Element 8 cheat sheet: General workplace issues

8.1 Health, welfare and work environment

• Employers must provide basic welfare facilities: drinking water, washing facilities, sanitary conveniences, accommodation for clothing, rest and eating facilities, and seating, with suitable ventilation, heating and lighting.
  • ('text', 'Employers must provide basic welfare facilities: drinking water, washing facilities, sanitary conveniences, accommodation for clothing, rest and eating facilities, and seating, with suitable ventilation, heating and lighting.')
• Extremes of temperature can harm health.
  • ('text', 'Extremes of temperature can harm health.')

Tip: Welfare is a legal and practical minimum, and it also affects morale.

8.2 Working at height

• Falls from height are a leading cause of death and serious injury.
  • ('text', 'Falls from height are a leading cause of death and serious injury.')
• Hierarchy for selecting equipment:
  1. Avoid working at height, for example by using extendable tools to work from the ground, or assembling parts at ground level.
  2. If it cannot be avoided, prevent a fall: use an existing safe workplace such as a solid roof with fixed guardrails, or suitable equipment such as mobile elevating work platforms, scaffolds or work restraint systems.
  3. If a fall cannot be prevented, minimise its distance and consequences: safety nets and airbags close to the working level, and personal fall arrest systems.
• Main precautions:
  • Planning and supervision.
  • Avoiding work in bad weather.
  • Emergency rescue arrangements.
  • Training, instruction and other measures.
  • For ladders, stepladders, scaffolds, MEWPs and guardrails: correct selection, inspection, stability and competence.
  • For falling materials: safe stacking and storage.

Terms: MEWP

Tip: Use the order: avoid, prevent, minimise.

8.3 Safe working in confined spaces

• A confined space is an enclosed or partly enclosed space that is large enough for a person to enter, is not designed for continuous occupation, and has a foreseeable risk such as a toxic or flammable atmosphere, lack of oxygen, or a rising level of liquid.
  • ('text', 'A confined space is an enclosed or partly enclosed space that is large enough for a person to enter, is not designed for continuous occupation, and has a foreseeable risk such as a toxic or flammable atmosphere, lack of oxygen, or a rising level of liquid.')
• Examples are tanks, silos, sewers, pits, ducts and vats.
  • ('text', 'Examples are tanks, silos, sewers, pits, ducts and vats.')
• Main hazards: lack of oxygen or too much oxygen; toxic gases and fumes; flammable or explosive atmospheres; engulfment by liquids or solids; heat; and entrapment.
  • ('text', 'Main hazards: lack of oxygen or too much oxygen; toxic gases and fumes; flammable or explosive atmospheres; engulfment by liquids or solids; heat; and entrapment.')
• In the assessment consider the task, the space, the atmosphere, how people will get in and out, communication, rescue, and the people involved. Precautions in a safe system of work:
  • Avoid entry if possible
  • A permit to work
  • Isolation of services
  • Testing and monitoring the atmosphere
  • Ventilation
  • Suitable equipment and breathing apparatus where needed
  • Communication
  • Trained and competent people
  • A rescue plan with equipment and trained rescuers outside the space
  • Supervision

Tip: Never allow an untrained person to enter to rescue someone.

8.4 Lone working

• A lone worker works by themselves without close or direct supervision, for example in a shop at night, on a delivery round, on a remote site, in a home visit or in a locked office.
  • ('text', 'A lone worker works by themselves without close or direct supervision, for example in a shop at night, on a delivery round, on a remote site, in a home visit or in a locked office.')
• Particular hazards: nobody to help in an accident or medical emergency; violence from others; stress and isolation; risks from work that should not be done alone; and travel risks.
  • ('text', 'Particular hazards: nobody to help in an accident or medical emergency; violence from others; stress and isolation; risks from work that should not be done alone; and travel risks.')
• Controls: assess whether the task can safely be done alone; training and competence; a system for contact and checks (for example phone check-ins or lone worker devices); procedures if contact is lost; means of raising the alarm; first aid; and extra care for those with medical conditions.
  • ('text', 'Controls: assess whether the task can safely be done alone; training and competence; a system for contact and checks (for example phone check-ins or lone worker devices); procedures if contact is lost; means of raising the alarm; first aid; and extra care for those with medical conditions.')
• The assessment should look at the work, the place, the person and the emergency arrangements.
  • ('text', 'The assessment should look at the work, the place, the person and the emergency arrangements.')

Tip: Say what happens when the lone worker does not report in.

8.5 Slips and trips

• Slips and trips are among the most common causes of injury at work.
  • ('text', 'Slips and trips are among the most common causes of injury at work.')
• Main controls: appropriate non-slip surfaces; good maintenance and repair; good housekeeping and prompt cleaning of spills; keeping cables off the floor; good lighting; marked changes of level; suitable footwear; and training and supervision.
  • ('text', 'Main controls: appropriate non-slip surfaces; good maintenance and repair; good housekeeping and prompt cleaning of spills; keeping cables off the floor; good lighting; marked changes of level; suitable footwear; and training and supervision.')

Tip: Housekeeping is the cheapest control with the biggest effect.

8.6 Safe movement of people and vehicles in the workplace

• Pedestrian hazards include being struck by moving, flying or falling objects, collisions with moving vehicles and striking against fixed objects.
  • ('text', 'Pedestrian hazards include being struck by moving, flying or falling objects, collisions with moving vehicles and striking against fixed objects.')
• A safe site:
  • Suitable traffic routes with separate pedestrian zones and crossing points
  • Spillage control
  • Management of vehicle movements
  • Visibility and lighting
  • Gradients, changes of level and surface condition
  • Segregation of pedestrians and vehicles, and measures when full segregation is not practicable
  • Barriers, markings, signs and warnings of vehicle approach and reversing
  • Site rules including speed limits
• Safe vehicles and safe drivers:
  • Vehicles suitable for the job, maintained and repaired.
  • Good visibility and reversing aids.
  • Driver protection and restraint systems.
  • Proper selection and training of drivers.
  • A banksman (reversing assistant) where needed.
  • Systems that assure competence.

Terms: Banksman

Tip: Segregating people from vehicles is the strongest control.

8.7 Work-related driving

• People who drive for work face the risks of road incidents, and organisations should manage these in the same way as other risks, using plan, do, check and act.
  • ('text', 'People who drive for work face the risks of road incidents, and organisations should manage these in the same way as other risks, using plan, do, check and act.')
• Applying Plan, Do, Check, Act to driving:
  1. Plan: assess the risks, make a policy, commit at top level, and assign roles.
  2. Do: coordinate between departments, have adequate systems including maintenance, communicate and consult, and give instruction and training.
  3. Check: monitor performance and ensure that all road incidents are reported.
  4. Act: review performance and update the policy.
• Controls:
  • A safe driver (competence, licence checks, instruction, fitness to drive).
  • A safe vehicle (fit for purpose, maintained, with safety devices, maximum load not exceeded, loads secured).
  • A safe journey (route planning, realistic schedules with driving breaks, weather, and legal driving hours where relevant).
• Electric and hybrid vehicles bring extra hazards:
  • Silent operation, so pedestrians may not hear them
  • Availability and location of charging points
  • Electric shock from high voltage parts and cabling
  • Stored charge in components even when switched off
  • Unexpected movement of the vehicle or parts because of magnetic forces in the motor
  • Release of explosive gases and harmful liquids from damaged batteries

Tip: A realistic schedule is a control. Pressure to hurry is a hazard.