Introduction to health and safety at work : the handbook for the NEBOSH national general certificate

1 HEALTH AND SAFETY FOUNDATIONS 1 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 Some basic defi nitions 1 1.3 The legal framework for health and safety 3 1.4 The legal system in England and Wales 4 1.5 The legal system in Scotland 5 1.6 European Courts 5 1.7 Sources of law (England and Wales) 5 1.8 Common law torts and duties 6 1.9 Levels of statutory duty 7 1.10 The infl uence of the European Union (EU) on health and safety 8 1.11 The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 9 1.12 The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 14 1.13 Role and function of external agencies 14 1.14 Sources of information on health and safety 15 1.15 Moral, legal and fi nancial arguments for health and safety management 16 1.16 The framework for health and safety management 19 1.17 Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 1 21 2 POLICY 23 2.1 Introduction 23 2.2 Legal requirements 23 2.3 Key elements of a health and safety policy 24 2.4 Review of health and safety policy 26 2.5 Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 2 27 Appendix 2.1 – Health and Safety Policy Checklist 29 3 ORGANIZING FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY 31 3.1 Introduction 31 3.2 Control 31 3.3 Employers’ responsibilities 32 3.4 Employees’ responsibilities 32 3.5 Organizational health and safety responsibilities 32 3.6 Role and functions of health and safety and other advisers 33 3.7 Persons in control of premises 35 3.8 Self-employed 35 3.9 The supply chain 36 3.10 Contractors 38 3.11 Joint occupation of premises 42 3.12 Cooperation with the workforce 42 3.13 Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 3 43 Appendix 3.1 – Typical organizational responsibilities 45 Appendix 3.2 – Checklist for supply chain health and safety management 47 4 PROMOTING A POSITIVE HEALTH AND SAFETY CULTURE 49 4.1 Introduction 49 4.2 Defi nition of a health and safety culture 49 4.3 Safety culture and safety performance 50 4.4 Human factors and their infl uence on safety performance 51 4.5 Human errors and violations 56 4.6 The development of a positive health and safety culture 58 4.7 Effective communication 60 4.8 Health and safety training 60 4.9 Internal infl uences 62 4.10 External infl uences 63 4.11 Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 4 65 5 RISK ASSESSMENT 67 5.1 Introduction 67 5.2 Legal aspects of risk assessment 67 5.3 Forms of risk assessment 68 5.4 Some defi nitions 68 5.5 The objectives of risk assessment 70 5.6 Accident categories 70 5.7 Health risks 70 5.8 The management of risk assessment 70 5.9 The risk assessment process 71 5.10 Special cases 73 5.11 Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 5 75 Appendix 5.1 – Hazard checklist 77 Appendix 5.2 – Example of a risk assessment record 78 6 PRINCIPLES OF CONTROL 80 6.1 Introduction 80 6.2 Principles of prevention 80 6.3 Hierarchy of risk control 81 6.4 Controlling health risks 84 6.5 Safe systems of work 86 6.6 Lone workers 89 6.7 Permits to work 89 6.8 Emergency procedures 92 6.9 First aid at work 94 6.10 Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 6 97 Appendix 6.1 – Fire notice 99 Appendix 6.2 – Job safety analysis form 100 Appendix 6.3 – Essential elements of a permit-to-work form 101 7 MONITORING, REVIEW AND AUDIT 102 7.1 Introduction 102 7.2 The traditional approach to measuring health and safety performance 102 7.3 Why measure performance?7.4 What to measure 104 7.5 Measuring failure – reactive monitoring 105 7.6 Active monitoring – how to measure performance 105 7.7 Who should monitor performance? 107 7.8 Frequency of monitoring and inspections 107 7.9 Report writing 107 7.10 Review and audit 109 7.11 Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 7 111 Appendix 7.1 – Workplace inspection exercises 112 Appendix 7.2 – Basic checklist of items to be covered in an area inspection 114 8 INCIDENT AND ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION AND REPORTING 116 8.1 Introduction 116 8.2 Reasons for incident/accident investigation 117 8.3 Which incidents/accidents should be investigated? 118 8.4 Investigations and causes of incidents 118 8.5 Legal recording and reporting requirements 121 8.6 Internal systems for collecting and analysing incident data 123 8.7 Compensation and insurance issues 124 8.8 Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 8 125 Appendix 8.1 – Injury report form 126 Appendix 8.2 – Information for insurance/compensation claims 128 9 MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE AND VEHICLES – HAZARDS AND CONTROL 130 9.1 Introduction 130 9.2 Hazards to pedestrians 130 9.3 Control strategies for pedestrian hazards 132 9.4 Hazards in vehicle operations 135 9.5 Control strategies for safe vehicle operations 136 9.6 The management of vehicle movements 137 9.7 Managing occupational road safety 137 9.8 Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 9 141 10 MANUAL AND MECHANICAL HANDLING HAZARDS AND CONTROL 143 10.1 Introduction 143 10.2 Manual handling hazards and injuries 143 10.3 Manual handling risk assessments 144 10.4 Safety in the use of lifting and moving equipment 148 10.5 Types of mechanical handling and lifting equipment 149 10.6 Requirements for the statutory examination of lifting equipment 154 10.7 Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 10 155 Appendix 10.1 – Manual handling of load assessment checklist 156 11 WORK EQUIPMENT HAZARDS AND CONTROL 159 11.1 Introduction 159 11.2 Suitability of work equipment and CE marking 159 11.3 Use and maintenance of equipment with specifi c risks 161 11.4 Information, instruction and training 161 11.5 Maintenance and inspection 162 11.6 Operation and working environment 163 11.7 User responsibilities 164 11.8 Hand-held tools 164 11.9 Mechanical machinery hazards 167 11.10 Mobile work equipment 169 11.11 Non-mechanical machinery hazards 171 11.12 Examples of machinery hazards 171 11.13 Practical safeguards 173 11.14 Other safety devices 176 11.15 Application of safeguards to the range of machines 177 11.16 Guard construction 185 11.17 Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 11 185 12 ELECTRICAL HAZARDS AND CONTROL 187 12.1 Introduction 187 12.2 Principles of electricity and some defi nitions 187 12.3 Electrical hazards and injuries 189 12.4 General control measures for electrical hazards 194 12.5 The selection and suitability of equipment 195 12.6 Inspection and maintenance strategies 197 12.7 Portable electrical appliances testing 197 12.8 Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 12 200 13 FIRE HAZARDS AND CONTROL 201 13.1 Introduction 201 13.2 The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2004 (RRFSO) – Requirements 202 13.3 Basic principles of fi re 204 13.4 Methods of extinction 206 13.5 Classifi cation of fi re 206 13.6 Principles of heat transmission and fi re spread 206 13.7 Common causes of fi re and consequences 208 13.8 Fire risk assessment 209 13.9 Dangerous substances 212 13.10 Fire detection and warning 214 13.11 Means of escape in case of fi re 215 13.12 Principles of fi re protection in buildings 217 13.13 Provision of fi re-fi ghting equipment 219 13.14 Maintenance and testing of fi re-fi ghting equipment 220 13.15 Planning for an emergency and training staff 220 13.16 Fire procedures and people with a disability 220 13.17 Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 13 221 14 CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL HEALTH HAZARDS AND CONTROL 223 14.1 Introduction 223 14.2 Forms of chemical agent 223 14.3 Forms of biological agent 224 14.4 Classifi cation of hazardous substances and their associated health risks 224 14.5 Routes of entry to the human body 225 14.6 Health hazards of specifi c agents 228 14.7 Requirements of the COSHH Regulations 232 14.8 Details of a COSHH assessment 232 14.9 The control measures required under the COSHH Regulations 236 14.10 Health surveillance and personal hygiene 242 14.11 Maintenance and emergency controls 243 14.12 The transport of hazardous substances by road 243 14.13 An illustrative example using COSHH controls 244 14.14 Environmental considerations 244 14.15 Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 14 246 15 PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH HAZARDS AND CONTROL 250 15.1 Introduction 250 15.2 Task and workstation design 250 15.3 Welfare and work environment issues 258 15.4 Noise 259 15.5 Heat and radiation hazards 265 15.6 The causes and prevention of workplace stress 269 15.7 Causes and prevention of workplace violence 270 15.8 The effects of alcohol and drugs 273 15.9 Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 15 274 Appendix 15.1 – Smokefree workplace 277 16 CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES – HAZARDS AND CONTROL 278 16.1 Introduction 278 16.2 The scope of construction 278 16.3 Construction hazards and controls 279 16.4 The management of construction activities 285 16.5 Working above ground level or where there is a risk of falling 291 16.6 Excavations 297 16.7 Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 16 298 Appendix 16.1 – Inspection report 300 Appendix 16.2 – Summary of proposed application and notifi cation under CDM 2007 303 Appendix 16.3 – Pre-Construction information 304 Appendix 16.4 – Construction Phase Plan 305 17 SUMMARY OF THE MAIN LEGAL REQUIREMENTS 307 17.1 Introduction 307 17.2 The legal framework 307 17.3 List of Acts, Order and Regulations summarized 308 17.4 Health and Safety at Work etc. Act (HSW Act) 1974 309 17.5 Environmental Protection Act 1990 312 17.6 Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 2002 and 2005 amendment Regulations 320 17.7 Confi ned Spaces Regulations 1997 324 17.8 Construction (Design and Management) (CDM) Regulations 2007 326 17.9 Construction (Head Protection) Regulations 1989 337 17.10 Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996 338 17.11 Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 2002 and 2005 Amendment 339 17.12 Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (DSEAR) 2002 342 17.13 Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 345 17.14 Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 347 17.15 Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 and Regulations 1998 349 17.16 Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 351 17.17 Health and Safety (First aid) Regulations 1981 358 17.18 Health and Safety (Information for Employees) Regulations 1989 358 17.19 Hazardous Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2005 359 17.20 Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999 360 17.21 Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 as amended in 2002 362 17.22 Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 as amended in 2003 365 17.23 Manual Handling Operations Regulations (MHO) 1992 as amended in 2002 367 17.24 Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 369 17.25 Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 as amended in 2002 374 17.26 Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (except part IV) as amended in 2002 376 17.27 The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 380 17.28 Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977 383 17.29 Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 384 17.30 Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 1992 386 17.31 Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 389 17.32 Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 as amended in 2002 392 17.33 Work at Height Regulations 2005 394 17.34 Other relevant Regulations in brief 396 18 INTERNATIONAL ASPECTS OF HEALTH AND SAFETY 402 18.1 Introduction 402 18.2 The role and function of the International Labour Organization (ILO) 404 18.3 Major occupational health and safety management systems 405 18.4 Other key characteristics of a health and safety management system 411 18.5 The role of the regulatory authorities 414 18.6 The benefi ts and problems associated with occupational health and safety management systems 414 18.7 Conclusions on the three health and safety management systems 415 18.8 Other minor additions to the International General Certifi cate 415 18.9 Practice NEBOSH questions for the International General Certifi cate 417 19 STUDY SKILLS 418 19.1 Introduction 418 19.2 Finding a place to study 418 19.3 Planning for study 418 19.4 Blocked thinking 419 19.5 Taking notes 419 19.6 Reading for study 419 19.7 Organizing for revision 419 19.8 Organizing information 420 19.9 How does memory work? 420 19.10 How to deal with exams 422 19.11 The examiners’ reports 423 19.12 Conclusion 424 19.13 References 424 20 SPECIMEN ANSWERS TO NEBOSH EXAMINATIONS 425 20.1 Introduction 425 20.2 The written examinations 425 20.3 NGC3 – The practical application 431 Appendix 20.1 – Practical Assessment 436