NEBOSH International General Certificate Paper 1 Management of Health and Safety Element 5 Risk Assessment Question and Answers

1. (a) Identify the key stages of a workplace risk assessment. (5) (b) Outline THREE reasons for reviewing a risk assessment. (3)

Answer (a) The key stages involved in carrying out a risk assessment are identifying the hazards at the workplace with safety inspections, incident data, HAZOPs etc; identifying the persons at risk including operators, maintenance staff, cleaners, visitors etc; evaluating the risks such as likelihood and probable severity of the harm; assessing the adequacy of existing control measures and deciding whether additional measures were required; recording the significant findings and finally reviewing risk assessment and revise if necessary. (b) The reasons for reviewing the risk assessment include changes in the processes, work methods or materials used; the introduction of new or the modification of existing plant; a change in legislation; changes of key personnel, when the results of monitoring of accidents, ill-health. 2. With respect to undertaking general risk assessments on activities within a workplace: (a) Outline the key stages of the risk assessment process, identifying the issues that would need to be considered at EACH stage; (10) (b) (c) Explain the criteria which must be met for the assessment to be 'suitable and sufficient'; (4) Outline the factors that the employer should take into account when selecting individuals to assist in carrying out the required risk assessment. (6)

Answer (a) The first stage is to consider the activities undertaken at the workplace and to identify the significant hazards involved. The second stage is the identification of people exposed to the hazards, ex: operators, maintenance staff, cleaners and visitors, young or disabled workers. The third stage is evaluation of the risks taking into account the likelihood and severity of the harm, the frequency and duration of the exposure of the employees, determine the existing control measures are adequate and more need to be done. The fourth stage involves recording the significant findings of the assessment in a written form, the final stage is a review and revision of the assessment at regular intervals. 1

(b) A risk assessment should identify all significant hazards and risks arising from the activities, identify all the persons at risk including employees, other workers and members of the public, evaluate the adequacy and effectiveness of existing control measures, be appropriate to the nature of the work and valid over a reasonable period of time. (c) The factors include the individuals' past experience and training in hazard identification and in carrying out risk assessments, their experience of the process or activity carried out in the workplace and their knowledge of the plant and equipment involved, their ability to understand and interpret regulations, standards and guidance, their communication and reporting skills, an awareness of their own limitations and their attitude and commitment to the task. 3. (a) Define the term 'hazard'. (2) (b) Define the term 'risk'. (2) (c) Identify FOUR means of hazard identification that may be used in the workplace. (4) Answers (a) Hazard, as per OHSAS 18001, is defined as the source or situation which has potential to cause harm (b) Risk is defined as the probability/likelihood that the potential would be realized and its severity in terms of injury, damage or harm. (c) Four means of Hazard identification include carrying out inspections, observations and safety audits; job safety analyses and risk assessments; the study of incident data, hazard operability studies, reference to legislation and its accompanying guidance and manufacturers' documents such as safety data sheets; 4. (a) Explain the meaning of the term 'risk'. (2) (b) Identify SIX hazards that might be considered when assessing the risk to the health and safely of a mufti-storey car park attendant. Answer: (a) The risk is the product of the probability or likelihood of the occurrence and the severity of the occurrence of an unwanted event; (b) the hazards facing a person employed as an attendant in a multi-storey car park include, 1. fumes and/or dust; 2. impact or crushing by moving vehicles; 3. fire (particularly in relation to fuel); 4. extremes of ambient temperature; 5. the possibility of being subjected to violence; 2

6. noise from, for instance, car alarms; 7. slips, trips or falls (exacerbated perhaps by oil and stairs); 8. biological hazards from the presence of vermin, human waste and hypodermic needles; 9. Ergonomic hazards caused by the need to stoop or twist in what might be a restricted workspace. 5. Give the reasons why hazards to the health of workers may not be identified during a workplace inspection. (8) Answer: The reasons include: the nature of the hazard may not be well understood, Ex: contact with biological agents; a lack of measuring equipment, ex: for noise; the effects may be chronic rather than immediate; the hazard not being visible , ex: radiation; over familiarity as, for example, from exposure to sunlight; the workers not available during the inspection; the unwillingness of individuals to admit the defects in safety; low priority to health and safety; the person carrying out the inspection concentrating on the more immediate hazards; and the lack of competency of the inspector.