Health, Safety and Hygiene at the Workplace
What the exam tests
Hazard identification and the correct first response: fire, spill, electrical fault, manual handling injury, hygiene breach. Answers must name the control, not just say "be careful".
Legal and compliance frame
Shop working hours, leave and basic safety fall under the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments Act, 2017. Food handling areas follow FSSAI hygiene requirements: clean premises, pest control, trained handlers, safe water, correct temperature control and segregation of raw and cooked. Electrical goods sold must carry BIS marking where mandatory.
Fire safety
Fire classes: A solids, B flammable liquids, C gases, D metals, and electrical fires. Use water for class A only; CO2 or dry powder for electrical and liquid fires. Operate an extinguisher with PASS - Pull the pin, Aim at the base, Squeeze the handle, Sweep side to side. Keep exits, extinguishers and signage unobstructed; never prop fire doors open; know the assembly point.
Slips, trips and manual handling
Place a wet-floor sign immediately, barricade the area, absorb, clean and dry before reopening the aisle. Route cables away from walkways. Use a ladder with three-point contact and never stand on the top step. Lift with bent knees and a straight back, keep the load close, use trolleys, and take a team lift above safe individual limits.
Worked example
A bottle of cooking oil breaks in aisle 4.
- Stop foot traffic and place a warning sign - control the hazard before cleaning.
- Use absorbent, sweep, wash with degreaser, dry fully, then remove the sign.
- Report the incident, log it, and check why the bottle fell (shelf edge, overhang). Reasoning: the sign stays until the floor is genuinely dry; removing it early causes a second accident.
Traps that cost marks
Water on an electrical fire; blocking an exit with promotional stock; leaving a spill to "finish billing first"; not reporting a near miss.