I85PREP
⌘ K
PECB ISO 45001 Foundation study materials
PECB ISO 45001 Foundation study resources

PECB ISO 45001 Foundation practice questions

One question at a time. Build your PECB ISO 45001 Foundation understanding.

First 50 of 200 questions. Each one lists the choices, the correct answer, and an explanation. The checker at the top of this page saves progress in this browser when it is available.

Continue in the practice tool above to load more questions, 50 at a time.

Question 1Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

What is the primary purpose of an occupational health and safety management system (OH&S MS)?

  1. To guarantee that no worker will ever be injured
  2. To provide a framework for preventing work-related injury and ill health Correct answer.
  3. To increase production output above contractual targets
  4. To replace the need for legal compliance with internal rules

Explanation

An OH&S MS provides a structured framework of policies, processes and controls intended to prevent work-related injury and ill health and to provide safe and healthy workplaces. It supports continual improvement rather than guaranteeing specific outcomes.

Question 2Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

In ISO 45001, what does the term 'worker' include?

  1. Only personnel who hold a formal safety qualification
  2. Only permanent employees on the payroll
  3. Only employees working at the organization's main site
  4. People performing work under the organization's control, including contractors and temporary staff Correct answer.

Explanation

ISO 45001 defines workers broadly as persons performing work under the control of the organization, which includes employees, contractors, temporary and agency personnel. The concept is not limited to payroll status or location.

Question 3Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Which concept describes the ability of a worker to stop work when they believe a situation is unsafe?

  1. Right to refuse unsafe work Correct answer.
  2. Hierarchy of controls
  3. Management review
  4. Consultation and participation

Explanation

The right to refuse or stop unsafe work reflects the principle that workers should not be exposed to danger and can withdraw from imminent and serious risk. ISO 45001 supports processes that enable workers to report and remove themselves from hazardous situations.

Question 4Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

What is the difference between a hazard and a risk?

  1. A hazard is always measurable and a risk is always qualitative
  2. A hazard only applies to chemicals while a risk applies to all activities
  3. A hazard is a source of potential harm and a risk is the effect of uncertainty on objectives Correct answer.
  4. A hazard is the likelihood of harm and a risk is the source of harm

Explanation

A hazard is a source with the potential to cause injury or ill health, while risk is the effect of uncertainty, often expressed as the combination of likelihood and consequence of harm. The two concepts are often confused but describe different things.

Question 5Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Which of the following best describes 'incident' in the context of OH&S?

  1. A planned inspection carried out by a regulator
  2. An occurrence arising out of or in the course of work that could or does result in injury or ill health Correct answer.
  3. A nonconformity identified during an internal audit
  4. A legal requirement imposed on the organization

Explanation

An incident is an occurrence arising out of, or in the course of, work that could result in, or does result in, injury and ill health. This includes near misses as well as events that cause harm.

Question 6Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

What does the 'Plan-Do-Check-Act' cycle contribute to an OH&S MS?

  1. It provides a structured approach for continual improvement Correct answer.
  2. It removes the need for documented procedures
  3. It guarantees that legal requirements never change
  4. It replaces the need for worker consultation

Explanation

PDCA is the iterative model underpinning the standard, supporting planning, implementation, evaluation and improvement of the OH&S MS. It is a framework for continual improvement rather than a substitute for specific requirements.

Question 7Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Which statement best reflects the principle of 'consultation and participation' in an OH&S MS?

  1. Workers provide input and are involved in decisions affecting their health and safety Correct answer.
  2. Consultation is optional and applies only to large organizations
  3. Workers are informed of decisions after they are made
  4. Only managers decide on OH&S matters and inform workers

Explanation

Consultation and participation means workers are involved in the development, implementation and evaluation of the OH&S MS, providing input to decisions that affect them. It is a required element, not a courtesy notification.

Question 8Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

What is meant by 'work-related ill health'?

  1. Negative health effects arising from or aggravated by exposure to workplace hazards Correct answer.
  2. Only conditions recognized by national legislation
  3. Any illness that occurs while a person is employed, regardless of cause
  4. Only injuries that require immediate medical treatment

Explanation

Work-related ill health refers to adverse health effects caused or worsened by exposure to hazards arising from work activity. It covers conditions such as occupational disease and can develop over time, not just sudden injuries.

Question 9Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Which of the following best describes 'top management' responsibilities in an OH&S MS?

  1. Providing leadership and demonstrating commitment to the OH&S MS Correct answer.
  2. Reviewing only financial performance indicators
  3. Delegating all OH&S decisions to the safety officer
  4. Ensuring workers are solely responsible for their own safety

Explanation

Top management must demonstrate leadership and commitment, including establishing policy, ensuring resources and integrating OH&S into business processes. Leadership cannot be fully delegated.

Question 10Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

An organization applies engineering controls, then administrative controls, then personal protective equipment. Which principle is being followed?

  1. Life cycle perspective
  2. Hierarchy of controls Correct answer.
  3. Risk appetite
  4. Continual improvement

Explanation

The hierarchy of controls ranks risk-reduction measures from most to least effective, prioritizing elimination and engineering controls before administrative measures and PPE. Applying controls in this order reflects that principle.

Question 11Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Why does ISO 45001 emphasize eliminating hazards rather than relying primarily on personal protective equipment?

  1. PPE is always more expensive than other controls
  2. Elimination is easier to document than PPE use
  3. PPE is prohibited in most industries
  4. Elimination removes the risk at source and does not depend on worker behavior Correct answer.

Explanation

Eliminating a hazard removes the risk at its source, whereas PPE relies on correct selection, fit and consistent use by workers. The hierarchy of controls therefore places elimination at the top.

Question 12Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

A worker notices a damaged guard on a machine and reports it before anyone is hurt. How should this be classified?

  1. A near miss or incident without injury Correct answer.
  2. A legal prosecution
  3. An accident with lost time
  4. A nonconformity of the certification body

Explanation

A near miss is an incident where no injury or ill health occurred but there was potential for harm. Reporting such events is important because they are precursors to more serious incidents.

Question 13Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

What is the main purpose of worker participation in hazard identification?

  1. To capture practical knowledge of tasks that managers may not have Correct answer.
  2. To reduce the number of documented procedures
  3. To shift legal liability from the organization to workers
  4. To satisfy a one-time certification requirement

Explanation

Workers who perform tasks daily have detailed knowledge of how work is actually done and where hazards arise. Their participation improves the completeness and accuracy of hazard identification.

Question 14Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Which statement best describes the relationship between legal requirements and an OH&S MS?

  1. Legal requirements are optional if the organization has a strong safety culture
  2. The organization must identify and comply with applicable legal and other requirements Correct answer.
  3. Compliance is only needed when a regulator visits
  4. Legal requirements are replaced by the organization's OH&S policy

Explanation

A core commitment of an OH&S MS is to identify applicable legal and other requirements and to comply with them. The policy and system support compliance but do not replace it.

Question 15Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

What does 'context of the organization' refer to in an OH&S MS?

  1. The internal and external issues relevant to the organization's OH&S performance Correct answer.
  2. The organizational chart of the safety department
  3. The list of products sold to customers
  4. The physical layout of the organization's buildings only

Explanation

Context covers internal and external issues, interested parties and their needs, and the scope of the system, all of which influence how the OH&S MS is designed. It is broader than physical or structural factors.

Question 16Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Which of the following is an example of an 'interested party' relevant to an OH&S MS?

  1. A trade journal editor
  2. A regulator that sets occupational safety requirements Correct answer.
  3. A competitor's marketing team
  4. A supplier's advertising agency

Explanation

Interested parties are those who can affect or be affected by the OH&S MS, such as regulators, workers, contractors and the community. A regulator with safety requirements clearly fits this definition.

Question 17Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

What is the role of an OH&S policy?

  1. To set the organization's commitment and direction for OH&S Correct answer.
  2. To replace the need for objectives and targets
  3. To provide a detailed list of every hazard in the workplace
  4. To serve as the audit checklist for internal auditors

Explanation

The OH&S policy establishes top management's commitment and the overall direction for OH&S, including commitments to prevent injury and ill health and to continual improvement. It is a high-level statement, not an operational inventory.

Question 18Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

How should OH&S objectives be characterized to be effective?

  1. Specific, measurable where practicable, and monitored Correct answer.
  2. Limited to financial targets
  3. Vague and aspirational so they are always achievable
  4. Confidential and shared only with top management

Explanation

Objectives should be consistent with the policy, measurable where practicable, monitored, communicated and updated. This allows the organization to track progress and take action.

Question 19Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

A company identifies a hazard but decides the risk is acceptable without applying any control. Which consideration is most relevant?

  1. Whether the risk is reduced so far as is reasonably practicable Correct answer.
  2. Whether the hazard can be hidden from workers
  3. Whether the control costs more than the profit margin
  4. Whether the decision can be made without any records

Explanation

Acceptability of risk is judged against the principle of reducing risks so far as is reasonably practicable, considering available controls and their feasibility. Simply declaring a risk acceptable without justification is not consistent with this principle.

Question 20Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Which statement best describes 'continual improvement' in an OH&S MS?

  1. A requirement to eliminate all documented procedures
  2. An ongoing process to enhance OH&S performance Correct answer.
  3. A one-time project to achieve certification
  4. A method for reducing the number of workers consulted

Explanation

Continual improvement is the recurring process of enhancing OH&S performance, supported by monitoring, evaluation and corrective action. It is not a single event tied to certification.

Question 21Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

What is the primary purpose of monitoring and measurement in an OH&S MS?

  1. To replace the need for internal audits
  2. To evaluate OH&S performance and the effectiveness of controls Correct answer.
  3. To assign blame to individual workers
  4. To satisfy customer marketing claims

Explanation

Monitoring and measurement provide data on OH&S performance, including the effectiveness of controls and progress toward objectives. This information supports evaluation and improvement.

Question 22Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

An organization outsources a high-risk activity to a contractor. What does ISO 45001 expect regarding this arrangement?

  1. The contractor's workers are not considered workers
  2. The organization coordinates with the contractor to control OH&S risks Correct answer.
  3. The contractor assumes all OH&S responsibility and the organization has no further role
  4. The activity is outside the scope of the OH&S MS

Explanation

Outsourcing does not remove the organization's responsibility; it must coordinate with contractors and ensure that outsourced processes are controlled. Contractor workers are also considered workers under the organization's control.

Question 23Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Which scenario best illustrates the principle of 'elimination' in the hierarchy of controls?

  1. Posting a warning sign about the noise
  2. Rotating workers to reduce exposure time
  3. Redesigning a process to remove the noisy equipment entirely Correct answer.
  4. Providing ear defenders to workers in a noisy area

Explanation

Elimination removes the hazard completely, which is the most effective control. Redesigning the process so the noisy equipment is no longer needed achieves this.

Question 24Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Why is a 'life cycle perspective' relevant to OH&S in some contexts?

  1. Because it requires eliminating all contractors
  2. Because hazards can arise at any stage, from design and procurement through use and disposal Correct answer.
  3. Because it replaces the need for risk assessment
  4. Because it applies only to environmental aspects

Explanation

A life cycle perspective means considering hazards and risks across stages such as design, procurement, use and end-of-life, where the organization can influence them. This helps prevent hazards from being introduced or overlooked.

Question 25Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

An auditor finds that workers were consulted after a new process was implemented but not before. Which principle is most directly undermined?

  1. The principle that all hazards must be eliminated
  2. The principle that objectives must be financial
  3. The principle that audits must be conducted annually
  4. The principle that workers participate in decisions affecting their health and safety Correct answer.

Explanation

Consultation and participation require worker involvement in decisions that affect their OH&S, ideally before changes are implemented. Informing workers only afterward does not provide meaningful participation.

Question 26Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Which term describes the combination of the likelihood of an occurrence of a hazardous event and the severity of injury or ill health that can be caused by the event?

  1. Exposure
  2. Risk Correct answer.
  3. Hazard
  4. Incident

Explanation

In OH&S terminology, risk combines the likelihood of a hazardous event with the severity of the harm it could cause. A hazard is the source of potential harm itself, not the combined measure of likelihood and severity.

Question 27Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

In ISO 45001, what is the fundamental purpose of an occupational health and safety management system?

  1. To increase the organization's market share in its sector
  2. To guarantee that no accident will ever occur in the organization
  3. To replace legal obligations with voluntary internal rules
  4. To prevent work-related injury and ill health to workers and provide safe and healthy workplaces Correct answer.

Explanation

The stated purpose of an OH&S management system is to prevent work-related injury and ill health and to provide safe and healthy workplaces. It is a preventive framework, not a guarantee of zero incidents.

Question 28Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Which concept refers to a condition or situation with the potential to cause injury or ill health?

  1. Conformity
  2. Risk
  3. Control
  4. Hazard Correct answer.

Explanation

A hazard is a source or situation with potential to cause harm, such as a chemical, a moving machine part, or a slippery floor. Risk is the combined likelihood and severity of harm arising from that hazard.

Question 29Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Which statement best captures the meaning of 'worker' in ISO 45001?

  1. Only personnel working inside the organization's own premises
  2. Only permanent employees on the organization's payroll
  3. Only persons holding a formal safety qualification
  4. A person performing work under the organization's control, including contractors and agency personnel Correct answer.

Explanation

ISO 45001 defines worker broadly as a person performing work under the control of the organization, which includes contractors, subcontracted personnel, and agency workers. The status of employment or location does not determine who counts as a worker.

Question 30Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Which of the following is the best example of an 'opportunity' in the context of OH&S?

  1. Paying a regulatory fine after an inspection
  2. Recording a lost-time injury in the incident register
  3. Reviewing a supplier invoice for safety equipment
  4. Introducing a new machine guard design that reduces exposure to a moving part Correct answer.

Explanation

In OH&S, an opportunity is a circumstance that can lead to improvement of health and safety performance, such as a design change that reduces exposure. Recording injuries, paying fines, and processing invoices are administrative or negative events, not improvement opportunities.

Question 31Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

What does the term 'incident' mean in ISO 45001?

  1. A planned safety inspection that finds no issues
  2. An occurrence arising out of, or in the course of, work that could or does result in injury and ill health Correct answer.
  3. A legal requirement imposed by a regulator
  4. Any near miss that involves property damage only

Explanation

An incident is an occurrence arising out of or in the course of work that could or does result in injury and ill health. This includes near misses as well as events that actually cause harm.

Question 32Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Which statement best describes the concept of 'consultation' in an OH&S management system?

  1. Requiring workers to sign an attendance sheet at safety meetings
  2. Seeking workers' views before decisions are made, with the intent to consider them Correct answer.
  3. Informing workers of decisions after they have already been implemented
  4. Delegating all OH&S decisions to an external consultant

Explanation

Consultation means seeking views before a decision is taken and genuinely considering them. Informing workers after the fact is communication, not consultation.

Question 33Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Which of the following best describes 'effectiveness' of a control measure?

  1. The number of workers trained on the control
  2. The speed with which the control was purchased
  3. The extent to which the control achieves its intended result in reducing risk Correct answer.
  4. The cost of implementing the control

Explanation

Effectiveness refers to how well a measure achieves its intended outcome, in this case reducing risk to an acceptable level. Cost, speed of purchase, and training numbers are inputs or indicators, not measures of effectiveness.

Question 34Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

An organization defines a hierarchy of controls in its OH&S policy and requires risk reduction to follow it. Which principle does this primarily reflect?

  1. Reactive investigation of incidents after they occur
  2. Prevention through a systematic approach to controlling hazards Correct answer.
  3. Compliance with customer satisfaction targets
  4. Financial optimization of safety budgets

Explanation

Applying a hierarchy of controls is a preventive, systematic approach that prioritizes more reliable controls before less effective ones. It reflects prevention rather than reacting to incidents after harm occurs.

Question 35Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

A worker refuses to perform a task because they believe it is unsafe, and the organization has a procedure allowing this without retaliation. Which principle does this best illustrate?

  1. Protection of workers from reprisals when reporting concerns Correct answer.
  2. Outsourcing of risk assessment to the worker
  3. Disciplinary enforcement of production targets
  4. Delegation of OH&S accountability to the worker

Explanation

ISO 45001 expects arrangements that protect workers from reprisals when they report hazards, risks, or concerns. Allowing a worker to raise a safety concern without retaliation reflects that protective principle.

Question 36Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Which statement best describes how an OH&S management system interacts with other management systems in an organization?

  1. It replaces any existing quality management system
  2. It must operate in complete isolation to remain valid
  3. It can be integrated with quality or environmental systems using shared elements such as documented information and management review Correct answer.
  4. It can only be implemented by organizations with no other management systems

Explanation

ISO management system standards share a common high-level structure, allowing elements such as documented information, internal audit, and management review to be integrated. Integration is permitted and often beneficial.

Question 37Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

What is the primary meaning of 'hazard identification' as a core process in an OH&S management system?

  1. A proactive process to recognize sources of harm before they cause injury or ill health Correct answer.
  2. A process to calculate the cost of safety equipment
  3. A reactive process to record injuries after they have occurred
  4. A process to assign blame for past incidents

Explanation

Hazard identification is a proactive process of recognizing hazards so that risks can be assessed and controlled before harm occurs. It is distinct from incident recording, which is reactive.

Question 38Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Which statement best explains why ISO 45001 requires consideration of 'other workers' at a multi-employer workplace?

  1. Only the host employer has any OH&S obligations at a shared site
  2. Multi-employer sites are exempt from hazard identification
  3. Contract workers are excluded from OH&S protection
  4. Activities of one employer can create hazards affecting workers of another employer sharing the same site Correct answer.

Explanation

At shared workplaces, the activities of one organization can create risks for workers of other organizations, so coordination and consideration of those workers is necessary. OH&S protection is not limited to the host employer's own employees.

Question 39Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Which statement best describes the relationship between 'risk assessment' and 'risk control' in an OH&S management system?

  1. Risk control eliminates the need for any further assessment
  2. Risk assessment informs the selection of controls, and controls are then evaluated for residual risk Correct answer.
  3. Risk control is performed only when an incident has already occurred
  4. Risk assessment is optional once controls are in place

Explanation

Risk assessment determines the level of risk and informs which controls are appropriate; after controls are applied, residual risk is evaluated to confirm acceptability. The two activities are linked and iterative.

Question 40Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Which statement best describes 'documented information' as a concept in an OH&S management system?

  1. Information that the organization is required to maintain and retain, in any format and medium Correct answer.
  2. Only documents produced by external auditors
  3. Only paper records stored in a physical archive
  4. Only certificates issued by a certification body

Explanation

Documented information covers both documents that must be maintained and records that must be retained, in any format or medium, including electronic. It is not limited to paper or to externally produced documents.

Question 41Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Which of the following best illustrates a 'proactive' OH&S performance indicator?

  1. The number of lost-time injuries recorded last year
  2. The percentage of identified hazards for which controls have been implemented on schedule Correct answer.
  3. The number of compensation claims paid last year
  4. The number of regulatory fines received last year

Explanation

Proactive indicators measure preventive activities and leading actions, such as implementing controls on schedule. Lagging indicators, like injuries, claims, and fines, measure outcomes after harm has occurred.

Question 42Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Which statement best describes the principle behind 'management of change' in an OH&S management system?

  1. Changes are implemented first and assessed only if an incident occurs
  2. Change management applies only to contractors
  3. Planned changes are assessed for OH&S risks before implementation, including unintended consequences Correct answer.
  4. Only changes to equipment require assessment, not process changes

Explanation

Management of change requires that planned changes, whether temporary or permanent, are assessed for OH&S risks and opportunities before implementation, considering unintended consequences. It applies broadly to processes, equipment, and organizational changes.

Question 43Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Which statement best captures the meaning of 'reasonably practicable' in controlling OH&S risks?

  1. Doing what is technically possible regardless of cost
  2. Doing only what is explicitly required by a written procedure
  3. Balancing the likelihood and severity of harm against the cost, time, and effort of reducing it Correct answer.
  4. Doing whatever is cheapest regardless of the risk

Explanation

Reasonably practicable involves weighing the likelihood and severity of harm against the cost, time, and effort needed to reduce the risk. It is a balanced judgement, not a purely financial or purely technical one.

Question 44Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Which statement best describes the concept of 'outsourcing' as addressed in ISO 45001?

  1. A method of permanently excluding the activity from the OH&S MS scope
  2. A transfer of all OH&S legal duties to the external provider
  3. A process that is exempt from OH&S controls
  4. An arrangement where an external organization performs part of a function or process, and the organization retains OH&S responsibility Correct answer.

Explanation

Under ISO 45001, outsourcing means an external organization performs part of a function or process, but the organization retains responsibility for ensuring the OH&S requirements of the outsourced process are met. It does not transfer legal duties away.

Question 45Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Which of the following best describes a 'near miss'?

  1. A documented legal requirement
  2. A planned safety drill with no hazard present
  3. An occurrence that could have resulted in injury or ill health but did not Correct answer.
  4. An occurrence that resulted in a fatality

Explanation

A near miss is an occurrence that had the potential to cause injury or ill health but did not. It is a type of incident and provides valuable learning before actual harm occurs.

Question 46Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

An organization reviews its OH&S performance and finds that a control measure is not achieving the intended risk reduction. Which concept does this situation most directly relate to?

  1. Context of the organization
  2. Interested party identification
  3. Scope definition
  4. Evaluation of OH&S performance and the need to take corrective action Correct answer.

Explanation

When a control is not achieving its intended result, the organization evaluates performance and takes corrective action to restore effectiveness. This is about performance evaluation and corrective action, not context, interested parties, or scope.

Question 47Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Which statement best explains why ISO 45001 emphasizes 'leading' indicators alongside 'lagging' indicators?

  1. Leading indicators are the only ones recognized by ISO 45001
  2. Leading indicators replace the need for risk assessment
  3. Leading indicators signal preventive performance before harm occurs, while lagging indicators reflect outcomes after the fact Correct answer.
  4. Lagging indicators are prohibited in an OH&S management system

Explanation

Leading indicators measure preventive actions that reduce the likelihood of harm, while lagging indicators measure outcomes such as injuries. Using both gives a fuller picture of OH&S performance.

Question 48Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Which statement best describes the concept of 'hierarchy of controls' as a principle rather than a procedure?

  1. A principle that personal protective equipment is the most reliable control
  2. A principle that the cheapest control should always be selected first
  3. A principle that more reliable and effective controls should be preferred over less reliable ones Correct answer.
  4. A principle that administrative controls are always preferred over engineering controls

Explanation

The hierarchy of controls is a principle that prioritizes controls by their reliability and effectiveness, generally placing elimination and engineering controls above administrative measures and PPE. It guides the selection of controls to reduce risk as far as reasonably practicable.

Question 49Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

Which statement best describes the relationship between 'consultation' and 'participation' in ISO 45001?

  1. Consultation and participation are identical and interchangeable terms
  2. Consultation is seeking views before decisions, while participation is involvement in OH&S processes such as hazard identification and incident investigation Correct answer.
  3. Consultation means workers approve the OH&S budget
  4. Participation means workers make all final OH&S decisions

Explanation

Consultation involves seeking workers' views before decisions are made, while participation involves workers being involved in OH&S processes such as hazard identification, risk assessment, and incident investigation. They are related but distinct concepts.

Question 50Fundamental concepts and principles of occupational health and safety management and OH&S MS

An organization identifies that a new chemical process introduces hazards not previously considered in its risk assessment. Which principle most directly requires the organization to reassess and update its controls?

  1. Marketing analysis of competitor practices
  2. Continual improvement through ongoing hazard identification and risk assessment Correct answer.
  3. Compliance with customer requirements
  4. Financial planning for capital expenditure

Explanation

Continual improvement requires ongoing hazard identification and risk assessment so that new hazards, such as those from a new chemical process, are recognized and controlled. This is a core preventive principle of the OH&S MS.