201) Explain the main features of:
A Safety Inspection:-
A safety inspection involves the straight forward observation of the workplace & activities or equipment within it.
Usually carried out routinely by a manager safety representative, aided by the use of checklist, with the air of identifying hazards and assessing the use & effectiveness of control measures.
A Safety Audit:-
A safety audit is thorough critical examination of the safety management and procedures.
A lengthy procedure carried out by a trained auditor. (often from outside the organization).
It is a structured way of assessing H & S performance by supplying answers to a series of reset questions & usually involves a scoring system so that improvements can be measured.
202) Outline TWO reactive & TWO proactive measures that can be used in monitoring an organizations H & S performance.
Reactive Measures:-
i) Accidents & ill health records.
ii) Civil claims.
iii) Enforcement actions. Etc.
Proactive Measures:-
i) Result of safety inspection.
ii) Health surveillance & environmental monitoring records.
iii) Assessment of H & S training.
iv) Extent that risk assessment have been completed.
203) Outline the duties placed on employees under the Manual Handling operation Regulations.
Section-4
Avoiding manual handling operations wherever possible.
Conducting suitable & sufficient assessments of the tasks.
Taking steps to reduce the risk of injury to the lowest level reasonably practicable.
Providing information to employees on the weight & weight distribution of the load & reviewing assessments as necessary.
MANAGEMENT OF CONTARCTORS
204) Outline EIGHT health & safety precaution that should be taken when undertaking demolition work.
Barriers, fences, conveyors, restricted access etc. to protect the public and others from falling debris.
Means of preventing falls from height.
The identification & isolation of services.
Wearing signs.
The use of elephant trunks for safe removal of debris from upper levels.
The provision of suitable PPE (e.g. hard hats, ear defenders, footwear’s etc.).
Ensuring that personnel’s (drivers, explosives teams etc) are competent.
Means of supporting dust i.e. dampening down..
Identification of correct removal of hazardous substances such as asbestos, lead.
Prevention of premature collapse or collapse of adjoining buildings. (e.g. temporary shoring).
The use properly maintained plant and equipment.
Responsibilities are understood.
Methods statement is followed.
205) Outline the checks that could be made in assessing the H & S competence of a contractor.
H & S Policy.
System is place for implementing policy i.e. Risk Assessment, monitoring, training of staff, consultation procedure, access to H & S advice.
Previous performance of contractor.
Experience with the particular type of work.
Accreditation with professional/trade organization etc.
206) Under CDM Regulations 1994 OUTLIINE the type of information that should be included in a H & S plan before work commences on building project.
The nature of the work and risk involved.
Method statements.
Emergency arrangements.
Coordination of and liaison between relevant parties.
Use of plant and equipment.
Site rules.
Welfare arrangements.
Accident reporting.
“IT IS”.
Provision and use of PPE.
Monitoring and review arrangements.
207) Outline four duties of each of the following persons under the CDM Regulations 1994.
The planning supervisor:-
i) The planning supervisor is required to ensure HSE is notified of the project.
ii) Ensure cooperation between designers.
iii) Ensure designers comply with their duties.
iv) Ensure cooperation with designers.
v) Ensure a PRE tender stage H & S plan is prepared.
vi) Advice the client when requested to do so.
vii) Ensure H & S file is prepared.
The principle contractor:
CDM Regulation 16:- The principle contractor is required to develop the H & S plan before work starts on site and keep it up to date throughout the construction phase. These are firstly to take reasonable steps to ensure cooperation between contractors, the principle contractor must ensure so far is reasonably practicable that every contractor and every employee complies with any rules in H & S plan. The principle contractor can make any reasonable return rules and include them in the plan and reasonable directions to any contractor. The principle contractor must take reasonable steps to ensure that any authorize persons are allowed where construction work is being carried out.
The principle contractor must ensure that required particulars are displayed in any notice covered by regulation 7, and are displayed in a readable condition where they can be read by any person at work on the project.
Finally he must provide the planning supervisor promptly with any information he possesses or could reasonably find out from a contractor which the planning supervisor does not already possesses and which could reasonably be believed necessary to include in the H & S site.
CONTROLLING WORK PLACE HAZARDS
208) An employee is to use a petrol driven chain saw to fell a tree from ground level,
Outline the hazards faced by the employee in carrying out this task:
1) Contact with the moving part of the chain saw (chain in particular).
2) Exposure to fumes and dust.
3) Manual handling hazards.
4) Noise and vibration.
5) Ejected particles and fragments.
6) Falling objects (tree itself).
7) Fire & explosion hazards from the fuel.
8) Hot parts of the chain saw.
9) Uneven and/or weight ground.
10) The use of lubricating oils and exposure to sunlight.
209) List FIVE items of PPE that should be provided to, and used by the employee.
Ear defenders, gloves, helmets, face visor, forestry boots, Cavelor protective clothing designed to choke the chain if contact is made.
210) Outline the control measures other than PPE that could be necessary to ensure H & S of the chain saw operator and other persons involved in the operator.
Proper planning of the job.
Placing barriers and warning signs to restrict access to the felling area.
Ensuring chain saw is suitable for the task. (e.g. guard is always in place and that equipment is properly maintained).
Using only certified operators.
Providing “IT IS” for the job in hand.
Ensuring adequate supervision to check that procedures (relating to safe felling methods, refueling, exclusion zones, etc). are followed.
Introducing a system of health surveillance (e.g. look for signs of hearing loss and / or hand arm vibration syndrome).
211) Outline the means by which the risk of accident from reversing vehicles within a work place can be reduced.
Avoiding the need for vehicles to reverse (one way and ‘drive through’ systems, turning circles).
Separation of vehicles & pedestrians (barriers, signs etc).
Aspect of vehicle,
-Audible alarms.
-Mirrors on vehicles & at
-blind corners.
4) Workplace design.
-Refuges.
-lighting etc.
5) Procedural measures,
- Use of bank man.
- Site Rules.
- Drivers training etc.
212) A) Identify:
1) Two mechanical hazards associated with moving parts of machinery,
Moving parts of the machinery and / or the material being worked) include impact, entanglement, crushing, shearing, ejection, cutting & abrasion.
2) Two non-mechanical hazards,
Noise, vibration, electricity, hazardous substances, radiation, extreme of temperature & ergonomic issues.
B) Outline a hierarchy of control measures that may be used to reduce the risk of injury from dangerous part of machinery.
PUWER-1998 Reg 11,
FIAT – Guards.
Safety aids such as jigs, holders, push sticks.
“IT IS”.
213) In relation to the electrical safety explain the meaning of following terms.
Isolation:- shuttering off the electrical supply to an item of equipment or an electrical system and preventing inadvertent reconnection in order, for instance, to carryout maintenance work.
Earthing:- Means whereby electrical equipment and conductive items are connected to earth by a cable or metal pipe work such that the route to earth provides the path of least resistance to a current flowing under fault condition.
Reduced low voltage:- reduction of mains voltage by a transformer to a lower, safer voltage (typically 110 or 55 volt (used mainly on construction site).
Over current protection:- is a method of preventing the flow of excess current by cutting the supply under fault condition by means of a circuit breaker.
214) Outline the precautions to ensure the H & S of persons engaged in painting spraying in a motor vehicle repair workshop.
Segregation on the activity, typically by means of a spray booth fitted with local exhaust ventilation and protected electrical equipment.
Suitable storage and fire precautions for flammable paints & solvents.
The provision & use of PPE (clothing, respiratory protection etc).
Monitoring employee’s exposures to airborne substances.
Providing appropriate training to employees.
Maintaining welfare & hygiene facilities.
215) An employee is engaged in general cleaning activities is a large veterinary practice,
A) Identify FOUR possible hazards the cleaner could encounter when undertaking this activity.
Cleaning fluids.
Manual handling.
Slips/trips / falls.
Sharp object.
Environment :-a) biological hazards, b) contact with animals, c) those arising from specialized equipment.
B) Outline the precautions that could be taken to minimize the risk of harm from these hazards.
Provision and use of PPE (overall & gloves).
The use of suitably maintained and tested equipment.
Procedure for the handling & disposal of sharps.
The need for animals to be kept in secure enclosures & need for immunization against diseases known to be transmitted by animals.
Training to the employees.
216) A) State the primary effect on the body of the following types of hazardous substances.
Irritant:- Irritants cause inflammation on contact with the skin, eyes or mucous membranes.
Corrosive:- substance cause the distraction of living tissue at the point of contact, e.g. skin, respiratory tract or digestive tract.
Toxic:- substances have poisonous effect on body organs or systems, affecting normal metabolic function.
Carcinogens:- substances have the ability to alter the genetic material in living cells and to cause cancer.
B) Describe the difference between acute & chronic effects.
Acute:- Acute health effects appear after a single or short term exposure, usually with a rapid or immediate response.
Chronic:- Chronic effects are normally produced following prolong or repeated exposures to an agent, appear gradually may go unrecognized for long periods of time & may be progressive even without further exposure.
217) Outline the precautions to be taken when using mobile elevating work platform (MWEP) to reach a high point such as street light.
The need to inspect the equipment before use and to ensure it is in a good state of repair.
Using only competent workers.
Using outriggers & brakes.
Extracting warning signs & barriers to avoid collisions.
Ensuring the platform is not overloaded.
Voiding overhead obstruction.
Wearing a harness.
Protection of those at ground levels.
218) In order to work related upper limb disorder (WRULDS).
Identify the typical symptoms that might be experienced by affected individuals.
Pains to back, neck, shoulders and /or arms.
Swollen joints.
Reduced mobility.
Stiffness cramps.
Muscle fatigue.
Affect sleep & normal functioning.
Outline the factors that would increase the risk of developing WRULDS.
Space constraints resulting in poor working posture.
Excessive force or awkward hand movement needed to carry out an operation.
The frequency with which tasks need to be repeated.
Use of vibrating tools & equipment.
The involvement of vulnerable workers such as those with pre-existing medical conditions & pregnant.
219) Explain the following terms in relation to noise exposure at work.
noise induced hearing loss:-
Noise induced hearing loss is normally caused by prolonged exposure to high noise level causing damage to the hair cell of the inner ear and leading to a permanent threshold shift at particular frequencies, which worsen with continued exposure both in terms of the extent of the threshold shift and of the frequencies affected.
Tinnitus:- on the other hand is typified by a ringing or similar sound in the ears caused by over simulation of the hair cells. It can be acute or chronic, permanent or intermittent.
B) Identify FOUR limitations of personal hearing protection as a means of protecting against the effect of noise.
(i) Poor fit, resistant to use, comfort factor incompatibility with protective equipment, costly in terms of replacement & maintenance, interference with communication, hygiene problems & the need for constant supervision & attention.
220) List EIGHT ways of reducing the risk of fire starting in a workplace.
Control of smoking and smoking materials.
Regular lubrication of machinery.
Ensuring that electrical systems are not overloaded.
Regular inspection of electrical equipment for damage.
Ensuring ventilation outlets on equipment are not obstructed.
Controlling hot work.
Provision of proper storage facility for flammable liquids.
The segregation of incompatible chemicals and implementing security measures to reduce the risk of arson.