NEBOSH International General Certificate

Unit 1 Management of International Health and Safety

Element 4
Health & Safety Management Systems 3 – Planning

1. (a) Identify the key stages of a workplace risk assessment. (5)

(b) Outline THREE reasons for reviewing a risk assessment. (3)

Answer

(a) The key stages involved in carrying out a risk assessment are:
1. identifying the hazards at the workplace with safety inspections, incident
data, Job Safety Analysis, HAZOPs etc;
2. identifying the persons at risk including operators, maintenance staff,
cleaners, visitors etc;
3. evaluating the risks such as likelihood and probable severity of the harm
and assessing the adequacy of existing control measures and deciding
whether additional measures were required;
4. recording the significant findings;
5. reviewing risk assessment and revise if necessary.

(b) The reasons for reviewing the risk assessment include: changes in the
processes; changes in the work methods/work environments; changes in the
equipment/ materials used; the introduction of new or the modification of existing
plan; a change in legislation; change of key personnel; following an accident and
after the stipulated time has been elapsed. (write any three).

2. With respect to undertaking general risk assessments on activities within a

workplace:

(a) Outline the key stages of the risk assessment process, identifying the issues
that would need to be considered at EACH stage; (10)

(b) Explain the criteria which must be met for the assessment to be 'suitable and
sufficient'; (4)

(c) Outline the factors that the employer should take into account when selecting
individuals to assist in carrying out the required risk assessment. (6)

Answer

(a) The first stage is the identification of significant hazards involved and we need to
consider the location, equipment and substances used, people involved and the
activities undertaken at the workplace. The second stage is the identification of

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 people exposed to the hazards, ex: operators, maintenance staff, cleaners, visitors,
young people, disabled workers, expectant/nursing mothers and lone workers.
The third stage is evaluation of the risks taking into account the likelihood and
severity of the harm, the frequency and duration of the exposure of the
employees, determine the existing control measures are adequate by means of
checking the workplace precautions and risk control systems (RCSs) and decide
anything more need to be done. The fourth stage involves recording the
significant findings of the assessment in a written form and to consider whether
all the necessary information has been provided including the date of review etc
and the final stage is a review and revision of the assessment at regular intervals
and following major changes.

(b) The criteria which must be set for a risk assessment to be ‘Suitable and
Sufficient’ include: it should identify all significant hazards and risks arising
from the activities and ignore the trivial ones; identify all the persons at risk
including employees, other workers, pregnant women, visitors, members of the
public etc; evaluate the adequacy and effectiveness of existing control measures;
the competence of the assessor together with the specialist advice; be appropriate
to the nature of the work and valid over a reasonable period of time.

(c) The factors include the individuals' past experience and competence; training in
hazard identification and in carrying out risk assessments; their experience of the
process or activity carried out in the workplace; their technical knowledge of the
plant and equipment involved; their ability to understand and interpret regulations,
standards and guidance; their communication and report writing skills; an
awareness of their own limitations and their attitude and commitment to the task.

3. (a) Define the term 'hazard'. (2)

(b) Define the term 'risk'. (2)
(c) Identify FOUR means of hazard identification that may be used in the
workplace. (4)

Answer

(a) A hazard is the potential of a substance, activity or process to cause harm and is also
defined as the act, source or situation which has potential to cause harm.

Examples include electricity, chemicals, manual handling and the use of a ladder.

(b) A risk is the likelihood of a substance, activity or process to cause harm and is also
defined as the probability/likelihood that the potential would be realized and its severity
in terms of injury, damage or harm.
An example would be the likelihood of being harmed by tripping on a trailing cable in an office and the
possible severity of the injury suffered.
Another example could be the likelihood of being struck in the eye if using a grinding wheel without the use
of eye protection and/or machine guards and the severity of the possible penetrating eye injury suffered.

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 (c) Four means of hazard identification include:
 carrying out safety inspections, observations and safety audits;
 job safety analysis (JSA) and risk assessments;
 the study of incident data;
 hazard operability studies (HAZOP’s);
 hazard registers;
 fault tree analysis (FTA);
 manufacturers' documents such as safety data sheets;
 reference to legislation and its accompanying guidance.

4. (a) Explain the meaning of the term 'risk'. (2)

(b) Identify SIX hazards that might be considered when assessing the risk to the
health and safely of a multi-storey car park attendant.

Answer:

(a) A risk is the likelihood of a substance, activity or process to cause harm and is also
defined as the probability/likelihood that the potential would be realized and its
severity in terms of injury, damage or harm.

(b) the hazards facing a person employed as an attendant in a multi-storey car park
include,

1. fumes and/or dust;

2. impact or crushing by moving vehicles;
3. fire (particularly in relation to fuel);
4. extremes of ambient temperature;
5. the possibility of being subjected to violence;
6. noise from, for instance, car alarms;
7. slips, trips or falls (exacerbated perhaps by oil and stairs);
8. biological hazards from the presence of vermin, human waste and hypodermic
needles;
9. Ergonomic hazards caused by the need to stoop or twist in what might be a
restricted workspace.

5. Give the reasons why hazards to the health of workers may not be identified during
a workplace inspection. (8)

Answer:

The reasons include: the nature of the hazard may not be well understood, Ex: contact
with biological agents; a lack of measuring equipment, ex: for noise; the fact that effects
may be chronic rather than immediate as like Work Related Upper Limb Disorders
(WRULD’s); the hazard not being visible, ex: certain gases or that arising from radiation;
over familiarity, for example, from exposure to sunlight; the individual susceptibility of

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certain workers; a particular task which was not in progress and the workers not available
during the inspection; the unwillingness of individuals to admit the problems with their
health; low priority to health and safety in the organisation; the person carrying out the
inspection concentrating on the more immediate hazards; and finally, the lack of
competency of the inspector.

The common reasons include lack of attention and experience, wearing of PPE, sensory
impairment and inadequate information, instruction and training.

6.Outline FOUR groups of people at work that would be a special category and require an
individual risk assessment. Give an explanation in each case why an individual risk
assessment would be required. (8)

Answer

The following groups of people require an individual risk assessment:

a) Young people - due to their inexperience or immaturity.

b) Pregnant women - exposure to a hazardous substance could endanger the foetus.

c) Disabled or vulnerable persons - hearing-impaired workers require a visual alarm

system.

d) Lone workers - because lone working can bring additional risks, e.g. confined spaces.

6. a) Explain why young workers are of greater risk at work. (4)

b) Outline the measures to be taken to minimise the risks to them. (4)

Answer

a) Young workers are at greater risk because of their lack of knowledge,

experience and training; lack of awareness of risks in the workplace; a tendency
to be subject to peer pressure; a willingness to work hard and more likely to take
risks; over enthusiastic; underdeveloped communication skills; lack of attention;
underdeveloped physical strength and capability; and they are susceptible to
physical, chemical and biological hazards.

b) The control measures shall include: induction and training about hazards and
risks; close supervision during the early stages of their employment; mentoring by
an experienced fellow worker; adopting clear lines of communications; restricting
the number of hours working; not allowing them to be exposed to extremes of
temperature, noise or vibration; not allowing them to be exposed to radiation or

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 compressed air works; controlling levels of exposure to hazardous substances like
carcinogens.

7. A manager is required to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment on a

work activity.
(a) Identify possible sources of information that might help the manager carry out
the risk assessment. (5)
(b) Outline what is required in order for a risk assessment to be suitable and
sufficient. (3)

Answer:
(a) The possible sources of information include the inspection reports, health and
safety procedures, the nature of the activities, training records, maintenance of
equipment records, incident & ill health data, enforcement officers warning
notices, other risk assessments, local legal requirements, hazards and risks
associated with the activities, MSDS, etc.

(b) The requirement includes the criteria that the risk assessment identifies all
significant hazards, reduces risk to an acceptable level and enables prioritisation
of risk, the date of establishment as well the reviews and people involved in the
risk assessment.

8. A worker in a busy kitchen has notified her employer that she is pregnant
Outline factors that the employer should consider when undertaking a specific risk
assessment for his worker.

Answer:
The factors when undertaking the risk assessment include the condition of the
kitchen, welfare facilities, hours of work, exposure to smoke, radiation and heat,
manual handling, rest periods, rest facilities, stress and violence, ergonomic issues
such as prolonged sitting and standing hours etc.

9. An organization is introducing a new work activity that requires a safe system of

work.
Explain:
(a) Why it is important to involve workers in the development of a safe system of
work; (4)

(b) Why it is important for safe systems of work to have written procedures. (4)

Answer
(a) It is important to involve workers in the development of a safe system of work
because of their knowledge of the particular working environment involved, their
ownership of the system and encourage workers to use and follow safe system of

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 work, it emphasize management's commitment to health and safety, it shows a
clear method of communication to the workers.

(b) It is important to have procedures to contain complex information, to ensure

correct sequence of operations, to aware of the procedures for audit purposes, it
acts as an evidence in defending an enforcement action or a civil claim, a
requirement of the organization’s quality assurance procedures.

10. (a) Give the meaning of the term safe system of work. (2)
(b) Outline the information that should be given to employees in a training session
on a safe system of work. (6)

Answer:
(a) Safe system of work is a method of doing the job in a safe manner by
eliminating the hazards and risks involved in the work with proper control
measures.

(b) The sources of information in safe system of work are the hazards involved,
any incidents so far happened, required competence, nature of the task,
available safeguards, safe isolation procedures, maintenance required, safety
warning signs required, environmental considerations like lighting and
ventilation, working hours, emergency reporting and procedures etc.

11. Outline what the organization may need to consider when setting health and safety
objectives.
Answer:
The factors include the organisational factors such as the size of the organisation,
its resources, previous performance, incident history, applicable legal
requirements, significant hazards and risks, competence and the trainings of the
workers, the current policy and for things to consider related to the objectives
such as making sure objectives are ‘SMART’, i.e specific, measurable,
achievable, realistic and time bound. Other factors include the inspection reports
on plant, equipment and machinery, defect reports, internal and external audit
reports, enforcement notices, compensations claims and finally the last
management reviews and results etc.

12. Identify four categories of workplace safety signs and give an example of each.

Answer:

The four categories of safety signs include,

Prohibition - example, no entry to vehicles, no smoking etc,

Warning – example, danger electricity, chemical warning signs, etc
Mandatory – PPE, such as safety harness, hard hat, etc
Safe condition – emergency exit, first aid etc
Fire equipment – firefighting equipment, fire hose reel signs etc

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 13. Outline, with examples, the general hierarchy that should be applied in order to
control health and safety risks in the workplace. (8)

Answer
The general hierarchy for controlling health and safety risks in the workplace
include the possibility of eliminating the risks either by designing them out,
changing the process or contracting the work out. The next step would be the
reduction of the risks by, for example, the substitution of hazardous substances
with less hazardous substances, and reducing exposure time for example by job
rotation. If this were not possible, then isolation, using enclosures, barriers or
worker segregation, engineering controls such as guarding, the provision of local
exhaust ventilation systems, the use of reduced voltage systems or residual current
devices, finally when all above controls failed, the provision of personal
protective equipment such as ear defenders or respiratory protective equipment.

14. Explain why personal protective equipment (PPE) should be considered as a last
resort in the control of occupational health hazards. (8)

Answer
Personal protective equipment (PPE) should be considered as last resort when all
hierarchy of controls have been failed. Other reasons include that PPE may not
provide adequate protection because of such factors as poor selection, poor fit,
incompatibility with other types of PPE, contamination, and misuse or non-use by
employees. In addition, PPE is likely to be uncomfortable and relies for its
effectiveness on a conscious action by the user. In certain circumstances, its use can
actually create additional risks for instance, warning sounds masked by hearing
protection.

15. Identify EIGHT sources of information that might usefully be consulted when
developing a safe system of work. (8)

Answer:
The eight sources of information include statutory instruments, approved codes of
practice and guidance such as HSE, manufacturer's information, European and other
official standards, industry or trade literature, results of risk assessments, accident
statistics and health/medical surveillance records, the employees involved, and
enforcement agencies and other experts.

16. (a) Give the meaning of the term 'permit-to-work'.(2)

(b) Identify THREE types of work that may require a permit-to-work, AND give
the reasons why in EACH case. (6)

Answer:

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 (a) A permit-to-work is a formal and controlled document authorized by the client
to protect personnel working in hazardous areas or carrying out high risk
activities.

(b) The types of work where a permit-to-work system might be required such as
confined space work where there is a danger of being overcome by fumes or
gases or by a shortage of oxygen; work on live or high voltage electrical
equipment where there would be a danger of electrocution; hot work involving
welding or cutting operations, where the risk of sparks may ignite nearby
flammable materials; maintenance work on dangerous process plant or
production machinery where it may not be possible to keep the normal
standards of protection in place and work at heights.

17. Identify reasons why workers may fail to comply with safety procedures at work.
(8)
Answer:
There are many reasons why employees may fail to comply with safety
procedures at work, which include inadequate resources whether of tools,
equipment or employees; ill-considered procedures; a perceived lack of
commitment to health and safety by management and emphasis on other priorities
such as production; the lack of adequate information and training and a perceived
lack of consultation; a poor safety culture within the organization; fatigue, illness
and stress; lack of concentration because of boredom and repetitive work tasks;
poor working conditions; mental and/or physical capabilities not taken into
account; inadequate supervision and a failure to enforce compliance with the
procedures; peer group pressure; a failure to recognize risks and ultimately a
willful disregard of the safety procedures.

18. With respect to the management of risk within the workplace

(i) Explain the meaning of the term hierarchy of control, (2)
(ii) Outline, with examples, the standard hierarchy that should be applied
with respect to controlling health and safety risks in the workplace.

Answer:
(a) Hierarchy of control measure is controlling the risks with respect the relative
costs, effort and time of the each control measure against the degree of control
which provides. The hierarchy starts from elimination and ends up with PPE.

(b) The general hierarchy for controlling health and safety risks in the workplace
include the possibility of eliminating the risks either by designing them out,
changing the process or contracting the work out. The next step would be the
reduction of the risks by, for example, the substitution of hazardous substances
with less hazardous substances, and reducing exposure time for example by job
rotation. If this were not possible, then isolation, using enclosures, barriers or
worker segregation, engineering controls such as guarding, the provision of local

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 exhaust ventilation systems, the use of reduced voltage systems or residual current
devices, finally when all above controls failed, the provision of personal
protective equipment such as ear defenders or respiratory protective equipment

19. (a) Identify two examples of confined spaces.

(b) Describe the main factors to consider when preparing a safe system of work for
entry into a confined space.
Answer:
(a) The examples of confined spaces include manholes, chambers, tanks, vats,
silos, pits, sewers, wells and deep excavations.

(b) Factors to be considered when preparing a safe system of work for entry into a
confined space include the nature of the confined space, the risk associated
with it such as asphyxiation, and the possible requirement for isolation such as
by locking off valves; the means of entry and exit into the space; the
requirement to test the atmosphere and check for hazards before work starts
and the need to continue monitoring the atmosphere while work continues; the
necessity for the issue of a formal permit of work; the tools and equipment to
be used and the personal protective equipment that would be required; the
provision of means of communication with workers inside the space; the need
to use competent and trained workers; and the procedures to be put in place to
deal with any emergency that might occur.

20. (a) Identify four examples of a confined space that may be found in a
workplace. (4)
(b) Outline the typical content of a safe system of work for entry into a
confined space. (10)
(c) Outline the emergency arrangements that might be required for
entry into a confined space. (6)
Answer:
(a) The four examples of a confined space include manhole, tank, pit, silo, pipe, tank,
boilers, deep excavations, vessels, furnaces, ducts and chambers etc.

(b) The typical contents of a safe system of work for entry into a confined space
include use of correct PPE, competent/trained workers and a formal permit to
work.

(c) The emergency arrangements that might be required for entry into a confined
space. As previously mentioned, knowledge of the confined space ACoP would
have allowed candidates to produce a whole range of relevant answers which
included the shutting down of adjacent plant / services, the setting up of a winch
system prior to confined space entry, the availability of rescue and resuscitation
equipment, provision of trained first-aiders and first aid equipment, establishment
of communication with local emergency services etc.

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 21. (a) Give the meaning of the term safe system of work.
(b) Outline what is meant by the following types of controls within a
safe system of work and give a practical example for each.
(i) Technical
(ii) Behavioural
(iii) Procedural
Answer:

(a) Safe system of work is a method of doing the job in a safe manner by eliminating
the hazards and risks involved in the work with proper control measures.

(b) (i) Technical relates to the workplace and the job, examples include machine
guarding, emergency buttons and dust respirator, local exhaust ventilation.
(ii) Behavioural relates the individual and their interaction with the workplace,
examples include training and supervision, following no smoking and PPE
requirements.
(iii) Procedural relates to the procedures and systems developed by the
organization, examples include emergency plans, safe operating procedures,
risk assessments and induction course etc.

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