ngc 1 december 2011

DEC 2010 NGC 1

Question 1 (a) Give the meaning of the terms ‘error’ AND ‘violation’ AND give a practical example of EACH. (4)

A ’error’ is an unintended action, for example where a familiar task is not carried out as planned such as operating the wrong switch or control. A ‘violation’ however, is a deliberate deviation from an acceptable standard such as the intentional removal of a guard in order to speed up a process.

(b) Outline factors that could contribute to human error in relation to: (i) the individual; (4)

As far as the individual is concerned, they were expected to refer to factors such as attitude and motivation; maturity and in particular mental maturity; aptitude, competence and the training has undertaken; physical capabilities and any sensory defect they may possess; perception of risks involved in the task being undertaken; the possibility that they have language problems; and the effects of stress, fatigue and alcohol or substance misuse.
(ii) the tasks being undertaken; (4)
As for the tasks being undertaken, relevant factors would have included the lack of correct tools, poorly maintained equipment or equipment that had not been well designed resulting in ergonomic problems; the setting of unrealistic targets; tasks that were complex or conversely those that were repetitive and monotonous; systems of work that were not clear; and environmental conditions such as noise levels and unsatisfactory lighting.

(iii) the organisation. (4)
In relation to factors concerned with the organisation candidates could have referred to a poor health and safety culture with a lack of obvious leadership on the part of management resulting in an unsatisfactory level of supervision and monitoring; a lack of resources; a failure to complete risk assessments and introduce safe systems of work; a lack of consultation and communication with the workforce; and a failure to provide adequate levels of training for employees.

(c) Explain ways in which the likelihood of human error can be reduced. (4) how the potential defects they had identified in the second part of the question might be remedied. Accordingly they referred to the introduction of effective procedures for the selection and recruitment of staff including pre-employment health screening and health surveillance; the use of ergonomic principles in the design of tasks; the setting of realistic targets and the introduction of job rotation and frequent breaks following consultation and communication with the involvement of the workforce; ensuring a high level of supervision and mentoring and establishing clear lines of responsibility; and the introduction of procedures for the regular monitoring of health and safety standards with remedial action being taken whenever this was seen to be necessary.

Question 2 Outline FOUR external AND FOUR internal influences that might initiate a health and safety policy review. (8)
As far as external influences are concerned, reference could have been made to changes in legislation and guidance; action by the enforcement authority; a civil claim and/or advice from an insurance company; information from manufacturers; client considerations or complaints; suggestions from professional bodies or trade unions and as a result of an audit by an external body.
Internal influences include significant changes in the structure of the organisation or alterations to working arrangements; after the introduction of new or changed processes or work methods; following changes in key personnel; where risk assessments, monitoring exercises or accident investigations show that the policy is no longer effective or relevant; following consultation with employees and after a sufficient period of time has elapsed since the previous review to suggest that another one is due.

Question 3 (a) Explain the key stages involved in carrying out a workplace risk assessment. (6)
The key stages involved in carrying out a workplace risk assessment include identifying the hazards associated with the activities and tasks performed at the workplace; identifying who might be harmed including operators, maintenance staff, cleaners and visitors; evaluating the likelihood and severity of the harm that might be caused; assessing the adequacy of existing control measures and deciding whether additional measures are required; recording the significant findings of the assessment and carrying out a review at a later date and revising the findings where necessary.

(b) Identify the legal requirements for recording a risk assessment. (2)
To obtain both marks available for the second part of the question, candidates should have referred to the requirements contained in the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations which lays a duty on an employer, who employs five or more persons, to keep a record of the significant findings of an assessment. Whilst candidates seemed to be more sure of the number of employees involved, many made no reference to the need to record the ‘significant findings’. Additionally a few candidates thought that the legal requirement was contained in the Health and Safety at Work etc Act.
Question 4 Outline the main features of:
(a) civil law; (4)
The main features of civil law are that it is concerned with the rights of an individual, deals with torts such as negligence, is much based on common law and has the objective of providing a remedy such as compensation provided a loss has been proved. The parties involved are generally two individuals rather than the state and an individual and the decisions are based on the balance of probabilities. Time limits apply and dependent on the size of the claim, cases are heard either in a small claims court, a County Court or the High Court. Employers are able to insure against the costs to them arising from a claim under civil law.
(b) criminal law. (4)
Criminal law on the other hand is based on the rights of society and the parties involved are the state and an individual. A breach of the law which is largely based on statute is dealt with through the criminal court system such as the Magistrates or Crown Court and results in punishment of the defendant such as by a fine or imprisonment if proved to be guilty of the offence. The burden of proof is beyond all reasonable doubt, there is no requirement to prove loss and there is no time limit for ringing cases to court. It is not possible to insure against a prosecution under criminal law.
Question 5 Outline FOUR active (proactive) monitoring methods that can be used in assessing the health and safety performance of an organisation. (8)
Active monitoring methods that could have been outlined include: audits involving comprehensive and independently executed examinations of all aspects of an organisation’s health and safety performance against stated objectives; inspections carried out on a regular or scheduled basis which identify existing conditions and compare them with agreed performance objectives; safety surveys which focus on a particular activity such as manual handling, training programmes or employees’ attitudes towards safety; sampling where specific areas of occupational health and safety are targeted; tours involving unscheduled workplace inspections to check on issues such as the wearing of personal protective equipment or housekeeping; benchmarking where an organisation’s performance in certain areas is compared with that of other organisations with similar processes and risks; health surveillance using techniques such as audiometry or the measurement of blood lead levels and environmental monitoring involving the measurement for example of noise or dust levels. Question 6 Outline the meaning of the following terms:
(a) health; (2) The term ‘health’ can be defined as a state of well being in both a physiological and psychological sense. In occupational terms, it would include not suffering from mental fatigue, stress or noise induced deafness.
(b) safety; (2) ‘Safety’ can be defined as the absence of danger or physical harm to persons, extending in the workplace to things such as equipment, materials and structures.
(c) welfare; (2) The term ‘welfare’ relates to the provision of workplace facilities that maintain the basic well being and comfort of the worker such as eating, washing and toilet facilities which enable them to fulfil their bodily functions.
(d) environmental protection. (2) Environmental protection’ may be defined as a measure used to prevent harm to the environment of the world. It prevents harm to air, water, land and natural resources providing protection to flora, fauna and human beings and their inter-relationships.
Question 7 A new process has been introduced into a workplace. Operators, supervisors and managers have received information and training on a safe system of work associated with the process.
(a) Outline FOUR benefits to the employee of providing information and training. (4)
The provision of information and training for employees on the safe system of work associated with a new process will develop awareness and understanding of the specific hazards and risks related to the task and of health and safety generally resulting in a reduction in the chance of harm; inform employees of the control measures that should be put in place; assist them to identify shortcomings that may exist in the proposed system; enable them to meet their responsibilities; assist in overcoming resistance to change – though this was rarely mentioned - and confirm a better understanding through two way communication.

(b) Identify FOUR benefits to an employer of providing information and training. (4)
Identify benefits that might accrue to an employer from providing information and training such as satisfying his statutory obligations under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act and
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 for example; securing a reduction in accident frequency and severity and a consequent reduction in injury and ill health related absence; ensuring a reduction in the possibility of enforcement action being taken and a reduction in claims and subsequently in insurance premiums; improving the safety culture of the organisation which will aid in improving staff morale and retention; improving communication and overcoming resistance to change and ultimately achieving an increase in quality and productivity resulting in financial benefits.

Question 8 Outline ways in which a Managing Director can demonstrate commitment to improving the health and safety culture in their organisation. (8)
A Managing Director can demonstrate commitment to improving the health and safety culture in his/her organisation in a number of ways such as being involved in the development of and signing the health and safety policy statement; appointing a nominated director for health and safety and appointing a competent person to provide expert health and safety assistance; ensuring resources are set aside for health and safety and that individual responsibilities are allocated; setting and monitoring objectives and targets; ensuring health and safety matters are communicated throughout the organisation; reviewing the results of audits and active monitoring exercises and ensuring that any necessary remedial action is taken; attending and even chairing health and safety committee meetings and importantly leading by example.
Question 9 (a) Give TWO reasons why an employer should implement safe systems of work. (2) to secure compliance with relevant statutory requirements such as Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act; to comply with the common law duty of an employer to provide safe systems of work; as a control measure to reduce accidents, probably as a direct result of a risk assessment; and to communicate a standardised procedure to employees. Candidates generally found difficulty with this part of the question and could cite only compliance with statutory requirements with only a few referring to the common law duty of care and to obtain a reduction in accidents.

(b) Outline SIX sources of information that should be consulted when developing a safe system of work. (6) referring to sources of information such as statutory instruments, ACoPs and HSE guidance; information from manufacturers; European and other official standards and industry or trade literature; results of risk assessments and job safety analyses; accident statistics and health/medical surveillance records; the results of consultation with the employees involved; results of monitoring exercises; plans and drawings and company policy and standards. Question 10 Outline factors that may increase the risks to persons who are required to work on their own away from the workplace. (8)
In answering this question, candidates needed to appreciate that it referred to persons who were required to work alone and also away from their workplace.
Better answers were provided by those candidates who approached the question in a logical, structured and practical way by identifying firstly the factors that would contribute to the potential risk such as the work to be done and its attendant hazards and then went on to identify factors that might possibly increase the level of risk such as the competence, training and suitability of the persons involved; a failure to provide the appropriate equipment and/or materials; the provision or even absence of personal protective equipment such as eye and hearing protection; inadequate means of communication with the home base; a lack of immediate supervision to ensure that the correct working procedures were being followed; a lack of security with the potential for violence; psychological factors such as working alone for long periods of time; inadequate travel arrangements and an absence of adequate welfare facilities and emergency and first aid procedures.
Question 11 Outline the immediate AND longer-term actions that should be taken following a serious injury accident at work. (8) treatment and contacting the emergency services; informing the next of kin and offering counselling and support; notifying the enforcing authority; collecting initial evidence such as photographs and sketches and the names of witnesses; setting up the accident investigation team and investigating the accident; determining the root and underlying causes of the accident; making and implementing recommendations to prevent a recurrence of the accident and reviewing and revising existing risk assessments and work procedures where these are found to be deficient; ensuring feedback is provided to the workforce; and collecting evidence to be used in any possible litigation following the accident.