CITB SMSTS cheat sheet

HASAWA 1974 imposes general duties on employers (s.2 to employees, s.3 to others), on persons in control of premises, and on employees (s.7 to take reasonable care and cooperate); the duty is qualified by 'so far as is reasonably practicable'.

CDM 2015 applies to all construction projects; where more than one contractor is involved the client must appoint a principal designer and a principal contractor in writing.

F10 notification to HSE is required when construction work lasts more than 30 working days with more than 20 workers on site simultaneously at some stage, or exceeds 500 person-days.

The client must provide pre-construction information to designers and contractors; it must be relevant, proportionate and specific to the site.

A construction phase plan must be in place before construction starts on every project, not only on notifiable projects.

The health and safety file is compiled by the principal designer and handed to the client at completion; it is kept available for the life of the structure.

Domestic clients: their CDM duties transfer to the contractor, or to the principal contractor and principal designer where more than one contractor is involved.

MHSWR 1999 require suitable and sufficient risk assessments, competent persons, health surveillance, emergency procedures and cooperation between employers sharing a workplace.

CDM 2015 requires the principal contractor to consult and engage workers, provide site induction, and ensure suitable welfare from the start of the project.

Welfare under CDM 2015 Schedule 2 must be provided from commencement and maintained: sanitary conveniences, washing facilities, drinking water, changing and drying facilities, rest facilities, and facilities for pregnant and nursing mothers.

Everyone on site, including visitors and sub-contractors, must receive a recorded site induction covering site rules, significant hazards, emergency arrangements and welfare.

Emergency arrangements must cover fire detection and escape, assembly points, first aid, rescue and the means of summoning help, and must be tested by drills.

Site traffic: segregate pedestrians from vehicles, use one-way systems and speed limits, provide trained banksmen for reversing, and install physical barriers at interfaces.

Competence means skills, knowledge, training and experience; the level of supervision must be proportionate to the risk and to the individual's experience.

Employers must consult workers on health and safety (Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996) and recognise safety representatives under SRSC 1977.

PPE is provided free of charge, is the last line of defence, and must be suitable, maintained and used as instructed.

Site security must prevent unauthorised access, protect the public, secure plant and flammables, and control keys and access gates.

Five steps of risk assessment: identify the hazards; decide who might be harmed and how; evaluate the risks and decide on controls; record the significant findings; review and update.

Hierarchy of control: eliminate the hazard, then substitute, then apply engineering controls, then administrative controls, with PPE as the last resort.

Risk assessments must be suitable and sufficient; written records of significant findings are required where five or more employees are employed.

Specific assessments are required for young persons, new and expectant mothers, and lone workers.

A method statement covers the sequence of work, plant and materials, personnel and supervision, control measures, access, emergency arrangements, and authorisation.

Permits to work control high-risk tasks such as confined space entry, hot work, live electrical work and isolation; they require authorisation, testing and formal cancellation.

Review triggers: change in work, equipment or personnel, an accident or near miss, new guidance or information, or a defined review interval.

COSHH: assess each hazardous substance, use safety data sheets, prevent or adequately control exposure using LEV and RPE, record the assessment, and arrange health surveillance where required.

Noise: lower exposure action value 80 dB(A), upper exposure action value 85 dB(A) at which hearing protection becomes mandatory and zones must be marked, exposure limit value 87 dB(A).

Hand-arm vibration: exposure action value 2.5 m/s2 A(8) and exposure limit value 5 m/s2 A(8); controls include low-vibration tools, trigger-time limits and health surveillance.

RIDDOR: deaths and specified injuries are reported without delay; over-seven-day injuries within 15 days; dangerous occurrences and reportable diseases are also notifiable.

Reportable specified injuries include fractures other than to fingers, thumbs and toes, amputation, loss of sight, crush injuries, serious burns, unconsciousness and hospitalisation over 24 hours.

Asbestos: the duty to manage under CAR 2012 requires a survey before refurbishment or demolition; presume presence in pre-2000 buildings and use licensed contractors for high-risk work.

Workplace exposure limits are maximum airborne concentrations averaged over a reference period; exposure must not exceed them and should be reduced as far below them as reasonably practicable.

Accident investigation establishes immediate and root causes (task, equipment, person, management) and produces recommendations; its purpose is prevention, not apportioning blame.

Work at Height Regulations 2005 hierarchy: avoid work at height, prevent falls using collective protection first, then minimise the distance and consequences of a fall; the old 'two metre rule' no longer applies.

Scaffolds must be inspected before first use, at intervals not exceeding seven days, and after alteration or adverse weather; only competent scaffolders erect and dismantle them, and incomplete scaffolds are tagged.

Excavations must be inspected by a competent person at the start of each shift and after any event likely to affect stability; sides are supported or battered, buried services located by plans, CAT scan and trial hole, and stop blocks protect the edges.

Confined spaces: avoid entry where possible; where entry is unavoidable use a permit, isolate and ventilate, test the atmosphere, provide escape and rescue equipment, and station a competent person at the entrance.

LOLER requires thorough examination at least every six months for equipment lifting people and for all lifting accessories, and at least every twelve months for other lifting equipment; complex lifts need a written lift plan.

Overhead power lines are treated as live: isolate or divert, or maintain the safe clearance distances in HSE guidance GS6, using goalposts and warning signs on site haul routes.

Demolition requires a structural survey and method statement, prevention of premature collapse, exclusion zones, and an asbestos survey before work begins.

Hot work is controlled by permit: remove combustibles, use fire blankets and extinguishers, provide a fire watch during and after the task, and check the area at the end of the shift.