Nazneen Mahaboob

June 2010
Examiners’ Report
NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety – IGC2

Question 1

A roofing contractor is required to carry out extensive repair work on a fragile roof on a large
manufacturing building.

a. Outline the factors that should be considered in the selection process for hiring the
roofing contractor. (8)
 The contractor’s previous experience with the type of work to be carried out;
 Reputation amongst previous or current clients and membership of a trade
organisation;
 The content and quality of the health and safety policy and the systems in place for its
implementation including the preparation of risk assessments, monitoring and
consultation with the workforce;
 The competence of and level of health and safety training given to employees;
 Resources and the condition of equipment to be used on site and procedures in place
for its regular maintenance;
 Procedures for the selection and control of sub-contractors;
 Accident record and any action taken by the enforcing authorities;
 Access to competent advice on health and safety;
 The detailed proposals, such as method statements and safe systems of work, for the
work to be carried out.

b. Identify the main risks to the contractors from working at height. (4)
 Falling when either gaining access to the roof or from their working positions;
 Falling through the fragile material of the roof and being struck by falling objects.
 Risks from the manual handling of tools, equipment and materials,
 Risks from contact with live services such as electrical cables
 Inclement weather conditions such as sun, wind, rain and ice.

c. Identify possible control measures for the erection of an independent tied scaffold. (8)
 To ensure that the design of the scaffold was appropriate for its intended use and the
weight that it would be expected to carry.
 It would then need to be erected on stable ground,
 It would need to be erected using components of good quality,
 It would need to be erected by competent persons wearing appropriate personal
protective equipment such as fall arrest equipment.
 The scaffold should be tied in securely to the structure on which work is to be carried
out.
 Access to it should be restricted until the erection has been completed.
 Measures should be taken to protect the scaffold from damage by passing plant or
vehicles.

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  It should be subject to a thorough inspection before being put into use.
Question 2

Outline a range of checks that should be made for electrical safety in a workplace. (8)

 Visual inspections for damage to cables, plugs and sockets, the need
 Visual inspections to ensure that all fuses are of the correct rating,
 Visual inspections for checking that outlets are not overloaded and
 Visual inspections to ensure that cables are not coiled or in vulnerable positions where
they might suffer damage.
 The equipment itself should be checked to ensure that it is suitable and conforms with
recognized standards such as CE marking and European standards,
 The equipment itself should be checked to ensure that it is properly sited to avoid
damage,
 The equipment itself should be checked to ensure that it has been subject to appropriate
and regular fixed installation and portable appliance testing,
 The equipment itself should be checked to ensure that it is provided with means of
isolation after use
 Checks should also be made to ensure that records are kept of the maintenance that has
been carried out.
 Checks should also be made to ensure there is an effective procedure for reporting defects
or damage.

Question 3

Outline FOUR main types of guards and safeguarding devices that may be used to reduce the
risk of contact with dangerous parts of machinery. (8)

 The fixed guard, a physical barrier which is not linked to the machine operation and
requires a special tool for its removal.
 The interlocked guard, which is linked to the machine operation and prevents access
when the machine is in a dangerous condition while also preventing operation of the
machine until the guard is in position.
 The trip device such as a probe or pressure mat, stops movement of the machine when
approach is detected.
 An automatic or self-acting guard such as a push away guard, is linked to the machine
mechanism
 And physically moves the operator away from the danger zone.

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Question 4

Ammonia has been released into the atmosphere of a workplace.

a. Outline typical health effects resulting from exposure to ammonia. (4)

 irritation and possibly burning of the respiratory system;
 pulmonary oedema;
 coughing and sneezing;
 eye irritation together with running eyes
 nose and irritation and burning of the skin.

b. Give the meaning of the term ‘acute health effect’. (2)

An acute health effect is an immediate or rapidly produced adverse effect following a

single or short term exposure to a causative agent.

c. Identify suitable air monitoring methods for ammonia. (2)

 A stain tube,
 A passive or active sampling device
 An electrochemical detection device such as a pulsed amplified detector.

Question 5

A noise survey has been conducted in a factory which has resulted in the need for provision of
hearing protection.

Outline the advantages AND disadvantages of:

a. earmuffs; (4)
Advantages
 they provide a good reduction of all sound frequencies;
 they can be integrated with other personal protective equipment such as a hard hat;
 they are visible and thus provide a good monitor of their usage;
 they are reusable and have a low risk of infection.
Disadvantages
 However, there is the possibility that they could be incompatible with other forms of
personal protective equipment
 their reliability might be affected by the presence of long hair, glasses or ear rings;
 they might become uncomfortable when worn for long periods or during hot weather
 they need to be regularly maintained and provided with dedicated storage facilities.

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 b. ear plugs. (4)

Advantages
 They are easy to use,
 Comfortable,
 Available in a range of designs and types
 Disposable and thus do not need to be stored after use.

Disadvantages
 Do need to be correctly sized to fit the individual,
 Their effectiveness decreases with usage,
 They interfere with communication
 May cause hygiene problems if they are not kept clean or if the user has an existing
ear infection.

Question 6

Outline the factors to consider when carrying out a fire risk assessment of a workplace. (8)

 The fire resistance of the structure would need to be confirmed firstly.

 Consideration should be given to the fire protection and prevention measures taken,
 Consideration should also be given to the escape routes and exits bearing in mind the
travel distances involved
 The provision of emergency lighting should also be considered.
 Identification of possible ignition sources;
 The quantities of flammable and combustible materials used or stored in the
workplace;
 The size of the building and number of people to be evacuated including particular
groups at risk such as the disabled and visitors.
 The means of raising the alarm and the positioning and audibility of the alarms
provided;
 The means of making contact with the emergency services;
 The adequacy and positioning of firefighting equipment and its accessibility;
 The procedures for the maintenance of equipment, alarms and detection systems;
 The adequacy of emergency signs;
 The positioning of a fire assembly point
 The arrangements for carrying out a roll call
 The training of personnel in evacuation procedures including those with special
responsibilities such as fire marshals.

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Question 7

a. Give the meaning of:

i. ‘hazardous waste’; (2)

Hazardous waste is harmful and/or dangerous to health and the environment.

ii. ‘non-hazardous waste’. (2)

Non-hazardous waste is not harmful either to health or the environment and does not
decompose and result in the formation of harmful products.

b. Outline the key design features of a permanent spill protected /bunded area in order to
protect against accidental releases and pollution. (4)

 Located on stable ground, at a distance from a water course and without connections
either to a drain or sewer.
 It should be provided with a concrete slab base and walls with the surfaces of both
being impervious.
 There should be adequate space between the containers and the bund walls and the
bunded area should have a capacity of 110% of the total capacity of the containers.
 If externally sited, consideration may have to be given to weatherproofing
 Also to the provision of emptying and monitoring systems with measures taken to
protect the walls of the bund against damage from the possibility of them being struck
by passing plant or vehicles.

Question 8

a. Identify TWO types of non-ionising radiation AND give an occupational source for EACH.
(4)
 Ultraviolet light (welding or excessive exposure to the sun),
 Visible light (artificial lighting or display screens),
 Infra-red (lasers),
 Microwave (cookers, radar or mobile phones),
 Radio wave (communications transmitter)
 Electromagnetic radiation (high voltage sources).

b. Outline the health effects associated with exposure to nonionizing radiation. (4)

 Photokeratitis or arc eye from welding;

 Retinal burns, corneal damage and cataracts from exposure to infra-red radiation;
 Burns to the skin from exposure to ultra violet or infra-red radiation;
 The heating of, and damage to, skin and internal organs by radio frequencies,
particularly microwaves
 Premature skin ageing and possibility of skin cancer.

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Question 9

Outline the precautions that should be taken when using mobile cranes. (8)

 Ensuring the crane and its attached lifting gear were suitable for the task and that their
test certificates and examination reports were up to date;
 That the ground on which the crane was to be sited was flat and firm and that the
outriggers of the crane were always correctly positioned;
 That the driver and slinger to be used in the operation were competent and that good
means of communication were provided between the driver and the other workers
involved in the operation;
 That there were no obstructions such as overhead power lines or buildings in the vicinity
of the lift;
 That warning signs and barriers were erected to ensure that the area where the lifting
operations were to take place was kept clear of personnel not directly involved in the
operation;
 That due consideration was given to the prevailing weather conditions;
 That the load was carried near to ground level and that the operations were ideally carried
out to an arranged lifting plan.

Question 10

Identify control measures to reduce the risk of accidents from reversing vehicles in the
workplace. (8)

 The avoidance of the need for vehicles to reverse by the introduction of one way systems
or a drive in/drive out layout;
 The separation of vehicles and pedestrians by the erection of barriers and signs;
 Vehicle design including the provision of good visibility, audible alarms, mirrors and
sensors;
 Positioning mirrors at blind corners in the workplace and providing refuges and good
standards of lighting;
 Driver and pedestrian training,
 Use of banksmen,
 Site rules for reversing operations
 Use of high visibility clothing by those working in areas where there is vehicle access.

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Question 11

Identify EIGHT types of non-mechanical hazards associated with the use of machinery. (8)

 Electricity,
 Noise,
 Vibration,
 Radiation,
 Extremes of temperature,
 Fire,
 Contact with hot surfaces,
 Hazardous substances both by direct contact with, for example oils and greases and by
exposure to dust and fumes,
 The possibility of slips, trips and falls in gaining access to the machinery and those
related to the insufficient attention given to manual handling and ergonomic issues.

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