IGC 1.

5 HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS MONITORING,

INVESTIGATION AND RECORDING CHECK

1 a. Outline the importance of monitoring as part of a health and safety management system

Monitoring is a key step in any management process and forms the basis of continuous
improvement.

The main purpose of measuring Health and Safety Management performance is to
provide information on the progress and current status of the strategies, processes and
activities employed to control health and safety risks in the workplace.
b. Explain why monitoring reports should be submitted to the Chief Executive or Managing
Director of the organisation

Senior Management can then make improvement in performance

To maintain low injury or ill-health rate trend
To ensure there is continual improvement in the organisation
To stay legal compliant

c. Explain how accident data can be used to improve health and safety performance within an
organisation

to identify the trends of the accidents

in finding under-reporting issues
to help to identify the training requirement
to improve technical progress
to check the underlying and root causes for improvement

2. Identify FIVE active and FIVE reactive measures that can be used to monitor an
organisations health and safety performance
Active measures:

Safety Audit it is a critical approach that is taken to assess the adequacy of the whole
organisations Health and Safety Management System for a continual improvement.

Safety Inspection a formal assessment of workplace safety using a checklist , and the
identification of hazardous conditions or practices for subsequent remedial action.

Safety Survey a detailed assessment of one aspect of an organisation example:
Noise, Training etc.

Safety Sampling is a useful technique that encourages organisation to concentrate on
one particular area or subject at a time usually done randomly.

Safety Tour is not a detailed inspection but a way of demonstrating management
commitment and interest to see obvious examples of good or bad performance.

Reactive measures

Injuries and work related ill-health records

Other losses such as damage to property
Near miss records
Workers complaints
Enforcement actions received
Health Surveillance reports
Maintenance failure reports

3. A large company is planning to introduce a programme of regular inspections of the

workplace
a. Outline the factors that should be considered when planning such inspections

well designed inspection forms to help plan and initiate remedial action by requiring
those doing the inspection to rank any deficiencies

Use of Checklist

Personal protective equipment that is required

People to interview

Any special equipment that is required a digital camera etc

Environmental conditions
b. Outline the factors that determine the frequency with which health and safety inspections
should be undertaken

past history of the accidents

legal requirements
rate of failures reported
instructions from manufacturers
change in the process; procedures

4 a. Define the terms safety survey, safety tour and safety sampling
Refer to answer 2
b. Outline the issues which should be considered when a safety survey of workplace is to be
undertaken

Noise
Dust
Temperature
Humidity

5a. Outline the strengths and weaknesses of using a checklist to undertake a health and
safety inspection of a workplace.
Strengths:

Systematic approach
Can be customised to different areas
Immediate findings recorded
Easy method of comparison and audit

Weaknesses:

Lack of comments

May not be up-to-date

The tick-box mentality when it is all too easy to merely tick a box than provide any
original thinking

May be misused eg: not visiting the area physically but merely submitting the checklist
with tick marks
b. identify the questions that might be included on a checklist to gather information following
an accident involving slips, trips and falls

flooring details
lighting details
cleaning regimes
maintenance records
usage of the flooring
footwear that is being used
trailing cables on the floor
polishing details
obstructions on the floor

6.An employee of a company is to be given duties to undertake a safety inspection

a. outline the competencies needed to carry out the duties

observant
report writing skills
communication skills
knowledge on legal requirements
interpretation skills
open mindedness
record observations systematically
use logical approach in giving control measures
realistic in setting deadlines

b. identify the principal issues that should be included in a safety inspection report so that
managers can make decisions on any required remedial actions

help the reader to understand the information and follow the arguments contained in
the report

increase the writers credibility

ensure that the material contained in the report is organised to the best advantage
c. explain how the report should be structured and presented so as to increase the likelihood
of action being taken by managers
The report to have:

Title page
Summary
Contents list
Introduction
Main body of the report
Conclusions
Recommendations
Appendices
references

7a give four reasons why an organisation should have a system for the internal reporting of
accidents

To understand whether the organisation is getting better or worse in terms of accidents

To assess whether the objectives are achieved
To identify the trends
To control and minimise accidents at minor level before they turn into reportable
accidents to enforcing authority

b. identify the issues that should be included in a typical workplace accident reporting
procedure

date and location of the accident

circumstances of the accident
causes immediate and underlying
recommendations for further improvement

c. outline factors that may discourage employees from reporting accidents at work

fear of losing job

peer pressure
no action taken for previous reporting
no reporting procedures

8. An employee has been seriously injured after being struck by a forklift in a warehouse
a. Give four reasons why the accident should be investigated by the persons employer

To prevent similar accident happening

Legal requirement

To determine the cost of the accident

To improve workers morale
b. Outline the information that should be included in the investigation report

Date of the investigation

Report circulation list

Signature of investigating team leader

Names of investigating team
c. Outline four possible immediate causes and four possible underlying (root) causes of
the accident
Immediate causes

High speed

Speedlimiter removed

Sudden appearance of the pedestrian

Driven in a pedestrian route
Underlying causes

Lack of inspection of the vehicle

No transport safety policy in the organisation
Incompetent driver
Site rules not enforced

d. Giving reasons in each case, identify four people who may be considered useful
members of the accident investigation team.

Health and Safety Expert who has legal knowledge

Warehouse manager familiar with the warehouse traffic routes

Forklift driver who can give details of the driving speed etc.

Technical expert who can suggest the maintenance regime of the forklift in
question

Trade union representative who can guide on the requirement for employee
protection

9. outline the issues to be considered to ensure an effective witness interview following a

workplace accident

Confidentiality
Sensitivity
Gathering the information
Having open ended questions
Not to interrupt the interview

10 a. Outline using a workplace example, the meaning of the terms

i.

ii.

Near miss no injury and no loss

A hammer falling over from the roof of the scaffold when there is no traffic
movement.
Dangerous occurrence a readily identifiable situation that may have major
impact

Collapse of a passenger lift

b. explain the purpose and benefits of collecting near miss incident data

The purpose to identify unsafe acts and conditions at minimal level.

Opportunity to control and preserve the situation effectively.

The data would help in identifying the trends that may lead to accidents.
c. outline how an accident ratio study can contribute to an understanding of accident
prevention

Through the accident ratio study, it can be seen that damage and near miss incidents
occur much more frequently than injury accidents and therefore may be a good
indicator of risks.

The study also shows that most accidents are predictable and preventable.
11. An employee sustained a serious injury while using an unguarded drilling machine and
was admitted to hospital where he remained for several days. The machine had been
unguarded for several days before the accident.
a. outline the ILO requirement for reporting the accident to the enforcing authority

ILO R164 ILO C155 requires employer to notify any major accidents to the enforcing
authority.
b. identify the possible immediate and root causes of the accident

Lack of guarding
Untrained worker
Poor maintenance and inspection
Lack of risk assessment

c. outline the immediate and longer term actions that should be taken following the accident

take the equipment out of use with signage and warning notices
notify the management
review the records of risk assessments and trainings
carry out preventative planned maintenance
investigate similar other equipment within the organisation

12. outline reasons why employers should keep records of occupational ill health

It is a legal requirement

To ensure all the information is recorded for insurance and claim purposes

To submit to the enforcing authority in case of investigation
13. An employee is claiming compensation for injuries received from a fall down a flight of
stairs at the place of work. Identify the documented information required when preparing a
possible defence against the claim.

Maintenance records of the stairs

Inspection details
Risk assessment details
Housekeeping records pertaining to the stairs
Details of signage and notices displayed in the area
Number of people using the stairs
Information on similar accidents in the past