Typical Examination Questions based on Element 2 The Health & safety Policy

As the title sugests this post contains example question from element 2 of the NGC1 Management of health & safety certificate,

The Health & safety Policy

1. Outline the main components of a health and safety management system. (8)


2. Explain the factors that should be considered when drawing up the arrangements section of a safety policy. (8)


3. Outline the factors that should be considered when auditing the effectiveness of compliance with an organisation's health and safety policy. (8)


4. (a) Outline the legal requirements whereby employers must prepare a written statement of their health and safety policy. (2)

(b) Explain the purposes of EACH of the following sections of a health and safety policy document:


(i) 'statement of intent' (2)
(ii) 'organisation' (2)
(iii) 'arrangements' (2)

(c) Outline the issues that are typically included in the arrangements section of a health and safety policy document. (12).


5. (a) Identify the typical content of the 'statement of intent' section of an organisation's health and safety document. (2)
   (b) Outline the factors that may indicate that health and safety standards within an organization do not reflect the objectives within the 'statement of intent'. (6)

Element 2 The Health & safety Policy Typical Exam Questions Answers

E2/1 Answers should have included the objectives set out in HSG65.These are:

The safety policy as being a clear statement of intent, setting the main health and safety aims and objectives of the company

The organisation for health and safety to be such as to ensure clear allocation of responsibilities to members of staff with the emphasis on achieving competency, control, communications and consultation.

Planning and implementation to involve risk assessment, the setting of standards and the introduction of appropriate control measures to achieve standards

Measuring performance by proactive and reactive monitoring methods

Review and auditing to check whether what was planned is actually happening and to consider options for improvement, setting new targets where necessary

E2/2 The answer should include factors rather than a list of topics.
For example, type of Organisation, work processes, hazards, format, layout, skill factors and type of workforce. Marks would be awarded for considering content although this is not the main thrust of this question.

E2/3 Factors that could be included are; the quality, availability and understanding by the workforce of the policy; The use of site tours and inspections etc.; the relevance of performance indicators (e.g. accidents/incident rates); the standard and use of training and maintenance along with records; the cross-checking of health and safety arrangements against practical implementation, the standard of conformance with both management and shop floor activities.

E2/4
(a) The requirements for a safety policy is imposed on employers with 5 or more employees by the Health and safety at Work Act 1974

(b) Statement of intent - demonstrates the organisation's commitment to, and sets objectives for, health and safety

Organisation - identifies health and safety responsibilities and communication channels within the organisation

Arrangements section - details the practical means of achieving the objectives laid down in the policy statement

(c) This section should identify a range of health and safety issues for which arrangements should be in place. For example: Machinery, hazardous substances, manual handling, fire, accident investigation, reporting and control, employee consultation, monitoring arrangements, emergency procedures, risk assessments, maintenance, selection and training of staff etc.

E2/5

1. (a) The 'statement of intent' is designed to provide an overview of the general health and safety goals and objectives of an organization. Additionally, it should be signd by the most senior person in the organization to demonstrate management's commitment to achieving the stated objectives.


2. (b) Answers should include:
   
   
   • Failure to communicate the policy to employees
   • A lack of commitment from management
   • A lack of investment in health and safety
   • A poor overall safety culture
   • High accident, incident and ill-health rates
   • Low moralamongst employees
   • High staff turnover
   • Unacceptable rates of absenteeism
   • Unsafe and poorly maintained equipment
   • Inadequate provision of personalprotective equipment
   • The absence of monitoring procedures.
     

The Health & Safety Policy

This post is inteneded to help explain the purpose and importance of setting policy for health and safety and describe the key features and appropriate content of an effective health and safety policy.

1. The importance of setting policy for health and safety

The most effective means of demonstrating the importance of health and safety issues is for organisations to have a health and safety policy that is signed and dated by the most senior member of the management team. The need for all employers to create in writing a safety policy is a statutory requirement under section 2(3) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Small organisations with less than 5 employees still require a health and safety policy, but not in writing.
This is only the law emphasising what has been known for many years - good organisations have safety policies at the heart of their safety manag.ement arrangements.
Policies should be 'enabling' like the Health and Safety at Work etc Act itself that is, written in a way that is reasonable and logical and the touchstone against what every activity within the organisation can be benchmarked.
The policy in itself can assign responsibilities and set methods by which the organisation's policy on health and safety issues can be implemented.
These assigned responsibilities and accountabilities must not be in any conflict with any person's job descriptions and should be taken into account when considering if what employees are being asked to do is reasonable within time constraints.
Accountability is the primary key and this is not the same as responsibility. Accountability is responsibility that is evaluated and measured during safety audits and, during annual individual job appraisals.
The policy should include a simple statement of the intent of management, together with the details of the organisation along with delegated responsibilities at each level of the operation.
This policy must be made known to every employee and 'made known' does not mean just displaying it on the company notice board. A useful method to ensure that the policy is 'made known' to every employee is to arrange for them to read it and sign a document to that effect.


2. The key features and appropriate content of an organisation's health and safety policy

We must not get mixed up in our minds between a safety policy and a safety manual. These are not the same even though in some organisations they are combined.
The safety policy should set targets and make reference to the safety manual as well as other stand-alone documentation like maintenance manuals or training programmes.
The policy should provide all employees with concise details of the health and safety objectives of the organisation.
That is what everyone must know and take account of.
Employees must also be aware of their responsibilities as related to their particular job within the organisation and how their actions or inaction impact upon other people..
In large organisations with several sites, possibly doing entirely different types of operations, the safety policy of intent will be the same but detailed arrangements for implementing it will be written at local level.
Organisational arrangements
Whether the company is a multi-national corporation or a small business, the policy must contain the same basic matters.
Obviously, the requirements for large corporati6ns will be much more extensive than for amall business where in many cases the management system can be to a great extent informal.
A health and safety policy will normally have three sections:-
The statement of intention - this will set out an expression of intention, and commitment, to matters concerning health and safety.
The organisation section will describe the responsibility of line managers and employees at all levels.
The arrangements section will detail the way in which health and safety is managed. The arrangement section may include:-

• The systems by which safety performance is monitored in order to identify, record and take appropriate action to deal with deficiencies in performance
• Identification of the main hazards likely to be encountered by the workforce or other persons who may be affected by work activities.
• Significant findings of generic risk assessments and any circumstances when specific risk assessments will be required with arrangements or cross references for dealing with them
• Employee selection criteria and subsequent training arrangements
• Buildings, plant, machinery, equipment selection criteria along with maintenance arrangements and statutory examination and testing
• Material and substance purchasing policy and arrangements
• Safety arrangements for products and services
• Occupational health facilities including first-aid arrangements
• Environmental monitoring policy and arrangements
• Methods of reporting accidents and incidents
• Methods used to investigate accidents and incidents
• Arrangements to validate, appoint and control the work of contractors
• The policy for the assessment of the need for personal protective equipment, it's purchase, availability, use, storage and replacement arrangements along with training requirements
• Workers consultation arrangements, for example, safety committees
• Fire and other emergency arrangements
• Arrangements for dealing with safety violations and of encouraging conformance

Other considerations

Safety policies as written statements of the intention of management should be live working documents. They serve as a record of the standard of care that management is intending to provide.
They offer a useful method of evaluating an organisation in terms of their commitment to health and safety matters.
Unfortunately in a considerable number of organisations, especially smaller ones, the policy is merely a useful document to produce if asked to do so by inspectors, insurance companies or clients. In these cases any similarity between what the policy says and what is happening may be only co-incidental!
In using the policy to validate clients it is important to look closely at samples of activities to assess if the policy is indeed a live enabling one or merely cosmetic.
Because the policy is a statutory requirement it may well be used as evidence during a possible prosecution or civil claim for damages.

Revision of safety policy

Safety policies should be revised as often as is necessary. If the statement of intent is well worded in enabling terms it should, like The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, stand up well to the test of time.
It is more likely that changes will be required occasionally for one or more of the following reasons:

• New or amended legislation
• The setting of new case law precedents
• Following an incident that demonstrated a need for change

Changes in:

• products or services
• work processes or machinery
• personnel
• hours of work
• premises

The function of the safety policy

Safety policy statements and associate documentation serve as a structure to demonstrate that the organisation is meeting its common and statutory legal requirements. It should always be remembered that the law demands only the minimum of what is acceptable.
Good organisations should use the policy as a stepping-stone to higher objectives that can be based on moral duties and the reduction of financial loss.

Typical Examination Questions based on Element 2

1	Site preparation work involves the removal of topsoil from land known to be contaminated with heavy metals. Outline the specific requirements for this work in relation to: welfare facilities.	4
	Facilities such as a decontamination unit with a dirty area where contaminated clothing can be removed after work, an area with a shower or other means of washing and a clean area where normal clothes can be stored. Additionally, there should be arrangements in place in order to prevent contamination when eating and smoking, and first-aid and emergency decontamination should be made available.
2	Describe the shape and colours of the following classes of safety sign prescribed by the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996. (i) Prohibition (ii) Warning (iii) Mandatory (iv) Emergency escape / first-aid (2)	2 2 2 2
	A round sign with a black pictogram on a white background together with red edging and a diagonal red line. A triangle with black border and orange centre. A blue circle. A green rectangle.
3	A tank that measures 4 meters long, 3 meters wide and 2 meters deep is to be buried in a green field site as part of a surface water drainage system. Outline the principle hazards that should be considered when planning the work.	8
	Hazards such as ground conditions, type of ground, possible presence of contaminants; the excavation work with the risk of collapse of the sides, persons or vehicles falling in, the presence of groundwater, possible flooding; health hazards such as leptospirosis; the lowering of the tank, crane overturning if it is not correctly rated for the job or properly sited; the presence of underground and overhead services
4	Outline the precautions to be taken before lifting operations are carried out adjacent to high voltage overhead power lines.
	To consult the electricity supply company, to make lines dead where possible, goalpost barriers, height restriction placed on vehicles, the use of banksmen, the placing of warning signs and barriers, communication of safety precautions to all involved and to have emergency procedures in place.	8