CSCS General Safety 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the role of a CDM coordinator (Principal Designer) on a notifiable construction project?
- To manage the day-to-day construction activities on site
- To plan, manage, and coordinate health and safety in the pre-construction phase (Correct answer)
- To train all workers in health and safety before they start work
- To carry out daily site inspections and issue improvement notices
Correct answer: To plan, manage, and coordinate health and safety in the pre-construction phase
Under CDM 2015, the Principal Designer coordinates health and safety during the design and pre-construction phase of a project.
Question 2: Which of the following is a symptom of Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS)?
- Persistent lower back pain after tool use
- Tingling, numbness, or whitening of fingers from vibrating tool use (Correct answer)
- Hearing loss from prolonged use of vibrating equipment
- Eye strain caused by operating vibrating machinery
Correct answer: Tingling, numbness, or whitening of fingers from vibrating tool use
HAVS causes neurological and vascular damage to the hands and fingers, presenting as tingling, numbness, and blanching (white finger).
Question 3: What should you do if you find a discarded hypodermic needle on a construction site?
- Pick it up carefully with your bare hands and put it in the nearest bin
- Report it to your supervisor and do not touch it without appropriate protective equipment (Correct answer)
- Kick it to the side of the path to prevent others from stepping on it
- Crush it underfoot to render it harmless
Correct answer: Report it to your supervisor and do not touch it without appropriate protective equipment
Discarded needles are sharps hazards that pose infection risks — they must be reported and handled only by trained personnel with proper equipment.
Question 4: What does the term 'residual risk' mean in a construction risk assessment?
- The total risk before any controls are put in place
- The risk that remains after all practicable control measures have been implemented (Correct answer)
- Risks that are too small to bother recording
- Historical risks from previous projects on the same site
Correct answer: The risk that remains after all practicable control measures have been implemented
Residual risk is the level of risk that remains after control measures have been applied — it must be reduced to an acceptable level.
Question 5: Under health and safety law, what is an employer's duty regarding the provision of PPE?
- Employers may charge workers a nominal fee for expensive PPE items
- Employers must provide suitable PPE free of charge where risks cannot be adequately controlled by other means (Correct answer)
- Workers are responsible for purchasing their own PPE
- PPE only needs to be provided if the worker requests it
Correct answer: Employers must provide suitable PPE free of charge where risks cannot be adequately controlled by other means
Under the PPE at Work Regulations, employers must provide appropriate PPE free of charge when other controls are insufficient.
Question 6: What is the correct first action to take when discovering an unconscious casualty on a construction site?
- Give the casualty two rescue breaths immediately
- Check that the scene is safe before approaching the casualty (Correct answer)
- Move the casualty to a more comfortable location
- Begin chest compressions without delay
Correct answer: Check that the scene is safe before approaching the casualty
Scene safety must always be assessed first to ensure the rescuer does not become a second casualty.
Question 7: Which of the following activities requires a hot work permit on most construction sites?
- Using a battery-powered drill near a fuel store
- Using an angle grinder or blowtorch in areas where flammable materials are present (Correct answer)
- Operating a petrol-driven generator outdoors
- Mixing cement powder near a storage area
Correct answer: Using an angle grinder or blowtorch in areas where flammable materials are present
Hot work permits are required for activities producing heat, sparks, or flames that could ignite flammable materials, such as grinding or torch work.
CSCS General Safety 5
What is the role of a CDM coordinator (Principal Designer) on a notifiable construction project?