Unit IG1 – Management of health and safety

Element 2 - Exam Questions Exercise

The following document contains a fictitious scenario around which tasks have been created for
you to complete as part of your development programme and we recommend attempting them as
preparation for your open book exam.
This exam practice paper incorporates three typical examples of tasks/questions that total 30
marks. The actual examination question paper will contain tasks and questions that total 100
marks.
The questions should be completed electronically as it is then relative to the actual exam requirements.
You are advised to allow about two hours to complete this exercise.
Upon receipt we will plan for the questions to be marked by one of our tutors and feedback will be
provided.

Instructions:
 Read the scenario in full before attempting any tasks
 Complete under the same conditions as you would the open book exam:
o Have resources to hand
o Plan your time
o Take regular breaks
 Give yourself time to read the questions, ensure that you read each question carefully and read
through the whole question before you begin your answer
 Remember to relate the answers to the scenario
 Keep to the recommended word count of 30 words per mark for an overall total of no more
than 900 words.

Upon completion, can you please take a copy to be retained by you and then send by email to your
learner provider where it will be marked by a tutor and feedback provided.

IMPORTANT
Your submission must be your own work.
Under no circumstances should you simply cut and paste information from another source.

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Unit IG1 – Management of health and safety
Element 2 - Exam Questions Exercise

Scenario
You are a newly appointed health and safety practitioner for Notorious National Garages (NNG). It
operates 64 garages across the country with head offices located centrally. Preferred locations are at
large retail locations on the outskirts of large towns. The garages conduct all repairs and maintenance on
vehicles and have some commercial contracts for fleet maintenance on heavy goods vehicles. Typical
activities include engine repairs, body repairs and servicing of vehicles, as well as crash damage repairs.
Notorious National Garages is fully equipped with vehicle hoists, spray painting and welding booths and
tyre changing facilities. Most of the garages are open for ‘drive-in trade’ from the public.
The garages are typically spacious with warehousing for parts with goods stacked on shelving. Large
automatic doors serve the garage and the warehouse sections. Forklift trucks operate in the warehouse
and occasionally outside when unloading some vehicles.
The head office team, where you are located, is a large open plan office where invoices and stock control
are undertaken for all the garages. The head office location also includes the main distribution warehouse
for Notorious National Garages. This is a large warehouse building with racks on which goods are stored,
roller shutter doors operate automatically for ‘goods in’ and ‘goods out’. The senior leadership team is
also based in the head office, as is the operations manager to whom you report. Your role involves
visiting the garages to conduct inspections and investigate incidents, etc. though you are based in the
main office along with:
 20 other office-based workers involved in the administration of Notorious National Garages, one
of these workers has a hearing impairment. These workers work a 08:30 to 17.15 working day.
The warehouse has 4 employees working the same hours as the office.
 Each garage has approximately 12 Auto technicians, two stores/warehouse operatives and an
administration team of two. In addition, each garage has a manager and two ‘hands-on’
supervisors. The garages start at 06:00 until 20:00 and work a two-shift system that covers
Saturday and Sunday opening.
In your initial tour of several of the facilities, you have witnessed lots of examples of rule-breaking, for
example, tyres stacked in gangways, forklift trucks and pedestrians in the same area, shelving being
overloaded and frequent use of mobile phones while workers are undertaking their tasks. Some of the
floors are in poor condition with potholes and various liquid spills.
The operation is divided into four areas:
North South East West
Number of garages 16 20 14 14
Average number of workers 250 320 224 230
Number of incidents reported 40 64 51 34
Days lost due to sickness absence 3993 5824 2329 2912

Notorious National Garages has recorded many accidents. However, workers have told you that the
majority of incidents do not get reported - in fact, it’s usually only those where property has been
damaged and the manager of the garage has to report the damaged stock- that get reported most
frequently. Workers have told you that there are frequent incidents of near misses involving forklift truck
movements and people, though there are no records of these incidents. Most of the incidents reported
confirmed what the workers have told you - property damage. Forklift trucks have hit roller shutter

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Unit IG1 – Management of health and safety
Element 2 - Exam Questions Exercise
doors, warehouse shelving and even customer’s vehicles. The workers you have spoken to have many
concerns about health and safety but have no safety representatives to raise concerns with.
One worker in the central warehouse has been struck by a forklift truck operating in the warehouse. The
worker has suffered a broken arm that has required hospital treatment. The worker has reported the
incident to the garage manager. The manager conducted a minimal investigation and found that the
worker (driver) was to blame because insufficient attention was taken when the forklift truck was driven
through the open roller shutter door into the warehouse. The injured worker was advised to be more
careful walking across the warehouse and the forklift truck driver was told to ‘mind their speed’ or
disciplinary action would be taken. The worker's supervisor was advised of the situation and agreed to
plan for a meeting with the worker to discuss behaviours. This meeting has not yet taken place because
the injured worker is off work for four weeks recovering. Some of the workers have advised you that the
injured worker is ‘talking to a solicitor’ and is likely to make a compensation claim.
You have been discussing the incident informally with some of the garage workers who have all said
complaints are not listened to and supervisors and managers are rarely seen in the garage or warehouse
operations- managers and supervisors seem to be ‘front of house’ meeting members of the public to take
orders or return serviced vehicles. Other workers have said it is only because of the high levels of
overtime that can be worked that they stay, however, many workers do leave.
You check for any records of complaints and find a file that is five years old with one entry in it. The
Notorious National Garages health and safety policy was signed five years ago by an executive officer
who left the business last year (last year a was also a bad year for profits).
You intend to introduce barriers and other control measures to ensure that vehicles and people are
segregated but you discover that property maintenance budgets are usually spent in the first six months
of the year. The operations manager has told you there is no money left in the budget for this year for
either property maintenance or health and safety improvements.
Following the incident where the worker was injured a local enforcement officer has visited. The officer
has said that the garage does not comply with local or national laws and a prosecution is likely. The
discussion also covered risk assessments that were not in line with ILO guidance and neither suitable nor
sufficient. The inspector will want to see significant improvement in the management of health and
safety at Notorious National Garages. You agree with the inspector to review the organisation's health
and safety management systems.
There are no health and safety committee meetings scheduled, however, the operations manager agrees
to organise one with manager representation from each district area. You also need to discuss with the
operations manager proposed changes to segregate forklift truck and pedestrian activities in the central
warehouse. You have assured the inspector that you will consider information both from internal and
external resources.
You decide to sort all this out before looking into other hazards such as vibration, noise and hazardous
substances.

Please note any resemblance to NEBOSH examination questions is coincidental; the questions have been created to
illustrate the type of question which may be asked at the examination.

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Unit IG1 – Management of health and safety
Element 2 - Exam Questions Exercise

Task 1
You are preparing notes for a production meeting you have been invited to. Your goal is
to make everyone aware, at the management level, why a health and safety policy should
be reviewed.
When you are preparing your notes for the meeting, identify:
(i) Internal sources of influence and (5)
(ii) External sources of influence (5)
that would create the need for the health and safety policy to be reviewed.

Task 2
The workers are suffering from low morale. However, the health and safety policy must be communicated
effectively to the workers. Prepare a report for the Human Resources manager in which you describe
various opportunities for communication can take place- then provide recommendations for your approach
to communicating the health and safety policy. (10)

Task 3
It's clear to you that managers seem to be unaware of their responsibilities for health and safety. The focus of the
business seems exclusively based on maximising profits. You decide that the organisation’s commitments should be
included in the health and safety policy.
In preparation for a meeting with the Managing Director, make some comprehensive notes that clearly identify the
health and safety commitments that your organisation should include in its statement of general policy. (10)

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Unit IG1 – Management of health and safety
Element 2 - Exam Questions Exercise
Learner Answers

Task 1
Objective: To discuss the need for reviewing and updating the company's health and safety policy in light of
internal and external influences.

I) Internal Sources of Influence:

1. Changes in Organizational Structure

- Mergers, acquisitions, or restructuring
- New roles, responsibilities, and potential hazards
- Need for updated policies and procedures

2. New Equipment or Processes

- Introduction of new machinery, technology, or manufacturing processes
- Potential risks and hazards associated with new equipment
- Need for updated safety procedures and training

3. Employee Feedback and Concerns

- Staff reports of near-misses, incidents, or concerns
- Anonymous feedback mechanisms
- Regular employee engagement and feedback sessions

4. Internal Audits and Risk Assessments

- Regular reviews of policies and procedures
- Identification of gaps or inadequacies
- Implementation of corrective actions
External Sources of Influence:

1. Legislative Changes
- New or updated health and safety regulations, laws, or standards (e.g., OSHA, ISO 45001)
- Compliance requirements
- Regulatory updates and notifications

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Unit IG1 – Management of health and safety
Element 2 - Exam Questions Exercise
2. Industry Best Practices
- Evolving standards and guidelines from industry associations or professional organizations
- Benchmarking with industry leaders
- Adoption of best practices

3. Technological Advancements
- New safety technologies or equipment
- Improved safety features and designs
- Research and development of new safety solutions

4. Insurance Requirements
- Changes in insurance policies or requirements
- Compliance with insurance standards
- Risk management strategies

5. Regulatory Body Inspections or Enforcement

- Visits from regulatory agencies (e.g., OSHA)
- Identification of areas for improvement
- Implementation of corrective actions

Task 2
The moral aspect of safety involves the ethical principles and values that guide an organization's
commitment to protecting the well-being and health of its employees, customers, and the wider
community.
Key Moral Principles are:Respect for human life and dignity Protection from harm and injury ,Fairness and
justice in treatment of employees, Responsibility to ensure safe working conditions, Transparency and
accountability in safety practices.The moral Obligation are:
1.Duty of care: Employers have a moral obligation to provide a safe working environment.
2. Protection of vulnerable groups: Special consideration for employees with disabilities, young workers, or
those in high-risk roles.

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Unit IG1 – Management of health and safety
Element 2 - Exam Questions Exercise
3. Honesty and transparency: Open communication about safety risks and incidents.
4. Accountability: Taking responsibility for safety failures and learning from mistakes.
5. Continuous improvement: Striving for better safety standards and practices.
Here are various opportunities for communication and recommendations for approaching health and safety
policy communication:

Approach for Communication:

1. Induction sessions for new employees

2. Training sessions on specific safety procedures
3. Team meetings and briefings
4. Safety committees and forums
5. Posters and signage throughout the workplace
6. Newsletters and internal communications
7. Digital displays and screen savers
8. Workshops and seminars
9. One-on-one meetings with supervisors
10. Suggestion boxes and feedback mechanisms
11. Regular audits and inspections
12. Incident investigations and reviews
13. Safety campaigns and events
14. Employee handbooks and policy documents
15. Online training modules and e-learning platforms

Recommendations for Communicating Health and Safety Policy:

1. Develop a clear, concise policy document

2. Conduct induction sessions for new employees
3. Display posters and signage throughout the workplace
4. Provide employee handbooks and policy documents
5. Establish safety committees and forums
6.Conduct regular training sessions on specific safety procedures
7. Hold team meetings and briefings to discuss safety concerns
8. Publish newsletters and internal communications on safety topics

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Unit IG1 – Management of health and safety
Element 2 - Exam Questions Exercise
9. Utilize digital displays and screen savers for safety reminders
10. Conduct workshops and seminars on safety best practices

In all,By conducting effective communication approach and skills in an organization like Notorious
garage,the problem of low moral,near misses and accidents will be minimized

Task 3
Because occupational hazards arise at the workplace, it is the responsibility of employers to ensure that the
working environment is safe and healthy. This means that they must prevent, and protect workers from,
occupational risks. But employers’ responsibility goes further, entailing knowledge of occupational hazards
and a commitment to ensure that management processes promote safety and health at work. For example,
an awareness of safety and health implications should guide decisions on the choice of technology and on
how work is organized.
Training is one of the most important tasks to be carried out by employers. Workers need to know not only
how to do their jobs, but also how to protect their lives and health and those of their co-workers while
working. Within enterprises, managers and supervisors are responsible for ensuring that workers are
adequately trained for the work that they are expected to undertake. Such training should include
information on the safety and health aspects of the work, and on ways to prevent or minimize exposure to
hazards. On a larger scale, employers’ organizations should instigate training and information programme
on the prevention and control of hazards, and protection against risks.
Where necessary, employers must be in a position to deal with accidents and emergencies, including
providing first-aid facilities. Adequate arrangements should also be made for compensation of work-related
injuries and diseases, as well as for rehabilitation and to facilitate a prompt return to work.
In short, the objective of preventive programme should be to provide a safe and healthy environment that
protects and promotes workers’ health and their working capacity.

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