Questions and Answers Related to IGC Week 1 Elements 1 to 5

Give the meaning of the term perception (2)

Perception is the way we interpret the data we receive from our senses using experience, training and
general knowledge.

Identify ways in which a worker’s H&S perception in the workplace might be improved (4)

- Provide H&S awareness training - Conduct risk assessments and show the hazards to the workers - Use
safety campaigns to improve safety awareness - Conduct health surveillance to identify impaired senses.
- Select PPE which reduces impairment of the senses (sight, hearing, smell)

Give the meaning of the term Hazard and an example of a hazard (2) 

Hazard is something with the potential to cause harm e.g. fire

Give meaning of the term Risk and an example of a risk (2) 

Risk is the likelihood that harm will occur and the severity of the harm e.g. risk of slip trip and fall

Give meaning of the term “near miss” or “incident” (2)  An unwanted, unforeseen, unplanned event
that had the potential to result in a loss, but did not. Give meaning of the term Accident (2)  An
unwanted, unforeseen, unplanned event which results in a loss of some kind.

Identify sources of information that can help reduce risks to workers. (8)

Internal Sources:  Risk assessments  Inspection reports  Accident reports  Incident reports  Medical
reports  Maintenance reports

External Sources:  Professional institutions such as IOSH  World Health Organization, ILO  Suppliers
and manufacturers  Consultants and specialists  Insurance companies and workers unions

What are the reasons for having good health and safety practice? (3)

The reasons for having good health and safety practice include:  Moral – duty to ensure safe workplace
and not to expose workers to harm  Legal – avoid prosecution - fines and punishments.  Financial –
reduce direct and indirect costs that are related to an accident or incident.

Outline reasons for promoting and maintaining good health and safety in an organisation? (8)
Maintaining good standards will lead to improved staff morale and ultimately improved production . The
Company’s reputation will be enhanced by reducing accidents and ill health. Ultimately this will reduce
damage caused to equipment by poorly trained staff which will directly reduce insurance premiums. As
staff become more motivated staff complaints will reduce as well as absenteeism and staff turnover.
Legally the company will see a direct reduction in fines and compensation claims lodged against the
Organization.

What are the benefits of having good health and safety practice (8)

 Improved production  Improved level of compliance  Improved staff morale  Improved company
reputation
 Reduced accidents  Reduced ill health  Reduced damage to equipment  Reduced staff complaints 
Reduced staff turnover  Reduced insurance premiums  Reduced fines and compensation claims

Outline the main health and safety responsibilities of Employers (4) It is the responsibility of an
Employer to provide:  Safe premises  Safe plant and equipment  Safe access and egress  Safe
environment  IT IS - adequate Information, Training, Instructions and Supervision  Welfare facilities 
Safety policy  Consultation with employees  Emergency arrangements  PPE to employees at no
charge.  Health Surveillance of Employees.

Outline the main health & safety responsibilities of workers/employees (4)

It is the responsibility of an Employee to:

 Not endanger themselves and others  Co-operate with their employer  Not interfere with anything
provided for safety  Be receptive to instruction and training Report significant dangers in the
workplace.

Identify the possible costs that an organisation may incur as a result of inadequate standards of
workplace health & safety (8) Direct Costs  Damage to property – building, plant, machinery and
equipment  Increased insurance premiums  Legal costs  Fines  Public liability insurance claims  Sick
pay for the injured person Indirect Costs  Loss of company reputation  Production delays or stoppages
 Lost time paid to supervisors, managers and others involved in investigating the accident or incident 
Loss of staff morale leading to poor production and customer service.

Outline ways in which an organisation could encourage workers to be involved in setting and
maintaining high standards of health and safety (8)

- Show management commitment - lead by example - Provide H&S resources - budget and manpower -
Organise safety campaigns - Implement reward system - Implement discipline system - Form safety
committee with equal representation - Consult with workers on H&S issues - Consistent and clear
communication between management and staff

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Outline the purpose of an organisation’s health and safety policy. (6) Purpose of Safety Policy is to:

• Set out management’s commitment to safety • Moral - Protect people from occupation ill-health and
injury • Legal - To comply with the law and avoid prosecutions • Financial - To ensure H&S management
is carried out on a cost effective basis • Arrangements for controlling hazards • Structured approach to
H&S

What are the components of a Safety Policy? (3)  Statement of Intent  Organisation  Arrangements

Outline the purpose of each of the components of a Safety Policy. (6)

 Statement of Intent - Demonstrates management’s commitment to health and safety and sets the H&S
aims and objectives

 Organization - To identify H&S roles & responsibilities and reporting lines within the company. This
involves Competence Control Cooperation and Communication
 Arrangements - Set out in detail the systems and procedures for implementing the safety policy - for
example safe systems of work.

Explain why the safety policy should be signed by the most senior person in the organisation. (2)

 Shows management commitment to safety in the workplace  Gives the policy authority  Person who
signs it has ultimate responsibility for safety

Why it is important for organisation to set health and safety targets? (2)  Gives evidence of
management commitment  Motivates staff by giving them something to aim for.

Give 4 examples of H&S targets that an organisation could set.  Reduce accidents by 20% in 12 months
 Zero prosecutions for 2012  Reduced sickness absence by 10% in 6 months  Reduction in
compensation claims by 20% for 2012

What are key components/elements of a H&S management system? (8)  Policy: Sets the Health and
Safety aims and objectives of the organization, and establishes management commitment 
Organization: Clear roles and responsibilities, to include Competence, Control, Consultation and
Communication  Planning and Implementation: Perform risk assessments to identify hazards, assess
risks and decide how they can be eliminated or controlled. Set standards against which performance can
be measured.  Measuring Performance: A means of determining the extent to which health and safety
policy and objectives are being implemented and should be both reactive and proactive  Reviewing:
Analyzing data gathered through monitoring to identify trends and patterns and to determine if
performance is adequate  Audit: Systematic critical examination of each stage of an organization's
management systems and procedures .

Identify issues that are included in the organization section of the policy.

 Clear roles and responsibilities for H&S functions to be allocated  Competence – from recruitment
through to staff transfers and training  Control – policies, procedures, auditing, supervision and
management involvement  Co-operation is achieved through Consultation which demonstrates
Commitment.  Communication - needs to flow in all directions.

 Changes in processes  Changes in materials  Changes of premises  Changes in legislation  Changes

to work patterns  Risk assessments indicate policies are not suitable or sufficient.

Identify the circumstances that requires a H&S policy to be reviewed. (8)

 After prosecutions  After enforcement action  After compensation claims  After policy review 
After professional advise  After accidents or incidents.

 Risk assessments  COSHH assessments  Safe Systems of Work  Permits to Work  Policies and
procedures e.g. Fire, First Aid,  Training programmes, e.g. manual handling, DSE, fork lift trucks 
Maintenance of plant and equipment  Housekeeping

Outline issues that are typically included in the health and safety arrangements section of a policy. (8)

Outline what is meant by the terms Active Monitoring (2) Reactive Monitoring (2)
 Active monitoring: A way of checking system inputs to the H&S management system before things go
wrong; it involves regular inspections to ensure that standards are being implemented and management
controls are working.

 Reactive monitoring: Measurements taken of the outputs of the H&S management system after
something goes wrong; it involves learning from mistakes.

Identify issues that may be considered in a Safety Committee Meeting and Agenda (8)

 Accident/incident statistics  Audit reports  Inspection reports  Safety Representative’s reports 

Development of work safety rules and safe systems of work  Effectiveness of safety training  Health
and safety communications

Explain how an organisation could reduce the risks to contractors before and during a building project

BEFORE PROJECT  Select suitable contractors  Arrange pre-contract meeting  Check health and safety
aspects of bids  Appoint a coordinator  Identify job hazards  Do risk assessments  Create method
statements  Provide site rules  Train employees

DURING PROJECT  Progress meetings  Regular inspections  Safety committee  Accident and incident
reporting  Client set example  Safety propaganda  Monitor training program

Outline the factors that the company should take into account when deciding on the health and safety
competence of contractors tendering for the work. (6)

 Previous experience  References  Quality of their H&S management system (policy)  Quality of risk
assessments and method statements  Enforcement history  Competent advice

 Accident records  Trade association membership  Employee competence  Procedures for the
selection and management of sub-contractors  Insurance

Give reasons why visitors to a workplace might be at greater risk of injury than workers. (8)

Visitors to workplace might be at greater risk of injury than workers for the following reasons:

 Unfamiliar with the workplace environment – safety exits.  Unaware of existing hazards and risks 
May panic in an emergency and wonder into high risk areas  No appropriate PPE  No safety induction
training  No safety policy or procedures for safety of visitors  No segregation of pedestrians and
vehicles  No security to control unauthorized entry.

List the precautions that could be taken to ensure the health and safety of visitors to the workplace (8)

 Signing in  Providing visitor’s badges  Site induction e.g. fire emergency procedures  Providing PPE
 Escorting visitor to area of work  Remain with visitor or provide regular monitoring  Escorting visitor
back to reception area  Signing out visitor and removing badge

Two organisations share the same worksite. Outline how the two organisations could work together to
help ensure the workplace is safe and healthy. (8) - Conduct joint risk assessments share the findings -
Security to direct visitors to the right organisation, to prevent unauthorised entry. - Safety induction
given to all visitors - Co-ordination for combined evacuation drills - Safety committee with
representatives from both organisations - Regular safety meetings attended by both organisations -
Safety signage installed in common areas - Conduct joint safety inspections in common areas.

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List the functions of a safety practitioner (8)

 Advise management  Carry out inspections  Investigate accidents  Record and analyse accident
data  Assist with training  Contact with external bodies  Liaison with workforce  Up to date with
new safety standards  Liaison with contractors

List 5 types of information that can be displayed on notice boards (4)

 Information for employees – poster with site rules  Health and safety policy  Evacuation procedures
 First aid arrangements  Contacts details for safety representatives  Targets for accident reduction

How can the effectiveness of notice boards as a means of communication on health & safety be
improved. (4)

 Locate common/prominent area  Dedicated to health and safety only  Information displayed
relevant and current  Keep information in a neat orderly state  Make boards eye catching with colour
and graphics

Outline ways in which the health and safety of an organisation might be improved. (8)

 Show management commitment to health and safety - set a good example  Involve employees in risk
assessments and drawing up safe systems of work and procedures  Involve employees in safety
inspections  Hazard spotting and suggestion schemes  Training courses  Safety committee meetings
 Give staff responsibilities - i.e. mentoring young workers

Give 5 reasons why verbal communication may not be effective. (4)

 Inconsistent message  Hearing defects  Noise  Distance  Language (Jargon)  Lack of Knowledge
 Attitude  Duration of the message and the speed of delivery

Give reasons why it is important to use a variety of methods to communicate health and safety
information in the workplace (4)

- Different types of information requires different methods of communication - People respond

differently to different stimuli - Prevents over familiarity - Language barriers - pictures may be better
than words - Need to motivate and stimulate interest, gain involvement and get feedback

34

Identify factors that should be considered when developing a program of health and safety training
within an organisation. (8)

 What employees need to know  Existing knowledge and experience  Training already received 
Responsibilities of the employees  Work activities to be carried out  Risks associated with their work
activities  Actions required by employees  Different requirements for various staff  Number of people
requiring training  Resources needed  Competence of trainers  Communicating to employees and
getting their commitment

Outline the various measures that might be used to assess the effectiveness of H&S training (8) Post
Evaluation by:

 The trainers  The delegates  Their supervisors  Changes in the accident rates  Changes in
absenteeism through illness  Changes in compliance to procedures  Changes in the number of
concerns raised by employees  Results of attitude surveys  Quality of suggestions made

Give reasons why it is important for an employer to keep a record of the training provided to each
employee. (4)

 Proof of employees’ competence  Provide evidence in legal actions  Provide evidence in

investigations  Identify when refresher training needed  Review effectiveness of training  Assess
progress against targets

 Change in Job - promotion or reorganisation  Change in processes  Change in procedures  Changes

in work patterns  Changes in legislation

 After enforcement action  After insurance claims – insurance company requirements  After
dangerous occurrences  After increases in accidents and incidents  After an accident investigation
indicates the need  After inspections or audits indicate the need  After a risk assessment indicates the
need

Identify reasons why a worker could require additional health and safety training during their
employment (8)

Identify two main purposes of first aid treatment (2)

 Preserve life - minimize the consequences of serious injury;

 Prevent deterioration - reassuring the casualty and lessening the effects of medical shock; and

 Promote recovery - provide the treatment of minor injuries that do not require medical attention.

Outline the factors to be considered when carrying out a risk assessment of first aid requirements in a
workplace. (8)  Size of organization  Nature and distribution of the workforce  Nature of the work 
Types of hazards and risks  Past accident and injury types  Remoteness from emergency services 
Travelling, remote and lone workers  Need to train personnel in special procedures  Need to cover in
absence of first aiders

Outline how induction training programs for new workers can help to reduce the number of accidents in
the workplace. (4) Induction training programs will help reduce the number of accidents in the
workplace because it will assist the new employee to :

 Fit into unfamiliar and frightening workplace quickly  Work without, creating hazards for their
colleagues, themselves or damaging equipment  Learn the terminology of the workplace  Behave
safely during their first few days at work  Know where to ask for assistance and guidance  Get to
know their work colleagues quickly
Identify reasons why young people could be at greater risks of accidents at work. (4) Young persons are
at greater risks because:  Over enthusiastic  More likely to take risks  Lack of knowledge, experience
and training  More likely to respond to peer group pressure  Body not fully developed

Control measures for young persons:  Induction training  Close supervision  Mentoring – working
with an experienced person  Clear lines of communication  Restrictions on type of work  Restricting
the hours worked

Outline the control measures that could be taken to minimise risks to young workers. (4)

Outline reasons for reviewing a risk assessment (8)

Circumstance requiring a Risk Assessment to be reviewed are:  Changes in processes  Changes in

materials  Changes in premises  Changes in legislation  Changes in work patterns  After accidents or
incidents  After prosecutions or enforcement notices  After enforcement action  After compensation
claims  After the policy review date has been reached  After professional advice

Identify the key stages of risk assessment (6)

 Identify the Hazards - Example : electricity, moving vehicle  Decide who may be harmed and how -
Consider in particular the special needs people i.e.; disabled, blind, deaf, pregnant women, young
workers  Evaluate risks and existing precautions – estimate the risk, and determine if existing controls
are adequate; or if necessary, recommend additional precautions to eliminate or reduce the risk to a
tolerable level.  Record the findings - Significant hazards to be recorded, people affected, adequacy of
controls, further precautions required  Review assessments - and revise if necessary – for example
after an accident or changes to work processes.

Outline the factors to be considered when selecting individuals to assist in carrying out the required risk
assessment. (4)

 Competence in risk assessment – (KATE ) Knowledge, Ability, Training and Experience and personal
qualities  Knowledge of own limitations  A thorough understanding of the processes and procedures 
Good communication skills

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

A risk assessment is considered suitable and sufficient if it:  Reviews all aspects of work activity 
Identifies all the significant hazards and risks  Identifies all the people at risk employees and others 
Takes account of the way the work is organized  Evaluates the risks  Determines if the existing control
measures are adequate  Recommends additional control measures if required

47

Outline the factors to consider when assessing the risks to a long distance lorry driver (8)

 The distance to travel

 Road conditions

 The weather conditions

 The type of load – e.g. hazardous

 Security issues - e.g. valuable load

 Load properly secured

 Vehicle suitable for task

 Vehicle properly maintained

 Ergonomic design of cab and seat

 Competence of driver

Identify the factors to be considered to reduce the risks to workers required to work alone away from
the workplace (8)

 Workplace hazards  Access and egress  Task  People – workers, women, young people  Violence 
Medical conditions  Additional physical or mental burden through lone working.

Give the meaning of Permit to Work (2) A Permit to Work procedure is a formal written system to
control certain types of potentially hazardous work.

Identify 3 types of work that require a permit to work and give the reasons why in each case. (6)

 Confined space – loose material, earth, water and toxic fumes hazard.  Welding – fire and explosion
hazard,  Working with Electricity – electricity hazard. All are high risk activities that require checking,
testing and controls put into place prior to entry or commencement of work to ensure that all
precautionary measures are taken and all hazards are identified and controlled prior to commencement
of work.

Identify the general information that should be included in permit to work (4) General information to be
included in a PTW include:  The duration of the permit  Description of the task to be performed 
Inherent risks  Electrical and mechanical isolations  Other precautions required  Authorised issuer’s
signature  Competent person’s acceptance signature On completion of the work:  Permit should be
cleared by the competent person  Cancelled by the authorised issuer indicating that the isolations have
been removed and the plant is safe to operate.

Identify factors that would influence the effectiveness of a Permit To Work System (3)

Factors that may influence the effectiveness of a permit to work system:

 Designed as a formal document

 Simple to use

 Commitment from those who use it.

Outline with examples the general hierarchy that should be applied to control health and safety risks in
the workplace. (6)

 Eliminate – manual handling with automation  Reduce – use water based paint instead of chemical
based paint  Isolate – Lock toxic chemicals in a store room  Control – Safe system of work  Personal
Protective Equipment – Safety helmet and gloves  Discipline – Punish people who don’t follow the
safety rules

Give the meaning of the term Hierarchy of control (2)

The preferred order of selecting risk control measures starting with elimination and ending with
discipline.

Identify four types of emergency that would require an organization to have an emergency procedure.
(2) Fire, bomb, hazardous chemical spill, earthquake

Explain why visitors to a workplace should be informed of its emergency procedure. (2)

They will act appropriately in the event of an emergency.

They will not obstruct evacuation and put themselves and other people at risk.

Give the meaning of the term Safe System of Work (2)

The meaning of Safe System of Work is:

A system that analyzes a task to identify the hazards and recommend precautions to minimize the
health and safety risks.

Identify the sources of information that could be consulted when developing a SSOW (8)

Internal:  Risk assessments  Accident/incident records  Policies  Inspection reports  Medical

records  Health & Safety committees  Plant registers  Safety advisors

External:  Governmental organizations e.g. Enforcing Authorities  National safety organizations /

Professional institutions  Various standards organizations such as  International Standards
Organization such as (ISO) and  British Standards Institute (BSI)  Suppliers and manufactures 
Consultants and specialists  Insurance Companies and Workers Trade Unions

Outline the reasons why the provision of PPE should be considered only after all other control measures.
(8)

 Only a barrier between the wearer and the hazard - does not eliminate the hazard.  Fails to danger 
May create an additional hazard for the wearer  May be worn incorrectly making it ineffective  Relies
on action being taken by user  Uncomfortable  Relies on management commitment  Incompatibility
with other PPE  Could become contaminated

Outline reasons why an organisation should review its health and safety performance . (8)  Identify
sub-standard health and safety practices  Identify trends and patterns  Compare actual performance
against targets  Useful in benchmarking  Identify effectiveness of control measures  Identify suitable
control measures  Prioritise the implementation of control measures  Assess compliance with legal
requirements  Provide feedback to board, committees etc.

Identify four active means by which an organization can monitor it’s health and safety performance. (4)

 Safety Surveys (focusing on particular activities such as checking the level of noise pollution) may be
carried out by specialists  Safety Tours (where unscheduled, less formal workplace inspections are
carried out to check on issues such as housekeeping or the use of personal protective equipment) 
Safety audit. It is a thorough, critical examination of an organization's safety management systems and
procedures.  Safety Sampling (involving the targeting of specific areas such as checking the wearing of
PPE or noise level, dust level. )

Identify four reactive means by which an organisation can monitor it’s health and safety performance.
(4)

 Review of enforcement actions

 Review injuries or ill-health records

 Review complaints reports

 Review damage to property, goods or equipment

 Review the dangerous occurrences data

 Review the near miss data

Outline the features of a Health and safety inspection. (4)

 A straightforward observation of a workplace and the activities or equipment within it.  Usually
carried out by a manager, employee representative and safety advisor  Often aided by a checklist. 
Carried out routinely to identify hazards and assess the effectiveness of control measures.

Give two strengths of using a checklist when carrying out an inspection (2) - Inspection will be consistent
- Will not miss out or forget items to be checked - It creates an immediate record of findings

Give two weaknesses of using a checklist when carrying out an inspection (2) - Can be abused and or
human error - May be carried out by untrained personnel - No scope for other issues to be identified

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Outline the key features of a health and safety audit (6)

 It is a thorough, critical examination of an organization's safety management systems and procedures.

 It is a lengthy process carried out by a trained auditor, often someone from outside the organization
looking at the strengths and weaknesses of the organization.  It could also be carried out internally by
competent member of staff  The process uses a combination of interviews, workplace inspections and
reviewing of documentation  It uses a checklist to aid in the audit process.

Identify the written information that is likely to be examined during a health and safety audit. (8)

 Previous audit reports  Safety policy  Details of statutory inspections  Risk assessment procedures 
Training records

 Safety monitoring procedures  Minutes from the safety committee  Maintenance records  Health
surveillance records  Accident and ill health reports

Explain how the findings of an audit may be used to improve health and safety performance (8)
 Identifies weakness in the management system which allows corrective actions to be implemented. 
Identifies if the health and safety objectives are being achieved.  Prioritizes the implementation of
corrective action.  It recommends effective risk controls to be implemented  Identifies effectiveness
of training, communication and consultation programs  It identifies if legal standards are
met  It recommends improvements to the management systems and procedures  A prioritized, timed
and allocated action plan will aid the process.

What are the limitations of a Workplace Inspection? (4)

 It is only a snapshot in time  Some hazards are invisible – e.g. gas leaks  Some hazards not always
present during the inspections and may occur later in the process  Unsafe practices may not occur
during the inspection if the employees know the inspection is taking place

Give the meaning of the term “immediate cause” (2)  Immediate/Direct Cause: The unsafe acts or
conditions that result in an accident or incident Give two examples of immediate causes of workplace
accident (2) Damaged grinder, oil spill on floor

Give the meaning of the term “underlying causes” (2)  Root/Underlying Cause: The failure of
management systems and procedures that have resulted in the unsafe act or condition Give two
examples of underlying causes of workplace accident (2)  Lack of supervision, lack of maintenance, no
training

Identify four reasons why accidents should be investigated (4)

 To provide information to insurance companies  Provide information for any criminal or civil actions 
Find root causes and weaknesses in the management system  To learn from the accident and prevent it
from happening again

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Outline the information that should be included in an accident investigation report (8)

 The personal details of the injured party, time and location of the accident,  Environmental
conditions, the work activity at the time of the accident,  Control measures in place,  Circumstances
of the accident,  Type and extent of injury sustained,  Details of witnesses and copies of their
statements where taken,  Drawings and photographs,  Immediate and root causes identified, 
Possible breaches of the law,  Recommendations - remedial actions required.

Explain why an organization should have a system for the internal reporting of accidents (4)

It will help organizations to:  Learn from their mistakes to prevent recurrence,  Monitor trends and
analyze immediate and root causes of accidents. This may be useful in legal actions and civil claims.  It
is also important as many occupational ill-health effects may take years to develop and become
apparent  Good reporting can significantly reduce accidents if improvements or corrective actions are
implemented.

Outline the benefits to an employer of conducting accident investigations (4)

 Learn from mistakes and prevent a recurrence,  Monitor trends and analyze immediate and root
causes of accidents.  Shows management commitment towards health and safety  Improve staff
morale  Evidence in case of criminal charges or civil claims  Evidence for insurance company  May be
useful in identifying needs and areas for improvement in management system  May be useful in
identifying training needs of workers.

75

Identify the reasons why workers might not report accidents at work (4) Accidents may not be reported
because:  Individuals ignorant of reporting procedures;  Peer pressure  Fear of retribution by
management or other staff.  Perception that they are preserving the company’s or department’s
safety record (particularly when an incentive scheme is in operation).  To avoid receiving first-aid or
medical treatment (may not want other medical conditions to be found);  Over-complicated reporting
procedures.  Lack of obvious management response to earlier reported accidents.

A worker received serious injuries when struck by a reversing vehicle in a loading bay. Identify four
reasons why the accident should be investigated. (4)

 Primary purpose of investigating an accident is to identify the immediate and root causes in order to
prevent similar accidents recurring in the future.  The identification of possible weaknesses in risk
assessment processes and other aspects of safety management systems.  Collecting evidence to
defend a civil claim, where applicable.  Demonstrating management commitment to occupational
health and safety.

A worker received serious injuries when struck by a reversing vehicle in a loading bay. Outline :

Four possible immediate causes (4)

 Human error or failure to comply with procedures.  Mechanical failure.  Poor visibility in the
loading bay (e.g. absence of lighting).  Restricted view for the driver.  Environmental conditions such
as high noise levels.

A worker received serious injuries when struck by a reversing vehicle in a loading bay. Outline :

Four possible underlying (root) causes are: (4)

 Lack of driver and/or other employee training.  Lack of supervision.  Absence of site rules or
procedures for the control of reversing vehicles.  Failure to separate vehicular and pedestrian traffic. 
Lack of maintenance of vehicles and/or the workplace.

80

An employee has been seriously injured in an accident with a vehicle in the workplace

Outline the immediate and longer term actions that should be taken following the accident (8)

IMMEDIATE  Treatment for injured personnel  Make the area safe  Initiate emergency plan  Contact
emergency services  Preserve scene for investigation  May have to notify enforcing authority

LONGER TERM  Decide the depth of the investigation and select team  Gather evidence at the scene 
Interview witnesses  Examine documents  Appoint specialists if necessary
A serious accident has occurred. During the investigation it was found that an inspection of the work site
had taken place before the accident. Outline possible reasons why the inspection did not lead to an
unsafe situation being corrected. (8) - There is a poor safety culture - The person who carried out the
inspection was untrained and did not understand the need for correction. - The inspection was
inadequate so it did not record the unsafe condition - There was no follow up for corrective action due
to lack of resources - There was no management commitment and supervision - The procedures are too
complicated to understand or follow - There is a perception that the unsafe situation is insignificant -
Hiding of information to avoid punishment or protect co-workers

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Identify the measures an employer could take in order to ensure that the drivers of internal transport
are and remain competent (4)

 Check for valid licence  Check previous experience and references for accident history  Provide
refresher training  Conduct practical workplace assessments  Provide supervision and monitoring

Identify four categories of workplace safety signs and give an example of each (8)  Prohibition – white
background with red circle and crossbar. Example : No Smoking

 Warning – Black triangle, yellow background and black symbol. Example Caution flammable

 Fire – Square shape, white symbols on red background. Example : fire extinguisher

 Mandatory – Blue circle with symbol in white. Example Helmut must be worn