examiners 39 report nebosh national general certificate in 129389

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March 2012

Examiners’ Report

NEBOSH National

General Certificate in

Occupational Health

and Safety (NGC1)



2012 NEBOSH, Dominus Way, Meridian Business Park, Leicester LE19 1QW

tel: 0116 263 4700 fax: 0116 282 4000 email: [email protected] website: www.nebosh.org.uk

The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health is a registered charity, number 1010444

T(s):exrpts/C/NGC11203 EXTERNAL DW/DA/REW

Examiners’ Report

NEBOSH NATIONAL GENERAL CERTIFICATE

IN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

UNIT NGC1:MANAGEMENT OF HEALTH AND SAFETY

MARCH 2012

For: NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and SafetyNEBOSH National Certi ficate in Fire Safety and Risk ManagementNEBOSH National Certificate in Construction Health and Safety

CONTENTS

Introduction 2

General comments 3

Comments on individual questions 4



2 EXTERNAL

Introduction

NEBOSH (The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health) was formed in 1979as an independent examining board and awarding body with charitable status. We offer acomprehensive range of globally-recognised, vocationally-related qualifications designed to meet thehealth, safety, environmental and risk management needs of all places of work in both the private andpublic sectors.Courses leading to NEBOSH qualifications attract over 25,000 candidates annually and are offered byover 400 course providers in 65 countries around the world. Our qualifications are recognised by therelevant professional membership bodies including the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health(IOSH) and the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM).

NEBOSH is an awarding body to be recognised and regulated by the Scottish Qualifications Authority(SQA).

Where appropriate, NEBOSH follows the latest version of the “GCSE, GCE, Principal Learning andProject Code of Practice” published by the regulatory authorities in relation to examination setting andmarking. While not obliged to adhere to this code, NEBOSH regards it as best practice to do so.

Candidates’ scripts are marked by a team of Examiners appointed by NEBOSH on the basis of theirqualifications and experience. The standard of the qualification is determined by NEBOSH, which isoverseen by the NEBOSH Council comprising nominees from, amongst others, the Health and SafetyExecutive (HSE), the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the Trades Union Congress (TUC) andthe Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH). Representatives of course providers, fromboth the public and private sectors, are elected to the NEBOSH Council.

This report on the examination provides information on the performance of candidates which it ishoped will be useful to candidates and tutors in preparation for future examinations. It is intended to

be constructive and informative and to promote better understanding of the syllabus content and theapplication of assessment criteria.

© NEBOSH 2012

Any enquiries about this report publication should be addressed to:

NEBOSHDominus WayMeridian Business ParkLeicesterLE19 1QW

tel: 0116 263 4700fax: 0116 282 4000email: [email protected]



3 EXTERNAL

General comments

Many candidates are well prepared for this unit assessment and provide comprehensive and relevantanswers in response to the demands of the question paper. This includes the ability to demonstrateunderstanding of knowledge by applying it to workplace situations.

There are always some candidates, however, who appear to be unprepared for the unit assessmentand who show both a lack of knowledge of the syllabus content and a lack of understanding of howkey concepts should be applied to workplace situations.

In order to meet the pass standard for this assessment, acquisition of knowledge and understandingacross the syllabus are prerequisites. However, candidates need to demonstrate their knowledge andunderstanding in answering the questions set. Referral of candidates in this unit is invariably becausethey are unable to write a full, well-informed answer to one or more of the questions asked.

Some candidates find it difficult to relate their learning to the questions and as a result offer responses

reliant on recalled knowledge and conjecture and fail to demonstrate a sufficient degree ofunderstanding. Candidates should prepare themselves for this vocational examination by ensuringtheir understanding, not rote-learning pre-prepared answers.

Candidates should therefore note that Examiners’ Reports are not written to provide ‘sample answers’but to give examples of what Examiners were expecting and more specifically to highlight areas ofunder performance.

Common pitfalls

It is recognised that many candidates are well prepared for their assessments. However, recurrentissues, as outlined below, continue to prevent some candidates reaching their full potential in theassessment.

Many candidates fail to apply the basic principles of examination technique and for somecandidates this means the difference between a pass and a referral.

In some instances, candidates do not attempt all the required questions or are failing toprovide complete answers. Candidates are advised to always attempt an answer to acompulsory question, even when the mind goes blank. Applying basic health and safetymanagement principles can generate credit worthy points.

Some candidates fail to answer the question set and instead provide information that may berelevant to the topic but is irrelevant to the question and cannot therefore be awarded marks.

Many candidates fail to apply the command words (also known as action verbs, eg describe,outline, etc). Command words are the instructions that guide the candidate on the depth ofanswer required. If, for instance, a question asks the candidate to ‘describe’ something, thenfew marks will be awarded to an answer that is an outline. Similarly the command word‘identify’ requires more information than a ‘list’.

Some candidates fail to separate their answers into the different sub-sections of thequestions. These candidates could gain marks for the different sections if they clearlyindicated which part of the question they were answering (by using the numbering from thequestion in their answer, for example). Structuring their answers to address the different partsof the question can also help in logically drawing out the points to be made in response.

Candidates need to plan their time effectively. Some candidates fail to make good use of theirtime and give excessive detail in some answers leaving insufficient time to address all of thequestions.

Candidates should also be aware that Examiners cannot award marks if handwriting is

illegible.



4 EXTERNAL

Candidates should note that it is not necessary to start a new page in their answer booklet foreach section of a question.



5 EXTERNAL

Question 1 An employee suffered a broken leg as a result of a fall from height. Theaccident was reported to the enforcing authority as a major injury. AnHSE inspector investigated the accident.

(a) Identify FOUR other types of major injury listed in the Reportingof Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations1995. (4)

(b) Outline the powers that the inspector may use to investigate theaccident. (8)

(c) (i) Identify the court that would hear prosecutions for ahealth and safety offence summarily. (1)

(ii) Identify the court that would hear prosecutions for ahealth and safety offence on indictment. (1)

(iii) Identify the maximum penalties that EACH court canimpose for breaches of the Health and Safety at Worketc Act 1974. (4)

(d) Outline the conditions necessary for, AND the effect of, theserving of a Prohibition Notice. (2)

In answer to part (a) of the question, a variety of suggestions were put forward. Some

candidates did not differentiate between accidents, dangerous occurrences anddiseases and gave examples of each. Others suggested over ‘3 day’ accidents,whilst many referred to broken bones or dislocations without specifying the part of thebody involved.

For part (b), familiarity with section 20 of HASWA would have allowed candidates tooutline the powers available to an inspector.

Most candidates provided good answers for this part of the question although somedid add the serving of notices and the instigation of legal proceedings which althoughthey might follow the completion of the investigation, would not be relevant to theinvestigation itself.

For part (c), the court that would hear prosecutions for a health and safety offencesummarily in England would be the Magistrates Court whilst in Scotland they wouldbe heard in the Sheriff’s Court. Cases on indictment would be heard at the CrownCourt in England and before the Sheriff’s Court or High Court in Scotland.

Maximum penalties that can be imposed for a breach of the Health and Safety atWork Act are £20,000 or twelve months’ imprisonment for cases heard summarily andfor those on indictment, an unlimited fine and two years’ imprisonment.

This was the least well answered part of the question and many showed a lack ofunderstanding of the differences between criminal and civil courts occasionallysuggesting that the latter would hear summary proceedings. Penalties were oftenconfused and some candidates suggested those which are now out of date.

Unit NGC1

Management of safety and health



6 EXTERNAL

In answer to part (d), candidates should have outlined that a prohibition notice may beserved in the case of an activity which could lead to a risk of serious personal injury.The effect of the notice would be to stop the activity until the specified risk is reducedor eliminated.

Few candidates mentioned ‘serious personal injury’ but suggested in its place

‘imminent danger’. As for the effect of serving a notice some suggested an appeal andthere were not many who correctly identified that it would stay in place until the riskhad been reduced or eliminated.

Question 2 An organisation is considering expanding onto a shared site.

(a) Outline factors to consider when carrying out a risk assessmentof the first-aid provision on site. (6)

(b) Identify the TWO main functions of first-aid treatment. (2)

In answering part (a) of the question, candidates could have outlined factors such as:the types of activities and hazards present; the facilities and resources such as first-aid personnel who might be shared with other occupants; the needs of non-employees; the increased use and supply of first-aid reusables; and the ability toprovide continued cover over different shifts and for sickness, leave and otherabsence.

Candidates who did not do so well concentrated on facilities such as the content offirst-aid boxes rather than the factors to be considered when carrying out anassessment. Often candidates neglected the fact that the question was concernedwith a shared site.

For part (b) it was disappointing that the standard of answer to this part of thequestion was not particularly good with many not recognising the part played by first-aid in the treatment of minor injuries.

Question 3 Outline FOUR active (proactive) monitoring methods that can be used inassessing the health and safety performance of an organisation. (8)

Active monitoring methods that could have been outlined include: safety surveyswhich focus on a particular activity such as manual handling, training programmes oremployees’ attitudes towards safety; sampling where specific areas of occupationalhealth and safety are targeted; health surveillance using techniques such as

audiometry or the measurement of blood lead levels and environmental monitoringinvolving the measurement, for example, of noise or dust levels.

There was confusion between active and reactive monitoring methods whilst somecandidates named a method without providing the supporting detail necessary for an‘outline’.

Question 4 (a) Identify the legal requirements whereby employers mustprepare a written statement of their health and safety policy. (2)

(b) Outline the circumstances that may give rise to a need for ahealth and safety policy to be revised. (6)



7 EXTERNAL

For part (a) of the question, candidates were required to outline that employers havea duty under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 to prepare a writtenstatement of their health and safety policy when they have five or more employees.Most candidates answered this part of the question well although there were still a fewwho suggested the criterion of ‘more than five’.

For part (b), candidates could have outlined circumstances such as significantchanges in the structure of the organisation; following changes in legislation; whereaudits, risk assessments, monitoring exercises or investigations into accidents andcases of ill-health show that the policy is no longer effective or relevant; followingenforcement action by or the receipt of advice from the enforcement authority; andafter a sufficient period of time has elapsed since the previous review to suggest thatanother is due. Some answers lacked sufficient detail to satisfy an ‘outline’ questionwhilst a few candidates did not read the question with sufficient care and suggestedcircumstance that would result in the revision of a risk assessment.

Question 5 Outline the factors that should be considered when planning and setting

health and safety performance objectives. (8)

An important initial factor to be considered would be to decide who would set theobjectives and whether this would be done at board or local management level. Withthat decided it would then be necessary to consider further factors such as therequirements of the organisation’s health and safety management systems and thosedemanded by legislation and /or standards; to decide whether short or long termtargets were to be set and to ensure that they were specific, measureable, reasonableand achievable; to consider the likely effects of constraints such as those imposed bythe availability of finance or trained staff; and, to consider methods for measuringachievement with the objectives and for deciding a time scale within which theyshould be reviewed.

Many candidates did not seem to understand what factors should be considered inplanning and setting performance objectives and suggested possible targets instead.Some candidates gained few marks by the use of the mnemonic SMART.

Question 6 (a) Outline, using a workplace example, the meaning of the terms:

(i) near-miss; (3)

(ii) dangerous occurrence (reportable under the Reportingof Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous OccurrencesRegulations 1995). (3)

(b) Outline how an ‘accident study ratio’ (eg Bird’s Triangle) cancontribute to an understanding of accident prevention. (2)

In answering part (a), candidates were expected to outline the meaning of a near-missand a dangerous occurrence. Whilst most candidates were able to provide anadequate meaning of a ‘near-miss’ they had problems with a ‘dangerous occurrence’,some not even realising that it should be reported. Examples were often missing andeven when given, they were mostly incorrect.

For part (b), candidates should have outlined how accident ratio studies have shownthat there is a fixed ratio between accidents of different severity and those where no

loss occurred. Consequently, organisations that have high numbers of near-missesare likely to have a greater number of serious accidents and, therefore, if they reducethe number of near-misses they are likely to suffer fewer serious accidents. Similarly,



8 EXTERNAL

if the causes of minor injuries are addressed and either eliminated or controlled thecauses of serious accidents will also be reduced.

This part of the question was poorly answered and even when candidates showed anunderstanding of the existence of a ratio between near misses and major accidentsthey were often unable to comment on the significance of this relationship. There also

appeared to be confusion in some minds between an accident study ratio, root causeanalyses and ‘dominoes’.

Question 7 Identify EIGHT indicators of management commitment to health andsafety in the workplace. (8)

Important indicators of management commitment to health and safety includeensuring that sufficient resources such as finance, equipment and training areprovided to support the implementation of the health and safety policy; participation inmonitoring procedures such as inspections and audits and ensuring rapidimplementation of any recommendations made; personal observance of all safety

rules such as wearing personal protective equipment and using pedestrian walkways;participation in meetings of the safety committee and ensuring that health and safetyis a regular agenda item in other meetings at all levels; engaging in consultation withthe workforce and welcoming employee feedback; and in initiating and beingpersonally involved in the delivery of health and safety training courses.

Answers to this question were to a reasonable standard although candidates who didnot do so well described the benefits that might accrue from managementcommitment rather than how managers themselves would demonstrate it.

Question 8 (a) Identify TWO specific work activities for which a permit-to-work

might be needed. (2)

(b) Outline key elements of a permit-to-work system. (6)

For part (a), most candidates were able to identify permit-to-work activities.Candidates should note, however, that a general reference to electrical work withoutfurther definition is not sufficient to obtain the mark.

Elements which should be included in the permit include the necessary controls suchas, the isolation of sources of energy and other services, the provision and use ofpersonal protective equipment, emergency arrangements, the identification andcompetence of the persons carrying out the work and the duration of the permitconfirming the start and end time. An essential element of a permit to work system is,of course, the operation of the permit itself. By means of signatures, the permit shouldbe issued by an authorised person, and accepted by the competent personresponsible for the work. On completion of the work, the competent person wouldneed to indicate on the permit that the area had been made safe in order for thepermit to be cancelled by the authorised person, after which isolations could beremoved. Some candidates appeared to have experience of using permits to work attheir workplace and provided good answers. Those who did not seem to have thisexperience struggled.



9 EXTERNAL

Question 9 (a) Explain why health and safety performance should be reviewed. (4)

(b) Identify FOUR issues that may be considered during a healthand safety performance review. (4)

Candidates were expected to explain reasons such as: to assess compliance withlegal requirements; to identify whether control measures are in use, to assess theireffectiveness and to be able to make decisions on appropriate remedial measures forany deficiencies identified; and ultimately because monitoring and review is a vitalcomponent of any safety management system.

This proved to be the least well answered question on the paper. Some candidatesdid not seem to appreciate that it referred to the review requirements for a safetymanagement system and wrote about reviews of policies or risk assessments. Evenwhen the right approach was taken, explanations were limited.

In answer to part (b), candidates could have identified issues such as absence and ill-

health records; records and reports of any monitoring exercises; information on thedegree to which objectives and targets have been met; quality assurance reports;actions taken and advice given by the enforcement authority and any civil claims thathave been submitted; and the results and outcomes of previous reviews. Again, therewas confusion, and often answers were limited to issues such as changes toprocesses, equipment, personnel and the environment.

Question 10 (a) Explain key stages involved in carrying out a workplace riskassessment. (6)

(b) Identify legal requirements for recording a risk assessment. (2)

Answers to part (a) were generally to a good standard although some candidatesseemed unfamiliar with the five steps whilst a few explained the hierarchy of control.

For part (b), candidates should have referred to the requirements contained in theManagement of Health and Safety at Work Regulations which lays a duty on anemployer, who employs five or more persons, to keep a record of the significantfindings of an assessment. Some candidates considered that the requirement torecord was to be found in the Health and Safety at Work etc Act and others who couldnot be sure whether it is was ‘five or more’ or ‘more than five’.

Question 11 (a) Give the meaning of the term ‘health and safety audit’. (2)

(b) Outline THREE advantages AND THREE disadvantages of anexternal auditor carrying out a health and safety audit. (6)

For part (a), a good answer would have included that an audit is a systematic criticalexamination of a health and safety management system, involving a structuredprocess for the collection of independent information with the aim of assessing theeffectiveness and reliability of the system and suggesting corrective action when thiswas thought to be necessary. There were many candidates who showed a lack ofunderstanding of the process of auditing with some identifying it as an inspection ofvarious types of documentation and workplace activities rather than the examinationof the effectiveness of a health and safety management system.



10 EXTERNAL

Part (b) of the question produced some good answers and many candidates appearedto be well prepared for it.



The National ExaminationBoard in OccupationalSafety and Health

Dominus WayMeridian Business ParkLeicester LE19 1QW

telephone +44 (0)116 2634700fax +44 (0)116 2824000email [email protected]

examiners 39 report nebosh national general certificate in 129389

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