Element 1:

Why we should manage

workplace health & Safety
 Question
Explain giving an example , what is meant by the following
terms:

I) Accident (2)
II) Occupational accident (2)
III) Incident (2)
IV) Dangerous occurrence (2)
 Examiners’ Report

No examiners reports available

 Question
Give the meaning of the following terms:
(a) health; (2)
(b) safety; (2)
(c) welfare; (2)
(d) environmental protection. (2)
 Examiners’ Report
This question required candidates to give the meaning of the terms.
Answers given generally gained higher marks in part (a), (b) and (c) but were limited
for part (d) : environmental protection.

Some candidates missed marks by listing factors related to the term such as welfare
facilities, rather than the term itself (Welfare).

(a) Free from illness or diseases , A state of well being mentally, physical & socially
(b) Workplace free from uncontrolled hazards & risks
(c) Looking after people’s basic needs e.g. provision of drinking water, food,
accommodation and bathrooms
(d) Protecting the environment in which the workplace operates e.g. The land, air &
water
 Question
Give the meaning of the following different types of
incident AND identify a relevant example for EACH

(a) Injury (2)

(b) Ill-health (2)
(c) Dangerous Occurrence (2)
(d) Damage only / property damage (2)
 Examiners’ Report
(a) Injury is a Harm to a person which can vary from a minor injury, to serious
Such as a broken leg resulting from a slip, trip or fall in the workplace

(b) Ill-health is A physical disease of the body or mental / psychological disorder

Such as cancer, AIDS caused by HIV or skin inflamation (dermatitis ) caused
by exposure to a solvent

(c) Dangerous occurrence (HiPo) is a near-miss (unwanted & unplanned event)

which had the high potential to cause serious harm or loss Such as a tower
crane hitting group of people without causing any harm

(d) Loss or damage to equipment or plant but WITHOUT any injury or harm to
persons at all For example, collapsed racking in a warehouse after being hit
by a Fork-lift damaging some of the goods but without any harm to people
 Question
(a) Give the meaning of the term ‘hazard’. (2)

(b) Give the meaning of the term ‘risk’. (2)

(c) Identify FOUR means of hazard identification that may

be used in the workplace. (4)
 Examiners’ Report
For part (a) candidates should have given the meaning of
‘hazard’ as something with the potential to cause harm or
loss of any kind such as injury to people or damage to
equipment
For part (b), risk is combination of the likelihood of the harm
to occur and the severity or consequence of that harm in
terms of injury to people, damage to equipment.

Most candidates were able to supply an adequate meaning

of the term ‘hazard’ but neglected to refer to severity when
defining ‘risk' and some answers missed the required
examples.
For part (c) Means that may be used to identify hazards in the
workplace include carrying out inspections, observations and
safety audits; completing job safety analysis (JSA) and risk
assessments; the study of data on accidents and near miss
incidents including the investigation reports; reference to
legislation and its accompanying guidance and manufacturers’
documents such as safety data sheets; carrying out health
surveillance and consulting with members of the workforce.
Some candidates misunderstood what was required and
mentioned hazards rather than the methods for their
identification.
 Question

The number of absences due to upper limb

disorders (ULDs) in an organisation appears to be
increasing
Outline the possible sources of information that
could be consulted when investigating the problem
(8)
 Examiners’ Report
Marks were available for outlining sources of information such as
• Risk assessments of the activities involving using hands and could lead to upper limb
disorders such as manual handling
• The results of job safety analysis & the identification of repetitive actions and safe
system of work to ensure workers are following it
• The organisation’s employees & safety representatives and The observation of
supervisors & the complaints that may have been made to them by members of their
teams
• Accidents & Ill-health reports & the analysis of absence records to check if the workers
have any previous medical problem
• Trade unions & insurance companies
• Enforcers & Local safety authorities and professional bodies like IOSH
• Manufacturers’ information like manuals, catalogues and MSDS
• Ergonomists or occupational health practitioners
• The social activities co-ordinator on out-of-work activities such as tennis, squash, etc
Better answers were structured under the TWO headings of internal & external sources
of information
 Question

An organisation has had an increase in the number of

manual handling accidents & associated ill heath.

Identify sources of information that may be available

to help reduce the risks to workers (8)
 Examiners’ Report

See previous question

 Question

Identify EIGHT sources of guidance that might

be consulted when developing a safe system of
work
(8)
 Examiners’ Report

See previous question

 Question

Outline reasons for maintaining good standards of

Health & Safety within an organisation (8)
 Examiners’ Report

There were some good answers to this question, balanced by a significant

number of very weak ones & again, some non-attempts

Better answers were structured around the (MLF)

• Moral
• Legal / social
• Financial
arguments for maintaining good standards of H&S within an organisation
• The Moral argument centres on :

- Duty of care and The need to reduce the injuries, pain & suffering caused to
employees by accidents & ill-health
- The need to provide a reasonable standard of care as a moral obligation
• While Legal arguments are concerned with the need to comply with the law and
the desire to avoid enforcement action & civil claims
• Financial / economic benefits include
- A more motivated workforce resulting in increased production rates
- The avoidance of costs associated with accidents (e.g. downtime, administrative,
investigation & first-aid costs, repair of plant & equipment, employing & training
of staff, etc)
- Possibly cheaper insurance premiums
- The avoidance of costs associated with legal action
- & maintaining the image & reputation of the organisation with its various
stakeholders
 Question
(a) Identify reasons why an organisation
should maintain / improve its health &
safety performance
(5)
(b) Outline potential barriers to achieving
good standards of H&S
(3)
 “Suggested Answer”
(a) See previous question (MLF)

(b)

1. An economic downturn within the country in general, which may lead to de-
regulation or less enforcement of H&S
2. Financial restrictions such as loss of profits & the resulting conflict between
keeping up production demands at the expense of H&S standards
3. A lack of senior management commitment towards H&S in general, resulting
in a reduction of the overall H&S culture
4. Poor safety culture of the organisation / workers or the society
• The Barriers to good standards of health and
safety
• - Complexity of health & safety application in
the workplace, especially in large industries
because it usually
• (complexity, competing and conflicting
demands, behavioural issues)
• Page 15
 Question
(a) Outline economic reasons for promoting
good standards of health and safety at work.
(4)

(b) Other than economic reasons, identify

barriers to achieving good standards of health
and safety at work. (4)
 Examiners’ Report
• Part (a) required candidates to outline economic reasons for promoting good standards of
health and safety. An outline of economic reasons such as the following would have gained
marks: reduce the legal cost of prosecution; reduce or avoid enforcement action costs;
reduced insurance premiums; and improved productivity.
• Part (a) has the command word ‘outline’ and candidates needed to comply with its
requirement as a list of reasons, even if valid, would not gain all of the four marks available.
• Performance by candidates on this part was varied. Some candidates had difficulty but
others were more confident and outlined a good breadth of valid economic reasons and
gained a reasonable or good mark for part (a).
• Some candidates gave reasons for promoting good standards that were not ‘economic
reasons’ as the question required. This may have been an error due to misreading the
question, or it could be that they did not know the correct answer and just gave other
reasons that they did know.
• Some candidates outlined possible costs of accidents or detailed direct and indirect costs of
accidents. Again, it was not clear whether this was an error of understanding the question
or reflected a lack of knowledge of the question topic
• Part (b) required candidates to identify barriers to achieving good
standards, other than economic reasons. There were four marks
available for barriers such as the complexity of the organisation,
conflicting or competing demands, and poor health and safety
culture.
• There was a common pattern of lack of breadth of answers.
Many candidates were able to identify barriers such as competing
or conflicting demands or the complexity of the organisation, but
fewer candidates could provide sufficient valid reasons to gain a
reasonable or good mark.
• There were four marks available for part (b) and identifying only
one or two would not gain the full marks available. Some
candidates gave answers to part (b) that referred to economic
reasons. Whether this was due to their misreading or
misunderstanding the question (“Other than economic
reasons...”) or due to lack of knowledge is not clear.
 Question
Most countries have laws that require
organisations to manage H&S risks
(a) Outline reasons why national /state
governments have H&S laws in their
territories
(4)
(b) Outline ways in which national / state
governments try to help ensure
organisations comply with H&S laws (4)
“Suggested Answer (a) (4)
MORAL

1. The need to provide a reasonable standard of care & to reduce the

injuries, to employees by accidents & ill-health
2. This also extends to contractors, visitors and members of the public
3. Prevent suffering of the society by ensuring injuries & overall fatality
rates in the country are reduced

FINANCIAL / ECONOMIC

1. To reduce the costs associated with poor health and safety performance
and therefore increase the economic growth of countries

Part of MLF
(b) (4)
• By the formation of enforcement authorities who will enforce the
legislation in all sectors of industry and commerce and help improve levels
of health and safety
• These authorities will also give useful advice concerning health and safety
and help pass on best practice from other countries
• This will ensure consistency of safety performance between workplaces
• Finally, the threat of prosecution and subsequent loss of reputation of
organisations who have not complied with the laws is also a governing
factor
Question

Replacement & retraining of staff is a cost that an

organisation may face following a workplace
accident.
Give other possible costs to an organisation when
an employee has been seriously injured in such an
accident.
(8)
 Other Costs of accidents:
• Stopping the work / loss of working time / work delays
• Loss of products & raw material
• Compensation payment to the injured person
• Repairs & replacement of damaged equipment,
• Medical expenses e.g. first aid, hospitalization & surgical operations
• Legal expenses such as lawyers’ fees, fines & penalties
• Sick leave payment
• Extra wages, overtime payments, temporary workers
• Cleaning & repairing the site / plant
• Decreased productivity due to decreased morale of the employees
• Cost & time of accident investigation
• Increase of insurance premiums
• Loss of business reputation losing contracts, customers & clients
 Question

Identify the possible costs to an organisation

following an accident in the workplace (8)
 Examiners’ Report

See previous question

Question

Identify the possible costs that an organisation

may incur as a result of inadequate standards of
workplace health and safety.
(8)
 Examiners’ Report

See previous question

 Question
(a) Identify possible consequences to workers injured in an
accident at work. (4)

(b) Identify possible costs to an organisation resulting from

an accident at work. (10)

(c) Outline actions management may take to prevent

similar accidents. (6)
 Examiners’ Report

For part (a) Possible consequences to a worker injured in a workplace

accident include 1) pain and suffering and even disability or death with its
resultant impact on family life; 2) loss of earnings and future earning
capacity following time off work and even loss of current employment; 3)
medical expenses which could last their entire life and even after leaving
work or retirement ; 4) loss of confidence and motivation giving rise to
social and psychological problems.

While most candidates produced reasonable answers, some did not read
the question with sufficient care and identified the costs of accidents,
the costs are possible consequences for the organisation NOT the
worker.
For part (b), possible costs to an organisation resulting from an accident at
work include those associated with lost production and damage to
products; the need to pay the injured worker during their absence and to
fund a temporary replacement with the need for additional training;
repair of damaged plant and equipment and the cost of clean up;
investigation and remedial action and the additional administration
incurred; an increase in insurance premiums; fines and compensation
awarded, and court and other legal representation costs; and intangible
costs arising from a loss of business image and the detrimental effect on
worker morale resulting in reduced productivity. This part of the question
was generally well answered.

(See previous question)

For part (c) In order to prevent similar accidents, management could take actions
such as 1) carrying out a comprehensive investigation and communicating its
findings to the workforce; 2) reviewing the health and safety policy together with
existing risk assessments and control measures; 3) introducing a programme of
regular inspections and monitoring, 4) a more effective standard of supervision
and disciplinary action for non conformance with set procedures; 5) consulting
on a regular basis with the workers and 6) introducing a programme of refresher
training not only on the operation of plant and equipment but also on general
health and safety awareness.
Many candidates were not sure what was required in answer to this part of the
question. Some could offer only the completion of an investigation into the
accident while others mentioned carrying out risk assessments and providing
personal protective equipment.

Although the question asked for an ‘outline’, some provided only a list and could not
be awarded maximum marks.
 Question
A serious accident has occurred to a worker and there will be
costs to the organisation as a result.

(a) (i) Identify THREE costs which are likely to be

insured. (3)
(ii) Identify THREE costs which are likely to be
uninsured. (3)
(b) Outline reasons why it is important that an organisation
maintains employer’s liability insurance. (2)
 Examiners’ Report
For part (a) In identifying costs following an accident to a worker that are
likely to be insured (direct costs) , candidates could have chosen from
compensation to the injured worker; medical expenses; costs arising from
damage to plant, buildings, tools and equipment; and other third party
costs.

Those which are likely to be uninsured (indirect costs) include production

delays or lost production; legal expenses and possible fines, time involved in
the investigation of the accident; loss of expertise or experience; hiring and
training replacement staff; loss of morale and goodwill and loss of business
reputation which could result in the loss of customers and future contracts.

There was some confusion shown between insured and uninsured costs with
some candidates repeating their answers to part (a)(i) for (a)(ii).
 For part (b), it is important that an organisation maintains
employers’ liability insurance because

1) it may be a legal requirement

2) A part from promoting the morale of the workforce by giving
them a feeling of security from a financial point of view,
3) it covers any compensation and costs that may be awarded
against the organisation following an accident.
 Question
a) Explain the difference between the aims (objectives) of
the civil law and the criminal law systems.
(2)
b) Outline the THREE standard conditions that are usually
required to be met to prove a case of negligence against an
employer .
(6)
 Examiners’ Report
a) Aim of Civil law: To compensate an individual OR organisation for loss suffered such
as injury, death or damage to property

While the Aim of Criminal law: To punish individual OR organisation for behaving in a
way that the society decided it’s unacceptable, punishment such as: fines,
penalties imprisonment or even death
b)
• Duty of care owed by the defendant (employer) to the claimant ( the injured party
/ worker): To prove that it’s the duty of the company to care about the claimant &
protect them from harm by providing safe work place
• This duty of care was breached: To prove that the company didn’t provide
reasonable care / enough protection for the claimant e.g. didn’t provide worker the
required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as goggles
• This breach caused the loss: To prove by an evidence (such as medical report) that
the loss suffered was caused directly by that breach e.g. Not providing goggles led
to eye injury
 Question

Outline the main responsibilities of

(i) Employers (4)
(ii) Employees (4)
 “Suggested Answer”
Duties of Employers (Duty of care)
• Duty of care: Protecting the workers from harm by Providing Safe working environment e.g. safe access
and egress , Safe systems of work , Safe plant and equipment
• Providing (it is) : Information, Training, Instructions & Supervision
• Consultation with the employees (getting feedback)
• Providing Welfare facilities e.g. food, drinking water, bathrooms , & accommodation
• Providing adequate Emergency procedures, drills & equipment.
• Providing Suitable PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and not charging the employees for them
Duties of employees
• Duty of care towards themselves and towards their colleagues i.e. not to put themselves or their
colleagues at risk.
• Attend training sessions provided by the employer & follow the instructions.
• Cooperate actively with each other & with their employer AND Report any incident or accident
happening in the workplace.
• Using the welfare facilities in a good way & keep them in a good condition.
• Follow the emergency procedures and participate in any practices or drills planned by the employer.
• Using the PPE and the equipment in the same way they were trained for, maintain them and keep them
in a good condition.
Question

Outline the key health and safety

responsibilities of employers & employees
which are common in many countries.
(8)
 Examiners’ Report

See previous question

 Question

(a) Outline the main health and safety

responsibilities of an employer. (6)

(b) Identify actions an enforcement authority

might take if it finds that an employer is not
fulfilling its responsibilities (consequences of
non-compliance).
(2)
 Examiners’ Report
For part (a) (See previous question)
The employer owes a general duty of care to their workers, and as far as health
and safety responsibilities are concerned, this includes the provision and
maintenance of a safe workplace including means of access and egress; the
provision of safe plant and equipment; ensuring the safe use, storage, handling
and transport of articles and substances; the provision of a safe working
environment with adequate welfare facilities including first aid; and ensuring
that only suitably competent workers are engaged who must be provided both
with the necessary information, instruction and training and an acceptable
level of supervision. Additionally, reference should have been made to the
responsibility to prepare a health and safety policy and to revise it when
necessary; to carry out risk assessments and to introduce safe systems of work;
to cooperate with and consult with workers; to secure competent health and
safety advice and to cooperate with other employers at the workplace.
In answering part (b), candidates were expected to identify possible actions
such as giving advice or warning either verbally or in writing; requiring
that a specified improvement is made within a given period of time;
requiring the stopping of work until improvements in health and safety are
made; and taking formal legal proceedings such as prosecution and raising
cases against the company in the court of law.

• This was one of the better answered questions on the paper though some
candidates failed to gain maximum marks for the first part by providing a
list rather than an outline.

• There were a few who referred to civil claims rather than to enforcement
actions.
 Question
(a) Outline how international standards, such as
the International Standards Organisation
(ISO), can contribute towards good standards
of health and safety. (4)
(b) Outline how enforcement agencies can
contribute towards good standards of health
and safety. (4)
 Examiners’ Report
• Part (a) was generally not well answered, with few candidates gaining reasonable to
good marks. Some candidates did not attempt part (a).
• An outline of how international standards, such as the International Standards
Organisation (ISO), can contribute to good standards could have included the
following to gain marks: they provide information on health and safety; they provide
something to aim for; they provider a standard to achieve and receive accreditation;
and they are a common model across organisations or between different
organisations or different territories.
• Knowledge and understanding was not strong. Where candidates did gain a mark or
marks, the most frequently offered points were that international standards provide
information on health and safety and that standards (such as ISO 18001) are
something for which an organisation can achieve accreditation.
• Some candidates provided an answer that detailed the content of a particular
standard, eg the detailed content of an ISO standard. Some candidates confused
international standards (such as ISO) with enforcement agencies or believed that ISO
enforces health and safety law. A few candidates did understand international
standards and were able to provide answers that gained good marks.
• Part (b) required an outline of how enforcement
agencies can contribute to good standards. This part of
the question was answered well by most candidates,
with many earning reasonable or good marks. Most
candidates gained the majority of their marks for
question two from part (b).
• Marks were available for an outline of points such as
enforcement agencies publish information; they provide
advice; they carry out research; and, inspection and
enforcement.
• Some candidates missed marks by only listing the points
in their answer instead of outline as required.
 Question
Give FOUR H&S responsibilities that employers
have towards workers AND in EACH case give an
example how this responsibility could be met
(8)
 Suggested Answer
1- Employers have a responsibility to produce a H&S policy
This can take the form of a H&S policy statement of intent signed by the employer
2- They have a responsibility to provide safe systems of work
This would include the identification of hazards in the workplace, assessment of
their level of risks & the control measures to be introduced to reduce the risk
to an acceptable level
3- They have to provide welfare facilities which are adequate
Such as drinking water, rest room, clean & well ventilated toilets ect.
4- They have to ensure that all workers are competent in their work
By providing information, instruction, training & supervision
 Question
(a) Outline the H&S duties of designers,
manufacturers & suppliers of articles &
substances (5)
(b) If those in the supply chain fail to carry out
their duties, outline H&S consequences in
the workplace
(3)
 “Suggested Answer” (a)
1.
(5)
To ensure their products were safe & fit for their intended purpose by prior
testing
2. This could include testing substances to ensure they are safe & supplying relevant
hazard data sheets if they are not
3. For supply within the European Community, ensuring the CE marking of the
product to ensure minimum safety standards
4. Providing comprehensive instructions for more complex & dangerous products
such as cranes etc
5. To ensure safety aspects are designed into the product, for example ensuring a
guard on a piece of machinery cannot be easily defeated
(b) (3)

1. An increase in accidents & incidents caused by failed products which

were not designed correctly for the task there were to perform
2. By manufacturers supplying insufficient instructions on operation of their
product which could lead to serious injuries etc
3. Failing to identify the weight of loads may lead to manual handling
injuries etc
Question

Outline the factors that could be considered when

selecting a contractor
(8)
 Examiner’s Report

• The contractors previous experience with the type of work

• References / The reputation of the contractor amongst previous or current clients
• The content & quality of the contractor’s H&S policy & risk assessments
• The level of training & qualifications of staff (including those with H&S
responsibilities)
• Accident/nearmiss records of the contractor
• enforcement history
• Membership of accreditation or certification bodies
• Equipment maintenance & statutory examination records
• & the detailed proposals (e.g. method statements) for the work to be carried out
• Their arrangements for hiring subcontractors
 Question

Outline the factors that could be considered when

assessing the health & safety competence of a
contractor (8)
 Examiners’ Report

See previous question!

Question

Outline the main steps required for

managing the contractors.
(8)
 Managing contractors (5 Steps for the Client)

1 Select a contractor ...........

2 Plan the job ...........

3 Control contractors on site ...........

4 Check contractors work ...........

5 Review performance ...........

Question

Contractors are carrying out a major building project

for an organisation.

Outline how this organisation could reduce the risks

to contractors both before and during the building
project.
(8)
 Examiners’ Report

See previous question

 Question
An organisation has all of its maintenance work
carried out by contractors.
Outline how the organisation can help to ensure
this work is carried out safely.
(8)
 Examiners’ Report

See previous question

 Question
Two organisations share the same worksite
Outline how the organisations could work
together to help ensure the workplace is safe &
healthy
(8)
 Suggested Answer”
1. First they will need to consider the coordination of emergency procedures such as
fire, first aid, etc
2. Who will be responsible for reporting of accidents & dangerous occurrence
between the 2 organisations
3. An exchange of H&S policy statements & general arrangement for H&S such as
training
4. There will need to be good channels of communication on a regular basis on H&S
matters
5. This may include the setting up of a H&S committee to meet at regular intervals
to discuss / monitor the arrangements between the 2 organisations
6. Perhaps a joint system for the maintenance & testing of equipment, both
electrical & mechanical
7. A full exchange of H&S information on each others activities & risks,
including safe systems of work
8. Encouraging consultation & co-operation between both sets of
workers from each organisation
 Element 2:

How health & safety

management systems
work and what they look like
 Question

Outline the main components of a health & safety

management system (8)
 Examiners’ Report

Candidates were required to outline the part played by each of the 7 elements of
the management system (POPIMAR) See page 6 in the summary
It starts with establishing a Policy with the three sections that
• States management’s commitment towards the continual improvement of health &
safety
• & sets clear aims
• General health & safety Objectives & targets
This is followed by Organising for safety by allocating responsibilities & establishing
effective communication at all levels established
The next stage involves Planning & Implementing, where practical plans are
developed to meet the objectives & effective control measures introduced based
on risk assessment
Proactive & reactive Monitoring systems should be introduced to measure
performance in H&S & a system of Review established to evaluate the performance
against the objectives & targets, to consider options for improvement & to reset
targets
The review would be reinforced by an independent & structured Audit of all parts
of the system, which would assess compliance with H&S management procedures
& identify where existing standards are inadequate or deficient
 Question
(a) Setting policy is a key element of a health and safety
management system.
Outline other key elements of a health and safety
management system. (4)
(b) Identify sources of guidance on the preparation and
implementation of health and safety management
systems. (4)
(c) Outline why it is important that managers’
responsibilities are made clear in a health and safety
policy. (8)
(d) Identify circumstances that may require a review of the
health and safety policy. (4)
 Examiners’ Report
Part (a) required candidates to identify elements such as
Organisation or allocation of responsibilities, Planning &
Implementation, Monitoring , Audit and Review or
action for improvement regarding health and safety
management. (rest of POPIMAR)

Candidates generally gave a satisfactory response to the

command word outline. A number of candidates gave
answers related to health and safety policy rather than a
health and safety management system, suggesting that
some candidates misread the question.
 Part (b) required candidates to identify sources of information /
guidance such as government enforcement agency, The HSE
publication / management system HSG(65) from the UK, The ILO
management system and publications, international standards
such as OHSAS 18001, ISO standards such as 9001 (quality
management sysytem) 14001 (environmental management
system)

Some candidates missed marks by providing sources which are not

relevant to health and safety management systems or by providing
vague answers such as ‘news media’.

Many candidates gave only one or two responses but generally in

order to gain full marks for a four point ‘identify’ question;
candidates will need to provide four correct responses.
 Part (c) required an outline of reasons why managers’ responsibilities
safety needs to be made clear.

Some candidates missed marks by writing about what managers'

responsibilities are, rather than saying why they need to be made
clear.

Some candidates provided a list of points without explaination, but

this was not sufficient in gaining marks for the command word
‘outline’.

Good answers would explain reasons such as:

 (c) (8)
1. It is a legal requirement that senior management produce such a policy & bring it
to the attention of all interested parties
2. Motivating workers as It shows the workforce that there is senior management
commitment for health & safety
3. It is management who have far more responsibilities & accountabilities for H&S &
these need to be clear to both management & the workforce
4. It will enable good channels of communication between managers & the
workforce, which will include consultation
5. So that all persons both managers & the workforce within the organisation will be
aware of the contribution they have to make
6. Recognition that H&S is a core function of every job & must be given appropriate
priority
7. It will help in setting improvements in the safety culture of the
organisation in general
8. Managers & workers will take on more accountability for their
actions as a result of knowing their organisational responsibilities
Part (d) required candidates to identify circumstances that
would prompt a review such as a change of the structure
of the organisation, change in legislation, etc. (THE 4
Points)

A number of candidates stated that a policy should be

reviewed following an accident, but a mark for this point
could not be given for this response, to get the mark;
Better answers stated a worsening trend in the number of
accidents, repeated or a high number of accidents or a
particularly major accident as a circumstance for
reviewing a policy.
 Question

Evaluation is a key element of a health and safety

management system.

(a) Identify THREE parts of this element AND give an

example in EACH case. (6)
(b) Identify TWO key further elements of a health and
safety management system. (2)
 Examiners’ Report
Part (a) required candidates to demonstrate their
understanding of the evaluation element of a health
and safety management system by identifying three
elements within the evaluation element and giving
workplace examples of each: MAR of POPIMAR
(Monitoring, Audit & Review)
Candidates tended to describe the whole of a health
and safety management system providing
information that may be relevant to the topic but
irrelevant to the answer as it was depth not breadth
of understanding of one element that was required.
Part (b) is where most candidates gained the
two marks available for this part of the
question by identifying a further two elements
of the health and safety management system
such as Policy & Orgainising.
 Question

(a) Explain why it is important for an organisation to

set health & safety targets
(2)
(b) Outline SIX types of target that an organisation
might typically set in relation to health & Safety
(6)
 Examiners’ Report
In answering part (a), few candidates appeared to understand the
importance of setting targets in terms of H&S performance
Some did suggest that it gave evidence of management commitment
towards safety
But few were then able to highlight the importance of targets in
motivating staff by providing them with something tangible to aim
for.
Also the important part they can play in facilitating the measurement
& review of performance.
And it may be a legal requirement according the law of the country.
Candidates had more success in part (b) & identified targets such as
1. A reduction of injuries caused by manual handling activities by 10% over the next
12 months
2. Improved audit scores by improving the competence of audit teams by sending
them on external accredited courses
3. A reduction in the number of civil claims & defending claims where the
organisation feels is has done all that is practicable
4. An increase in the reporting of near miss incidents by 10% from each department
before the end of the year
5. An increase in the number of employees trained in H&S to IGC level by 15% before
the end of the year
6. The achievement of a H&S Standard (e.g. Occupational Health & Safety
Assessment System OHSAS 18001) before the second quarter

Generally, however, this question was not well answered with a number of
candidates having unexpected difficulty with both parts, the expected answer
should be six examples of SMART health & safety objectives
 Question
(a) Identify a range of health and safety targets that
may be included in the statement of intent section
of a health and safety policy
(4)
(b) Describe the purpose of
(i) The organisation section of a health and
safety policy (2)
(ii)The arrangements section of a health and
safety policy (2)
“Suggested Answer” (a) (4)
1. A reduction in the number of accidents from manual handling over the
next 6 months
2. An increase of 50% 0f confined apace training for all contractors in the
next 3 months
3. An improvement in the pass rate for induction training by at least 20%
ongoing
4. To increase the number of workers attending the health and safety
committee meeting by 5%
(b) (i) (2)
1. The organisation section identifies the H&S roles / responsibilities of all
employees (for example Job descriptions), as well as indentifying the
channels of communication within the organisation (for example
organisational chart)

2. Including competent employees, consultation with employees to gain

their commitment & cooperation, with good controls & clear written
procedures by management
(ii) (2)
1. Showing how the safety policy will be implemented, identifying the
practical means for achieving the objectives and targets mentioned in the
statement of intent
2. For example procedures for the control of contractors to ensure they
work safely
 Question
(a) Outline the purpose of an organisation’s
health & safety policy (6)
(b) Outline the typical content of the H&S
arrangements section of a H&S policy (8)
(c) Outline circumstances that would require
a H&S policy to be reviewed (6)
“Suggested Answer” (a) (6)
1. This is a legal requirement for an organisation, who must bring this policy
to the attention of all the workforce & revise it as often as is necessary
2. This is the overall business plan for H&S for an organisation, set by senior
management including consultation with key people within the
organisation
3. This shows from the start the commitment showed towards H&S by top
management
4. As part of the policy there will be a policy statement signed by the CEO
briefly stating the aims & objectives of the policy
5. There will be SMART objectives & targets set within the policy to ensure
legal compliance & overall continual improvement in the H&S system
within the organisation
6. The policy will follow the format of & H&S management
system based upon policy, organisation, planning &
implementation, monitoring, audit & review
(b) (8)
1. Procedures for safe systems of work based upon the findings of risk
assessments
2. H&S training for all levels of employees to ensure adequate levels of
competence
3. Provision of Personal Protective Equipment PPE & instruction, training &
supervision on its use & storage of it
4. Specific types of hazard (e.g. machinery, hazardous substances, manual
handling, fire etc)
5. Control & monitoring of contractors including full exchange of
information
6. Safety of visitors which may require full supervision/& or induction
training before coming on to site
7. Accident reporting & investigation procedures including who to
report to & what form to use
8. Monitoring & review of the above procedures both proactive &
reactive methods
(c) (6)
• THE 4 Points
 Question

Outline the key areas that should be addressed in

the “arrangements” section of a health & safety
policy statement (8)
 Examiners’ Report
1. Procedures for safe systems of work based upon the findings of risk
assessments
2. H&S training for all levels of employees to ensure adequate levels of competence
3. Provision of Personal Protective Equipment PPE & instruction, training &
supervision on its use & storage of it
4. Specific types of hazard (e.g. machinery, hazardous substances, manual handling,
fire etc)
5. Control & monitoring of contractors including full exchange of information
6. Safety of visitors which may require full supervision/& or induction training before
coming on to site
7. Accident reporting & investigation procedures including who to
report to & what form to use
8. Monitoring & review of the above procedures both proactive &
reactive methods
 Question
(a) Explain the purposes of the following sections of a
health & safety policy
(i) “Statement of intent” (2)
(ii) “Organisation” (2)
(iii) “Arrangements” (2)
(b) Outline the issues that are typically included in the
arrangements section of a health & safety policy
(8)
(c) Describe the circumstances that would require a
health & safety policy to be reviewed (6)
 Examiners’ Report

There was a mixed response to this question, with some candidates obviously
recognising the H&S policy as the foundation upon which effective safety
management is built, while others appeared to have little idea of the purpose or
structure of a policy document
Overall, the Examiners were disappointed that a better understanding of such a
fundamental issues was not known
For the 2 marks available for explaining the purposes of each of the 3 sections of a
policy document, in part (a), the examiners were not expecting a great deal.
A surprisingly large number of candidates, however, did not appreciate the
differences in purpose between the statement of intent & some sections describing
the organisation & arrangements for implementing policy
 Good answers identified that
• “A statement of intent” demonstrates an organisation’s commitment to the
continual improvement of safety, & sets the general safety objectives of the
organisation as well as complying with the legal requirement
• The “organisation” section identifies the H&S responsibilities & channels of
communication within the organisation ......
• & the “arrangements” section deals the practical means for achieving the
objectives laid down in the policy statement and showing how the policy will be
implemented
Answers that elaborated a little on these, sometimes by use of examples or any
other outline, were able to achieve full marks
 Part (b) many insuffecient answers were simply lists of items with little or no
indication of how they would be addressed in a policy document, or of the
reasons for their inclusion
Candidates who understood the purpose of this section were able to identify a
range of general H&S issues for which arrangements would be in place such as:
1. Procedures for safe systems of work based upon risk assessments
2. H&S training for all levels of employees to ensure competence
3. Provision of PPE & instruction, training & supervision on its use
4. Specific types of hazard (e.g. machinery, hazardous substances, manual handling,
fire etc)
5. Control & monitoring of contractors including full exchange of information
6. Safety of visitors which may require full supervision / & or induction training
before coming on to site
7. Accident reporting & investigation procedures including who to report to & what
form to use
8. Monitoring & review of the above procedures both proactive & reactive methods
For part (c), THE 4 POINTS
 Question

(a) Outline the purpose & general content of the

THREE main sections of a health & safety policy
document (6)
(b) Explain why the health & safety policy should be
signed by the most senior person in an
organisation, such as the Managing Director or
Chief Executive Officer (2)
 Examiners’ Report

For part (a) See previous question!

For part (b), the majority of candidates recognised that the
signature of the most senior person in the organisation
would demonstrate management commitment
But did not go on then to add that this would give
authority to the policy to be implemented or that the
person concerned ultimately had responsibility for H&S in
the organisation
Also it might be a legal requirement according to local
laws and legislation
 Question

(a) Explain the purpose of the “statement of intent”

section of a health & safety policy (2)
(b) Outline the circumstances that would require a
health & safety policy to be reviewed (6)
 Examiners’ Report

For part (a) See previous question!

For part (b), THE 4 points
 Question

Outline the circumstances that may give rise to a

need for a health & safety policy to be reviewed
(8)
 Examiners’ Report

THE 4 points
• There was variation of performance by candidates who answered
this question, with some having difficulty and gaining only a few
marks, while other candidates answered with more confidence and
gained good marks.
• Answers could have included a change of management structure,
key personnel or organisational change; a change of process,
legislation or authoritative guidance; after a period of time or at
date of scheduled review.
• This was an eight mark ‘outline’ question which indicated the
breadth of answer required. Some candidates outlined too few
valid points or only listed circumstances so could not gain a
reasonable mark. This weakness in examination technique is
particularly unfortunate because it means that candidates who
have the knowledge and understanding of the question topic, or
who can give valid points in their answers, do not gain fuller marks
because of lack of details & explanation
 Question

Outline why it is important that all persons in an

organisation are aware of their roles &
responsibilities for health and safety
(8)
 Suggested answer
- Improve their health & safety peroformance
- Avoid any conflict during the work or any confusion which could lead to problems
or even accidents
- Motivate the employees to follow the procedures & rules
- Show the management commitment
- To be able to implement a proper discipline as well as suitable incentive or bonus
scheme
- Maintain a good management system and an effective health & safety policy
- Comply with the law as it’s a legal requirement that all employees should be
aware of their health & safety duties
- Identify individual responibilities and make them participate in decision taking
and become involved in health & safety
- Develop the ownership of safety at all levels
 “Another Suggested Answer”
1. So that all persons within the organisation will be aware of the contribution they
have to make
2. It will also be seen as an indication of the commitment & leadership of senior
management
3. Recognition that H&S is a core function of every job & must be given appropriate
priority
4. There will be added benefits in setting clear communication & reporting lines
5. In defining individual competencies & training needs particular to specific roles
such as first aid & fire
6. In setting improvements in the safety culture of the organisation in general
7. People will take on more accountability for their actions as a result
of knowing their organisational responsibilities
8. Helping to understand other peoples roles & responsibilities,
therefore improving cooperation
Question

Outline the causes which may lead to an

ineffective H & S policy.
(8)
 Causes of ineffective H & S Policy
• No management commitment towards health & safety (Managers are not leading by example; NOT
doing what they are asking the employees to do)
• No SMART objectives set to implement policy (there's nothing for the employees to aim for and
there's no follow up)
• Aims and objectives not clearly understood by employees (and they will not be able to implement
the policy)
• No monitoring for achieving the objectives (so; there's no way to find the gaps and enable
improvement)
• Health & safety not given priority against other business needs like production (poor safety culture
of the organisation)
• Poor channels of communication (Leading to confusion or lack of feedback from the staff)
• Low morale for the employees (So there's no motivation to implement the policy)
• Inadequate resources to implement action e.g. financial, time, equipment or competent people
• Frequent changes in the organisation (changes in top management leading to conflicts causing
confusion to workers)
• Too much emphasis on employee responsibilities (ignoring the important role for the management)
• Management unaware of their health and safety role (No management training to achieve the
policy objectives)
• If the policy is not complying with the law or local legislations or the international standards
• No review for the policy whenever needed (whether periodically or after any change such as using
new equipment or new working method)