Sample Diploma examination paper.

Unit A - Managing health and safety Unit A sample paper: Managing health and safety Unit A: Managing health and safety Time limit: 3 hours, 0930 to 1230 10 minutes reading time is allowed before the start of the examination. You may not write anything during this period. Answer both Section A and Section B SECTION A This section contains six questions. Answer ALL SIX questions. All questions carry equal marks. The maximum marks for each question, or part of a question, are shown in brackets. You are advised to spend about 15 minutes on each question. Start each answer on a new page. 1. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require that employers appoint Health and Safety assistance. (a) List the key legal requirements that must be satisfied by the employer when making such an appointment. (5) (b) Outline the key elements of the strategic role of the health and safety professional with respect to the employers current health and safety management system. (5) 2. A risk management programme encompasses the following concepts: (i) risk avoidance; (2) (ii) risk reduction; (3) (iii) risk transfer; (3) (iv) risk retention. (2) Identify the key features of each of these concepts and give an appropriate example in each case. 3. (a) Outline the main defences available to a defendant in a civil case who is being sued in an action for the tort of negligence. (6)

(b) Outline factors which will be considered in determining the level of damages paid to a successful claimant. (4) 4. An advertising campaign was used to promote improvement in safety standards within a particular organisation. During the period of the campaign the rate of reported accidents significantly increased, and the campaign was deemed to be a failure. (a) Suggest, with reasons, why the rate of reported accidents may have been a poor measure of the campaigns effectiveness. (2) (b) Describe four proactive (active) measures which might have been used to measure the organisations health and safety performance. (8) 5. Human failure was identified as a significant factor in an accident involving a crane. A contractors employee was seriously injured when struck by material being transported by the crane. Outline the types of human error which may have contributed to the accident. Refer to relevant examples based on the scenario to illustrate your answer. (10) 6. Explain, with reference to case law, the meaning of the terms practicable and reasonably practicable as they apply to health and safety legislation. (10) SECTION B This section contains five questions. Answer THREE questions only. All questions carry equal marks. The maximum marks for each question, or part of a question, are shown in brackets. You are advised to spend about 30 minutes on each question. Start each answer on a new page. 7. A forklift truck is used to move palletised goods in a large distribution warehouse. On one particular occasion the truck skidded on a patch of oil. As a consequence the truck collided with an unaccompanied visitor and crushed the visitors leg. (a) State, with reasons, why the accident should be investigated. (4) (b) Outline the actions which should be followed in order to collect evidence for an investigation of the accident. Assume that the initial responses of reporting and securing the scene of the accident have been carried out. (8) (c) Describe factors which should be considered in analysis of the information gathered in the evidence collection. (8)

8. A fast-growing manufacturing company now employs 150 people. Health and safety standards at the company are not good, as arrangements have developed without professional advice in an unplanned way during the time of rapid growth. The company has, though, managed to avoid any serious accidents and, in the main, staff at all levels do not seem particularly concerned. Two employees, however, have recently experienced two separate nearmiss incidents and have complained jointly to the Health and Safety Executive. A subsequent visit by an HSE inspector has resulted in the issue of three improvement notices. The Managing Director wishes to dismiss the employees (whom he has described as troublemakers) even though he accepts that their concerns were probably justified. (a) State the advice you would give the Managing Director with respect to the proposed disciplinary action to the employees who have complained and give supporting reasons. (5) (b) Outline the steps that should be taken to gain the support of the workforce to improve the health and safety culture within the company. (15) 9. (a) Outline the use and limitations of fault tree analysis. (4) (b) A machine operator is required to reach between the tools of a vertical hydraulic press between each cycle of the press. Under fault conditions, the operator is at risk from a crushing injury due either (a) to the press tool falling by gravity or (b) to an unplanned (powered) stroke of the press. The expected frequencies of the failures that would lead to either of these effects are given in the table below: Failure type Frequency (per year) Effect Flexible hose failure 0.2 a Detachment of press tool 0.1 a Electrical fault 0.1 b Hydraulic valve failure 0.05 a or b (i) Given that the operator is at risk for 20 per cent of the time that the machine is operating, construct and quantify a simple fault tree to show the expected frequency of the top event (a crushing injury to the operators hand). (10) (ii) If the press is one of ten such presses in a machine shop, state, with reasons, whether or not the level of risk calculated should be tolerated. (4)

(iii) Assuming that the nature of the task cannot be changed, explain how the fault tree might be used to prioritise remedial actions. (2) 10. Atom Chemicals Ltd engaged the services of an industrial cleaning company, Becom Cleaners Ltd, to clean their chemical processing vessel using Atom Chemicals own electrical cleaning equipment. The production supervisor of Atom Chemicals issued a permit-to-work for Becom Cleaners to undertake the work. The vessel cleaning operation involved the use of flammable solvents and a Becom Cleaners employee was badly burned whilst using the electrical equipment. Identify and explain the possible breaches of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 by: (a) Atom Chemicals. (8) (b) Becom Cleaners. (6) (c) Individuals. (2) Make reference to relevant case law and explain the relevance in this case. (4) 11. A new chemical plant which falls within the scope of the Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) Regulations 1999 is being planned. The manufacturing process will involve toxic and flammable substances. The plant is near to a residential area. Identify the issues to be considered in the development of an emergency plan to minimize the consequences of any major incident. (20)