The hazards you assess and control: noise, manual handling, chemicals, work at height, machinery, fire and electricity.

Chapters

• Element 5 · 14 pages · 35 min readPhysical and Psychological HealthNoise, vibration and radiation can quietly damage the body over years, while mental ill health, violence and substance misuse harm people through the mind and behaviour. This element explains how each hazard hurts, when to assess it, and the controls that work.
• Element 6 · 10 pages · 33 min readMusculoskeletal HealthBacks, necks, shoulders, wrists and knees take the strain of ordinary work. This element explains how poorly designed tasks and workstations cause injury, how to lift and handle loads safely, and how the common load handling aids go wrong.
• Element 7 · 14 pages · 34 min readChemical and Biological AgentsMany workplace illnesses begin with something breathed in, swallowed or splashed on the skin. This element covers the forms and effects of chemical and biological agents, how to assess the risk, how labels, safety data sheets and exposure limits help, and the controls that keep people healthy.
• Element 8 · 17 pages · 43 min readGeneral Workplace IssuesNot every danger comes from machinery or chemicals. Poor welfare, extreme temperatures, falls, enclosed spaces, working alone, slips, moving vehicles and driving for work all injure people every day. This element covers each one and the practical controls.
• Element 9 · 10 pages · 33 min readWork EquipmentMachines, power tools and hand tools make work possible, and each one can injure the person using it. This element covers choosing and guarding equipment, training and maintenance, the hazards of hand and power tools, and the specific dangers and controls for common machines.
• Element 10 · 14 pages · 33 min readFireFire needs three things, spreads in four ways and can end a business in minutes. This element explains how fires start and grow, how to prevent them and stop them spreading, how to detect and fight them, and how to get everyone out safely.
• Element 11 · 9 pages · 25 min readElectricityElectricity cannot be seen, smelled or heard, and a few milliamps can stop a heart. This element covers how shock, burns and fire happen, the controls that protect people, safe ways of working near live parts and power lines, what to do after an incident, and how to keep equipment safe through inspection and testing.

Written for reading on screen. A study aid, not published or endorsed by NEBOSH. Laws, limits and numbers differ between countries, so check the requirements that apply where you work.