NEBOSH

NEBOSH INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMA

IN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

Unit IA: International management of health

and safety
TUESDAY 5 JULY 2011
3 hours, 0930 to 1230
10 minutes reading time is allowed before the start of this examination. You may not write anything during this period.

Answer both Section A and Section B

SECTION A
This section contains six questions. Answer ALL SIX questions.
All questions carry equal marks.
The maximum marks for each question, or part of a question, are shown in brackets.
You are advised to spend about 15 minutes on each question.
Start each answer on a new page.

Perception may be defined as the process by which people interpret information

that they take in through their senses.
Outline a range of factors that may affect how people perceive hazards in the
workplace.

(10)

In relation to health and safety, outline the status and role of:
(a)

ratified international conventions;

(5)

(b)

ratified international recommendations.

(5)

A multi-site organisation has recently been audited. This has highlighted

deficiencies in worker involvement in health and safety matters.
Outline recommendations to assist the employer to effectively consult with the
workers on health and safety matters.

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(10)

please turn over

The reliability of a safety critical system depends on a single component.

(a)

Outline ways of reducing the likelihood of failure of the component.

(4)

(b)

Outline additional ways to increase the reliability of the safety critical

system.

(6)

An organisation has decided to adopt a self regulatory model for its health and
safety management system.
(a)

Outline the benefits of adopting a self regulatory model.

(6)

(b)

Outline the limitations of adopting a self regulatory model.

(4)

Outline, using appropriate examples, the possible functions of a health and safety
practitioner within a medium-sized organisation.

(10)

SECTION B
This section contains five questions. Answer THREE questions only.
All questions carry equal marks.
The maximum marks for each question, or part of a question, are shown in brackets.
You are advised to spend about 30 minutes on each question.
Start each answer on a new page.

A forklift truck skidded on an oil spill causing a serious injury to a visitor.

(a)

Explain why the accident should be investigated.

(b)

Outline the steps to follow in order to investigate the accident.

(c)

Identify the possible underlying causes of the accident.

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(4)
(10)
(6)

A chemical reaction vessel is partially filled with a mixture of highly flammable

liquids. It is possible that the vessel headspace may contain a concentration of
vapour which, in the presence of sufficient oxygen, is capable of being ignited. A
powder is then automatically fed into this vessel.
Adding the powder may sometimes cause an electrostatic spark to occur with
enough energy to ignite any flammable vapour. There is concern that there may be
an ignition during addition of the powder.
To reduce the risk of ignition, an inert gas blanket system is used within the vessel
headspace designed to keep oxygen below levels required to support combustion.
In addition, a sensor system is used to monitor vessel oxygen levels. Either system
may fail. If the inert gas blanketing system and the oxygen sensor fail
simultaneously, oxygen levels can be high enough to support combustion.
Probability and frequency data for this system are given below.
Failure type/event

(a)
(b)

10

Probability

Vessel headspace contains concentration of

vapour capable of being ignited

0.5

Addition of powder produces spark with enough

energy to ignite vapour

0.8

Inert gas blanketing system fails

0.2 per year

Oxygen system sensor fails

0.1

Draw a simple fault tree AND, using the above data, calculate the
frequency of an ignition.

(16)

Describe, with justification, TWO plant OR process modifications that you

would recommend to reduce the risk of an ignition in the vessel headspace.

(4)

Outline the desirable design features of controls AND displays on a control panel
for a complex industrial process aimed at reducing the likelihood of human error.

(20)

Outline the requirements for the development of and key objectives within
the policy section of a health and safety management system such as that
detailed in the ILO- OSH-2001 Guidelines on Occupational Health and
Safety Management Systems.

(11)

(a)

(b)

(i)
(ii)

Describe how the effectiveness of a health and safety management

system could be measured.

(6)

Giving an example in EACH case, outline the format in which the

data gathered on health and safety performance could be
presented clearly in a company annual report.

(3)

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11

An organisation should carry out a risk assessment before developing a safe

system of work.
(a)

Outline the factors that should be considered when carrying out a risk
assessment.

(10)

(b)

Give the meaning of the term safe system of work.

(2)

(c)

Outline the issues to be addressed to effectively implement a safe system

of work.

(8)

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