CITB Managers Occupational Health and Welfare 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, what must a manager do before any demolition or refurbishment work begins on a building?
- Assume the building is asbestos-free if built after 1990
- Carry out a refurbishment and demolition asbestos survey (R&D survey) (Correct answer)
- Only check for asbestos in the roof
- Start work and stop if asbestos is found
Correct answer: Carry out a refurbishment and demolition asbestos survey (R&D survey)
Regulation 7 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 requires that before demolition or refurbishment work begins, a suitable refurbishment and demolition (R&D) survey must be carried out by a UKAS-accredited surveyor. This is a destructive survey designed to find all asbestos-containing materials that may be disturbed.
Question 2: What is the current UK control limit for asbestos exposure under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012?
- 0.5 fibres per cm³ over a 4-hour period
- 0.1 fibres per cm³ over a 4-hour period (Correct answer)
- 1.0 fibre per cm³ over an 8-hour period
- 0.01 fibres per cm³ over a 4-hour period
Correct answer: 0.1 fibres per cm³ over a 4-hour period
The control limit for asbestos is 0.1 fibres per cm³ of air averaged over a continuous 4-hour period. This applies to all types of asbestos. It is a maximum concentration that must not be exceeded, not a 'safe' level — there is no known safe level of asbestos exposure.
Question 3: A construction site manager notices that several workers appear to be suffering from work-related stress. Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, what is the employer's duty?
- Stress is a personal issue and not the employer's responsibility
- The employer must assess the risk of stress-related ill health and take measures to control it (Correct answer)
- Only refer workers to their GP
- Only address stress if a worker makes a formal complaint
Correct answer: The employer must assess the risk of stress-related ill health and take measures to control it
Work-related stress is a recognised health risk. Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, employers must include stress in their risk assessments and take reasonably practicable measures to control it. The HSE's Management Standards identify six key areas: demands, control, support, relationships, role, and change.
Question 4: Under the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, what is the correct hierarchy for managing manual handling risks?
- Provide training, then provide PPE, then monitor
- Avoid hazardous manual handling, then assess remaining operations, then reduce the risk of injury so far as reasonably practicable (Correct answer)
- Assess all operations, then provide gloves and back supports
- Only assess operations where loads exceed 25 kg
Correct answer: Avoid hazardous manual handling, then assess remaining operations, then reduce the risk of injury so far as reasonably practicable
The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 establish a clear hierarchy: first avoid hazardous manual handling operations so far as reasonably practicable, then assess any remaining hazardous operations, and finally reduce the risk of injury from those operations to the lowest level reasonably practicable.
Question 5: What is the legal requirement for first aid provision on a construction site under the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981?
- At least one first aider per 25 workers at all times
- An employer must provide adequate and appropriate first aid equipment, facilities and personnel based on a needs assessment (Correct answer)
- Only a first aid box is required regardless of site size
- First aid is only required if the site has more than 50 workers
Correct answer: An employer must provide adequate and appropriate first aid equipment, facilities and personnel based on a needs assessment
The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require employers to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to enable first aid to be rendered. What is 'adequate' depends on the nature of the work, the number of workers, and the risk assessment. Construction sites typically need trained first aiders due to the higher-risk nature of the work.
Question 6: A worker on a construction site is regularly exposed to UV radiation from the sun during summer months. What duty does the employer have?
- No duty, as sun exposure is natural and unavoidable
- The employer must assess the risk and implement control measures such as scheduling work, providing shade, and promoting sun protection (Correct answer)
- Only provide sunscreen and nothing more
- Only address it if the worker has already been diagnosed with skin cancer
Correct answer: The employer must assess the risk and implement control measures such as scheduling work, providing shade, and promoting sun protection
Outdoor workers face increased risk of skin cancer from UV radiation. Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and HSE guidance, employers must assess the risk and implement controls including scheduling intensive work outside peak UV hours, providing shade, encouraging protective clothing, and educating workers about risks.
