Task 1: Financial impact of accidents

1-The accident with the robotic arm and the bench-mounted machinery will have caused organizational
financial impacts.
Outline the possible financial impacts. (15)
Note: You should support your answer, where applicable, using relevant information from the scenario.
1. Medical expenses: Costs related to the treatment of the injured worker, including first aid and
potential hospital visits for diagnosing and treating the suspected broken bone.
2. Increased insurance premiums: The accident could lead to higher premiums for the company’s
health, safety, or liability insurance.
3. Legal fees: Potential costs for defending claims or disputes resulting from the accident,
especially if the injured worker or their family pursues compensation.
4. Compensation payments: If the worker files a claim, the company may need to cover personal
injury compensation, including lost wages and pain and suffering.
5. Regulatory fines: If investigations reveal health and safety violations, fines from regulatory
bodies, such as for the missing or ineffective warning signs, may be imposed.
6. Repair costs: The robotic arm or other machinery may require repair or recalibration following
the accident.
7. Production downtime: Stopping the robotic arm during the incident and halting production to
investigate the accident results in lost production time.
8. Decreased productivity: Ongoing work disruptions due to investigations, meetings, and safety
reviews slow down production and result in delays.
9. Contractor penalties: Contractors using unauthorized devices like mobile phones may cause
delays, potentially leading to penalties or breaches in contractual agreements.
10. Reputation damage: Negative public perception following the accident may reduce customer
trust, affecting future orders or sales.
11. Training costs: Additional training sessions for staff on the proper use of machinery and
avoiding hazards, potentially increasing operational costs.
12. New signage costs: Replacement of fallen signs and upgrading safety signage to prevent further
incidents could incur expenses.
13. Overtime payments: The need to make up for lost production time might result in overtime
costs for other workers.
14. Absenteeism: If the injured worker is off work for recovery, it could result in lost time and
costs for temporary replacements or overtime for existing staff.
15. Regulatory compliance costs: Ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations by
updating policies or fixing broken equipment (like the extractor system) will add to expenses.

Task 2: Policy review

2 What are the possible reasons for reviewing the health and safety policy at the car manufacturing
organization? (12)
Note: You should support your answer, where applicable, using relevant information from the scenario.
1. Outdated Signature: The health and safety policy still bears the signature of the previous site
manager who retired six years ago, indicating the policy is outdated and requires review to
reflect current management responsibilities.
2. New Robotic Arms: The installation of new robotic arms with wider movement areas in the
production line creates additional hazards, necessitating a review to ensure proper safeguarding,
procedures, and training for workers in these areas.
3. Lack of Warning Sign Maintenance: The fallen ‘Authorized Workers Only’ sign at the
production line entrance highlights insufficient maintenance of safety signage, which should be
addressed in the policy.
4. Accident Involving Apprentice: The accident involving a 17-year-old apprentice raises
concerns about risk assessments, particularly for vulnerable workers, such as young apprentices,
and the adequacy of training and supervision.
 5. Hazardous Conditions in Machinery Workshop: The broken vacuum extractor system in the
workshop and the presence of swarf in walkways indicate that maintenance and housekeeping
practices are not being properly enforced, highlighting the need for review.
6. Management Priorities: The workshop manager’s refusal to address safety issues, citing budget
constraints for non-essential spending, suggests that safety is not prioritized over financial
considerations, which conflicts with good health and safety practice.
7. Near Misses Not Reported: Workers in the workshop are discouraged from reporting near
misses, fearing criticism for causing delays. This culture undermines incident reporting, which
is essential for hazard identification and prevention.
8. Construction Work Safety: The current contractor induction pack lacks clarity about restricted
areas during the upcoming office construction work, potentially putting workers and contractors
at risk.
9. New Apprenticeship Scheme: The introduction of new apprentices underlines the need to
review whether the health and safety policy adequately covers young, inexperienced workers.
10. Use of Technology: The incident involving a contractor using a mobile phone to record robotic
arms suggests a lack of clear rules regarding the use of personal devices in hazardous areas,
which should be addressed.
11. Working from Home Policy: The working from home policy, though successfully recalled by
workers, has not been used in 18 months and should be reviewed to ensure it reflects current
organizational needs.
12. Wellbeing and Mental Health: The emphasis on checking workers' wellbeing during online
meetings suggests that mental health considerations should be further embedded within the
policy, particularly for those working remotely.

Task 3: Managing risks for those working from home

3 Comment on the positive approach to managing home working risks by the car manufacturing
organisation. (9)
Note: Your answers must be based on the scenario only.
1. Pre-existing Working from Home Policy: The organisation already has a policy in place for
both short-term and long-term working from home, which was developed during the pandemic.
This provides a structured framework for managing risks and ensures continuity for workers
who need to work remotely during construction.
2. Consultation with Affected Workers: The health and safety supervisor takes the initiative to
send a questionnaire to the affected workers and their team leader to assess their familiarity with
the working from home guidance. This proactive approach ensures that workers are informed
and engaged in safety practices.
3. Recirculation of Policy: Although workers remembered much of the policy, it was still
recirculated to reinforce key information, ensuring that everyone is aware of the guidance and
up-to-date on procedures.
4. Risk Assessments for Home Working: The organisation arranges new Display Screen
Equipment (DSE) workstation risk assessments for those working from home. This
demonstrates a commitment to managing ergonomic risks and ensuring safe and comfortable
working environments at home.
5. Review of Working from Home Risk Assessment: A review of the existing working from
home risk assessments is also conducted, ensuring that any changes in circumstances are
addressed, and risk control measures are updated.
6. Online Meetings for Monitoring and Engagement: The team leader agrees to hold regular
one-to-one meetings with individuals working from home, helping to monitor their wellbeing
and provide support in managing remote working risks.
7. Team Communication: Twice-weekly online team meetings are scheduled, allowing workers to
stay connected, share work updates, and discuss non-work-related topics. This helps maintain
social interaction and reduce feelings of isolation.
8. Wellbeing Checks: The team leader is reminded to check workers' wellbeing during these
meetings, indicating that the organization places importance on mental health and ensuring
employees feel supported.
9. Adequate Equipment: Workers will use the same laptops they were issued during the
pandemic, eliminating the need for new IT equipment and ensuring that they have familiar,
functioning tools for remote work.