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NEBOSH IDip practice questions

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Question 1Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

Under the hierarchy of control used in occupational health and safety management, which control measure sits immediately below elimination?

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

Explanation

The hierarchy of control ranks measures from most to least reliable. Elimination removes the hazard entirely, and substitution replaces it with something less hazardous, so substitution is the second tier. Engineering controls come after substitution, followed by administrative controls and finally PPE.

Question 2Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

A safety practitioner wants to describe the point at which losses begin to occur in an accident sequence. Which term is used in loss causation models for the event that initiates the unplanned energy transfer?

  1. The latent failure
  2. The initiating event or immediate cause Correct answer.
  3. The consequence
  4. The underlying root cause

Explanation

In loss causation models, the initiating event (immediate cause) is the deviation or act that starts the sequence leading to loss. Root causes and latent failures are pre-existing conditions that allow the initiating event to occur. The consequence is the outcome, not the trigger.

Question 3Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

In a safety management system, what is the primary purpose of a permit-to-work system?

  1. To control high-risk work by formal authorisation and specified precautions Correct answer.
  2. To replace the need for risk assessment
  3. To record training records for contractors
  4. To document the cost of maintenance activities

Explanation

A permit-to-work system provides formal documented authorisation for defined high-risk tasks, specifying the precautions, isolations and conditions that must be met before and during the work. It supplements rather than replaces risk assessment, and it is not a training or cost record.

Question 4Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

Which of the following best describes the concept of 'reasonably practicable' in health and safety law?

  1. Balancing the risk against the cost, time and effort of controlling it Correct answer.
  2. Doing whatever is technically possible regardless of cost
  3. Applying only the controls that are cheapest to implement
  4. Complying only with written procedures already in place

Explanation

'Reasonably practicable' involves weighing the magnitude of risk against the sacrifice (cost, time, effort) needed to control it. It is not a simple cost-benefit exercise that allows risk to be ignored, nor does it require unlimited expenditure. The test is a gross disproportion judgement.

Question 5Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

Which type of organisational culture, in the safety culture literature, is characterised by people being willing to report their own errors and near misses without fear of blame?

  1. A just culture Correct answer.
  2. A competitive culture
  3. A blame culture
  4. A compliance culture

Explanation

A just culture encourages reporting by distinguishing between honest errors and reckless or deliberate breaches. It supports learning from near misses while still holding people accountable for wilful violations. This openness is a foundation of a positive safety culture.

Question 6Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

What is the principal function of a health and safety management system standard such as ISO 45001?

  1. To provide a framework for managing occupational health and safety risks and opportunities Correct answer.
  2. To replace national legal requirements
  3. To prescribe specific technical control measures for each industry
  4. To certify individual workers as competent

Explanation

ISO 45001 provides a management framework built on planning, support, operation, performance evaluation and improvement. It does not prescribe specific technical controls and does not replace legal duties; it helps an organisation meet them systematically.

Question 7Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

In risk assessment terminology, what does 'likelihood' refer to?

  1. The chance that a hazardous event will occur Correct answer.
  2. The severity of the most foreseeable injury
  3. The number of people exposed to a hazard
  4. The cost of the control measure

Explanation

Likelihood (probability) is the chance that a hazardous event will happen, which is then combined with severity of harm to estimate risk. Severity, numbers exposed and cost are separate considerations. Risk is typically expressed as a function of likelihood and consequence.

Question 8Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

Which of the following is an example of a reactive (lagging) performance indicator in health and safety management?

  1. Number of safety audits scheduled
  2. Percentage of staff trained in manual handling
  3. Lost-time injury frequency rate Correct answer.
  4. Number of completed workplace inspections

Explanation

Reactive indicators measure outcomes after events have occurred, such as injury rates. Lost-time injury frequency rate is a classic lagging measure. Inspections, training completion and audits are proactive (leading) indicators because they measure preventive activity.

Question 9Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

A worker is exposed to a hazardous substance over an 8-hour shift. Which exposure limit value is intended to protect against effects from prolonged, repeated exposure across a working lifetime?

  1. Long-term exposure limit (LTEL) Correct answer.
  2. Short-term exposure limit (STEL)
  3. Ceiling limit
  4. Immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH)

Explanation

Long-term exposure limits are set for a reference period such as an 8-hour shift and address chronic effects of repeated exposure. STELs and ceiling limits address short-term peaks, while IDLH concerns escape from acutely dangerous atmospheres.

Question 10Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

An organisation records 6 reportable injuries over a period in which staff worked 400,000 hours. Using the standard formula, what is the injury rate per 100,000 hours worked?

  1. 1.2
  2. 1.5 Correct answer.
  3. 0.6
  4. 2.4

Explanation

The formula is (number of injuries ÷ hours worked) × 100,000. That gives (6 ÷ 400,000) × 100,000 = 1.5 injuries per 100,000 hours worked. This normalises the count so it can be compared across sites or periods.

Question 11Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

A noise survey shows a worker's daily exposure is 88 dB(A) Lep,d. What does this indicate relative to a typical 85 dB(A) upper action value?

  1. The exposure is at the peak action value
  2. The exposure is below the action value and no action is required
  3. The exposure is at the lower action value only
  4. The exposure exceeds the upper action value and requires action including hearing protection and health surveillance Correct answer.

Explanation

A daily exposure of 88 dB(A) exceeds the typical upper action value of 85 dB(A). This triggers duties such as providing hearing protection, ensuring its use, audiometric testing and reducing exposure as far as reasonably practicable. The lower action value is 80 dB(A).

Question 12Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

In a bow-tie risk analysis, what do the left-hand side and right-hand side of the diagram represent?

  1. Probability and severity
  2. Causes and consequences of a top event Correct answer.
  3. Legal duties and moral duties
  4. Hazards and controls

Explanation

A bow-tie diagram places the top event in the centre, with threats (causes) and preventive barriers on the left and consequences and mitigative barriers on the right. This makes explicit the distinction between prevention and mitigation controls. It is a structured visualisation of risk controls.

Question 13Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

Which of the following best describes a 'near miss' in incident reporting?

  1. A deliberate breach of a safety rule
  2. An unplanned event that did not cause harm but had the potential to do so Correct answer.
  3. An event that caused a minor injury requiring first aid
  4. A hazard identified during a routine inspection

Explanation

A near miss is an unplanned event that did not result in injury or damage but had the potential to do so. Reporting near misses provides learning opportunities before harm occurs. It is distinct from a first-aid injury, a violation and a hazard observation.

Question 14Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

A risk assessment identifies that a machine guard could be removed by an operator to speed up production. Which control strategy most directly addresses this behavioural risk?

  1. Adding the task to the training matrix
  2. Introducing an interlocked guard that prevents operation when open Correct answer.
  3. Increasing the severity rating in the risk matrix
  4. Replacing the guard with a warning sign

Explanation

An interlocked guard is an engineering control that prevents access or operation when the guard is open, removing the opportunity for bypass. This is more reliable than signage or training, which depend on behaviour. The hierarchy favours engineering over administrative measures.

Question 15Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

What is the main purpose of health surveillance in an occupational health programme?

  1. To discipline workers who fail medical checks
  2. To detect early signs of work-related ill health so action can be taken Correct answer.
  3. To replace the need for exposure monitoring
  4. To provide general health screening unrelated to work

Explanation

Health surveillance aims to detect early signs of work-related ill health, enabling intervention before harm becomes serious or permanent. It complements exposure monitoring and risk controls rather than replacing them, and it is not a disciplinary tool.

Question 16Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

An organisation wants to reduce risk from a hazardous chemical by changing to a less hazardous alternative. Which level of the hierarchy of control does this represent?

  1. Engineering control
  2. Administrative control
  3. Elimination
  4. Substitution Correct answer.

Explanation

Replacing a hazardous chemical with a less hazardous alternative is substitution, the second most effective level of the hierarchy. Elimination would mean removing the need for the substance entirely. Substitution reduces risk but does not remove the hazard altogether.

Question 17Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

In accident investigation, which method focuses on identifying the multiple contributing factors and underlying deficiencies across an organisation rather than a single root cause?

  1. Systems-based or multi-causal investigation Correct answer.
  2. Blame allocation
  3. Fault tree analysis
  4. The '5 whys' single-cause approach

Explanation

Systems-based investigation recognises that accidents usually arise from multiple interacting factors across technical, human and organisational dimensions. It seeks underlying deficiencies rather than a single root cause. Fault tree analysis is a deductive technique but not the general description of multi-causal investigation.

Question 18Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

Which of the following best explains why a positive safety culture requires visible leadership commitment?

  1. Leadership behaviour shapes the priorities and norms that workers follow Correct answer.
  2. Leadership commitment removes the need for worker consultation
  3. Leaders are legally the only people responsible for safety
  4. Leaders can personally supervise every task

Explanation

Safety culture is shaped by what leaders prioritise, reward and model. Visible commitment signals that safety matters and influences worker behaviour and reporting. It does not remove the need for consultation or make leaders solely responsible.

Question 19Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

A risk matrix uses likelihood and severity axes. A task has low likelihood but catastrophic severity. What is the most appropriate response?

  1. Treat it as high priority because the potential consequence is severe Correct answer.
  2. Ignore it because the likelihood is low
  3. Reduce it only if the cost is low
  4. Record it but take no action

Explanation

Risk is a product of likelihood and severity, so a catastrophic consequence can produce high risk even when likelihood is low. Such risks require serious attention and controls proportionate to the worst credible outcome. Low likelihood alone does not justify inaction.

Question 20Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

Which of the following is the most appropriate way to evaluate the effectiveness of a safety training programme?

  1. Counting the number of attendees
  2. Collecting feedback on the trainer's presentation style
  3. Measuring changes in workplace behaviour and competence after training Correct answer.
  4. Recording the duration of each session

Explanation

Effective evaluation goes beyond attendance and satisfaction to assess whether competence and behaviour have changed and whether risk has been reduced. Kirkpatrick-style evaluation includes learning and behaviour transfer, not just reaction. Counting attendees only confirms exposure to training.

Question 21Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

In the context of contractor management, which control is most important before a contractor begins high-risk work on site?

  1. Confirming the contractor's insurance premium
  2. Allowing the contractor to self-certify without review
  3. Relying on the contractor's own procedures without coordination
  4. Pre-qualifying competence and exchanging risk information Correct answer.

Explanation

Before work starts, the host organisation should verify contractor competence and share information about site hazards, while the contractor shares its risk assessments and method statements. This two-way exchange underpins coordinated control. Self-certification without review and uncoordinated procedures create gaps.

Question 22Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

An organisation uses both leading and lagging indicators. Which pair correctly matches an indicator to its type?

  1. Leading: lost-time days; Lagging: audit completion
  2. Leading: injury frequency rate; Lagging: near-miss reporting rate
  3. Leading: accident costs; Lagging: training hours
  4. Leading: safety climate survey score; Lagging: number of reportable incidents Correct answer.

Explanation

Leading indicators measure preventive activity or conditions that predict future performance, such as safety climate scores. Lagging indicators measure outcomes already realised, such as reportable incidents. The other pairs invert or misclassify the indicators.

Question 23Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

A safety practitioner argues that a 'safe system of work' is more than a written procedure. Which statement best captures what a safe system of work comprises?

  1. A list of disciplinary rules for unsafe behaviour
  2. A record of past accidents
  3. The integration of people, equipment, environment and procedures to control risk Correct answer.
  4. A document stored in the safety manual

Explanation

A safe system of work integrates the task, people, equipment, environment and procedures so that risk is controlled in practice. It is more than a document and includes competence, supervision and physical controls. Written procedures are only one element.

Question 24Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

An organisation's accident data show many minor incidents but few serious ones. Using the accident triangle concept, what is the main practical implication?

  1. Only serious incidents need investigation
  2. Reducing minor incidents and near misses may reduce the potential for serious harm Correct answer.
  3. Serious accidents are unrelated to minor incidents
  4. Minor incidents should be ignored to save resources

Explanation

The accident triangle suggests a relationship between the frequency of minor incidents and near misses and the potential for more serious events. Addressing the underlying causes of minor incidents can therefore reduce serious harm. It does not mean every minor incident predicts a serious one, but it supports investigating them.

Question 25Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

A risk assessment team is considering a control that is technically feasible but would cost more than the entire annual profit of the site. Under the 'reasonably practicable' test, what must be considered?

  1. Whether the control is mentioned in legislation
  2. Whether the sacrifice is grossly disproportionate to the risk reduction achieved Correct answer.
  3. The control must always be implemented regardless of cost
  4. Whether workers agree to the risk

Explanation

The reasonably practicable test weighs the risk against the sacrifice needed to control it. Where the cost is grossly disproportionate to the benefit, the measure may not be required, but the risk must still be reduced as far as is reasonable. Worker consent does not remove the duty.

Question 26Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

Under a recognised occupational health and safety management system model, what does the 'Plan' element of the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle primarily require an organisation to establish?

  1. Monthly inspection schedules for fire extinguishers and alarms
  2. Emergency evacuation drills and first-aid arrangements for all sites
  3. Disciplinary procedures for workers who breach safety rules
  4. Objectives, processes and resources needed to deliver results consistent with the OHS policy Correct answer.

Explanation

In the PDCA model applied to OHS management systems, 'Plan' covers establishing the objectives, processes and resources necessary to deliver outcomes consistent with the organisation's OHS policy. Operational controls such as inspections, drills and discipline belong to 'Do' or supporting arrangements, not to planning.

Question 27Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

Which statement best describes the concept of 'reasonably practicable' as applied in common-law OHS jurisdictions?

  1. Control measures are required only where an accident has already occurred
  2. Only controls recommended by the manufacturer must be applied
  3. Risk controls are weighed against cost, time and difficulty, with gross disproportion required to justify inaction Correct answer.
  4. All hazards must be eliminated regardless of cost or effort

Explanation

'Reasonably practicable' involves weighing the risk against the sacrifice (cost, time, trouble) needed to control it. Where the risk is high, a very large sacrifice may be justified, and the sacrifice must be grossly disproportionate before a duty holder can decline a control.

Question 28Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

An organisation's moral, legal and financial arguments for managing health and safety are being presented to the board. Which of the following is a financial (economic) argument rather than a moral or legal one?

  1. Statute imposes a general duty to ensure health, safety and welfare
  2. Employees have a right to return home unharmed each day
  3. The organisation has a duty of care in tort to its neighbours
  4. Insurance premiums, lost production and investigation costs can erode profitability Correct answer.

Explanation

The financial case rests on costs such as insurance premiums, uninsured losses, lost production, investigation time and reputational damage affecting profitability. Moral arguments concern the right of people to be safe, and legal arguments concern statutory and common-law duties.

Question 29Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

A safety practitioner is developing a health and safety policy for a large multinational. What distinguishes the 'general statement of intent' from the organisation and arrangements sections of the policy?

  1. It states the organisation's overall commitment, aims and principles for health and safety Correct answer.
  2. It lists the names and contact details of all first aiders
  3. It contains the risk assessment register for each department
  4. It describes the detailed procedures for permit-to-work systems

Explanation

The general statement of intent sets out top-level commitment, aims and principles and is usually signed by the most senior person. The organisation and arrangements sections then describe responsibilities, structures and detailed procedures.

Question 30Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

A manager is deciding how to allocate responsibilities for health and safety across a site. Which principle best guides this allocation?

  1. Accountability for safety should be assigned to the most senior person on each shift only
  2. Responsibility should be assigned to those who control the work, with competence and authority matched Correct answer.
  3. Responsibility should be shared equally among all workers regardless of role
  4. Responsibility should rest only with the safety manager

Explanation

Effective allocation assigns health and safety responsibilities to those who direct and control the work, and matches the responsibility with the necessary competence and authority. Safety advisers support and advise but do not carry the operational duty.

Question 31Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

Which of the following is the primary purpose of consulting workers when developing health and safety arrangements?

  1. To draw on workers' practical knowledge of the work so controls are realistic and more likely to be followed Correct answer.
  2. To satisfy a requirement to hold a meeting at least once a year
  3. To transfer legal liability for safety from the employer to the workforce
  4. To reduce the need for formal risk assessments

Explanation

Consultation draws on the people who actually do the work, whose practical knowledge improves the quality and realism of controls and increases commitment to them. It does not transfer the employer's legal duties, which remain with the employer.

Question 32Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

A competent person is assessing a proposed new process. Which of the following best describes 'competence' in an OHS context?

  1. Being the most senior manager available at the time
  2. Having read the safety policy once during induction
  3. Possessing the training, experience, knowledge and other qualities needed to undertake the task safely and effectively Correct answer.
  4. Holding the longest service record in the department

Explanation

Competence combines sufficient training, experience, knowledge and other personal qualities to perform the task safely and effectively. It is task-specific and goes beyond seniority or a single induction briefing.

Question 33Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

In a formal risk assessment, what is the difference between a 'hazard' and a 'risk'?

  1. A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm; risk is the combination of the likelihood and severity of that harm occurring Correct answer.
  2. A hazard is the control measure; risk is the residual exposure
  3. A hazard applies only to chemicals; risk applies only to machinery
  4. A hazard is the likelihood of harm; risk is the severity of harm

Explanation

A hazard is a source or situation with potential to cause harm, such as a rotating shaft or a toxic substance. Risk expresses the chance that harm will occur together with the severity of the consequences.

Question 34Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

A hierarchy of control is being applied to a manual handling task involving repeated lifting of heavy boxes. Which control sits highest in the hierarchy?

  1. Providing manual handling training to all staff
  2. Displaying a poster reminding workers to bend their knees
  3. Issuing back-support belts to workers
  4. Redesigning the process to eliminate the lift, for example by automating or using mechanical aids Correct answer.

Explanation

Elimination, or engineering redesign that removes the manual lift, sits at the top of the hierarchy because it removes the hazard at source. Training, PPE and awareness measures are lower-order controls that rely on human behaviour.

Question 35Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

A risk assessment team is estimating risk for a task using a simple matrix. Which approach best improves the reliability of their judgements?

  1. Selecting the lowest plausible score to avoid over-reporting
  2. Applying the same generic scores used for every task on site
  3. Relying on the single most experienced member's opinion without discussion
  4. Using calibrated severity and likelihood definitions with a group of people who know the task Correct answer.

Explanation

Reliability improves when severity and likelihood are defined with calibrated descriptors and judgements are made by a group with relevant knowledge of the task. Consultation and defined criteria reduce subjective variation between assessors.

Question 36Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

A worker is exposed to a hazardous substance. Which of the following is the most reliable way to confirm that control measures are actually reducing exposure?

  1. Counting the number of toolbox talks delivered
  2. Asking the worker whether the controls feel effective
  3. Checking that the safety data sheet is filed in the office
  4. Measuring airborne concentrations through personal sampling and comparing with exposure limits Correct answer.

Explanation

Personal monitoring measures the actual airborne concentration in the worker's breathing zone and compares it with the relevant exposure limit. It provides objective evidence that controls are effective, unlike opinions or administrative records.

Question 37Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

Which of the following best describes the purpose of a permit-to-work system?

  1. To record the number of hours worked by contractors
  2. To provide a general authorisation for all work in a plant for a year
  3. To replace the need for risk assessments for routine maintenance
  4. To authorise and control specific high-risk tasks by recording the precautions required before, during and after the work Correct answer.

Explanation

A permit-to-work is a formal documented system that authorises specific high-risk tasks and records the precautions, isolations and checks required before, during and after the work. It supplements, rather than replaces, risk assessment.

Question 38Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

An organisation is reviewing its arrangements for emergency preparedness. Which element is most important for ensuring an effective response to a major incident?

  1. Reviewing the plan only after a real emergency occurs
  2. Keeping the emergency plan confidential to senior managers only
  3. Storing the plan only in the site manager's office
  4. Testing and practising the emergency plan with the people who will respond Correct answer.

Explanation

Emergency plans must be tested and practised so that responders know their roles and weaknesses are identified before a real event. Drills and exercises validate the plan and build competence.

Question 39Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

During an incident investigation, an investigator finds that a worker bypassed an interlock. Which approach best reflects a systems-oriented investigation?

  1. Recommending only that the worker be disciplined
  2. Concluding that the worker was careless and closing the case
  3. Examining the design of the interlock, production pressures, supervision and training that contributed to the bypass Correct answer.
  4. Recording the event as unavoidable human error

Explanation

A systems approach looks beyond individual blame to the underlying and contributing factors such as equipment design, production pressure, supervision and training. Corrective actions then address these root causes rather than only the immediate act.

Question 40Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

Which of the following is the most appropriate immediate action when a worker reports a near miss involving a falling object?

  1. Take no action because no one was injured
  2. Secure the area and investigate the circumstances to identify and correct the cause Correct answer.
  3. Record it only in the annual report
  4. Wait for the next scheduled safety meeting to discuss it

Explanation

A near miss signals a failure of control that could cause injury next time, so the immediate priority is to make the situation safe and investigate the cause. Acting promptly prevents recurrence and demonstrates that reporting is valued.

Question 41Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

A contractor is engaged to carry out hot work in an occupied building. Which control is most important before work begins?

  1. Allowing the contractor to start work while documents are finalised
  2. Requiring the contractor to sign a general disclaimer
  3. Providing the contractor with a copy of the organisation's annual report
  4. Exchanging information on hazards and controls and agreeing a permit-to-work and isolation arrangements Correct answer.

Explanation

Before high-risk contractor work, the host and contractor must exchange information about hazards and controls and agree arrangements such as permits, isolations and emergency procedures. This coordination prevents conflicting activities and uncontrolled ignition sources.

Question 42Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

Which of the following best describes the purpose of the 'check' stage in a health and safety management system?

  1. To set the organisation's health and safety objectives for the coming year
  2. To appoint the safety committee members
  3. To monitor, measure and evaluate performance against planned arrangements and identify deficiencies Correct answer.
  4. To implement the controls identified in risk assessments

Explanation

The 'check' stage involves monitoring, measurement, audit and evaluation of performance against the planned arrangements, so that deficiencies and opportunities for improvement are identified. Setting objectives belongs to planning and implementing controls belongs to 'do'.

Question 43Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

An audit of an OHS management system is being planned. What distinguishes an audit from routine safety inspections?

  1. An audit is a systematic, independent and documented evaluation against defined criteria, whereas an inspection typically checks physical conditions and behaviours against standards Correct answer.
  2. An audit is conducted only after an accident
  3. An audit is carried out by the line supervisor responsible for the area
  4. An audit checks only the condition of fire extinguishers

Explanation

Auditing is a systematic, independent and documented process for evaluating conformity against defined audit criteria, such as a management system standard. Inspections are generally more frequent checks of physical conditions and behaviours by those responsible for the area.

Question 44Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

A safety practitioner is selecting performance indicators for a board report. Which of the following is a leading indicator?

  1. The number of near misses reported last year
  2. The percentage of planned workplace inspections completed on schedule Correct answer.
  3. The number of compensation claims settled
  4. The number of lost-time injuries recorded last quarter

Explanation

Leading indicators measure preventive activities and conditions that predict future safety performance, such as completing planned inspections. Injury counts and compensation claims are lagging indicators that record harm after the event.

Question 45Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

An investigator is using a structured technique to analyse an incident by tracing the sequence of events and the conditions at each stage. Which technique best matches this description?

  1. An events and causal factors chart mapping the chronological sequence and contributing conditions Correct answer.
  2. A fault tree analysis starting from the top event
  3. A hazard operability study of a new process design
  4. A job safety analysis of a routine task

Explanation

An events and causal factors chart maps the chronological sequence of an incident alongside the conditions that contributed at each stage. It is an investigation technique, unlike prospective design techniques such as HAZOP or fault tree analysis.

Question 46Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

A worker is exposed to hand-arm vibration from powered tools over many years. Which early effect is most characteristic of hand-arm vibration syndrome?

  1. Tingling and numbness in the fingers, often with blanching attacks Correct answer.
  2. A persistent dry cough and breathlessness
  3. Lower back pain radiating to the legs
  4. Sudden loss of hearing in one ear

Explanation

Hand-arm vibration syndrome typically begins with tingling and numbness in the fingers and can progress to blanching (white finger) attacks triggered by cold. These early symptoms are the basis for health surveillance and exposure reduction.

Question 47Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

A worker reports feeling persistently stressed and exhausted at work. Which primary prevention approach best addresses work-related stress at source?

  1. Offering individual counselling only after symptoms appear
  2. Monitoring absence and disciplining frequent absentees
  3. Assessing and redesigning work demands, control, support and working relationships Correct answer.
  4. Providing a leaflet on relaxation techniques

Explanation

Primary prevention of work-related stress addresses the design and management of work, such as demands, control, support, relationships and role clarity. Individual measures are secondary or tertiary interventions that help affected people but do not remove the causes.

Question 48Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

An organisation is introducing a behaviour-based safety programme. Which condition is most important for it to be effective?

  1. Using the programme mainly to identify individuals to discipline
  2. Combining observation and feedback with genuine management commitment and removal of organisational barriers to safe behaviour Correct answer.
  3. Restricting observations to new starters only
  4. Treating the programme as a substitute for engineering controls

Explanation

Behaviour-based safety works when observation and feedback are paired with management commitment and action to remove organisational barriers such as poor equipment or production pressure. Using it to blame individuals or as a substitute for engineering controls undermines it.

Question 49Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

A risk assessment identifies a hazard that cannot be eliminated. Which combination best reflects good practice for controlling the residual risk?

  1. Relying on workers to remember verbal instructions
  2. Applying multiple layers of control so that failure of one does not lead to harm Correct answer.
  3. Removing all warning signs to avoid complacency
  4. Relying on a single control measure that is easy to implement

Explanation

Where a hazard cannot be eliminated, defence in depth through multiple independent controls reduces the chance that a single failure leads to harm. Layered controls also align with the hierarchy, combining engineering, administrative and PPE measures.

Question 50Occupational health and safety management (International Diploma)

Which of the following best explains why accident and ill-health data alone are an insufficient measure of health and safety performance?

  1. They only measure the performance of contractors
  2. They are too expensive to collect
  3. Injury and illness events are relatively rare and random, so they provide limited and delayed feedback on control effectiveness Correct answer.
  4. They are always inaccurate and should be disregarded

Explanation

Serious injuries and ill health are statistically rare and subject to chance, so relying on them gives delayed and unreliable feedback. Leading indicators of control effectiveness provide more timely and sensitive information.