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IOSH Managing Safely study materials
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IOSH Managing Safely practice questions

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Question 1Introducing Managing Safely

A hazard is best described as:

  1. something with the potential to cause harm Correct answer.
  2. an event that results in injury or damage
  3. the severity of harm once it has occurred
  4. the likelihood of that harm actually occurring

Explanation

A hazard is a source of potential harm, such as a chemical, a machine, a slippery floor or a working practice. It exists whether or not anyone is exposed to it at a particular moment.

Question 2Introducing Managing Safely

The three main reasons for managing health and safety are:

  1. financial, political and social
  2. moral, commercial and environmental
  3. legal, contractual and ethical
  4. moral, legal and financial Correct answer.

Explanation

Managing safely is justified on three grounds: the moral duty to protect people, the legal duties placed on employers, and the financial cost of getting it wrong. Environmental and contractual concerns are relevant but are not the three classic reasons.

Question 3Introducing Managing Safely

The moral argument for managing health and safety rests mainly on:

  1. the duty to protect people from being harmed by work Correct answer.
  2. avoiding fines and enforcement notices
  3. meeting the expectations of customers and insurers
  4. reducing the cost of insurance premiums

Explanation

The moral case is that nobody should be injured or made ill by their work, and it does not depend on whether a legal duty exists or whether money is saved. It is about the value placed on people.

Question 4Introducing Managing Safely

A near miss is best described as:

  1. an injury that needs only first aid treatment
  2. a hazard identified but not yet brought under control
  3. an accident that is not reportable to the enforcing authority
  4. an unplanned event that could have caused harm but did not Correct answer.

Explanation

Near misses are unwanted events where the circumstances could have led to injury or damage but no harm actually resulted. They are valuable warning signs and should be recorded and looked into.

Question 5Introducing Managing Safely

Managing Safely is designed primarily for:

  1. employees working in high-hazard industries
  2. officers of the enforcing authority
  3. managers and supervisors in any sector Correct answer.
  4. full-time health and safety practitioners

Explanation

The course is aimed at people with management or supervisory responsibility in any organisation, whatever its risk profile. It gives them the knowledge and tools to handle health and safety within their teams.

Question 6Introducing Managing Safely

In health and safety terms, 'health' is concerned mainly with:

  1. preventing injuries that happen suddenly and without warning
  2. the physical condition of the workplace and its equipment
  3. effects on wellbeing that develop gradually over time Correct answer.
  4. preventing sudden injuries caused by obvious hazards

Explanation

Health relates to gradual harm such as occupational disease, work-related stress or noise-induced hearing loss. Safety relates to acute harm, such as slips, falls and cuts.

Question 7Introducing Managing Safely

An accident is best described as:

  1. an unplanned event that results in injury or damage Correct answer.
  2. any hazard that has not been adequately controlled
  3. a breach of a legal duty by the employer
  4. a situation where someone is exposed to a risk

Explanation

An accident is an unintended event that actually causes harm, such as injury, ill health or damage to property or the environment. It is distinguished from a near miss by the presence of a harmful outcome.

Question 8Introducing Managing Safely

Responsibility for health and safety at work rests with:

  1. the enforcing authority alone
  2. everyone in the organisation, from the top down Correct answer.
  3. the health and safety manager alone
  4. senior management alone

Explanation

Everyone at work has a part to play, with employers carrying the main legal duty and managers responsible within their own areas. Directors and senior managers set the direction and the culture.

Question 9Introducing Managing Safely

'Reasonably practicable' means an employer must:

  1. weigh the risk against the cost of controlling it Correct answer.
  2. act only once an accident has happened
  3. control every risk regardless of cost or effort
  4. do only what is required by written guidance

Explanation

Reasonably practicable requires balancing the size of the risk against the time, trouble and cost needed to remove it. If the sacrifice is grossly disproportionate to the benefit, the measure need not be taken.

Question 10Introducing Managing Safely

Which of the following is an indirect (uninsured) cost of a workplace accident?

  1. lost production while the area is made safe Correct answer.
  2. repair of damaged machinery under an insurance policy
  3. compensation paid to the injured person
  4. first aid treatment given at the scene

Explanation

Indirect costs are the uninsured losses that follow an accident, such as lost time, extra training, investigation and damage to morale. Insured items such as compensation, treatment and covered repairs are counted as direct costs.

Question 11Introducing Managing Safely

An inspector from the enforcing authority may serve a prohibition notice when:

  1. records of risk assessments are out of date
  2. the employer has failed to display an insurance certificate
  3. a minor administrative breach needs correcting
  4. there is a risk of serious personal injury Correct answer.

Explanation

A prohibition notice stops an activity that creates a risk of serious personal injury, either immediately or after a stated time. An improvement notice is used where a breach needs putting right but there is no risk of serious injury.

Question 12Introducing Managing Safely

A supervisor notices a team member using a ladder incorrectly. The best immediate action is to:

  1. report it to the enforcing authority
  2. record it and raise it at the next safety committee meeting
  3. stop the work, correct the practice and explain the risk Correct answer.
  4. add the observation to the monthly accident statistics

Explanation

Managers should deal with unsafe behaviour as soon as they see it by stopping the job, correcting the method and explaining why it matters. Delaying for meetings or paperwork leaves the person exposed to the risk.

Question 13Introducing Managing Safely

Which of the following is a proactive way of managing health and safety?

  1. investigating the cause of an injury that has occurred
  2. recording lost-time injuries in the accident book
  3. carrying out a workplace inspection before work starts Correct answer.
  4. reporting a dangerous occurrence to the authority

Explanation

Proactive measures act on risk before harm occurs, such as inspections, risk assessments, training and maintenance. Investigating accidents and reporting incidents are reactive because they follow an unwanted event.

Question 14Introducing Managing Safely

In the Plan-Do-Check-Act approach to managing safely, the 'Check' stage involves:

  1. reviewing the whole approach and improving it
  2. monitoring and measuring performance against the plan Correct answer.
  3. setting objectives and identifying significant risks
  4. putting controls in place and training staff

Explanation

Check means measuring what is actually happening against what was planned, using inspections, audits, health surveillance and incident data. Acting on the findings and improving the approach is the final stage.

Question 15Introducing Managing Safely

Which of the following is a business benefit of managing health and safety well?

  1. an increase in the number of reported hazards
  2. a shorter list of legal duties to comply with
  3. a reduced need for risk assessments
  4. lower absence and fewer disruption days Correct answer.

Explanation

Good health and safety management reduces injuries and ill health, so less time is lost and productivity, morale and reputation improve. Legal duties and the need for risk assessment do not disappear; they are simply handled better.

Question 16Introducing Managing Safely

The main general duty of an employer under health and safety law is to:

  1. eliminate every workplace hazard regardless of cost or effort
  2. safeguard health and safety so far as is reasonably practicable Correct answer.
  3. appoint a full-time qualified safety officer in every workplace
  4. provide a written risk assessment to every employee and visitor

Explanation

Employers must ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees and of others affected by their work, so far as is reasonably practicable. More specific regulations then set detailed requirements in particular areas.

Question 17Introducing Managing Safely

A manager could face personal legal consequences when:

  1. they consent to, or connive in, a breach of the law Correct answer.
  2. a risk assessment in their area is reviewed late
  3. their employer is served with an improvement notice by an inspector
  4. an employee they supervise is injured at work

Explanation

Individuals, including managers, can be prosecuted where a breach is committed with their consent, connivance or neglect. Simply being the supervisor of an injured person is not enough on its own.

Question 18Introducing Managing Safely

Accident statistics understate the real level of harm mainly because:

  1. records are kept by the enforcing authority
  2. many minor injuries and near misses go unreported Correct answer.
  3. only injuries involving machinery are recorded
  4. statistics only cover fatal accidents

Explanation

Reporting depends on people coming forward, and minor injuries, work-related ill health and near misses are often not recorded. Statistics therefore capture only part of the picture.

Question 19Introducing Managing Safely

Which of the following is a human factor that can contribute to an accident?

  1. the condition of tools and equipment
  2. the absence of guarding around a moving machine part
  3. the layout of the workplace
  4. a worker's attitude, fatigue or lack of competence Correct answer.

Explanation

Human factors cover the behaviour, capability, attitude and physical state of people at work, including fatigue, stress, inexperience and risk-taking. Layout, tool condition and missing guards are physical or organisational factors.

Question 20Introducing Managing Safely

A positive health and safety culture is best indicated by:

  1. staff at all levels raising concerns and shaping decisions Correct answer.
  2. detailed written policies displayed on every noticeboard
  3. regular safety meetings attended by managers and staff
  4. a falling number of reported accidents each year

Explanation

Culture is about shared attitudes and behaviour, shown when people at every level feel able to raise concerns and are involved in decisions about safety. Documents, meetings and accident numbers alone do not show what people really think and do.

Question 21Introducing Managing Safely

A site has had no reported accidents for three years. Why might this not show that it is safe?

  1. near misses and ill health may simply be going unreported Correct answer.
  2. three years is too long a period to judge anything
  3. the law requires five years of records before judging safety
  4. accidents are only a legal concern, not a safety measure

Explanation

The absence of reported injuries can reflect under-reporting, or harm that develops slowly such as noise-induced hearing loss or exposure to hazardous substances. Only proactive monitoring shows whether risk is genuinely being controlled.

Question 22Introducing Managing Safely

Under UK law, an organisation whose gross breach of duty causes a person's death may be prosecuted for:

  1. corporate manslaughter Correct answer.
  2. corporate negligence causing death
  3. breach of statutory duty causing a fatality
  4. gross negligence manslaughter

Explanation

The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 allows an organisation itself to be prosecuted where a gross failure in the management of health and safety causes a death. Penalties include an unlimited fine and a publicity order.

Question 23Introducing Managing Safely

When judging whether a control measure is reasonably practicable, a court will treat the measure as unreasonable where:

  1. it has been recommended by a supplier but not tested
  2. it would cost more than the insurance cover available
  3. it would slow production by any measurable amount
  4. the cost and effort are grossly disproportionate to the risk Correct answer.

Explanation

The test weighs the size of the risk against the sacrifice needed to control it; only where the sacrifice is grossly disproportionate to the benefit can a measure be refused. Cost alone, or a small disruption to production, does not justify inaction.

Question 24Introducing Managing Safely

Why do uninsured accident costs matter more to a business than insured costs?

  1. insurers will not pay out for accidents caused by negligence
  2. insured costs are too small to be shown in the accounts
  3. they are not recovered from insurers and hit profit directly Correct answer.
  4. uninsured costs are calculated and set by the enforcing authority

Explanation

Uninsured costs such as lost production, investigation time, retraining and damage to reputation are borne directly by the business. Insured costs are covered by premiums, although claims can still push future premiums up.

Question 25Introducing Managing Safely

Managing safely treats health and safety as:

  1. a set of legal duties to be met only when inspectors call
  2. a normal management function to be planned and reviewed Correct answer.
  3. a specialist matter that is best left to the safety adviser
  4. a cost to be minimised wherever that is possible

Explanation

Health and safety is managed like any other part of the business: objectives are set, controls are put in place, performance is monitored and the approach is reviewed. Managers, not just specialists, own this process within their areas.

Question 26Introducing Managing Safely

In health and safety, the term 'risk' is best defined as:

  1. The likelihood and severity of harm arising from a hazard Correct answer.
  2. Any source of potential harm in the workplace, whether or not anyone is exposed to it
  3. A record of the injuries that have already occurred at a premises
  4. The legal duty an employer owes to people affected by its work

Explanation

Risk combines two elements: how likely it is that a hazard will cause harm and how serious that harm could be. It is therefore a measure of probability and consequence, not the hazard itself. Hazard, by contrast, is simply something with the potential to cause harm.

Question 27Introducing Managing Safely

An inspector finds that a machine guard has been removed. The machine is not in use, no one is at immediate risk, and the guard can be refitted within a few days. Which enforcement action is most appropriate?

  1. Immediate prosecution of the operator who last used the machine
  2. A prohibition notice that immediately stops the machine from being used until the danger is removed
  3. Withdrawal of the company's written health and safety policy
  4. An improvement notice requiring the guard to be refitted within a set deadline Correct answer.

Explanation

A prohibition notice is used to stop an activity that carries a risk of serious personal injury, and it takes effect immediately or at a stated time. Where the risk is not imminent and the fault can be corrected, an improvement notice gives a deadline for remedial action instead. An inspector cannot withdraw a policy or prosecute an individual worker for a systemic guarding failure.

Question 28Introducing Managing Safely

A worker slips on oil. The investigation finds the oil came from a machine that had been reported as leaking twice but never repaired, and that scheduled cleaning had been dropped during a busy period. Which of these is the root (underlying) cause?

  1. The worker's own footwear, which may not have had adequate grip for the surface
  2. The busy period, because it is normal for housekeeping to slip when demand is high
  3. The patch of oil that the worker stepped in, since this was the direct cause of the fall
  4. Failures in the maintenance and cleaning arrangements that were allowed to lapse Correct answer.

Explanation

Root causes are the management failures that allowed an unsafe condition to exist, such as an unaddressed maintenance backlog and abandoned cleaning routines. The oil itself is only the immediate cause of the slip. Effective investigation looks past the direct cause to the underlying systems that failed.

Question 29Introducing Managing Safely

Over a year a warehouse records fewer lost-time injuries but a sharp rise in reported near misses. Which conclusion is most reasonable?

  1. The near-miss figures should be discounted, since on this occasion nobody was actually harmed
  2. The workplace has become more dangerous, because a near miss is simply an accident that happened to cause no injury on this occasion
  3. Reporting culture has probably improved, but the near-miss pattern should be investigated before performance is judged Correct answer.
  4. Nothing needs to be done, because a fall in lost-time injuries proves that safety is improving

Explanation

Near misses are unplanned events that could have caused harm, so a rising count can reflect better reporting rather than worsening conditions. Because near misses typically outnumber injuries, they are useful early warnings of the failures that lead to harm. The pattern should be analysed before any claim about safety performance is made.

Question 30Assessing risks

Which statement best describes the difference between a hazard and a risk?

  1. A hazard can cause harm; a risk is the chance of that harm occurring. Correct answer.
  2. A hazard is a control measure; a risk is a legal requirement placed on employers.
  3. A hazard is present only in high-risk workplaces; a risk is present in every workplace.
  4. A hazard is the likelihood of harm; a risk is the severity of that harm.

Explanation

A hazard is a source or situation with potential to cause harm, while risk combines the likelihood of harm with its severity. Control measures reduce risk but do not change the hazard itself.

Question 31Assessing risks

How many steps are in the commonly used IOSH risk assessment process?

  1. Seven
  2. Five Correct answer.
  3. Three
  4. Nine

Explanation

The IOSH five-step approach is: identify hazards; decide who might be harmed and how; evaluate risks and decide precautions; record significant findings; review and update. Five is the standard number.

Question 32Assessing risks

A risk rating is normally calculated by combining which two factors?

  1. Frequency and duration
  2. Cost and likelihood
  3. Likelihood and severity Correct answer.
  4. Severity and the number of workers

Explanation

Risk is assessed by considering how likely harm is and how severe it would be. Combining these factors produces a risk rating.

Question 33Assessing risks

When should a risk assessment be reviewed?

  1. Only when a health and safety inspector visits
  2. Only once a year, regardless of any changes
  3. Never, once the assessment has been signed off
  4. After a change in work activities, equipment or personnel, or after an incident Correct answer.

Explanation

A risk assessment is a living document and must be reviewed when circumstances change, such as new equipment, altered processes or following an incident. A fixed annual review alone is not sufficient.

Question 34Assessing risks

Who is best placed to carry out a risk assessment for a task?

  1. An external consultant only, because they are always independent
  2. The most senior manager, regardless of technical knowledge
  3. A person competent to understand the task and its hazards Correct answer.
  4. Any visitor who happens to be on site that day

Explanation

The assessor needs enough knowledge of the activity and the hazards to make sound judgements. Competence may come from training, experience or both.

Question 35Assessing risks

What is the first step in a risk assessment?

  1. Decide on the control measures to be used
  2. Record the findings in a written document
  3. Review the assessment with the workforce
  4. Identify the hazards associated with the activity Correct answer.

Explanation

Before risks can be evaluated or controls chosen, the hazards must be identified. The remaining steps follow once hazards are known.

Question 36Assessing risks

Which control measure is at the top of the hierarchy of control because it removes the hazard?

  1. Personal protective equipment
  2. Engineering controls
  3. Elimination Correct answer.
  4. Administrative controls

Explanation

Elimination removes the hazard completely, so it is the most effective control. Lower levels rely on reducing exposure or protecting people.

Question 37Assessing risks

What is meant by residual risk?

  1. The risk created by residual chemicals on site
  2. The risk that cannot be assessed by any method
  3. The risk that remains after control measures have been applied Correct answer.
  4. The risk before any control measures are applied

Explanation

Residual risk is what remains after controls have been applied and is the level that must be judged tolerable. It is not the initial risk before controls.

Question 38Assessing risks

A task has a likelihood rating of 4 and a severity rating of 3 on a 5x5 matrix. What is the risk rating?

  1. 12 Correct answer.
  2. 7
  3. 1.33
  4. 34

Explanation

On a 5x5 matrix the rating is the product of likelihood and severity, so 4 × 3 = 12. This falls in a high-risk band and needs priority action.

Question 39Assessing risks

Two risks are recorded: Risk A rated 16 and Risk B rated 6. Which should be addressed first?

  1. Risk B, because it has the lower rating
  2. Risk A, because it has the higher rating Correct answer.
  3. Neither, because both ratings are acceptable
  4. Both at the same time, because ratings do not indicate priority

Explanation

Risk ratings allow risks to be ranked so that the highest risks are tackled first. A rating of 16 is higher than 6 and therefore takes priority.

Question 40Assessing risks

Why is PPE placed at the bottom of the hierarchy of control?

  1. It is always uncomfortable to wear for long periods and is unpopular
  2. It is the most expensive control option available to most employers
  3. It eliminates the hazard at source
  4. It protects only the wearer and depends on correct use Correct answer.

Explanation

PPE does not remove the hazard and its effectiveness depends on the user wearing it correctly and maintaining it. It is therefore the last resort after other controls.

Question 41Assessing risks

When is a dynamic risk assessment most appropriate?

  1. When a formal external audit has been scheduled by the client
  2. When preparing the annual budget and resource plan for the site
  3. When conditions change quickly and no written assessment is available Correct answer.
  4. When writing the organisation's health and safety policy statement

Explanation

A dynamic risk assessment is a quick check of changing conditions, used when circumstances shift and a written assessment is not immediately available. It supplements, rather than replaces, formal assessment.

Question 42Assessing risks

Which findings from a risk assessment should be recorded?

  1. Only legal notices and enforcement action received from the regulator
  2. Every minor detail observed during the walk-around, including trivial matters
  3. Only accidents and incidents that have already occurred on site
  4. The significant hazards, who may be harmed and the controls used Correct answer.

Explanation

Records should capture the significant hazards, the groups at risk and the controls adopted, so that the assessment can be communicated and reviewed. Trivial detail is not required.

Question 43Assessing risks

Which group should be specifically considered when deciding who might be harmed?

  1. Only senior managers, directors and board members of the organisation
  2. Only full-time permanent employees and long-serving agency staff
  3. New and young workers, expectant mothers and disabled people Correct answer.
  4. Only contractors working under a formal permit to work system

Explanation

Some groups face greater risk because of inexperience, physical condition or other factors, so they must be considered explicitly. The assessment should reflect their needs.

Question 44Assessing risks

When is a generic risk assessment appropriate?

  1. Never, because every assessment must be written from scratch for each site
  2. For high-hazard, unique operations such as confined space entry or demolition
  3. For low-risk similar activities where a standard assessment can be adapted Correct answer.
  4. Only after an accident has occurred on the site

Explanation

A generic assessment covers common, similar activities and can be adapted to local conditions. Unique or high-hazard work needs a specific assessment.

Question 45Assessing risks

A machine guard can be fitted to prevent access to moving parts. This is an example of which level of control?

  1. Administrative control
  2. Elimination
  3. Personal protective equipment
  4. Engineering control Correct answer.

Explanation

A machine guard is a physical engineering measure that prevents access to the hazard. It sits above administrative controls and PPE in the hierarchy.

Question 46Assessing risks

What does ALARP mean in risk management?

  1. An average level of risk that is permitted for the industry
  2. A legal limit that applies to all chemical exposures
  3. Risk reduced as low as reasonably practicable Correct answer.
  4. All risks must be eliminated completely in every case

Explanation

ALARP means reducing risk until the cost and effort of further reduction would be grossly disproportionate to the benefit. It recognises that some risk may remain.

Question 47Assessing risks

Why might workers underestimate a familiar risk?

  1. Because risk assessments are always inaccurate in practice
  2. Because familiarity always increases the severity of harm
  3. Because wearing PPE automatically increases the risk
  4. Repeated exposure without harm makes the risk feel normal Correct answer.

Explanation

Familiarity and repeated exposure without incident can reduce perceived risk, leading people to take shortcuts. This is why refresher training and challenge are important.

Question 48Assessing risks

What is the purpose of monitoring control measures after a risk assessment?

  1. To increase the risk rating so that it appears on the register
  2. To satisfy the requirements of the insurance company only
  3. To replace the need for any future review of the assessment
  4. To check that controls remain effective and are used as intended Correct answer.

Explanation

Monitoring checks that controls continue to work and that people follow them. It provides evidence for review and helps detect deterioration.

Question 49Assessing risks

How should risk assessment findings be shared with workers?

  1. By displaying them on a noticeboard in the main reception area only
  2. By filing them in the site office for reference only when requested
  3. Through instruction and training relevant to their tasks Correct answer.
  4. By issuing the full document to each worker without any explanation

Explanation

Workers need to understand the risks and controls that apply to their own work. Instruction, training and relevant information make the assessment meaningful in practice.

Question 50Assessing risks

Which statement best distinguishes a tolerable risk from an acceptable risk?

  1. A tolerable risk and an acceptable risk mean exactly the same thing in practice
  2. A tolerable risk is always unacceptable in law; an acceptable risk is always a high risk
  3. A tolerable risk is negligible in all cases; an acceptable risk is accepted only for the benefit gained
  4. Tolerable risk is accepted for benefit but reduced further; acceptable risk is negligible Correct answer.

Explanation

Tolerable risk is accepted for the benefit of the activity but should be reduced further if reasonably practicable. Acceptable risk is broadly negligible and requires no further action.