NEBOSH International General Certificate – Module 1 Summary No Fault liability: The injured Definitions poor risk assessment party does not have to prove Welfare = Looking after the procedure, lack of that the employer was negligent. basic needs of people. supervision, no defect Environment = The reporting system. Criminal Law: surroundings in which the The aim is to punish and deter individuals and organizations organization operates from behaving in a way that is including land, air, water, Benefits of Good Health and unacceptable to society. natural resources, fauna, Safety Practice: Punishment of organizations Increased levels of compliance. flora and humans and usually a fine or restriction of Improved production. activities. their inter-relationships. Improved staff morale. Punishment for individuals Ill Health: Improved company reputation. could be jail, fine, restriction of Acute = Short-term exposure Reduced accidents. offices held or all of the above. with immediate effect, usually reversible.
Chronic = Long-term or repeated exposure with delayed effect, often irreversible.
Accident = An unwanted, unforeseen, unplanned event which results in loss. Incident/Near miss = An unwanted, unforeseen, unplanned event with the potential to result in loss. Hazard = Something with the potential to cause harm. Physical Chemical Biological Ergonomic Psychological
Risk = The likelihood that harm will occur and the severity of the harm. Safety Culture = The product of individual and group values, attitudes, competencies and patterns of behavior that determine the commitment to and proficiency of an organisation’s Health and Safety. Immediate or direct cause of an accident = The unsafe act or condition that caused the accident. The root or underlying cause of an accident = The failure of management systems and procedures that allowed an unsafe act or condition to occur e.g.
Reduced Reduced Reduced Reduced Reduced Reduced payouts
ill health. damage to equipment. staff complaints. staff turnover. insurance premiums. fines and compensation
Reasons for Good Health and Safety Practice: Moral Legal Financial
Employer’s responsibilities: The employer must provide: Safe environment. Safe buildings. Safe plant and equipment. Safe systems of work. Competent staff. Adequate supervision. Adequate instructions.
Worker’s responsibilities: To protect themselves and those around them. Co-operate with their employer. Report any situation that presents a significant danger. To receive adequate information, instruction and training. The worker (or representative) should be consulted by their employer on all aspects of health and safety.
Legal System Civil Law: The aim is to compensate an injured party for loss suffered. There are 2 types of civil liability: a) Fault liability b) No fault liability Fault liability: Injured party must prove that: There was a duty of care owed. Duty of care owed was breached. The breach caused the loss/injury/ill health/death.
Direct costs of Accidents Lost time of injured worker and any continued payments to worker or family. Damage to equipment, tools, property, plant or materials. Medical or hospitalization costs. Time and materials to clean up after the accident.
Indirect costs of Accidents (hidden costs) Lost time by other workers (curiosity, sympathy, morale) Lost time – assisting, investigating, arranging for new staff, preparing reports. Failure to fill customers’ orders on time.
Hidden Costs of Accidents: Accident investigation. Payments to injured person. Payments for non-productive time. Replacement labour. Training for replacement labour. Business interruption. Loss of reputation. Repair or replacement of damaged plant. Legal fees. Insurance.
Uninsured costs
(8-36 times greater than insured costs)
Sources of Information Internal Sources: Risk assessments. Inspection reports. Accident/incident records. Medical reports. Safety representatives. Safety committee reports. Company safety policy. Maintenance reports.
External Sources: 1|Page
NEBOSH International General Certificate – Module 1 Summary Government organizations – Enforcing Authorities Professional institutions – IOSH World Health Organisation – ILO Suppliers and manufacturers. Consultants and specialists. Insurance companies and workers unions.
2|Page
NEBOSH International General Certificate – Module 1 Summary Elements of HSG65 Health and Safety Management Systems: POP MR A Policy: Sets out Health and Safety aims and objectives of the organisation and Management commitment. Safety policy should be signed by the most senior person in the organisation because: It shows management commitment. It gives the policy authority. The person who signed it has ultimate responsibility.
Organisation: 5Cs Clear roles and responsibilities. Competence. KATE Control. (policies, procedures) Co-operation obtained through consultation. Communication. (Should flow in all directions)
Planning and Implementation: Generate SMART objectives. Identify hazards, assess risks and decide how risks can be eliminated or controlled. Set standards against which performance can be measured.
Measuring Performance Used as a means of determining the extent to which health and safety policy and objectives are being implemented. It should be both: Proactive. – Safety performance measurements made before an accident happens Reactive. – Safety performance measurements made on information resulting from accidents and ill-health.
Reviewing Performance Analysing data gathered through monitoring to see whether performance is adequate.
Audit Systematic critical examination of each stage of an organisation’s management systems and procedures.
Components of Safety policy: 1 Statement of Intent (WHAT) - Demonstrates Management’s commitment to health and safety and sets the H&S aims and objectives
2 Organization (WHO) - To identify H&S roles & responsibilities and reporting lines within the company. This involves Competence Control Co-operation and Communication 3 Arrangements (WHAT) - Set out in detail the systems and procedures for implementing the safety policy - for example safe systems of work.
Issues included in Organization: Clear roles and responsibilities for all health and safety responsibilities allocated. Competence. – From recruitment through to staff transfers and training. - KATE Control. – Policies, procedures, auditing, supervision and management involvement. Allocating responsibilities accountabilities, instruction, supervision to achieve control of H&S. Cooperation. – is assisted by consultation and demonstrates management commitment internally between individuals, groups, departments, including consultation with H&S reps and externally between clients suppliers and contractors. Communication. – Needs to flow in all directions. Verbal, written, visible, example
Issues included in Arrangements: Sets out in detail how the requirements of the policy will be met This will include procedures and arrangements for planning, organisation, control, monitoring and review. The procedures might include: Risk assessments. COSHH assessments – Control of substances hazardous to health. Safe systems of work. Permits to work. Eectrical work, hotwork, confined spaces. Manual handling. Policies and procedures – Fire, First aid Training programmes. Maintenance of plant and equipment. Housekeeping. Storage, transportation, handling. Radiation, dust, noise, fumes. PPE personal protective equipment.
The safety policy should be reviewed: After: Prosecutions Enforcement Action Compensation Claims Review period expires Professional Advise Accidents or Incidents. Changes in: Organisation. Processes. Materials. Premises. Legislation. Work patterns. Risk assessments.
Targets Important because: They give evidence of management commitment. They motivate staff by giving them something to aim for.
Ineffective Health and Safety Policies No commitment or leadership. No annual objectives. Health and safety not given enough priority. Insufficient resources provided. Personnel do not understand the aims. Too much emphasis on employee responsibility. No measurement of performance. Management unaware of their role. No training of management in their responsibilities.
Employer’s responsibilities towards Employees: Provide safe plant and equipment. Information, instruction, training and supervision (ITIS). Safe place of work, access and egress. Safe environment and welfare facilities. Provide a Safety policy. Consult and inform employees. Perform risk assessments. Provide effective health and safety management. Competent health and safety assistance. Health surveillance.
Precautions for visitor safety Signing in. Providing identification badges. Providing personal protective equipment.
3|Page
NEBOSH International General Certificate – Module 1 Summary Site induction e.g. fire precautions. Escorting visitor to area of work. Remain with visitor back to reception area. Signing out visitor and removing badge.
Duties of Employees: Protect themselves and others from danger. Co-operation with employer. Not to interfere with anything provided for safety. Follow instructions and training given. Inform employer of dangers and problems with health and safety arrangements.
4|Page
NEBOSH International General Certificate – Module 1 Summary Requirements of Safety practitioner: Knowledge and understanding of the work involved. Understanding of principles of risk assessment. Knowledge of current health and safety applications. Capacity to apply to tasks required. Ability to identify problems. Ability to assess the need for action. Ability to design and develop strategies. Evaluate the effectiveness of strategies. Promote and communicate health and safety. Understand current best practice. Awareness of own limitations. Willingness to learn. Membership of a professional body IIRSM IOSH. Competence based qualification.
Functions of the safety practitioner Advise management. Carry out inspections. Investigate accidents. Record and analyze accident data. Assist with training. Contact external bodies. Liaison with the work force. Keep up to date with new safety standards. Liaison with contractors.
External parties the Safety practitioner will communicate with. The enforcing authority. EHS Fire and rescue service. Insurance company. Contractors. Consultants and engineers. Manufacturers and suppliers. Clients and customers. Police. Specialist health practitioners. Public. Media.
Management strategy for contractors Identification of suitable bidders. Checking health and safety aspects of bids. Contractors agree to clients rules. Managing the contractors on site. Identification of hazards related to job. Checking contractor work.
Selection of a suitable contractor Experience with type of work. Reputation. Suitable reference or recommendation. Previous work record. Adequacy of safety policy. Enforcement history. Accident and ill-health data. Membership of trade organisations. Suitable training for employees. Arrangements for sub contractors. Suitable risk assessments etc.
Managing of contractors on site Appointment of coordinator. Pre-contract meeting. Progress meetings. Regular inspections. Safety committee. Method statements. Accident and incident reporting. Client set example. Safety propaganda. Plant documentation. Training competency.
Reducing the risks to Contractors before and during the building project Before: Careful selection of suitable contractors. Identification of hazards associated with the job. Checking the health and safety aspects of the bids. Establishing site rules. Suitable risk assessments. Suitable training for employees. Method statements. Appointment of cocoordinator. Pre-contract meeting. During: Progress meetings. Regular inspections. Safety committee. Accident/incident reporting. Clients sets an example. Safety propaganda. Monitor training program.
Functions of the Safety Representative Investigate potential hazards and dangerous occurrences. Investigate complaints from employees. Make representations on general matters of health and safety to employer.
Carry out workplace inspections. Examine causes of accidents. Consult with enforcement authorities. Attend safety committee meetings.
Importance of consulting Worker’s committees and representatives should: Be given adequate information on health and safety matters. Be consulted when major health and safety changes are envisaged. Given protection from dismissal when carrying out duties as a representative. Ability to contribute to decision making process. Be able to communicate with workers during working hours. Be free to contact labour inspectors. Be able to contribute to negotiations in the undertaking of health and safety matters. Have reasonable paid time to exercise their health and safety functions. Have recourse to specialists for advise on particular health and safety problems.
Matters on which employees are to be consulted Introduction of measures that affect their health and safety. New processes and technology. New organisation of work patterns. New personal protective equipment. Planning and organisation of any training required.
Safety committee Object is to promote cooperation between employees and employer on health and safety matters. No set structure. Formation of a safety committee is between the employer and worker’s union/volunteers. Equal representation from management and safety representatives.
Safety committee – effective meetings Agenda may include relevant items such as: Study of statistics. Examination of audit reports. Analysis of inspector’s report. Consideration of safety representative’s reports. 5|Page
NEBOSH International General Certificate – Module 1 Summary Development and monitoring of work safety rules and safe systems of work. Appraisal of effectiveness of safety training. Monitor adequacy of health and safety communication. Establish a link with the appropriate inspectors.
Factors that influence the effectiveness of safety committee Balanced representation. Influence in decision making. Respect of management. Commitment from members. Good leadership and chairmanship. Good communication channels. Access to information or specialist advice. Formalised procedures with agendas. Relevant (not trivial) agenda items. Agenda not led by industrial relations.
Safety Culture = The product of individual and group values, attitudes, competencies and patterns of behavior that determine the commitment to, and proficiency of an organisation’s health and safety performance. Internal influences on health and safety management standards: Production demands – Too many resources directed to production and not enough to health and safety. Management commitment. Communication. Competence. Employee representation.
External influences on health and safety Economic. Social expectations – society expects certain safe behavior. Legislation. Enforcement. Insurance companies. Trade unions.
Indicators of a company’s health and safety culture: Accident rates. Absenteeism. Sickness.
Staff turnover. Complaints. Compliance with legislation and internal policies. Morale.
Benefits of a positive safety culture: Increased levels of compliance. Improved production. Improved staff morale. Improved company reputation. Reduced accidents. Reduced ill health. Reduced damage to equipment. Reduced staff complaints. Reduced staff turnover. Reduced insurance premiums.
Factors that can cause a health and safety culture to decline: Lack of communication. Perception of a growing blame culture. Lack of leadership and management commitment. Lack of monitoring. Failure to implement remedial action. Lack of consultation and employee involvement. Poor working environment. External influences – unions. Health and safety seen as a low priority. Lack of supervision. Reorganization and uncertainty.
Promoting a positive health and safety culture: Senior management commitment. Ownership of health and safety at all levels. Effective consultation. Effective communication. Training for all levels of employees. Shared perception of risks. Standards of acceptable behavior. Learning from experience through monitoring and review. Balance between health and safety and production.
Why employees fail to comply with safety procedures even when competent: Lack of motivation. Unrealistic working procedures. Lack of management commitment. Over familiarisation with the task.
Repetitive work leading to boredom. Peer group pressure. Willful disregard of laid down procedures. Fatigue and stress. Lack of information. Job insecurity.
Types of communication. Written Communication: Letters, memos, reports, notices, procedures etc. Advantages Disadvantages Permanent record. May be unread. Reference. One way. Consistent message. Often no feedback. Accurate detail. Time consuming. Wide audience. Cost. Authoritative. Misinterpretation.
Barriers to written communication. Illiteracy. Competence. Level of written material. Presentation. Quality of information. Quantity. Attitude. Verbal Communication: Instructions, interviews, meetings, lectures. Advantages Direct. Two way. Quick. Instant feedback. message. Easy to do. memory. Flexible.
Disadvantages No record. No reference. Unstructured. Inconsistent Too much for Limited audience.
Barriers to verbal communication. Hearing or speech defects. Noise. Distance. Language – jargon. Lack of knowledge. Attitude. Duration – speed.
Health and safety notice boards. Information should include: Information for employees regulation poster. Health and safety policy. Evacuation procedures. First aid arrangements. Contact details for safety representatives. Targets for accident reduction.
6|Page
NEBOSH International General Certificate – Module 1 Summary Communicating to employees Maximize effectiveness of and getting their commitment. Additional health and safety health and safety notice training board: Employer should keep Increase in accidents or Locate in a prominent area. training records because: incidents. Dedicated to health and safety only. Information displayed is relevant and current. Information in a neat orderly state. Make boards eye-catching through colour and graphics.
Training should be given at the following stages: On joining the organisation – (Induction training) Before starting work – (Job specific) At regular intervals – (Refresher training) Whenever work practice changes e.g. new material, new technology, revision of systems of work. Before moving to a new job.
Induction Training is important because: Establishes a safety culture. Shows management commitment. Identifies responsibilities. Identifies hazards and precautions. Employee made aware of hazards. Imparts knowledge. Employees recognize and report hazards. Sets the scene for future performance.
Induction training programme Management commitment to safety. Company safety policy. Consultative procedures. Role of safety representatives. Emergency procedures. First aid arrangements. Welfare and amenity provisions. Specific hazards. Health surveillance procedures. How to report accidents. PPE. Drugs and alcohol policy.
Job specific training programme Safe system of work, permit to work. Equipment training. PPE training. Fire training. Safety inspections.
Result of an accident investigation. Dangerous occurrences. New processes or technology. Job change. Changes in working procedures. Changes in work patterns – night shift. Promotion or reorganization. New legislation. Enforcement action. Results of inspections/audits. Results of risk assessments. Insurance company requirements.
Young person’s training. Young workers at risk because: Overenthusiastic. No experience comparisons. More likely to take risks. Open to influence and peer group pressure. Body not fully developed.
Precautions for young workers should include: Provisions of suitable work equipment. Organisation of work processes. Health and safety training. Mentoring. Supervision. Limited working hours.
Benefits of training. Employee Employer Less suffering. Less accidents. Quality of life. Less absenteeism. Job satisfaction. Less claims and premiums. Achieve standard. Less legal issues. Flexibility of staff. Improve morale. Improve safety attitude. Greater productivity. Improve efficiency.
Consideration for training session What employees need to know and what they do already know – gap analysis. Types of training already received. Employees responsibilities. Activities carried out. Risks associated with activities. Actions required by employees. Different requirements for various staff. Numbers involved. Resources needed. Competence of trainers.
Proof of employees’ competence. Identify when refresher training is needed. Review effectiveness of training. Assess progress against targets. Provide evidence in investigations. Provide evidence in legal actions.
Competent persons A person shall be considered competent when he has sufficient knowledge, ability, training and experience to enable him to carry out the tasks required of him and knowledge of his own limitations. Factors to be considered: Evidence of qualifications. Level of training. Membership of professional organisation. Undertaking of written or practical assessments. References or recommendations.
What is a risk assessment A risk assessment is a careful examination of what hazards are in the work place and what precautions should be put in place to prevent harm.
Steps in the risk assessment process 1. Identify the hazards. Workplace inspections. Talking to the workforce. Non-inspection techniques. – Break down the job into tasks and evaluate each task to identify hazards. Examination of documents. – Manufacturers data, material safety data, legislation, codes of practice. Combined techniques. – Analysing the results of safety audits. Accident and ill-health data. – Monitoring accident statistics and investigation and illhealth complaints to identify the causes and then determining the hazards from the results. Near miss reports. 2.
Decide who may be harmed and how. What are the hazards. 7|Page
NEBOSH International General Certificate – Module 1 Summary How likely are they to occur. Consequences. Number of employees exposed. Frequency and duration of the exposure. Effects of the exposure. Competence. Existing controls. Example: - risk to pregnant women. Exposure to chemicals. Lead. Biological exposure. Ionizing radiation. Extremes of temperature. Ergonomic issues like prolonged standing. Stress. PPE
Methods of identifying hazards Sources and forms of harm can be identified via: Workplace inspection. (Proactive) Job task analysis. (Proactive) Manufacturers information. (Proactive) Risk assessment. (Proactive) Accident incident data. (Reactive)
3.
Evaluate the risks and decide whether the existing precautions are adequate. Use a likelihood x severity matrix 5 x 5. Likelihood: 1. Very unlikely. 2. Unlikely. 3. Likely. 4. Very likely. 5. Certain – imminent. Severity: 1. Minor injury – no time off. 2. Minor injury – 3 days off work. 3. Injury, non-disabling illness, over 3 days off work. 4. Major disabling injury. 5. Fatality. 1 – 7 = low risk. 8-15 = medium risk. 16 – 25 = high risk.
4.
Record the significant findings. Significant hazards should be recorded. Information such as the number of people affected, the adequacy of existing control measures and any further precautions that may be necessary. 5. Review the assessment and revise it if necessary. Reviews should be done: Changes in process. Changes in materials. Changes in premises. Changes in legislation. Changes in work patterns. After an incident or accident. After prosecution. After enforcement action. After compensation claims. After a policy review. After professional advice. 8|Page
NEBOSH International General Certificate – Module 1 Summary Identifying hazards for different states of operation Complex activities should be broken down into component parts. Installation. Normal operation. Cleaning. Adjusting. Breakdown maintenance. Dismantling.
Types of hazards to look for. Mechanical hazards. Electrical hazards. Thermal hazards. Noise and vibration hazards. Radiation hazards. Toxic materials. Ergonomic design hazards.
Competence of risk assessors. A combination of knowledge, ability, training and experience (KATE)and personal qualities. Knowledge of own limitations. A thorough understanding of the processes and procedures involved. Good communication skills.
Suitable and sufficient assessment The risk assessment will be suitable and sufficient if: The detail in the risk assessment is proportionate to the level of risk. All aspects of the work activity must be reviewed taking into account the way the work is organized: All of the significant hazards and risks must be identified. The risks have been evaluated. Employees and others at risk must be identified. Suitable control measures must be identified. The control measures must be appropriate to the nature of the work. The residual risk must be low. Priorities have been set. Takes account of non-routine operations. Staff undertaking the risk assessment are competent. Risk assessment is valid for a reasonable amount of time.
Young persons Young persons at greater risk because:
Lack of knowledge, ability, training and experience (KATE). Body not fully developed. More likely to take risks. More likely to respond to peer pressure. Overenthusiastic. Control measures for young persons: Induction training. Close supervision. Mentoring. Clear lines of communication. Restrictions on type of work. Restriction of working hours.
there a safer alternative? e.g. reduce the risk of injury by using low voltage tools. Isolate – Can the hazard be enclosed or contained. e.g. Guard on a dangerous part of a machine. Control – Limiting the time or frequency of the exposure. PPE – Can something be provided to reduce the injury in case of accident. E.g. Issuing safety helmets or boots. Discipline – Ensuring that the procedures and rules are being followed and taking action if not.
Lone working Employer has a duty of care to persons working alone without close or direct supervision: Single persons working on the premises. Persons working separately from the others. Persons working outside normal working hours. Mobile workers working away from their normal base.
Lone working risk assessment Should take into account the following: Does the workplace present any special risks. Is there safe access and egress. Does the task present any special risks. Is there a risk of violence. Are women especially at risk. Are young workers especially at risk. Does the worker have any special medical conditions. Is the lone working likely to impose any additional physical or mental burdens on the worker.
Lone worker controls Training. Supervision. Monitoring. Periodic visits. Regular contact using telephone or radios. Automatic or manual warning devices.
Hierarchy of control measures
Safe system of work = A system of doing the work in the safest way practicable by performing a task analysis to identify the hazards likely to be present and creating procedures including the precautions necessary to avoid or minimize the health and safety risks. When is a safe system needed A safe system of work is needed when the hazards cannot be physically eliminated. Cleaning and maintenance operations. Changes to work layouts, materials etc. Employees working away from base/alone. Breakdown emergencies. Contractors on your premises. Loading, unloading and movement of vehicles.
5 Steps of the safe system of work 1.
2.
ERICPD Eliminate – can the hazard be removed completely. E.g. Remove the trailing cable. Reduce – Can the risk be reduced at the source or is 3.
Assess the task. Materials. Equipment. Environment. People involved. Purpose of the task. Work methods. Legal requirements. Standards. Existing controls. Identify the hazards. Working at height. Working below ground. Machinery. Electricity. Vehicles. Chemical hazards. Environment. Define safe method. 9|Page
NEBOSH International General Certificate – Module 1 Summary 4. 5.
Implement the safe system. Monitor the safe system.
Designing a safe system by considering MEEP Materials. – Raw, unfinished, disposal Equipment and machinery. – Design specification, ergonomics. Environment. – light heat noise, space People. – Behavior, knowledge, skills.
3 forms of workplace controls 1.
2.
3.
Technical. Equipment – design e.g. guarding. Access egress – wide aisles. Materials – choice of packaging to make handling easier. Environment – Local exhaust ventilation. Procedural. Policy and standards. Procedures and rules. Permit to work. Purchasing control – buy good quality. Emergency preparedness. Behavioral. Supervision. Health surveillance. Competence. – KATE Motivation. Communication. Perception.
Permit to work = A permit to work is a formal written system used to control certain types of potentially hazardous work. Work requiring permits: Confined spaces. Hot work and cold work. Electrical.
Design of permit to work system 1.
Job location/plant identification. 2. Description of work. 3. Time limits. 4. Description of hazards. 5. Tests and checks prior to work commencing. 6. Further precautions. 7. Authorization. 8. Acceptance. 9. Time extensions/Shift change procedures. 10. Hand back. 11. Cancellation. All signatures must be legible.
Reasons why employees may not to wear PPE and Reasons PPE should be a last resort. Poor selection or fit. Lack of comfort. Incompatibility with other PPE. Fails to danger. Contamination. Misuse or non-use. Relies on action being taken by the user. May create additional hazards. Difficulty in obtaining equipment. Relies on management commitment.
Selection of PPE Identify the hazard. Choose type of equipment. Compliance with standards. Comfort. Compatibility. Costs. Replacement. Training needs. Hygiene problems. Supervision. Storage.
Training in the use of PPE Legal and organizational requirements. Consequences of not wearing it. Protection offered. Limitations of the PPE. Compatibility with other types of PPE. Correct usage. How to keep it clean. Correct storage arrangements. When and how to replace.
Workplace emergencies Arrangements to be considered when developing an Emergency Response Plan: Type of emergency – fire, hazardous chemical spillage, bomb, flood, earthquake, tsunami. Emergency services contact and response times. Appoint persons to deal with emergency. Communication systems. First aid and medical facilities. Evacuation procedures. Effects on surrounding community. Post emergency action e.g. media, repair, investigation. Emergency procedure should be practiced so that weaknesses in the system are highlighted and corrected.
Reasons for monitoring Identify sub-standard health and safety practices. Identify trends and patterns. Compare actual performance against targets. Useful in benchmarking. Identify use and effectiveness of control measures. Make decisions on suitable remedial measures. Set priorities and establish realistic timescales. Assess compliance with legal requirements. Provide information to board, committees etc.
Types of monitoring Main purposes of First aid Preserve life. Prevent deterioration. Promote recovery.
Assessment of first aid needs checklist Size of the organisation. Nature and distribution of the workforce. Nature of the work. Types of hazards and risks. Past accident injury types. Remoteness of emergency services. Travelling, remote and lone workers. Need to train personnel in special procedures. Need to cover absence of first aiders.
Reactive monitoring. Examining accident figures. Claims records. Other reactive monitoring methods such as number of defects reported following safety inspection, enforcement action against company, prosecutions, legal mandates or court orders. Proactive monitoring. Safety audit – A systematic, critical assessment of each aspect of the health and safety management system and procedures. Lengthy process carried out by a trained auditor, either internal or external. The aim is to identify the strengths and weaknesses
10 | P a g e
NEBOSH International General Certificate – Module 1 Summary Safety inspection checklist External audits Housekeeping.
of the health and safety management system A structured way of assessing the health and safety performance that makes use of a scoring system so that improvements can be measured. Safety inspections – The straight forward observation of a workplace, activities and equipment. Usually carried out by the manager, employee representative and safety advisor. Often aided by the use of a checklist. The aim is to identify hazards and assess the use and effectiveness of the control measures. May be carried out routinely Safety surveys – focusing on particular activities and may be carried out by a specialist. Safety tours – unscheduled, less formal workplace inspections are carried out to check on issues such as housekeeping or the use of PPE. Safety sampling – Targeting specific areas. Benchmarking – Where an organisations performance in certain areas is compared with those of similar organisation. Health surveillance Providing periodic health checks before symptoms appear Performance review – Did the organisation: Achieve its health and safety objectives. Implement effective control measures. Ensure the effectiveness of training, communication and consulting programmes. Learn from management system failures. Meet legal standards. Reduce the risk of accidents and ill-health.
Limitations of safety inspection It is only a snapshot in time. Some hazards may not be visible. Some hazards may not be present at the time of the inspection. Unsafe practices may not occur during the inspection.
Electrical safety. Provision and use of PPE. Use and storage of hazardous substances. Manual handling. Traffic routes. Machinery. Internal transport. Emergency equipment. Welfare facilities. Systems of work. Working environment.
Strengths of using a checklist to complete Health and safety inspections Enables prior preparation and planning. More structured and systematic. Prevents issues from being overlooked. Ensure a consistent approach. Immediate record available. Easy method for comparison and audit.
Weakness of using a checklist to complete Health and safety inspections Inflexible approach. Not reviewed or updated to account for changes. Inspections become routine and no follow-up questions asked. No scope for secondary issues to be considered. Incompetent person conducting the inspection. Inspection procedure leading to human error or abuse.
Pre-audit preparation procedure Setting audit objectives. Selecting the audit team. Contact with the organisation being audited. Undertaking the audit. Draw conclusions. Report and presentation. Action by the organisation.
Internal audits Advantages: Easier to arrange. Lower cost to the organisation. Employees may not feel so threatened. Disadvantages: Could be influenced by internal relationships. Conclusions may not be taken seriously. The auditor may make assumptions.
Disadvantages: Require more time to arrange. Higher cost to the organisation. Employees may feel threatened. Advantages: Auditor will be completely independent and unbiased. The auditor will ask questions and will not make assumptions. More weight may be given to their conclusions.
Initial actions to be taken following a major injury accident at work Make sure the area is safe to enter before entering as there could be hazards surrounding the accident scene. Call the first aiders to attend to the injured person. Call for an ambulance if needed. Secure the area by barricading to prevent unwanted people from entering. Preserve the evidence. Identify witnesses. Collect evidence like taking photographs or take sketches of the accident scene. Notify the authorities as per legal requirements.
Aims of accident investigation Determine the cause of an accident. Identify weaknesses in the management system. Identify weaknesses in the risk assessment. Demonstrate management commitment. Comply with legal requirements. Collect data to establish trends which can be used to prevent future business losses. Provide information for Civil/Criminal actions. Provide information to insurance company.
Immediate and longer term action after an accident First aid for injured party. Calling for medical assistance if necessary. Isolation of the accident scene. Report to relevant enforcing authority if necessary. Identify witnesses. Set up investigating team. Full investigation to determine root cause. Make recommendations. Implement corrective action. 11 | P a g e
NEBOSH International General Certificate – Module 1 Summary Documents: Risk assessments. Safe systems of work. Incident/accident history. Training records. Maintenance records. Equipment instructions. Monitoring records – dust, noise. Supervision quotas. Inspection reports. Pre-start equipment checks.
Preparation before investigation Who should be involved and the depth of the investigation. Accident scene preserved. Gather relevant existing documents. Identifying the witnesses. Have legal requirements been met. Any equipment needed. Method to be adopted. Style of report and recipients.
2.
Analyse the information – What happened and why. Analysis should determine: Immediate/direct causes. Root/underlying causes.
3.
Identify the risk control measures – possible solutions to be identified. The analysis may have identified that no control measures in place. Control measures in place but not used. Combinations of both. Measures should be evaluated for: The effectiveness of the control measures. Are the control measures practical. Will the control measures be used. Will the control measures remain effective.
Investigation team Line manager – has knowledge of the processes involved. Supervisor – has knowledge of the process. Safety representative – has legal right. Safety practitioner – to advise on health and safety implications. Engineer – to advise on technical matters. Senior manager – from a different department to be unbiased.
Undertaking accident investigation 1.
Gather the information – Where, When, Who, What, Why. MEEP – Materials, Equipment, Environment, People. Nature of work. Specialist examinations. Medical reports. Interviews and witness statements.
4.
Take action – should have SMART objectives. Involves senior management.
Highest priority risk control measures implemented first. Prioritize the order of control measures to be implemented. A senior manager nominated to be in charge of the implementation.
Reasons for reporting accidents Implement initial controls. Monitoring health and safety performance. Starting point for investigation. To comply with legal requirements. To prevent reoccurrences and further injuries/losses. To provide information for any subsequent claim. Review of risk assessments.
Accident data can: Show trends and patterns. Identify weaknesses in procedures and policies. Prioritize safety measures. Identify areas that require improvement. Set targets for reduction.
Employees can be discouraged from reporting accidents because: Ignorance of procedures. Peer pressure. Retribution by management. Preservation of the department’s safety record. Over-complicated response to reports.
12 | P a g e
