NEBOSH (learning outcomes)
Questions and Complete
Solutions Graded A+
Outline scope and nature of occupational health and safety. - Answer: Relates to the safety, health and
welfare of people at work.
Safety - A state of being safe and free from unacceptable risk.
Health - Being free from injury and illness.
Welfare - Refers to welfare facilities which are provided by an employer and are necessary for the well-
being of employees i.e. washing, toilet, rest and changing facilities.
Explain the moral, social and financial reasons for promoting good standards of health and safety in the
workplace. - Answer: Moral reasons for promoting HSE are determined by what is right and wrong as
imposed by society. People should not suffer from injury, illness or fatality as a result of work.
Social reasons refer to the need to provide a safe place of work, safe plant and equipment, safe systems
of work, competent workers and a high standard of training and supervision. Economic benefits include
a more motivated workforce which would result in an improvement in the rate of production and
product quality
Accidents can have financial impact on an Organisation by both direct costs (injury, illness and damage)
and indirect costs (lost time, sick leave pay, overtime pay, legal fees, excess on insurance claims, loss of
reputation, repairs, delay).
Explain the role of national governments and international bodies in formulating a framework for the
regulation of health and safety. - Answer: The ILO formulates international labor standards and attempts
to establish minimum rights for workers. They have created conventions (legally binding) and
recommendations (non-binding) which apply to member countries. The ILO also sets out codes of
practice, guidelines and declarations. Most countries have developed their own laws and regulation
relating to Occupational Health and Safety.
,Outline the key elements of a health and safety management system. - Answer: An effective HSE-MS will
generally follow the plan-do-check-act cycle.
Plan - Establishes objectives and processes required to deliver results in accordance with HSE policy.
Do - Implement the planned processes.
Check - Monitor and measure processes with regard to HSE policy and objectives. Results should be
reported.
Act - Take actions to continually improve HSE performance.
Explain the purpose and importance of setting policy for health and safety. - Answer: A HSE Policy clearly
describes how HSE will be managed within an Organisation and demonstrates a commitment to a safe
working environment. It also sets out the aims and objectives with regard to improving HSE in the
workplace.
Describe the key features and appropriate content of an effective health and safety policy. - Answer: The
key features of a HSE Policy are:
Statement of intent (what) - This section should include a commitment to prevention, compliance and
continual improvement. It should also set out the aims and objectives for achieving this.
Organisation (who) - A HSE Policy should clearly state who has responsibility and for what actions with
regard to HSE.
Arrangements (how) - Details how objectives will be met. Will typically include procedures for effective
planning, organizing, control, monitoring and review.
Outline the organisational health and safety roles and responsibilities of employers, directors and
managers. - Answer: Employers - Provide safe working environment and protect health, safety and
welfare of employees.
Directors - Taking responsibility and ownership of HSE, increasing visibility of directors in the workplace,
ensuring HSE is an agenda item for board meetings, ensuring adequate resources are allocated.
Managers - Provide connection between strategic apex and operations.
Explain the concept of health and safety culture and its significance in the management of health and
safety in an organisation. - Answer: Health and safety culture is a part of an organisations' culture. It can
be described as the ideas and belief that all members share with regard to risk, accidents and ill health.
, Key aspects of HSE culture include management commitment, visible management, good
communication, active employee participation and effective HSE training.
An effective HSE culture can increase organisational performance and improve health and safety.
Outline the human factors which influence behaviour at work in a way that can affect health and safety.
- Answer: Organisation - Relates to culture, leadership, resources, work patterns and communication.
Often has the greatest impact on employee behavior in the workplace. Can be a contributing factor to
accidents i.e. high work pressure, poor communication, lack of planning or procedure.
Job - Task, workload, environment, controls and procedures. Unclear procedures, poorly maintained
equipment and high workload may lead to accidents in the workplace.
Individual - Competence, skills, personality, attitudes, risk perception, motivation. An accident may be
the result of low competence, fatigue, boredom or medical problems relating to an employee.
Explain how health and safety behaviour at work can be improved. - Answer: HSE behaviour
improvements can be manged through motioning to determine areas which require attention and set
goals for their improvement. Improvements may include behavioral change programs, information to
the workforce, consultation, effective communication, HSE communication, training.
Explain the principles and practice of risk assessment. - Answer: A risk assessment identifies what may
cause harm to workers and the actions which can be undertaken to reduce the risk. The process for a
risk assessment which generally follow these steps:
- Hazard identification
- Determine who may be harmed and how
- Evaluate the risks (may be completed using a risk assessment matrix)
- Determine what controls are needed
- Record findings and how controls will be implemented
- Review and update as required
Explain the general principles of control and a basic hierarchy of risk reduction measures. - Answer: Risks
are assessed to ensure they are effectively controlled and that the controls are working in practice. To
determine if a control is adequate the cost can be compared with the risk i.e. the greater the risk, the
greater the effort to control the risk.
Questions and Complete
Solutions Graded A+
Outline scope and nature of occupational health and safety. - Answer: Relates to the safety, health and
welfare of people at work.
Safety - A state of being safe and free from unacceptable risk.
Health - Being free from injury and illness.
Welfare - Refers to welfare facilities which are provided by an employer and are necessary for the well-
being of employees i.e. washing, toilet, rest and changing facilities.
Explain the moral, social and financial reasons for promoting good standards of health and safety in the
workplace. - Answer: Moral reasons for promoting HSE are determined by what is right and wrong as
imposed by society. People should not suffer from injury, illness or fatality as a result of work.
Social reasons refer to the need to provide a safe place of work, safe plant and equipment, safe systems
of work, competent workers and a high standard of training and supervision. Economic benefits include
a more motivated workforce which would result in an improvement in the rate of production and
product quality
Accidents can have financial impact on an Organisation by both direct costs (injury, illness and damage)
and indirect costs (lost time, sick leave pay, overtime pay, legal fees, excess on insurance claims, loss of
reputation, repairs, delay).
Explain the role of national governments and international bodies in formulating a framework for the
regulation of health and safety. - Answer: The ILO formulates international labor standards and attempts
to establish minimum rights for workers. They have created conventions (legally binding) and
recommendations (non-binding) which apply to member countries. The ILO also sets out codes of
practice, guidelines and declarations. Most countries have developed their own laws and regulation
relating to Occupational Health and Safety.
,Outline the key elements of a health and safety management system. - Answer: An effective HSE-MS will
generally follow the plan-do-check-act cycle.
Plan - Establishes objectives and processes required to deliver results in accordance with HSE policy.
Do - Implement the planned processes.
Check - Monitor and measure processes with regard to HSE policy and objectives. Results should be
reported.
Act - Take actions to continually improve HSE performance.
Explain the purpose and importance of setting policy for health and safety. - Answer: A HSE Policy clearly
describes how HSE will be managed within an Organisation and demonstrates a commitment to a safe
working environment. It also sets out the aims and objectives with regard to improving HSE in the
workplace.
Describe the key features and appropriate content of an effective health and safety policy. - Answer: The
key features of a HSE Policy are:
Statement of intent (what) - This section should include a commitment to prevention, compliance and
continual improvement. It should also set out the aims and objectives for achieving this.
Organisation (who) - A HSE Policy should clearly state who has responsibility and for what actions with
regard to HSE.
Arrangements (how) - Details how objectives will be met. Will typically include procedures for effective
planning, organizing, control, monitoring and review.
Outline the organisational health and safety roles and responsibilities of employers, directors and
managers. - Answer: Employers - Provide safe working environment and protect health, safety and
welfare of employees.
Directors - Taking responsibility and ownership of HSE, increasing visibility of directors in the workplace,
ensuring HSE is an agenda item for board meetings, ensuring adequate resources are allocated.
Managers - Provide connection between strategic apex and operations.
Explain the concept of health and safety culture and its significance in the management of health and
safety in an organisation. - Answer: Health and safety culture is a part of an organisations' culture. It can
be described as the ideas and belief that all members share with regard to risk, accidents and ill health.
, Key aspects of HSE culture include management commitment, visible management, good
communication, active employee participation and effective HSE training.
An effective HSE culture can increase organisational performance and improve health and safety.
Outline the human factors which influence behaviour at work in a way that can affect health and safety.
- Answer: Organisation - Relates to culture, leadership, resources, work patterns and communication.
Often has the greatest impact on employee behavior in the workplace. Can be a contributing factor to
accidents i.e. high work pressure, poor communication, lack of planning or procedure.
Job - Task, workload, environment, controls and procedures. Unclear procedures, poorly maintained
equipment and high workload may lead to accidents in the workplace.
Individual - Competence, skills, personality, attitudes, risk perception, motivation. An accident may be
the result of low competence, fatigue, boredom or medical problems relating to an employee.
Explain how health and safety behaviour at work can be improved. - Answer: HSE behaviour
improvements can be manged through motioning to determine areas which require attention and set
goals for their improvement. Improvements may include behavioral change programs, information to
the workforce, consultation, effective communication, HSE communication, training.
Explain the principles and practice of risk assessment. - Answer: A risk assessment identifies what may
cause harm to workers and the actions which can be undertaken to reduce the risk. The process for a
risk assessment which generally follow these steps:
- Hazard identification
- Determine who may be harmed and how
- Evaluate the risks (may be completed using a risk assessment matrix)
- Determine what controls are needed
- Record findings and how controls will be implemented
- Review and update as required
Explain the general principles of control and a basic hierarchy of risk reduction measures. - Answer: Risks
are assessed to ensure they are effectively controlled and that the controls are working in practice. To
determine if a control is adequate the cost can be compared with the risk i.e. the greater the risk, the
greater the effort to control the risk.
