CSCS Site Hazard Awareness and Risk Assessment 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Who has a legal duty to carry out a risk assessment before work begins on a construction site?
- Only the site owner
- The employer or self-employed person in charge of the work (Correct answer)
- The local government authority
- Only workers with more than 5 years of experience
Correct answer: The employer or self-employed person in charge of the work
Under health and safety law, employers and self-employed persons must carry out and record a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for all work activities.
Question 2: What should you do if you notice a new hazard on site that was not covered in the site induction?
- Work around it without telling anyone
- Report it to your supervisor immediately (Correct answer)
- Wait until the end of the day to mention it
- Deal with it yourself if you feel able
Correct answer: Report it to your supervisor immediately
New or unexpected hazards must be reported immediately so the risk can be assessed and appropriate controls put in place before anyone is harmed.
Question 3: What does a yellow triangle warning sign on a construction site indicate?
- A mandatory instruction
- A prohibition
- A hazard or warning of danger (Correct answer)
- A safe condition such as a first aid point
Correct answer: A hazard or warning of danger
Yellow triangular signs warn workers of a nearby hazard, such as overhead power lines, excavations, or slippery surfaces.
Question 4: What is a 'permit to work' (PTW) used for on a construction site?
- To give workers permission to be on the site payroll
- To formally authorize high-risk tasks, ensuring controls are in place before work starts (Correct answer)
- To record the number of hours worked each day
- To gain access to a restricted area during lunchtime
Correct answer: To formally authorize high-risk tasks, ensuring controls are in place before work starts
A permit to work is a formal documented system used to control dangerous activities such as hot work, confined space entry, or live electrical work.
Question 5: What is the significance of a red prohibition sign on a construction site?
- It tells you what action is required
- It warns you of a specific danger
- It indicates that an activity or behavior is not allowed (Correct answer)
- It shows the location of a first aid kit
Correct answer: It indicates that an activity or behavior is not allowed
Red circular signs with a diagonal line indicate that an action is prohibited, such as 'No smoking' or 'No unauthorized entry'.
Question 6: When should a dynamic risk assessment be carried out?
- Only at the very start of a new project
- Continuously throughout a task as conditions change unexpectedly (Correct answer)
- Once a year at the annual safety review
- Only after an accident has occurred
Correct answer: Continuously throughout a task as conditions change unexpectedly
A dynamic risk assessment is carried out on the spot when site conditions change unexpectedly, requiring workers to reassess hazards in real time before continuing.
CSCS Site Hazard Awareness and Risk Assessment 2
Who has a legal duty to carry out a risk assessment before work begins on a construction site?