🩺 Health, Welfare & Occupational Health

1. On a construction site, what is the key difference between a 'safety' risk and a 'health' risk?

1. Safety risks cause immediate harm, while health risks usually cause harm over a longer period of time
2. Safety risks only affect managers, while health risks only affect operatives
3. Health risks cause immediate harm, while safety risks build up slowly
4. There is no real difference between the two terms

Safety hazards (such as falls or being struck) cause immediate injury, whereas health hazards (such as dust, noise or vibration) typically harm the body gradually over months or years. Source: HSE guidance

2. Which of the following is best described as a long-term HEALTH risk rather than an immediate SAFETY risk?

1. Breathing in silica dust day after day
2. Falling from an unguarded edge
3. Being struck by a reversing dumper
4. Tripping over trailing cables

Breathing in silica dust causes harm that develops slowly over years (a health risk), while falls, vehicle strikes and trips cause immediate injury (safety risks). Source: COSHH 2002 / HSE guidance

3. Which of these is an example of an immediate SAFETY hazard?

1. An unguarded hole in a floor
2. Hand-arm vibration from a breaker
3. Loud noise from a cut-off saw
4. Exposure to cement dust

An unguarded hole can cause an instant fall and injury, making it a safety hazard, whereas vibration, noise and dust cause harm that builds up over time (health hazards). Source: HSE guidance

4. Why are health risks on site often harder to notice than safety risks?

1. The damage builds up slowly and you may not feel any effects for a long time
2. They only affect people who are already unwell
3. They are always clearly signposted
4. They cannot cause serious harm

Health risks such as dust, noise and vibration often produce no immediate symptoms, so the damage can be well advanced before a worker notices anything wrong. Source: HSE guidance

5. Which of the following is a long-term occupational HEALTH problem caused by work?

1. Hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS)
2. A cut from a hand tool
3. A sprained ankle from a slip
4. A bruise from a dropped load

HAVS develops over time from prolonged use of vibrating tools and is an occupational health condition, while cuts, sprains and bruises are immediate safety injuries. Source: Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005

6. Repeated exposure to loud noise on site can lead to which long-term health effect?

1. Permanent hearing loss and tinnitus
2. Instant blindness
3. A broken bone
4. A chemical burn

Noise damages hearing gradually, and once it is lost it cannot be recovered, which is why noise is treated as a health hazard. Source: Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005

7. A worker develops dermatitis on their hands after months of contact with wet cement. This is an example of:

1. A long-term health effect from exposure to a hazardous substance
2. An immediate safety injury
3. A condition that has nothing to do with work
4. A problem that cannot be prevented

Dermatitis from repeated skin contact with wet cement is an occupational health condition that builds up over time and can be prevented by using suitable controls and PPE. Source: COSHH 2002

8. You notice a workmate never wears hearing protection because, as he says, 'my ears feel fine'. What is the best thing to point out to him?

1. Noise damage builds up silently over time, so by the time you notice it the harm is already permanent
2. He is right, if his ears feel fine there is no risk
3. Hearing protection is only needed for very short jobs
4. Hearing damage always heals once the noise stops

Noise-induced hearing loss is gradual and often painless, so feeling 'fine' is no guarantee of safety; the damage is irreversible once done. Source: Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005

9. Which statement about occupational health risks is correct?

1. The harm is often irreversible by the time symptoms appear
2. They always show symptoms within minutes
3. They can only affect people over the age of 50
4. They are never serious enough to report

Many occupational health conditions (such as HAVS, hearing loss and lung disease) are permanent by the time they are noticed, which is why early control of exposure is vital. Source: HSE guidance

10. You are cutting paving slabs with a disc cutter and clouds of dust are being produced. Which type of harm is the dust most likely to cause?

1. A long-term health effect on your lungs
2. An immediate cut to your hands
3. An electric shock
4. A trip hazard

The fine respirable dust from cutting stone contains silica, which damages the lungs over time and is a serious health hazard rather than an immediate safety risk. Source: COSHH 2002

11. Compared with safety hazards, why is it especially important to control health hazards at source?

1. Because the ill-health they cause is often permanent and develops without obvious warning signs
2. Because health hazards only occur on large sites
3. Because PPE always removes health risks completely
4. Because health hazards are not covered by any regulations

Health hazards cause slow, often irreversible damage with few early warning signs, so controlling exposure at source is the most effective way to prevent harm. Source: COSHH 2002 / Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005

12. A site has excellent guardrails and edge protection (safety) but workers regularly breathe in wood dust without any extraction. What is the main weakness in this approach?

1. Immediate injury risks are controlled but the long-term health of workers is being neglected
2. There is no weakness, the site is fully compliant
3. Wood dust is not a health concern at all
4. Guardrails make extraction unnecessary

Good safety controls do not protect against health hazards; wood dust must also be controlled, as long-term exposure can cause respiratory disease. Source: COSHH 2002

13. Which of the following correctly pairs a hazard with whether it is mainly a SAFETY or a HEALTH risk?

1. Asbestos fibres — health risk; unprotected scaffold edge — safety risk
2. Asbestos fibres — safety risk; unprotected scaffold edge — health risk
3. Both are immediate safety risks only
4. Both are long-term health risks only

Asbestos fibres cause disease over many years (a health risk), while an unprotected scaffold edge can cause an immediate fall (a safety risk). Source: Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 / Work at Height Regulations 2005

14. Health surveillance for workers exposed to noise, dust or vibration is mainly used to:

1. Detect early signs of ill-health so further harm can be prevented
2. Replace the need for any control measures
3. Decide who gets paid overtime
4. Test how strong a worker is

Health surveillance helps spot the early signs of work-related ill-health so that action can be taken before the condition becomes serious or permanent. Source: MHSWR 1999 / COSHH 2002

15. Under most site rules, what is the policy on alcohol and drugs while at work?

1. Being under the influence of drugs or alcohol at work is not allowed
2. A small amount of alcohol is fine before operating machinery
3. Drugs are banned but alcohol is always allowed
4. It is only a problem if your supervisor sees you

Site drug and alcohol policies prohibit working while impaired, because it endangers the worker and everyone around them. Source: HASAWA 1974 s.7 / HSE guidance

16. Why are drugs and alcohol a serious risk on a construction site?

1. They slow your reactions and impair your judgement, making accidents more likely
2. They only affect you after you go home
3. They have no effect on physical work
4. They improve your concentration

Drugs and alcohol affect reaction times, coordination and judgement, greatly increasing the chance of an accident on a busy site. Source: HSE guidance

17. What does 'fitness for work' mean on a construction site?

1. Being in a fit state to do your job safely, free from anything that impairs you
2. Being able to lift the heaviest possible load
3. Having a gym membership
4. Being the fastest worker on site

Fitness for work means you are physically and mentally able to carry out your tasks safely, without being impaired by drugs, alcohol, illness or fatigue. Source: HASAWA 1974 s.7 / HSE guidance

18. You feel drowsy and unable to concentrate at work after a heavy night of drinking. What should you do?

1. Tell your supervisor and not start any safety-critical work while impaired
2. Carry on as normal and hope no one notices
3. Have another drink to steady yourself
4. Ask a workmate to cover for you secretly

If you are impaired you must not carry out safety-critical work; being honest with your supervisor protects you and everyone else on site. Source: HASAWA 1974 s.7 / HSE guidance

19. Who has a legal duty to take reasonable care for their own safety and that of others affected by their work?

1. Every employee, under their general health and safety duties
2. Only the site manager
3. Only the safety officer
4. Nobody, it is just good practice

Section 7 of HASAWA places a legal duty on every worker to take reasonable care of themselves and others, which includes not being impaired by drugs or alcohol. Source: HASAWA 1974 s.7

20. Your doctor has prescribed medication that the label warns may cause drowsiness. Before operating a machine, what should you do?

1. Tell your supervisor so the risk can be assessed before you do safety-critical work
2. Say nothing, as it is a prescription so it must be safe
3. Take a double dose to get it over with quicker
4. Only mention it if you actually fall asleep

Prescription medicines can still impair you; telling your supervisor allows the risk to be assessed and your duties adjusted if needed. Source: HSE guidance / HASAWA 1974 s.7

21. You suspect a workmate is under the influence of drugs and is about to operate a forklift. What is the right thing to do?

1. Report your concern to a supervisor straight away
2. Ignore it, as it is none of your business
3. Wait to see if there is an accident first
4. Take over the forklift yourself without telling anyone

An impaired person operating machinery is a serious danger to everyone; reporting it promptly is part of your duty to protect others. Source: HASAWA 1974 s.7 / HSE guidance

22. Many sites require workers to take a drug and alcohol test. The main purpose of such testing is to:

1. Help ensure that everyone on site is fit to work safely
2. Catch people out so they can be sacked for fun
3. Slow down the start of the working day
4. Replace the need for any safety training

Drug and alcohol testing is a control measure used to confirm that workers are fit for safety-critical work and to deter impairment on site. Source: HSE guidance

23. Which of the following can affect your fitness for work, in addition to drugs and alcohol?

1. Tiredness, stress and certain medications
2. Only illegal drugs
3. Only alcohol consumed at work
4. Nothing else can affect fitness for work

Fitness for work can be reduced by fatigue, stress and some medicines as well as by drugs and alcohol, all of which can impair safe performance. Source: HSE guidance

24. It is a hot day and a workmate offers you a can of lager during your lunch break before you go back to operating plant. What should you do?

1. Refuse it, because alcohol would make you unfit to operate plant safely
2. Accept it, as one can during a break is fine
3. Drink it quickly so it wears off faster
4. Drink it but work more slowly afterwards

Even one alcoholic drink can impair coordination and judgement; you must stay free of alcohol to remain fit to operate plant safely. Source: HSE guidance / HASAWA 1974 s.7

25. A worker who reports to a colleague or manager that they have a drug or alcohol problem is best helped by:

1. Being offered support, as many policies treat it as a health issue alongside safety rules
2. Being told it is entirely their own problem
3. Being ignored until they cause an accident
4. Being given alcohol to keep them calm

Good drug and alcohol policies combine clear safety rules with support and help for those who come forward, recognising dependency as a health issue. Source: HSE guidance

26. You are an experienced operative and your supervisor asks you to drive a dumper, but you took a strong painkiller an hour ago that warns against driving. The right action is to:

1. Explain the situation and ask to be given a different task while affected
2. Drive anyway because you feel confident
3. Hide the fact you took the painkiller
4. Take more painkillers to mask any drowsiness

Driving plant while impaired by medication is dangerous and breaches your duty of care; you should be reassigned to a non-safety-critical task. Source: HASAWA 1974 s.7 / HSE guidance

27. Why is alcohol consumed the night before work still a potential problem the next morning?

1. Alcohol can remain in your system and impair you for many hours, so you may still be unfit when you start
2. Alcohol always leaves the body within one hour
3. It only matters if you can still smell it
4. Sleep removes all the effects of alcohol instantly

Alcohol is processed by the body slowly, so heavy drinking the night before can leave you over the limit and impaired well into the next working day. Source: HSE guidance

28. During a toolbox talk the policy states a 'zero tolerance' approach to drugs and alcohol. What does this mean for you as an operative?

1. You must not attend work under the influence of any drugs or alcohol that could impair you
2. You can drink as long as you stay below the drink-drive limit
3. It only applies to people who use machinery
4. It only applies during night shifts

A zero-tolerance policy means workers must arrive and remain free from impairment by drugs or alcohol, regardless of role, to keep everyone safe. Source: HASAWA 1974 s.7 / HSE guidance

29. Whose responsibility is it to provide adequate welfare facilities such as toilets and washing areas on a construction site?

1. The individual workers, who must bring their own
2. The employer or principal contractor
3. The local council
4. Only the site visitors

Under CDM 2015, the employer and principal contractor must ensure suitable and sufficient welfare facilities are provided for everyone working on site, free of charge. Source: CDM 2015 (Schedule 2 welfare facilities)

30. What must always be readily available alongside the toilets on a construction site?

1. Vending machines
2. Washing facilities with soap and a means of drying hands
3. A first-aid room
4. A drying room

Washing facilities including clean water, soap and a means of drying must be provided close to toilets so workers can maintain hygiene. Source: CDM 2015 (Schedule 2)

31. Drinking water provided on a construction site must be:

1. Charged to the worker at cost price
2. Wholesome and clearly marked if it could be confused with non-drinking water
3. Only available in the site office
4. Limited to managers and supervisors

An adequate supply of wholesome drinking water must be provided and clearly marked where there is a risk of confusion with non-drinkable water. Source: CDM 2015 (Schedule 2)

32. What is the main purpose of a drying room on a construction site?

1. To store hand tools overnight
2. To dry wet work clothing and personal protective equipment
3. To prepare and eat hot food
4. To carry out toolbox talks

A drying room or area lets workers dry clothing and PPE that has become wet, so they are not left working in damp clothes. Source: CDM 2015 (Schedule 2)

33. A rest facility on site should provide:

1. Somewhere to sit, shelter from the weather and a means of heating food and water
2. A licensed bar for after work
3. Sleeping accommodation for night shifts
4. A workshop for repairing tools

Rest facilities must include seating, protection from the weather and the ability to prepare or heat food and a hot drink. Source: CDM 2015 (Schedule 2)

34. You arrive on site and find the only toilet is filthy and has no running water for washing. What is the best action?

1. Use it anyway and say nothing
2. Report it to your supervisor so it can be cleaned and put right
3. Go home immediately without telling anyone
4. Use the public toilet down the road every time and ignore the issue

Welfare facilities must be kept clean and in good order; reporting the problem allows the site to correct it as required by law. Source: CDM 2015 (Schedule 2)

35. Why should washing facilities be available before workers eat or smoke?

1. To save time at the end of the shift
2. To remove dust and contaminants such as cement, lead or silica from the hands
3. Because it is only a courtesy, not a health issue
4. To keep the canteen tidy

Washing hands before eating, drinking or smoking prevents harmful substances on the skin from being swallowed or inhaled. Source: COSHH 2002 / HSE welfare guidance