The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HASAWA) lays down wide-ranging duties on employers. Employers must protect the ‘health, safety and welfare’ at work of all their employees, as well as others on their premises, including temps, casual workers, the self-employed, clients, visitors and the general public.

Explain primary and secondary legislation.

Describe the main requirements and purpose of the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, explain the relevant requirements (where appropriate) of the following:

Statutory Instruments (regulations) –

Explain requirements and purpose of Management of Health and Safety at Work Regs, Construction Design Management Regulations, Provision and Use or Work Equipment Regs, Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regs, Workplace Health Safety and Welfare Regs, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regs, Personal Protective Equipment Regs, Manual Handling Operations Regulations, Work at Height Regs, The Control of Asbestos Regulations, Confined Spaces Regs, Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order, The Health and Safety First Aid at Work Regs, The Health and Safety Signs and Signals Regs etc, include where applicable relevant ACOPs and Health and Safety Guidance notes produced by the Health and Safety Executive, Environmental Protection Act – SEPA, Natural Resources Wales, Environmental Protection Agency

Explain that it is an employer’s duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees and other people who might be affected by their business. Employers must do whatever is reasonably practicable to achieve this, ultimately this means making sure that workers and others are protected from anything that may cause harm, effectively controlling any risks to injury or health that could arise in the workplace.

Further duties on self–employed contractors who must ensure that the health and safety of themselves and others, such as members of the public, is not affected by their working activities. Workers / employees have a duty to take care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions at work.

Describe roles and responsible persons that ensure effective management under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations – include Client, Designers, Principal Designer, Principal Contractor, Contractors. Explain client duties in relation to managing projects, appointment of the Principal Designer and the Principal Contractor, HSE Notification (F10).

Explain planning the work so the risks involved are managed from start to finish, have the right people for the right job at the right time, cooperate and coordinate your work with others and have the right information about the risks and how they are being managed, communicate this information effectively to those who need to know, consult and engage with workers about the risks and how they are being managed

Describe, The Health and Safety information for Employees Regulations and relevant requirements for “the approved poster” (Law Poster) and / or “approved leaflet” that are produced by the HSE and contain details of organisational contacts including regional HSE office.

Explain workplace posters identifying hazards and relevant industry precautions including highlighting the importance of provision for health and welfare, noise, fire, first aid etc. The aim of the Regulations is to increase employees’ awareness of health, safety and welfare issues at work. They do this by requiring employers to provide employees with posters or leaflets approved by the Health and Safety Executive which contain information about health, safety and welfare. Considerations must be made to ensure complete understanding of relevant site – specific hazards and risks that may affect contractors, young workers etc

All employees need to know how to work safely and without risks to health. Employers must provide clear instructions and information and adequate training for their employees.

Consider how much training is necessary.

Ensure everyone has the right level of information on, hazards and risks they may face, measures in place to deal with those hazards and risks, if necessary, how to follow any emergency procedures, some employees may have particular training needs, for example new recruits need basic induction training in how to work safely, including arrangements for first aid, fire and evacuation, people changing jobs or taking on extra responsibilities need to know about any new health and safety implications, young employees are particularly vulnerable to accidents and particular attention must be paid to their needs, so their training should be a priority.

Employee representatives or safety representatives will require training that reflects their responsibilities, some people’s skills may need updating by refresher training, employers need to think about any legal requirements for specific job training, e.g. for operating forklift trucks, telescopic handlers, site dumper trucks, excavators etc

Describe how site induction is the process of ensuring workers on construction sites are fully informed about the organisation and operation of the site and of their responsibilities.

Explain how it focuses in particular on safety aspects of the site. The CDM regulations require that principal contractors ensure suitable site inductions are provided. They also require that contractors must provide each worker under their control with appropriate supervision, instructions and information so that construction work can be carried out, so far as is reasonably practicable, without risks to health and safety and that this must include a suitable site induction, where not already provided by the principal contractor. Site inductions may also be necessary for people visiting the site who might not necessarily be considered ‘workers. Site inductions should be proportionate to the nature of the visit; escorted visitors need not have the level of detail that unescorted visitors should have. Induction information should include the site layout, site welfare facilities, site rules, details of key personnel such as supervisors, safety officers, first aiders, fire marshals and so on.

Responsibilities and legal duties, co-ordination between contractors, fire safety, emergency procedures and muster points

There are 10 key principles that will help achieve successful leadership and worker involvement. These are:
1. It is everyone’s responsibility on site to prevent any unsafe acts and conditions that they witness from turning into accidents as soon as they see them. Talk to the person(s) involved and draw their attention to the risks
2. All workers should be encouraged to stop working whenever they feel unsafe, no matter if their reasons for doing so turn out to be unfounded. Better to STOP than to have an accident
3. If you expect your workers to work in a safe way, you need to make sure that you do all you can to make the environment they work in as safe as possible
4. The causes of unsafe ways of working, accidents, incidents and ill health do not always stop with the worker. The problem can often be traced back to less obvious causes such as decisions made by management and the wider organisation. Avoid blaming the worker without having considered the full range of possible causes
5. Workers can have a more accurate idea of which efforts to improve health and safety may or may not work than you, your management or other experts. They have to deal with the issues every day. Use and include them
6. Improvements are likely to emerge over time, but only if you stick with it
7. Simply telling workers that something is wrong, or is a risk, is not enough. They also need to know why and how to avoid harm if they are to act on the information that you provide
8. Employer behaviour sends strong signals to workers as to how they should behave. If you carry out your job in a safe way, the workers are more likely to work in safe ways. If you do not, then your workers will not
9. Treat sub-contractors in the same way as direct employees. Encourage different sub-contractors and trades to proactively communicate with each other. Getting consistency in standards will then be that much easier
10. If employers look after the health as well as the safety of workers now, they will be less likely to store up problems for either themselves or the workforce in the future

Describe the primary purpose and importance of measuring health and safety performance and how it can provide information on the progress and current status of the strategies, processes and activities used by an organisation to control risks to health and safety.

Measurement information sustains the operation and development of the health and safety management system and so the control of risk by providing information on how the system operates in practice; identifying areas where remedial action is required; providing a basis for continual improvement and providing feedback and motivation.

Plan, Do, Check, Act achieves a balance between the systems and behavioural aspects of management

Communication cooperation competence and control are key elements of a health and safety management system therefore, plans, standards, procedures and systems relating to implementation and measurement of performance; factual information to help secure the involvement and commitment of employees; comments and ideas for improvement; performance reports; lessons learned from accidents and other incidents and statistics, provide employees with information on risks, information resulting from review of risk assessments, statutory and non – statutory inspections, investigations, also communication of results of health surveillance, communicate information from safety meetings (minutes), SHE Briefs or safety alerts, toolbox talks, noticeboards etc

Accidents happen for many reasons including overconfidence, poor housekeeping, workplace distractions, human factors such as taking shortcuts, ignoring safety procedures and organisational factors including lack of information, poor preparation.

Examine all incident / accident / near-miss reports and identify trends. Look at root or underlying issues, not just immediate causes: immediate causes – premises, plant and substances, procedures, or people; underlying causes – management arrangements and organisational factors such as design, selection of materials, maintenance, management of change, adequacy of risk controls, communication, competence etc.

Preventative action – introduction of further controls, RIDDOR reporting etc

The Construction Phase Plan must set out the arrangements for securing health & safety taking account, where necessary, of industrial, commercial, domestic or transport related activities taking place on the construction site. The following information should be included: A suitable CPP must contain the following areas:
a) A description of the project including key dates and important project team members
b) The management of the work including the, health and safety aims, site rules, arrangements to make sure all team members cooperate and coordinate their work, for example, regular team meetings, arrangements for involving site workers, site induction, welfare facilities, fire and emergency procedures
c) The control of any of the specific site works from Schedule 3 of CDM 2015 if they are relevant to the work
Suitable and sufficient risk assessments and method statements relevant and specific to the tasks, statutory inspections and site safety tours, daily toolbox talks etc

The workplace has a significant impact on people’s health and well-being. Poor management of workplace health can lead to work-related ill health and to high levels of sickness absence. This gives real cause for concern, not least because of the costs involved, the impact on service delivery and the consequences for individual staff.

Sickness absence is a key business issue, and it is a key indicator of how well an organisation is managed.

To deliver these benefits we must: create workplaces where health, safety and well-being is protected and promoted; ensure staff have access to competent occupational health advice and support; improve access to preventative care and treatment for common health problems; enable people to remain in work while health problems are investigated and treated; and support and engage healthcare professionals on return-to-work issues

Describe the welfare requirements of the Construction Design Management Regulations. Clients and contractors share the legal responsibility to provide these facilities on all sites, regardless of their size and must provide enough facilities to cover the number of employees on site and be suitable for the type of work being undertaken.

Before any construction begins on a project, the pre-construction information organised by the client should contain the arrangements for the provision of welfare facilities. On notifiable projects (those that are longer than 30 days and involve more than 20 workers on site at any one time or more than 500 person days) the client must make sure construction doesn’t begin until they are satisfied that adequate welfare facilities will be provided. Although the size of facilities will depend on the size of the project, facilities include toilets, washing facilities, changing areas and lockers, facilities for rest, plus drinking water

Employees are affected by a multitude of pressures, both at work and in their personal lives. Managers, given their position within an organisation, are often best placed to spot the signs of poor mental health in the workplace and – if equipped with the right skill set – can manage issues effectively before they reach crisis point. Their actions and behaviour also have a direct impact on employee wellbeing: a good line manager will foster the kind of working environment that makes employees feel valued, respected and supported, and will act as a ‘gatekeeper’ protecting them from any working conditions that present risks to their mental wellbeing. Conversely, a bad line manager can aggravate and, in some cases, even be the cause of stress, anxiety and depression. The resulting costs to UK industry are between £33bn and £42bn a year in sick pay and lost productivity. Ref. IOSH Workplace wellbeing

Employees with a drug or alcohol problem may ask for help at work if they are sure their problems will be dealt with discreetly and confidentially. But also consider your own legal position if you are given evidence or information that suggests an employee’s drug misuse has involved breaking the law at work. Drug and alcohol dependence are recognised medical problems. Someone who is misusing drugs or alcohol has the same rights to confidentiality and support as they would if they had any other medical or psychological condition.

Consider allowing someone time off to get expert help. Often the cost of recruiting and training a new employee may be more than the cost of time off. Think about whether drug and alcohol misuse in your workplace is treated as a disciplinary matter or a health concern. If you dismiss someone because of drug or alcohol misuse without trying to help them, an employment tribunal may find that you’ve dismissed them unfairly. However, if their normal work is safety-critical you may need to temporarily move them to another job.

Employers have a general duty under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of your employees. Employees must also take reasonable care of themselves and anyone who could be affected by their work

Construction workers are exposed to many different types of hazardous substances such as dust, lead or cement. Workers need to be aware of the substances they are working with, how these substances could get into the body and what the potential health effects are

Explain how to identify and safely handle these substances (Ref. COSHH)

Explain different types of substances and their acute and chronic ill health effects

Explain the routes of entry into the body

Explain Material Safety Data Sheet and how  it is used to carry out effective risk assessment compliant with COSHH

Lead can be found in construction workplaces. It is commonly used as a specialist material (e.g. roof flashings) and present in older buildings (e.g. in paint or pipework). Lead can cause serious health problems such as anaemia or kidney disease and published research has linked exposure to a small number of occupational cancers

Explain that even a fractional amount of asbestos – during construction repairs, demolition, alteration, maintenance can result in serious health problems for construction workers, including the risk of developing asbestosis, mesothelioma, lung cancer, or other related cancers

Explain the requirements of The Control of Asbestos Regulations to ensure risks are managed as required by the statutory instrument

Regularly breathing construction dust can cause diseases like lung cancer, asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and silicosis. Construction workers have a high risk of developing these diseases because many common construction tasks can create high dust levels.

These diseases cause permanent disability and early death. Over 500 construction workers are believed to die from exposure to silica dust every year. Describe the engineering control measures must primarily be introduced to ensure minimal exposure of inhalation of dust, explain engineering control measures introduced could be local exhaust ventilation systems, other forms of control may be the use of processes such as water suppression.

The introduction or RPE (Respiratory Protective Equipment) such as a dust mask with appropriate FFP3 filter should also be introduced (considered as a last resort when all other measures have been exhausted)

Explain where a noise risk assessment identifies that individuals are exposed to hazardous noise levels at work, employers need to introduce measures to control the associated risks. Risks include noise induced hearing loss such at “Tinnitus” which is permanent and is irreversible, may also affect communication and performance. The measures used to control noise risks usually involve a combination of methods, such as controlling the noise at source (engineering measure), reassessing the equipment and tasks and re-organising the work processes. Noise transmission pathways and personal hearing protection will also need to be considered

Explain the hierarchy of risk controls. High levels of noise can cause hearing loss and explain action levels in decibels. Also consider construction site nuisance noise activity generated from work equipment

Repeated use of vibrating tools can cause hand-arm vibration syndrome (damage to nerves and blood vessels – most commonly in the hands and fingers)

Explain that a combination of the correct selection of equipment and associated tools and (PPE) anti – vibration gloves will help to reduce the risk arising from the process(es)

Consider anti-vibration tools, AV gloves, safe work practices and reducing the operating time. The introduction of equipment and manufacturers information to effectively manage operator trigger time

Explain issues with whole body vibration

Describe the considerations that should be made to reduce the risk of injury when carrying out manual handling work tasks, considerations must be made to assess the task, individual, load and environment. Describe work equipment designed specifically to eliminate the risk of manual handling, how engineering control measures such as vacuum lifters can reduce the risk from manual handling

Explain how to reduce the amount of twisting, stooping and reaching when moving loads

Explain how to avoid lifting from floor level or above shoulder height, especially heavy loads, how to adjust storage areas to minimise the need to carry out such movements, explain what to consider to minimise carrying distances, explain how to assess the weight to be carried and whether the worker can move the load safely

Explain that some loads can be dismantled etc

Explain work related upper limb disorder and musculoskeletal disorders. Manual handling: Lifting heavy and awkward loads causes back and other injuries. Some injuries can result from a single lift (acute), but more commonly, long term (chronic) injury develops as a result of repeated minor injury due to repetitive lifting

Explain TILEO & Kinetics

Requirements when setting out a construction site include – Traffic management – Ensures that moving vehicles do not present a hazard to people working on, or visiting, the site.

Protecting the public – Details the specific measures for protecting members of the public on site and preventing access by unauthorised people, including children.

Materials storage and waste management – Guidance on storing materials safely to prevent hazards and make sure that waste is removed and disposed of safely.

Welfare – How to meet your legal requirements for welfare facilities on construction sites, for example providing toilet and washing facilities, drinking water, rest areas, changing rooms and lockers.

Administration – The paperwork you need to manage the site legally and safely

Define fire planning and explain requirements for safe handling and storage of substances.

Employers (and / or building owners or occupiers) must carry out a fire safety risk assessment and keep it up to date. This shares the same approach as health and safety risk assessments and can be carried out either as part of an overall risk assessment or as a separate exercise. Based on the findings of the assessment, employers need to ensure that adequate and appropriate fire safety measures are in place to minimise the risk of injury or loss of life in the event of a fire.

Carry out a fire safety risk assessment, keep sources of ignition and flammable substances apart, avoid accidental fires, e.g. make sure heaters cannot be knocked over, ensure good housekeeping at all times, e.g. avoid build-up of rubbish that could burn, consider how to detect fires and how to warn people quickly if they start, e.g. installing smoke alarms and fire alarms or bells, have the correct fire-fighting equipment for putting a fire out quickly, keep fire exits and escape routes clearly marked and unobstructed at all times, ensure your workers receive appropriate training on procedures they need to follow, including fire drills, review and update your risk assessment regularly.

Dangerous substances that cause fire and explosion – These range from the obvious, e.g. flammable chemicals, petrol, cellulose paint thinners and welding gases, to the less obvious – engine oil, grease, packaging materials, dusts from wood, flour and sugar – consider specific storage areas for flammable and other substances

Describe the dangers of electrocution and electric shock, explain that refurbishment work in buildings presents the greatest risk and must be planned, managed and monitored to ensure that workers are not exposed to risk from electricity. Explain the main hazards of working with electricity or electrical power tools are electric shock and burns from contact with live parts, injury from exposure to arcing, fire from faulty electrical equipment of installations explosion caused by unsuitable electrical apparatus

Explain the reasons for use of 110v step down transformers for safer use. Where possible, eliminate risks. Cordless tools or tools which operate from a 110V supply system, which is centre tapped to earth so that the maximum voltage to earth should not exceed 55V, will effectively eliminate the risk of death and greatly reduce injury in the event of an electrical accident

Explain the requirements for Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) within the construction industry

Temporary works (TW) are the parts of a construction project that are needed to enable the permanent works to be built. Usually the TW are removed after use – e.g. access scaffolds, props, shoring, excavation support, falsework and formwork etc. Sometimes the TW is incorporated into the permanent works – e.g. haul road foundations and crane or piling platforms may be used for hardstanding or road foundations. The person organising the temporary works needs to be aware of the problems that can occur at each stage of the process and how to prevent these. They need to coordinate design, selection of equipment, appointment of contractors, supervision of work, checking completion, authorisation to load and removal. British Standard 5975 sets out one way of managing temporary works (TW) that has been found to work well on medium and large projects and uses the job title Temporary Works Coordinator (TWC). There is no legal requirement to use this job title or the BS recommended process, but you should remember that BS5975 provides an industry consensus view on what is considered to be good practice. The legal requirement is that the party in control must ensure that work is allocated and carried out in a manner that does not create unacceptable risk of harm to workers or members of the public. On projects with relatively simple TW needs, you may choose not to appoint a TWC. However, you must still make sure that TW are properly managed to ensure safety

Describe importance of control of plant, explain that every year in the construction industry, people are killed or injured as a result of being struck by moving plant. Accidents occur throughout the construction process, from groundworks to finishing works. Managers, workers, site visitors and the public can all be at risk if construction vehicle activities are not properly managed and controlled

Explain that traffic routes must be suitable for the persons or vehicles using them, enough in number in suitable positions and of sufficient size

Explain the importance of risk assessment when planning and coordinating plant, consider the use of one – way systems, reverse park requirements (emergency procedures), use of vehicle / plant marshal, allocated parking for construction plant, loading / unloading areas for deliveries etc, slinger / signaller and other crane associated roles, segregation of people and plant / vehicles etc

Ensure preventative maintenance, planned maintenance and outside contractor maintenance (Thorough Examination and Inspection) is carried out according to relevant legal requirements. All plant operators are trained and competent and hold specific verifiable qualification for the equipment

The majority of construction transport accidents result from the inadequate segregation of pedestrians and vehicles. This can usually be avoided by careful planning, particularly at the design stage, and by controlling vehicle operations during construction work. Inadequate planning and control are the root cause of many construction vehicle accidents which often involve

Vehicles or their loads striking people, particularly when reversing

Vehicles striking services and obstructions

Manufacturers’ instructions for safe use being disregarded

Inadequate training of drivers and signallers

Unsafe loading and transportation of materials on vehicles

Principal contractors should ensure that pedestrians and vehicles are adequately separated by establishing: pedestrian-only areas from which vehicles are completely excluded    Safe designated pedestrian routes to work locations

Vehicle-only areas, especially where space is limited or traffic is heavy

Safe vehicle routes around the site

Legal obligations will require compliance with HASAWA, MHSWR, WAH, Supply of Machinery Regulations, PUWER and specifically the relevant requirements of CDM – CDM Reg. 27 Traffic Routes & 28 Vehicles

The Lifting Operations Lifting Equipment Regulations (often abbreviated to LOLER) place duties on people and companies who own, operate or have control over lifting equipment. This includes all businesses and organisations whose employees use lifting equipment, whether owned by them or not. In most cases, lifting equipment is also work equipment so the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) will also apply (including inspection and maintenance). All lifting operations involving lifting equipment must be properly planned by a competent person, appropriately supervised and carried out in a safe manner.

LOLER also requires that all equipment used for lifting is fit for purpose, appropriate for the task, suitably marked and, in many cases, subject to statutory periodic ‘thorough examination’. Records must be kept of all thorough examinations and any defects found must be reported to both the person responsible for the equipment and the relevant enforcing authority

Ref. L113

The two items of legislation that govern the legal requirements for lone working are The Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999). Working alone is not in itself against the law and it will often be safe to do so. However, the law requires employers to consider carefully, and then deal with, any health and safety risks for people working alone. Employers are responsible for the health, safety and welfare at work of all their workers. They also have responsibility for the health and safety of any contractors or self-employed people doing work for them. These responsibilities cannot be transferred to any other person, including those people who work alone. Workers have responsibilities to take reasonable care of themselves and other people affected by their work activities and to co-operate with their employers in meeting their legal obligations.

Employers have a duty to assess risks to lone workers and take steps to avoid or control risks where necessary. This must include

Involving workers when considering potential risks and measures to control them

Taking steps to ensure risks are removed where possible, or putting in place control measures, e.g. carefully selecting work equipment to ensure the worker is able to perform the required tasks in safety

Instruction, training and supervision

Reviewing risk assessments periodically or when there has been a significant change in working practice. This may include being aware that some tasks may be too difficult or dangerous to be carried out by an unaccompanied worker

Where a lone worker is working at another employer’s workplace, informing that other employer of the risks and the required control measures

When a risk assessment shows it is not possible for the work to be conducted safely by a lone worker, addressing that risk by making arrangements to provide help or back-up.

Ref. INDG73

There is no distinction made between low and high falls so for all work at height, measures must be taken to prevent the risk of any fall that could cause injury. There are certain activities involving working at height that present an obvious hazard.

Before working at height work through these simple steps: avoid work at height where it’s reasonably practicable to do so, where work at height cannot be easily avoided, prevent falls using either an existing place of work that is already safe or the right type of equipment, minimise the distance and consequences of a fall, by using the right type of equipment where the risk cannot be eliminated.

For each step, always consider measures that protect everyone at risk (collective protection) before measures that only protect the individual (personal protection).Collective protection is equipment that does not require the person working at height to act for it to be effective. Examples are permanent or temporary guardrails, scissor lifts and tower scaffolds.

Personal protection is equipment that requires the individual to act for it to be effective. An example is putting on a safety harness correctly and connecting it, with an energy-absorbing lanyard, to a suitable anchor point

Describe the risks from working at height include work from ladders, scaffolds and platforms. Other examples can include work on roofs, on elevated structures, over tanks, pits or water, on cliffs and steep ground, on top of vehicles or trailers, poor edge protection, unguarded openings, items being poorly stored or secured, work in areas without guardrails or covers

Falls from height are one of the biggest causes of workplace fatalities and major injuries. Common causes are falls from ladders and through fragile roofs. The purpose of Work at Height Regulations is to prevent death and injury from a fall from height. Work at height means work in any place where, if there were no precautions in place, a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury. For example, you are working at height if you are

Working on a ladder or a flat roof

Could fall through a fragile surface

Could fall into an opening in a floor or a hole in the ground

Roof work is high risk and falls from roofs, through fragile roofs and fragile roof lights are one of the most common causes of workplace death and serious injury. As well as in construction, these accidents can also occur on roofs of factories, warehouses and farm buildings when roof repair work or cleaning is being carried out

When selecting equipment for work at height, employers must

Provide the most suitable equipment appropriate for the work

Take account of factors such as the working conditions (e.g. weather)

The nature, frequency and duration of the work

The risks to the safety of everyone where the work equipment will be used. Work equipment, for example scaffolding, needs to be assembled or installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions and in keeping with industry guidelines. Where the safety of the work equipment depends on how it has been installed or assembled, an employer should ensure it is not used until it has been inspected in that position by a competent person

Scaffold collapse is sometimes caused by unauthorised dismantling or by the “borrowing” of boards and tubes etc from the erected scaffold and weakening it. Other safety issues such as falls from scaffolds often caused by poorly constructed working platforms, inadequate guardrails or climbing up outside of scaffold.

Describe how to manage scaffold operations and include TG20 Compliant sheets, choosing of a scaffolding contractor, checking relevant and specific scaffolders’ qualifications and training, safe working practices, safe use of a harness to SG4.

Describe the development of risk assessments and method statements, selecting the most appropriate scaffold for the task, TG20 Basic scaffolds, safe use of scaffolding, scaffolding control and supervision, scaffolding inspection, handover certificates, scaffold tagging systems, monitoring of onsite scaffolding operations

The importance of fall arrest can be described as the form of fall protection which involves the safe stopping of a person already falling. It is one of several forms of fall protection. Such a system should include 5 elements referred to as ABCDs of Fall Arrest:

A – Anchorage – a fixed structure or structural adaptation, often including an anchorage connector, to which the other components of the PFAS are rigged.

B – Body Wear – a full body harness worn by the worker.

C – Connector – a subsystem component connecting the harness to the anchorage – such as a lanyard.

D – Deceleration Device – an essential subsystem component designed to dissipate the forces associated with a fall arrest event.

E – Emergency Plan & Equipment – a clear and simple approach to rescue of a suspended worker following a fall arrest event. All workers should be familiar with the site – specific plan and competent to implement it. If a suspended worker is not recovered in good time, they may suffer the potentially serious effects of “suspension trauma”. These systems are put into place as a measure to reduce the impact of a person’s fall if this occurs, preventing them from a life-threatening accident at a lower level or the ground. The fall arrest system will also allow the person to affect a self-rescue or be rescued

A Fall Protection system should always be chosen, where possible, over a fall arrest system as it is better to prevent the fall rather than to limit the damage of a fall

Planning of excavations will ensure legislative requirements are met to prevent danger to workers in or near excavations. To maintain the required precautions, a competent person must inspect excavation supports or battering at the start of the working shift and at other specified times. No work should take place until the excavation is safe. Commercial clients must provide certain information to contractors before work begins. This should include relevant information on the ground conditions, underground structures or water courses and the location of existing services. This information should be used during the planning and preparation for excavation work. The key issues are the collapse of excavations, falling or dislodging material, falling into excavations, inspection

People are killed or seriously injured every year by collapses and falling materials while working in excavations. They are at risk from: excavations collapsing and burying or injuring people working in them

Material falling from the sides into any excavation and people or plant falling into excavations

Describe the planning process – obtaining information on underground services, provision of plans by service owners, use and limitations of plans, duties as a contractor, explain process of detecting services, types and use of cable locators and devices, exposing services, marking identified services, excavation safety, backfilling, updating plans. Damage to underground services can cause fatal or severe injury as well as significant disruption and environmental damage; it can also delay the project and incur considerable costs. Electric cable strike – Injuries are usually caused by the explosive effects of arcing current and by any associated fire or flames that may result when a live cable is penetrated by a sharp object such as the point of a tool. Gas Pipes – Damage to gas pipes and connections can cause leaks that may lead to fire or explosion. Water Pipes and Sewers – A jet of water from a main can be of sufficient pressure and intensity to injure a person.  Leaks of water from underground pipes can affect adjacent services and reduce support for other structures and cause them to collapse. Ref GS6

Every year people at work are killed or seriously injured when they come into contact with live overhead electricity power lines. These incidents often involve

Machinery, e.g. cranes, lorry-loader cranes, combine harvesters, and tipping trailers

Equipment, e.g. scaffold tubes and ladders

Work activities, e.g. loading, unloading, lifting, spraying, and stacking. If a machine, scaffold tube, ladder, or even a jet of water touches or gets too close to an overhead wire, then electricity will be conducted to earth. This can cause a fire or explosion and electric shock and burn injuries to anyone touching the machine or equipment. An overhead wire does not need to be touched to cause serious injury or death as electricity can jump, or arc, across small gaps. Describe process of planning for work near to overhead power lines describe the different types of overhead power lines and their height, use of barriers, working near overhead lines, establishing exclusion zones, safe operating distances, emergency procedures etc

(Ref GS6 & Energy Networks Association – Look out look up)

A confined space is a place which is substantially enclosed (though not always entirely), and where serious injury can occur from hazardous substances or conditions within the space or nearby (e.g. lack of oxygen). Describe the main hazards when working in a confined space, these should include toxic atmospheres resulting from hazardous substances, oxygen deficiency, oxygen enrichment, flammable or explosive atmospheres, flowing liquid or free flowing solids, excessive heat etc

After identifying the hazards within the confined space the risk assessment should ensure adequate risk controls and safety considerations to include training, permit to work, ventilation, testing and monitoring for gas etc, isolation of work equipment, use RPE and PPE, communication, access and egress, emergency procedures, supervision etc