Trade Safety, Health and Environment
Trade Safety, Health and Environment tests how a mason recognises site hazards, selects PPE, and applies safe methods for scaffolds, ladders, excavations, dust control, manual handling and waste disposal. Questions often use a short site situation and ask for the safest action, not the fastest one.
Core controls
- Wear a helmet with chin strap, safety shoes, high-visibility vest, gloves and eye protection; use a respirator for silica dust when cutting or chasing.
- Scaffold platforms need guardrails, toe boards, stable footings and safe access; never climb the standards.
- Excavations about 1.5 m deep or more need shoring, battering or a documented safe system; inspect after rain and barricade the edges.
- Keep walkways clear, stack bricks at a stable height, and separate waste for reuse, recycling and disposal.
- Report injuries and near misses; know the location of first aid and emergency contacts.
Worked example
A ladder must reach a 3 m high wall. The recommended 4:1 slope means the foot is set 3 ÷ 4 = 0.75 m from the wall. If the foot is only 0.4 m out, the ladder is too steep and may tip backwards; if it is 1.5 m out, the top may slip. Mark the base, tie the top and extend the ladder about 1 m above the landing.
Traps that cost marks
Choosing speed over a guardrail, entering an unsupported trench, dry-sweeping silica dust, or using a damaged helmet are common wrong options. Do not treat a near miss as harmless; it must be reported because it identifies a control failure.
Key points
- Match the control to the hazard: dust, fall, excavation, electrical or manual handling.
- A 4:1 ladder slope gives a base of one-quarter of the height.
- Trenches need support or battering, edge protection and inspection.
- Never remove a guardrail without an alternative fall control.