tions of a safet! re)resentative
!"S#$%
2he functions of a safety representative are to
investigate ha3ards and dangerous occurrences
examine the causes of accidents
investigate complaints by employees
make representations to the employer
carry out safety inspections
represent employees in consultation with the 4ealth and +afety 'xecutive etc
receive information from inspections and
attend safety committee meetings#
$ number of answers also included the rights of a safety representative such as time off with
pay for training which was something that the question had not asked for and which therefore
did not earn marks#
8. Outline the practical means by which a manager could involve employees in the
improvement o health and saety in the wor!place. "8#
$nswers to this question should have included outlines of such means as,
involving employees in risk assessments accident investigations and the
development of safe systems and procedures;
encouraging ha3ard spotting and the reporting of defects;
setting up suggestion schemes;
organising training courses and information programmes;
supporting active involvement in safety committee meetings;
being accompanied by employees or their representatives on safety tours and
inspections;
and giving employees responsibilities for mentoring young and inexperienced
workers#
2his question caused problems for a number of candidates# +ome were able to come up
with no more than one or two suggestions while others despite the use of the word
*practical* in the question took an approach that looked more at motivation theory than at
the practical ways of directly involving employees#
$.
"a# %&plain the meaning o the term perception' "2#
"b# Outline the actors relating to the individual that may inluence a person's
perception o an occupational ris!. "6#
5or part (a) a reasonable explanation of *perception* was required such as,
the way that people interpret and make sense of presented information - for instance in
relation to their surroundings#
+ome candidates appeared to struggle to put into words something that is perhaps
almost intuitive# 0ircular definitions - for example 6perception is the way that people
perceive things6 - were considered inadequate in this respect#
$ greater number of candidates some of whom had struggled to provide an explanation
in part (a) were able to outline a range of factors that might influence a person*s
perception of risk#
+uch factors include,
the nature of the ha3ard (eg obvious or hidden immediate or delayed effects etc);
a person*s previous experience and familiarity with the situation;
the level and nature of training;
peer group influences;
confidence in others* abilities and %udgements; and
a number of other personal characteristics such as age attitude and sensory
impairment#
.nce again some candidates missed the opportunity to gain good marks by providing a
list rather than an outline of the relevant factors#
1(. Outline the ways in which employers might motivate their employees to comply
with health and saety procedures. "8#
'xaminers were looking for suggestions on how employees might be motivated to work
safely#
$nswers should have included,
ways of improving employees* knowledge of the consequences of not working
safely by,
training and the provision of information;
showing the commitment of the .rganisation to safety by providing resources and a
safe working environment;
involving employees in health and safety decisions through consultation and team
meetings;
and recognising and rewarding achievement#

(ost candidates were able to outline some of the above although the more able
emphasised that positive motivation - employees working safely because that is how they
want to work - tends to be more effective than negative motivation - employees working
safely for fear of disciplinary action# )oth however have their place in a well balanced
system#
11. )ost occupational accidents can be attributed in part to human error outline ways
o reducing the li!elihood o human error in the wor!place. "8#
In answering this question candidates were expected to outline ways of reducing human
error such as,

using skilled competent and properly trained employees and
ensuring that they are well motivated;
avoiding monotonous work processes and
arranging breaks to counter fatigue;
designating clear roles and lines of responsibility;
establishing good lines of communication with the workforce; and
ensuring the clarity of instructions and information passed on to them#
$ few candidates provided answers outlining causes of error without suggesting methods
for dealing with these causes# $dditionally as with other questions candidates need to
be aware that they must provide sufficient detail when answering an *outline* question if
they are to obtain full credit#
12. *escribe+ using practical e&amples+ ,O-. types o human error that can lead to
accidents in the wor!place. "8#
7uestions on human factors have traditionally elicited a rather poor response# .n this
occasion candidates were polarised with some providing rather anecdotal descriptions
of people*s mistakes leaving the 'xaminer to attempt to contextualise what was being
said and others clearly understanding the different types of error supporting their
answers with relevant and appropriate examples# 2he latter group many of whom made
reference to 4+'*s *4uman 5actors in Industrial +afety (4+(/)89) were thus able to
describe four types from those of,
attention lapses
mistaken actions
misperceptions
mistaken priorities and
wilfulness#
13. "a# Outline ways o reducing the li!elihood o human error in the wor!place "8#
"b# /ive ,O-. reasons why the seriousness o a ha0ard may be underestimated by
someone e&posed to it. "6#
"c# Outline ways in which managers can motivate employees to wor! saely "6#
2here are a number of ways of reducing the likelihood of human error in the workplace
that should have been outlined in the answer to part (a) of the question# 2hese include,
the use of skilled trained and competent staff (including pre-employment screening
issues);
motivation of the workforce;
task variety to prevent monotony and
the provision of frequent breaks to avoid work overload;
addressing workplace environmental issues such as noise light and heat;
mechanisation and automation;
ensuring that controls on machinery are clearly marked;
implementation of a drug and alcohol policy; and
providing competent supervision of employees#
(ost candidates mentioned the need for competency and training but few were able to
provide the range of methods necessary to obtain all the marks available# $ few
candidates possibly because they misread the question produced answers based on
the causes of human error rather than on ways of reducing its likelihood#
2here were some good answers to part (b) with many candidates gaining full marks by
referring to reasons such as,
over-familiarity and complacency;
lack of instruction information and training;
lack of experience particularly where young persons are involved;
the fact that some ha3ards (eg airborne contaminants or radiation) may be invisible
and/or intagible;
sensory impairment; and
involvement in routine repetitive tasks that can lead to lack of attention#
In answering part (c) 'xaminers were looking for an outline of methods to encourage the
motivation of employees to work safely#
2he overt recognition of good health and safety performance (eg by giving praise
and/or offering financial incentives) is important in this respect#
0onversely disciplining employees who choose to ignore safe working procedures
has its place but tends to be less effective#
.ther measures might include, involving employees for instance in carrying out
risk assessments and drawing up safe systems of work;improving the company*s
health and safety culture and demonstrating a high level of management
commitment; ensuring a good working environment; and providing training and
ensuring good communication#
+ome candidates seemed to perceive little difference in the requirements of parts (a) and
(c) and were content to repeat the answer that they had already given to the first part of
the question# 1art (c) was in fact intended to look in more depth at one aspect of the
answer to part (a)#
14.
"a# %&plain the meaning o the term 1motivation' "2#
"b# Other than lac! o motivation+ outline 234 reasons why employees may ail to
comply with saety procedures at wor!. "6#
+ome good answers were provided to this question# 5or part (a) most candidates were
able to provide a reasonable explanation of :motivation* which is essentially the driving
force behind the way that someone strives to achieve a goal or ob%ective (eg to work
safely)#
5or part (b) candidates were asked to outline six reasons that might account for the
failure of employees to comply with safety procedures# 2hey could have chosen from a
number of reasons including,
unrealistic working procedures;
lack of management commitment;
over-familiarisation with the tasks to be performed;
repetitive work leading to boredom and lack of concentration;
peer group pressure;
wilful disregard of laid-down procedures coupled with inadequate or ineffective
supervision;
fatigue and stress; and
lack of information training and consultation
15. Outline ,O-. advantages and ,O-. disadvantages o using propaganda posters
to communicate health and saety inormation to the wor!orce. "8#
1osters are a commonly used vehicle for passing on health and safety messages to the
workforce and many candidates will have used them or seen them in use# 0onsequently
this question was generally well answered# 0andidates outlined advantages such as,

their relatively low cost
their flexibility
their brevity
their use in reinforcing verbal instructions or information
and the potential to involve employees in their selection or design (and hence in the
message being conveyed)#
2here was too an appreciation that humour can sometimes be used effectively to
convey a serious message#
;isadvantages include,

the need to change posters on a regular basis if they are to be noticed
the fact that they may become soiled defaced and out of date and
the possibility that they might trivialise serious matters and/or present language
barriers#
2here may also be an over-reliance on posters to convey health and safety
information
they may be perceived by unscrupulous employers as an easy if not particularly
effective way of discharging their health and safety duties and of shifting the
responsibility onto the workforce for any accidents that may occur#
16. /ive reasons why a verbal instruction may not be clearly understood by an
employee "8#
(ost candidates produced good answers to this question perhaps using a mixture of
what they had learned from their studies and their personal experiences at work# (arks
were available for reasons such as,
the nature of the working environment (eg high levels of noise interference from
personal protective equipment and other distractions)
the use of too much technical %argon language or dialect issues
ambiguity of the message
sensory impairment or
learning difficulties
the inexperience of the recipient (ie being unable to relate properly to what is being
said) and
the fact that the instruction may be too complex or lengthy to be given verbally#
0andidates who were less successful on this question were those who concentrated on
%ust one or two reasons often restricting their answers to noise issues and physical
disabilities#
17. Outline the actors that may determine the level o supervision an employee should
receive during their initial period within a company. "8#
'xaminers were expecting candidates to outline factors such as,
previous experience of the work
the age of the employee and
his/her qualifications and skills
the employee*s attitude and aptitude
the nature and complexity of the task to be performed and
individual special needs or disabilities#
(ost candidates identified factors connected with the employee*s experience but some
went little beyond this#
18. %&plain why it is important to use a variety o methods to communicate health and
saety inormation in the wor!place. "8#
2his question required consideration of the sort of information that needs to be
communicated and the different methods of presenting such information#
2his should have led candidates to suggest that,
people respond differently to different stimuli and
that variety prevents over-familiarisation with one method and helps to reinforce a
message#
the need to overcome language barriers and
the inability of some employees to read;
the need to motivate stimulate interest and gain involvement and feedback; and
the acceptance that different types of information require different methods of
communication#
(ost candidates were able to come up with one or two relevant reasons but not many
were
1$. %&plain how induction training programmes or new employees can help to reduce
the number o accidents in the wor!place. "8#
2his question produced a very mixed response with some candidates perhaps in an
attempt to apply a *model* answer simply describing the content of a typical induction
programme with little or no explanation of how the various issues would help to reduce
accidents whilst others could focus on elements of an accident prevention programme
and then carefully explain how each element of the programme may be covered during
induction#
2hus a workforce that is aware of the risks is familiar with procedures and systems of
work knows how to recognise and report unsafe conditions and shares a common
commitment to health and safety will tend to be a safer workforce#
)etter candidates were able to explain the role of induction training in achieving these
sorts of aims#
2(. 5 contractor has been engaged to underta!e building maintenance wor! in a busy
warehouse. Outline the issues that should be covered in an induction programme
or the contractor's employees. "8#
2here were some quite reasonable answers to this question with many candidates
showing a good understanding requirements of induction# In the situation described the
employees of the contractor should be made aware of such issues as,
the particular risks in the working area (e#g# movement of fork-lift trucks falling
materials conveyors and the possible presence of asbestos);
general site safety rules regarding smoking clothing and 11' use of electrical
equipment and so on;
requirements for permits-to-work and other controls; exclusion 3ones and traffic
routes;
arrangements for the storage of materials; accident reporting and other emergency
procedures(e#g# actions required in the case of fire); and
the location and use of welfare facilities including first-aid#
(ost candidates referred to at least some of these but surprisingly few mentioned other
relevant issues such as the person on site to report to if the need should arise and the
procedures for signing in and out#
$ few candidates seemed to misunderstand the purpose of the question and discussed
the control measures that the contractor should put in place or how the contractor*s level
of competence might be assessed rather than the contents of an induction programme
for those actually carrying out the work# +uch an induction programme which would
normally be provided by the contractor should address not only the inherent risks to the
contractor*s employees from the work being undertaken but also the additional risks
posed by the warehouse activities# Importantly it should also take into account the
possible risks to warehouse staff from the maintenance work# /ood answers
demonstrated that all these aspects had been considered#
21. Outline ways in which the health and saety culture o an organisation might be
improved. "8#
2he standard of response to this question was reasonable with most candidates outlining
ways such as,
establishing and implementing a sound health and safety policy;
securing the commitment of management and
ensuring that managers lead by example;
involving and consulting with employees on matters affecting their health and
safety;
and providing effective supervision and training
)etter candidates referred to such additional factors as the organisation being seen to
give equal priority to health and safety as other business ob%ectives (such as production
and quality) establishing effective means of communication with the workforce and
providing a pleasant working environment with good welfare facilities#
22. Outline reasons why an employee might re6uire additional health and saety
training at a later stage o employment within an organisation. "8#
In answering this question candidates were expected to outline such reasons as,
the introduction of new processes equipment and methods of work;
as a result of a %ob change involving different health and safety requirements and/or
the allocation of additional responsibilities;
following the introduction of new legislation;
where risk assessments or staff appraisals indicate that additional training is
necessary;
where refresher training is required such as that required for fork-lift truck operators
and first aid personnel;
following an accident enforcement action or insurance impositions; and
to counteract the possibility of employees becoming complacent and lax in
following established procedures for health and safety#
2he question referred to an employee 6at a later stage of employment within an
organisation6# +ome candidates thought that this referred to employees nearing the end
of their working life and concentrated their answers solely on issues concerned with
advancing years#