Health, Safety, Security and Workplace Ethics
Health, Safety, Security and Workplace Ethics tests hazards, controls, emergency procedures, security of people and information, and ethical conduct. Scenario questions ask what you should do first or which control is most appropriate.
Core rules
- Employers must provide a safe workplace, risk assessments, training, first aid and emergency procedures; employees must follow safe systems, report hazards and use protective equipment.
- Common office hazards include trailing cables, slips and trips, poor lifting, electrical faults, overcrowded storage, poor lighting and VDU strain.
- Fire: remove one side of the fire triangle of fuel, heat and oxygen. Use the correct extinguisher: water is for wood and paper, not live electrical equipment; CO2 is suitable for electrical fires.
- Evacuation: raise the alarm, follow the escape route, do not use lifts, go to the assembly point and do not return until authorised.
- Security: access control, visitor badges, locked storage, passwords, clean desk, secure disposal and backup. Report incidents.
- Ethics: honesty, confidentiality, fairness, no bribes, declare conflicts of interest, punctuality and respect.
Worked example
A computer starts smoking. Reasoned action: do not throw water on it; switch off at the socket only if safe, raise the alarm, evacuate if fire develops, and report the fault. Water conducts electricity and could cause shock or spread damage. A CO2 extinguisher is appropriate for live electrical equipment only by trained staff.
Traps that cost marks
Using water on electrical fires; using lifts during evacuation; sharing passwords; leaving confidential papers on a desk; accepting gifts that could influence a decision; failing to report near misses.