CITB PPE & Site Welfare 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What welfare facilities must be provided on a construction site under CDM 2015?
- A site canteen with hot food only
- Sanitary conveniences, washing facilities, drinking water, rest facilities, and changing and drying facilities (Correct answer)
- A first-aid room and defibrillator only
- Only toilets and drinking water
Correct answer: Sanitary conveniences, washing facilities, drinking water, rest facilities, and changing and drying facilities
CDM 2015 Schedule 2 specifies minimum welfare standards including adequate toilets, washbasins, drinking water, rest rooms, and changing and drying rooms.
Question 2: What is the purpose of a face fit test for tight-fitting respiratory protective equipment?
- To check the RPE meets CE/UKCA marking requirements
- To confirm the facepiece seals correctly on the individual wearer's face shape, ensuring adequate protection (Correct answer)
- To assess the wearer's lung capacity
- To select the correct filter type for the hazard
Correct answer: To confirm the facepiece seals correctly on the individual wearer's face shape, ensuring adequate protection
Tight-fitting RPE relies on a complete face seal to prevent contaminated air bypassing the filter; face fit testing confirms this particular mask fits this particular person.
Question 3: What does the acronym RPE stand for in construction health and safety?
- Respiratory Protection Equipment (Correct answer)
- Regulated Personal Equipment
- Risk Prevention Evaluation
- Restricted Personal Exposure
Correct answer: Respiratory Protection Equipment
RPE stands for Respiratory Protective Equipment — equipment such as dust masks, half-face respirators, and powered air purifying respirators that protect the airway from hazardous substances.
Question 4: How often should PPE be inspected and maintained?
- Only when the worker requests a replacement
- Before each use (visual check), and at regular intervals, with immediate replacement if defects are found (Correct answer)
- Annually by the employer's health and safety officer
- After any reported safety incident only
Correct answer: Before each use (visual check), and at regular intervals, with immediate replacement if defects are found
PPE should be visually checked before each use and formally inspected at intervals depending on type and intensity of use — defective PPE must be replaced immediately.
Question 5: Why is optical class important for eye protection used in close inspection or precision tasks?
- It makes colours more vibrant for safety sign recognition
- Incorrect optical class causes eyestrain and distortion, affecting accuracy and causing fatigue-related errors (Correct answer)
- Only anti-scratch coating matters for precision tasks
- Eye protection is not required for precision tasks
Correct answer: Incorrect optical class causes eyestrain and distortion, affecting accuracy and causing fatigue-related errors
Optical class 1 eyewear provides the highest quality vision; lower-quality lenses cause distortion and eyestrain, which can lead to mistakes in careful measurement or inspection work.
Question 6: What should a worker do if they find their PPE is damaged or missing just before starting a task?
- Proceed with the task as quickly as possible to avoid delay
- Report the damage or absence to their supervisor and obtain replacement PPE before beginning the task (Correct answer)
- Improvise a substitute from available materials
- Continue the task if the risk appears low
Correct answer: Report the damage or absence to their supervisor and obtain replacement PPE before beginning the task
Workers must report defective or missing PPE to their supervisor and obtain replacements before starting work — PPE regulations impose a duty on workers to report problems and use provided equipment correctly.
CITB PPE & Site Welfare 2
What welfare facilities must be provided on a construction site under CDM 2015?