NCC2: Construction health and safety practical application Part III

This Post follows on from a couple I posted a few of months ago for NCC2, this takes it to the final stages where we have to complete the practicle observation walkaround and then prepare a writtenn report to management

NCC2: Construction health and safety practical application Part I

NCC2: Construction health and safety practical application Part II

Sample report

Important Notes:

1. This report is not the only way that can be used to write your report, merely an example of what would obtain a good pass.


2. All defects noted should be chronologically numbered. This will allow for easy reference to items in when writing the report to management.


3. If you are carrying out inspections in more than one area, please start a new observation sheet for each area.


4. Number pages as in the sample report.


5. Please ensure your writing is reasonably legible and leave a space between each paragraph.


6. Do not attempt to re-write your observation sheets in the time that you are given to write your report to management. If you do, you will run out of time.


7. The observation sheets used in this post are similar to those you would be given during the actual inspection.


8. You will be supplied with a several headed sheets of paper. Ensure you complete the headings required.
   


9. We recommend that you number each item so that you may refer to it in your report tomanagement.


10. It is anticipated that the following sample report would receive reasonably good marks in all section

  

NATIONAL CERTIFICATE IN CONSTRUCTION HEALTH AND SAFETY	Practical unit marking sheet
Unit NCC2 — CONSTRUCTION HEALTH AND SAFETY PRACTICAL APPLICATION		Sheet number ___of_
Candidate name	Candidate number C
Place inspected	Date of inspection

Observations		Priority/ Risk	Actions to be taken (if any)	Time scale
List hazards, unsafe practices and good practices		(H, M, L)	List all immediate and longer-term actions required	(immediate, 1 week, etc.)
1 The guard on lathe No.4 was lying on an adjacent bench		H	Replace guard and instruct the operator it must not be removed	Immediate
2 Tools and waste were lying on a side bench		L	Tools should be properly stored and, Waste put into a waste receptacle	Immediate One week
3 Empty cardboard boxes were lying around on the floor		L	Remove boxes to store or to waste skip as appropriate	One week
4The local exhaust ventilation(LEV) was not properly  connected to the bench grinder		M	Secure the LEV to the grinder and instruct the supervisor to be vigilant and ensure it is always connected	Immediate
5 A pool of oil was on the floor next to drill number 4		H	Clean up the oil and speak to the operator	Immediate
6 The earth wire to the                electric welding booth table is broken		H	This should be connected at once Efforts should be made to enquire if this was due to lack of knowledge or negligence.	Immediate Two weeks
7 Tins of solvents were lying vented to atmosphere		M	These should be removed or capped Operators should be instructed this must not recur.	Immediate One week
8 The Forklift truck was blocking access to a fire point		L	The driver should be instructed to move the truck to a safe parking place, given the reason why and told not to park it in such a position again.	Immediate
9 The guard on drilling machine No.12 was hanging loose on one bolt		M	Secure the guard. Enquiries should be made as to why it was not reported	Immediate
10 Oil was being stored in two mineral bottles		L	Remove the bottles Employees should be reminded that This practice is unacceptable  and given the reasons why.	Immediate
11The visual panel on milling machine (No.9) was cracked		L	The guard should be repaired. Enquire from the operator when this had happened and if it had been reported	One week Immediate
12 A pallet was partially blocking a passageway		L	The pallet should be removed and the forklift  driver informed not to block passageways at any time	One week
13 An obsolete Factories Act 1961 poster was on  display. Other notices    were noted for their  absence		L	Remove the obsolete poster. Replace other statutory and information posters as required.	One month
14 Cigarette ends were observed on the floor of the flammable goods store		H	An investigation should be initiated to find out who was smoking and appropriate action taken. Supervisors should be reminded they are expected to be vigilant and spot such unsafe practices	Immediate
15 The lighting above the variable speed turning lathe is  undiffused fluorescent lights		M	This type of lighting could cause a stroboscope effect on moving parts and should  either be defused or replaced.	Two weeks
16 Cans of paint and empty oil containers had been dumped in the skip for ordinary waste.		M	Remove these cans and drums and have them taken away as hazardous waste by a specialist waste removal company. Instruct staff this must not happen again.	Immediate One week
17 Damage safety goggles and gloves were lying around at  random throughout the machine shop		L	These should be removed. Staff reminded of their legal duty to take care of their PPE.	Immediate One week
18 Various hand-tools were lying around damaged. Files  were  observed with no handles on them		M	Such tools can be dangerous to use and should either be scrapped or repaired. Staff should be reminded of their duty of care	Immediate One week
19 Storage racking had obviously been hit by the forklift truck		L	The racking should be repaired and inquiries made  as to why the damage had not been reported. Consideration should be made as to whether  the driver should be disciplined or trained.	One month

Note: Start a new sheet for each location visited, but continue the number sequence of observations.

Report to Senior Management

Candidate name _________________________________ Candidate Number C___________

Place inspected  _________________________________ Date of Inspection ____ /___ /____

Introduction:

This inspection was carried out to identify:

• Hazards and potentially dangerous situations and areas


• Breaches of statutory or common law duties of care


• Time-scaled recommendations in order to appropriately deal with the hazards, dangerous situations and breaches of legislation identified

The inspection was carried out at a time when no work was being undertaken; therefore observations are only made on the conditions observed at the time of the inspection and any reasonable assumptions that can be made as a result of the observations.

General Observations:
Generally the safety standards observed throughout the premises inspected were reasonable and displayed a good degree of general safety practices and awareness. However there were a number of deficiencies noted mostly of low risk, which are indicative of a certain degree of slackness both in terms of safety supervision and of diligence amongst the workforce.
Observations and recommendations on the necessary action to be taken by local managers and supervisors are shown on the appended observation sheets.
There were two items noted that required immediate attention because of the nature of the hazard and the imminent nature of the associated danger. These are highlighted on the inspection sheets. In each case the deficiencies and recommendations were immediately made known to the local manager for his/her attention.

1. The earth wire on the metal table in the electric welding booth was broken
This is a breach of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 and could have resulted in a prohibition notice being served and a criminal prosecution being undertaken against both the company and/or individual members of management or staff (see item 6 on the observation sheets).

Recommendation

Whilst this particular incident may have received immediate attention it is recommended that the supervisor be instructed to ensure no recurrence of this type of incident takes place.



1. Cigarette ends on the floor of the flammable goods store.

Smoking in this area could well result in an explosion. The condition of the cigarette ends suggests that this was no isolated incident. The smoking shows a blatant disregard for the 'No Smoking' notice that is prominently displayed (see item 4 on the observation sheets)

Recommendations:

As these cigarette ends were easily observed it should also have been obvious to supervisors who should have taken appropriate action to deal with the situation. It is recommended that supervisors be reminded of their need to be vigilant for such offences. Also a general notice be displayed warning that such smoking is a serious safety violation that will result in severe disciplinary action.

Other Deficiencies:

As shown on the observation sheets there were a number of other items that require your attention.
These can be grouped as follows:
Housekeeping: Items 1, 2, 4, 21, 22 & 25 on the observation sheets

Whilst the overall housekeeping standards were reasonable there were a number of items lying around and other situations that required attention.
Housekeeping is often indicative of the safety culture of an organisation and gives first impressions to visitors such as HSE inspectors, insurance personnel or customers.
Poor housekeeping can cause damage to equipment and products and often leads to accidents. It can also constitute a breach of duties of care under The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, Section 2 of the health and Safety at Work etc, Act 1974 and common law duties of care.

Recommendations:
On all these grounds it is worth emphasising to employees and supervisors the need for good housekeeping standards to be maintained at all times.

Machinery Safety: Items 1, 4 & 11 on the observation sheets

Deficiencies include missing, loose or damaged guards and local exhaust ventilation. These are all breaches of The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998

Recommendations:
Instructions should be issued to ensure that guards are not removed and defective equipment is reported in order that repairs may be carried out.
There were also no markings on machines to indicate they had been reviewed to ensure they are in compliance with The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.

Hazardous Substances: Items 7, 10 & 16 on the observation sheets

A certain degree of carelessness was observed with regards to the storing, use and disposal of dangerous substances. This constitutes a breach of The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 and The Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Recommendations:
All personnel, especially managers and supervisors should be reminded of the need to adhere strictly to the company policy on the control of substances hazardous to health as it is a requirement of the 2002 Regulations.

Fire Safety: Items 7, 8 & 14 on the observation sheets

There are a number of non-conformances relating to fire safety such as uncapped tins of solvent, fire doors blocked and evidence of smoking. These are non-conformances to the company's own fire precaution arrangements and are in breach of the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997.

Recommendations:
Staff should be reminded of their statutory and contractual duties to comply with fire prevention and protection arrangements.

Personnel Protective Equipment: Item 17 on the observation sheets

There were a number of damaged safety goggles and gloves lying around the workshop. This clearly indicates that employees are in breach of their duties of care to take reasonable care of equipment supplied to them under the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992.

Recommendations:
All employees must be reminded of their statutory duties of care and that if this abuse continues disciplinary action will be taken. It may also be worth discussing this matter at the next meeting of the company safety committee.

Safety Information and Posters: Item 13 on the observation sheets

An old Factories Act poster was on display. This observation indicates a formal procedure is required to renew and review posters around the premises. This could also indicate a breach of the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996.

Recommendations:
It is recommended that a procedure be adopted to review and replace as required notices. Obsolete posters reduce the credibility of all notices on display.

Training

It is recommended that some refresher and upgrading training on safety awareness would be an advantage. This could draw the attention of all staff to their statutory, common and contractual duties of care as well as explaining to them good safety practices and the advantages of developing a good safety culture. The training programme should be commenced within a medium time-scale.

Safety Monitoring

This inspection indicates that in the longer term the company would benefit from setting up a safety inspection and auditing system. These audits will be of value in monitoring health and safety compliance with legal requirements and also the safety management system of the company.

Cost of Compliance

Most of the recommendation made can be implemented at little or no cost. In the replacement of equipment costs will be moderate. Whilst safety training will result in some time off work for those attending in-house courses (approximately one half day each) plus fees to tutors the advantages should more than repay themselves over a period of time.

The Benefits

The benefits of implementing the actions recommended will reduce the possibility of recurrence of these types of non-conformances. It will also benefit the company in reducing damage and lost time incidents as well as assisting to improve the overall safety culture of the organisation.

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Marks for the report to management could be reduced for the following reasons:

Item	Marks available	Reason for low marks
Selection of topics management action for urgent	10	Not emphasising the more serious hazards with no attempt to differentiate between trivial issues and important ones.
Consideration of cost implications	5	Unrealistic costs. Better to use statements such as low, medium or high costs with perhaps a general note emphasising the benefits of spending the money.
Identification of beaches of legislation	5	Breaches of legislation not being   correctly identified. Candidates will not be penalised for omitting the dates of legislation or for referring to items of legislation in shortened terms where the full title has already been given. Inaccuracies, in titles, or confusion where over where the legislation applies will lead to lower marks being awarded.
Presentation of information	10	Lower marks will be given for poorly structured, reports where items are not in a logical sequence or more important topics not highlighted.
Effectiveness in convincing management to take action	15	Marks awarded in this section will reflect the marks awarded in the other section. Vague, weak or erroneous statements will not inspire action by management.

Past Exam Papers

December 2005 A2               December 2005 A1

December 2006 A1               December 2006 A2

NCC1 2007                           NCC1 Dec 2007                      NGC1 Dec 2007

NCC2: Construction health and safety practical application Part II

NCC2: Construction health and safety practical application Part I
NCC2: Construction health and safety practical application Part III

In Part I, we looked at how we would carry out a safety inspection of a workplace, and identify the types of hazards that maybe present, In part II we look at how the examiner will award marks for the observatios made and how they are presented, In Part III will be an example observation sheet and a sample report.

Allocation of marks

While poor spelling and grammar will not be penalised the report should demonstrate reasonable literacy levels. In addition, if the assessor is unable to understand your notes then invariably fewer marks will be awarded than would otherwise have been the case.

Observation sheets

Range of issues (0 to 5 marks)

You are expected to do more than simply identify hazards such as poor housekeeping and unsafe machines. In most workplaces you should be able to find a range of hazards in chemical, fire, electrical, environmental, welfare and other issues. Remember you can also comment on situations

Number of hazards identified (0 to 20 marks)

You are expected to be able to recognise the more common hazards. Marks will not be awarded for repetitive hazards or deficiencies such as poor housekeeping or unguarded machinery. As a general rule you would be expected in a very good report to identify about 75% of the health and safety issues that would be readily noted by a health and safety practitioner.

At certificate level you are not expected to know all the information about every hazard. The following should be used as a rule:

• You would be expected to recognise that the top guard of a circular saw is incorrectly set several inches above the wood being cut. You would not however be expected to know the maximum permitted clearance.
  


• You would be expected to know that fire extinguishers should be provided, but not whether the ones provided were of the correct type.

Identification of immediate, medium and long term action requirements (0 to 10 marks)

Where appropriate you should comment on the need for medium and long term action as well as immediate action to control any danger. You should be able to distinguish between the symptoms and root causes. For example the immediate action on poor housekeeping could be to sweep up the debris. Tackling the root cause could involve employing a labourer, improving supervision or modifying the work process

Suitability of remedial actions (0 to 20 marks)

The proposed remedial actions must not only remove or control the hazard but must also be realistic and cost-effective. Time-scales should also be realistic.

Report to management

The management report is part of the examination process. It must be written in your own handwriting (unless special arrangements are agreed in advance with NEBOSH) and must not contain any photographs, printed matter or any other extraneous material. The following marking scheme is used.

Selection of topics for urgent management attention (0 to 10 marks)

This requires you to emphasise those items on the observation sheets that you consider require attention by senior management. You should present them along with your comments and recommendations. Remember that this is action required by senior management so do not just reproduce the remarks on the observation sheets. Also, marks will be deducted if you give undue

Consideration of cost implications (0 to 5 marks)

You are not expected either to know or to estimate the actual costs but you should demonstrate that you are aware that there are some cost implications. For example, if you recommend training, some indication should be given as to whether you are suggesting a short in-house course or a two-week external course. It is the assessment of the magnitude of costs that is important more than the precise figures.

Indication of breaches of legislation (0 to 5 marks)

In a real work situation you would consult books and references when preparing a report. For the purpose of this assessment, in which books and reference material are not allowed, you are expected to be able to broadly identify those Acts and Regulations referred to during the course that may have been breached. Neither the date nor the full titles are obligatory even for full marks.

Presentation of information (0 to 10 marks)

Although there is no universally approved format for the purposes of the practical assessment a good report should contain about 500-750 words comprising about three pages of handwritten A4 paper.

The report should cover the following points in a logical sequence:

• Where and when the inspection took place
• A brief summary of what was found
• A short list of issues requiring management attention with convincing arguments as to why such action is needed and calling attention to possible breaches of legislation.
• Reference to the list of observations and recommended actions (observation sheets should be attached to the report) calling attention to any recommendations which could have a high cost in terms of finance, inconvenience or time.

Effectiveness in convincing management to take action (0 to 15 marks)

This is the assessor's overall impression of the report and the degree to which they consider it would have convinced management to take action. Managers are unlikely to have time to plough through lengthy reports and candidates who are not selective and who include large numbers of minor hazards in lengthy reports will earn few marks under this heading.
You should write the report in a style that a manager would be able to take reasonable action based on the facts presented. Reports based on unsupported generalities and those that simply reiterate the contents on the observation sheets will earn low marks

In conclusion

High marks will be awarded to reports that are concise, readable and highly selective in terms of action required by senior management. They should contain balanced arguments on why action is needed and explain the effect it would have on the standards of health and safety at the workplace.

NCC2: Construction health and safety practical application Part I

NCC2: Construction health and safety practical application Part II
NCC2: Construction health and safety practical application Part III

The aim of the post is to assist the reader in gaining the knowledge & ability to complete successfully two activities

• To carry out unaided a safety inspection of a construction workplace identifying the more common hazards, deciding whether they are adequately controlled and where necessary, suggesting appropriate and cost-effective remedial action
• To prepare a report that persuasively urges management to take appropriate action, explaining why such action is needed (including reference to possible breaches of legislation) and identifying, with due consideration of reasonable practicability, the remedial measures that should be implemented.

Guidance on carrying out the inspection and writing the report:

1.    The inspection

This will consist of you carrying out an inspection of one or more locations and listing your findings in a prescribed manner on a form given to you.

No work will be taking place in the location inspected so therefore the inspection will be carried out to identify standards of safety in the workplace and will not involve looking at work practices.

Workers at all levels generally create unsafe conditions. For example:

• Unsafe premises due to poor design or layout or lack of maintenance.
• Unsafe plant resulting from poor selection criteria, lack of maintenance, carelessness or abuse.
• Poor housekeeping standards due to lack of storage space, untidiness, laziness, and lack of management planning or poor supervision.
• Incorrect use of plant, machinery or tools.
• Environmental hazards due to ignorance, carelessness or not carrying out adequate risk assessments.
• Welfare facilities that are inadequate, poorly maintained or being misused.
• Lack of adequate emergency arrangements due to lack of foresight, planning, control, communications or training.

When carrying out the inspection of the workplace you should be able to spot deficiencies in such things as:

• Management systems.
• Diligence or competence of supervisors.
   
• Safety culture within the organisation's workforce.
• Obvious physical deficiencies.

    2.    Plan of action for the inspection

The time allocated to carry out the inspection of the work place is limited to between 30 to 45 minutes and it is therefore important that you have a simple plan of action in order to make the best use of the time available.

Planned inspections must be considered in three main areas:

• Physical
• Environmental
• Managerial

    3.    Memory check-list

As no work will be taking place in the area at the time of the inspection initial concentration must be on physical things. A memory checklist is useful when carrying out inspections. For example look

AT		FOR
Housekeeping Standards		Untidy areas
Waste receptacles		Overflowing or wrongly used
Storage		Tools and other items left lying around
Access and egress		Obstructed
Layout		Does it look planned with efficient use of space
Floors		Look for potential hazards of slipping, tripping or falls
Machinery safety		Are machines fit for purpose
Positioning		Are the space around them reasonable
Machinery		Are there defective parts or missing guards
Controls		Are they easily accessed, identified and in good order
Foundations		Are all machinery and plant foundations secure or adequate
Electrical installations/equipment		Are    installations    and    equipment    in    good condition and periodically tested
Switch gear		All clearly identified in an uncluttered area
Other utilities		Are all gas or hydraulic installations or supplies in good order
Gas bottles		Is the    storage satisfactory in well ventilated areas
Welding and cutting		Suitability of areas, protection from glare and fumes
Local exhaust ventilation		Is LEV adequate and properly installed
Environmental		Is lighting, temperature, humidity reasonable and atmosphere reasonably clean and free from undue noise, fumes or dusts or vibrations
Manual hand-tools		Are hand-tools in suitable and in good condition
Hazardous materials and processes		Are data sheets available for operators
Containers		Are all containers suitable and labelled
Transportation		Are arrangements suitable
Usage		Are substances fit for the purpose that they are used for
Disposal		Are arrangements adequate
Notices		Are all statutory and other notices displayed
Welfare facilities, including first aid		Available and adequate
Internal transport		Routes and vehicle parking satisfactory.
Mechanical handling equipment		Supplied where appropriate and in satisfactory condition
Personal protective equipment		Is it provided as required, in good order and well looked after
Emergency precautions		Are there any in place with notices posted
Alarm arrangements		Are these satisfactory
Emergency lighting		Is this provided, if required
Evacuation routes		Are these free from obstructions, protected from ingress of fire and smoke, well sign-posted with final exits easily opened and good access to a designated assembly point
Smoking		Is smoking restricted and is this being adhered to
Flammable materials/substances		Are these being stored and disposed of properly

Items highlighted are issues whist other items are items to be considered within the issue

NB: This list is indicative rather than a comprehensive list of what should be looked at and for during the inspection. Items highlighted can be considered as issues.

All deficiencies noted on the inspection sheets should be factual. Candidates can also note good points such as good housekeeping standards on the observation sheets or in the report to management.

From the list of factual deficiencies that are identified it will be possible to reach a conclusion about some work activities and consequential recommendations.

For example:

• Lack of LEV would lead to the conclusion that there will be environmental hazards when people are welding or burning.
• Because of the number of hazards you will identify it would be reasonable to assume the knowledge or skills of managers and supervisor will require to be improved through additional training.
• Broken or missing guards would imply a lack of care or maintenance.
• The amount and type of deficiencies noted would indicate a lack of or poor risk assessments and monitoring arrangements leading to a need for discipline and training.

These examples can be incorporated into the body of the report to management provided they are based on the physical conditions and facts gathered during the inspection