PAST PAPER QUESTIONS ELEMENT 1

1. Replacement or repair of damaged plant and equipment is a cost that an

organisation may face following a workplace accident. List EIGHT possile costs to
the organisation following a workplace accident !" #$R%&'
ANSWER:
Compensation claims
production delays;
accident investigation;
loss of expertise or experience;
hiring and training replacement staff;
loss of goodwill and reputation;
clean-up operations; and
possible fines and associated legal fees
(. )utline reasons for maintaining good health and safety standards within an
organisation !" #$R%&'
ANSWER:
The moral argument centres on the need to provide a reasonable standard of care and to
reduce the injuries, pain and suffering caused to employees by accidents and ill-health,
while
&ocial arguments are concerned with the desire to avoid enforcement action and civil
claims.
Economic benefits include:
a more motivated worforce resulting in increased production rates; the avoidance of direct
costs associated with accidents !e.g. downtime, administrative, and first-aid costs, repair of
investigation plant and e"uipment, employing and training replacement staff, etc#; possibly
cheaper insurance premiums; the avoidance of costs associated with legal action; and
maintaining the image and reputation with its various staeholders of the organisation
*. )utline EIGHT costs of a workplace accident that might e uninsured. !" #$R%&'
ANSWERS
$ther costs that may be incurred relate to:
production delays;
damaged goods and e"uipment;
accident investigation;
loss of expertise or experience;
hiring and training replacement staff;
loss of goodwill and reputation;
clean-up operations; and
possible fines and associated legal fees
+. $n organi,ation has een found to ha-e inadequate standards of workplace health
and safety. Identify the costs that the organi,ation may incur as a result. !"'
ANSWER
%n increase in accidents and incidents and cases of ill-health amongst the employees
.irect costs such as those arising from lost production and time dealing with the
subse"uent investigations
Those arising from plant damage and replacement and clean up activities
&aying those involved during absences as a result of accident or ill-health
'aving to recruit and train replacement labour and re- deployment and(or rehabilitation
costs on return to wor
Costs arising from the possibility of action by the enforcement authorities
% civil claim from the injured parties and the inevitable rise in insurance premiums
Indirect costs related to poor staff morale which could lead to industrial unrest and
high staff turnover
)amage done to the organisation*s reputation which could lead to a loss of orders and
a subse"uent decrease in its profitability
/. 0hy may health and safety not e seen as a priority y the management of an
organisation1
ANSWER
'ealth and safety has to compete with other management priorities, particularly those
associated with the production of goods and services which is the basic rationale of an
organisation. +t may be seen as an unproductive cost which conflicts with the re"uirement to
eep costs low.
2. .efine3
!i' $n accident.
!ii' $ ha,ard.
!iii' $ risk.
ANSWER
!i# %n undesired event resulting in personal injury, damage or loss.
!ii# % situation with the potential to cause harm or damage.
!iii# The lielihood that harm from a particular ha,ard may be realised.
4. 0hat two types of ha,ard are there1
ANSWER
-nsafe conditions and unsafe acts.
". 0hat factors are assessed in determining the magnitude of a risk1
ANSWER
The number of people liely to be affected by the harm from a ha,ard, and the severity of the
harm that may be suffered
5. Identify two responsiilities of workers identified in the IL) )ccupational Health
and &afety Recommendation .
ANSWER
.orers should:
!a# tae reasonable care for their own safety and that of other persons who may be
affected by their acts or omissions at wor;
!b# comply with instructions given for their own safety and health and those of others and
with safety and health procedures;
!c# use safety devices and protective e"uipment correctly and do not render them
inoperative;
!d# report forthwith to their immediate supervisor any situation which they have reason to
believe could present a ha,ard and which they cannot themselves correct;
!e# report any accident or injury to health which arises in the course of or in connection
with wor.
16. 0hat are the consequences for an employer of non7compliance with Health and
&afety responsiilities1
ANSWER
Criminal / fines; Civil - compensation
11. Identify two e8ternal and two internal sources of information aout health and
safety.
ANSWER
0xternal data sources include: 1ational legislation !e.g. regulations#; 2afety data sheets
from manufacturers and suppliers; 3overnment 0nforcing %uthority publications such as
Codes of &ractice and 3uidance 1otes; 4anufacturers*(suppliers* maintenance manuals;
1ational(+nternational standards; +nformation from local safety groups; +nformation from
trade associations; +nformation from journals and maga,ines.
+nternal data sources include: +nformation from accident records; +nformation from medical
records and the medical department !if you have one#; +nformation from company doctors;
5is assessments; 4aintenance reports; +nformation from joint inspections with safety
reps; +nformation from audits, surveys, sampling and tours; +nformation from safety
committee minutes.
1(. 0hat are the organisational requirements for effecti-e health and safety
management1
ANSWER
There should be a framewor of roles and responsibilities for health and safety allocated to
individuals throughout the organisation, including the appointment of specialist staff and
ensuring that general management roles and arrangements address health and safety
issues.
1*. 0hat is the role of e-aluation1
ANSWER
To ensure that the organisational arrangements, health and safety standards and operational
systems and measures are woring effectively and, where they are not, to provide the information
upon which they may be revised