NEBOSH NGC flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

HSWA 1974 Section 2

Duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees, including safe plant, systems of work, training and supervision.

Reasonable practicability

A duty is met unless the sacrifice (cost, time, trouble) is grossly disproportionate to the reduction in risk achieved. It sits between 'physically possible' and 'reasonably practicable'.

ALARP

As Low As Reasonably Practicable: residual risk must be reduced until further control would cost grossly more than the benefit gained, so trivial cost never justifies serious risk.

RIDDOR

Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013, requiring reporting of deaths, specified injuries, over-7-day incapacitation, reportable diseases and dangerous occurrences to the enforcing authority.

Swiss cheese model

Reason's model where hazards pass through aligned holes in successive defence layers; holes represent active failures and latent conditions, so multiple independent barriers are needed.

Safety culture maturity

Progressive levels from pathological (hide failures) through reactive, calculative, proactive to generative (safety is a core value); assessed by reporting rates, trust and learning behaviour.

Five steps of risk assessment

Identify hazards; identify who may be harmed and how; evaluate risks and decide precautions; record significant findings; review and update the assessment when circumstances change.

Hierarchy of control

Order of effectiveness: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, then personal protective equipment as the last line of defence.

Residual risk

The level of risk remaining once the chosen controls are applied; the assessor judges whether it is tolerable against the standard expected of a reasonable employer.

PPE last resort

PPE protects only the wearer and depends on correct selection, fit, use and maintenance, so it is used only where other controls cannot adequately reduce the risk.

Dynamic risk assessment

A short, on-the-spot assessment made when conditions change or differ from the planned task, supplementing the written generic or task-specific assessment.

Competent person

Someone with sufficient training, experience, knowledge and other qualities to assist the employer in meeting statutory duties; competence must match the complexity of the task.

Prohibition notice

Served where activities involve a risk of serious personal injury; it stops the activity immediately or after a specified date until the danger is remedied.

Improvement notice

Served where a legal duty is being breached; it specifies the breach and requires remedy within a stated period, with appeal rights to an employment tribunal.

PDCA cycle

Plan-Do-Check-Act framework (HSG65) for managing health and safety: set policy and plans, implement, measure performance, then audit and review for continual improvement.

Noise action values

Lower exposure action value 80 dB(A), upper 85 dB(A), peak 135/137 dB(C); controls escalate from information and hearing protection on request to mandatory protection and surveillance.

HAVS

Hand-arm vibration syndrome: damage to nerves and blood vessels from prolonged vibrating tool use, causing tingling, numbness and blanching; controlled by low-vibration tools and exposure limits.

LEV thorough examination

Legal requirement to thoroughly examine and test local exhaust ventilation at least every 14 months, or more often for specified processes, with records kept for five years.

COSHH assessment

Assessment of hazardous substances covering health effects, exposure routes, control measures, monitoring, health surveillance and emergency arrangements; records kept for 40 years for disease-causing substances.

TILE

Manual handling assessment factors: Task, Individual capability, Load characteristics, and Environment, used to identify where the risk of musculoskeletal injury arises.

Work at height hierarchy

Avoid work at height where possible; prevent falls using guardrails or working platforms; mitigate consequences with nets or fall arrest; ladders only for low-risk short-duration tasks.

Confined space entry controls

Avoid entry; otherwise use permit to work, atmospheric testing, forced ventilation, competent personnel, rescue and resuscitation arrangements, and communication with a standby person.

Fire triangle

Fire requires fuel, oxygen and an ignition source; fire risk assessment identifies and controls each element, plus means of escape, detection and extinguishing equipment.

Health surveillance

Systematic monitoring of workers exposed to residual health risk (noise, vibration, chemicals, dust) to detect early signs of work-related ill health and trigger intervention.

Contractors and shared premises

Employers sharing a workplace must co-operate and co-ordinate risk assessments, share relevant information and inform each other's workers of risks and controls.

Vulnerable workers

Groups needing specific assessment: young persons, new and expectant mothers, disabled workers, lone workers, trainees and visitors, due to greater susceptibility or limited experience.

Practical inspection report

Report listing observations with location, hazard category, risk rating and a specific control for each, forming the evidence base for the management report.

Management report structure

Introduction and scope, executive summary, prioritised recommendations with timescales and responsible persons, and conclusion aimed at senior management.

Root cause focus

Recommendations should address underlying system failures such as inadequate training, maintenance or supervision, not only the physical symptom observed during the inspection.

Prioritising recommendations

Rank by number exposed, severity potential, frequency of exposure and legal status; immediate action where serious injury is likely or a prohibition applies.

Consultation duty

Employers must consult workers or safety representatives on measures affecting health and safety, under SRSC 1977 for recognised unions or the 1996 Regulations otherwise.

Dynamic vs generic assessment

Generic assessments cover routine tasks; dynamic assessments handle changing conditions on the day, and both are needed where the workplace is not static.