CITB Health & Safety Law 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under RIDDOR 2013, within how many days must an employer report a work-related accident causing a worker to be off work for more than 7 consecutive days?
- 3 days
- 10 days
- 15 days (Correct answer)
- 28 days
Correct answer: 15 days
RIDDOR 2013 requires employers to report over-7-day incapacitation injuries to the HSE within 15 days of the accident occurring.
Question 2: What is the purpose of a Construction Phase Plan under CDM 2015?
- To record contractor costs and timescales
- To set out health and safety arrangements for managing and monitoring the construction phase of a project (Correct answer)
- To list all subcontractors on site
- To identify the structural design of the building
Correct answer: To set out health and safety arrangements for managing and monitoring the construction phase of a project
The Construction Phase Plan documents how health and safety risks will be managed during the construction phase, covering site rules, emergency arrangements, and key risks.
Question 3: Under HSWA 1974, what is the maximum fine for a health and safety offence prosecuted in the Crown Court?
- £500,000
- £1,000,000
- Unlimited (Correct answer)
- £5,000
Correct answer: Unlimited
Following changes to the law, the Crown Court can impose unlimited fines for HSWA offences, with sentencing guidelines for the most serious cases resulting in multi-million pound penalties.
Question 4: Which regulation requires employers to appoint one or more competent persons to assist them with health and safety?
- HSWA 1974 s.2
- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 reg.7 (Correct answer)
- CDM 2015
- COSHH 2002
Correct answer: Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 reg.7
Regulation 7 of the Management Regulations requires employers to appoint competent persons with sufficient training, knowledge, and experience to assist in health and safety compliance.
Question 5: What does a 'safe system of work' mean on a construction site?
- A checklist completed by the site manager at the start of each shift
- A planned, organised procedure that identifies hazards and specifies safe methods to eliminate or minimise them (Correct answer)
- A statutory permit issued by the HSE for high-risk work
- A written statement from the principal contractor guaranteeing safety
Correct answer: A planned, organised procedure that identifies hazards and specifies safe methods to eliminate or minimise them
A safe system of work is a formal procedure that analyses tasks, identifies hazards, and provides risk-controlled methods so the work can be carried out safely.
Question 6: Under the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996, what do RED safety signs indicate?
- General information and first aid locations
- Prohibition or danger — actions that must not be done or areas that are dangerous (Correct answer)
- Mandatory actions that must be carried out
- Warning of a specific hazard
Correct answer: Prohibition or danger — actions that must not be done or areas that are dangerous
Red safety signs indicate prohibition (a circle with a diagonal bar) or danger — they signal something that must not be done or an immediate danger.
CITB Health & Safety Law 2
Under RIDDOR 2013, within how many days must an employer report a work-related accident causing a worker to be off work for more than 7 consecutive days?