NEBOSH Risk Assessment 6

Question 1

What does a 'fire risk assessment' specifically require?

Accepted Answer

Identify fire hazards (ignition sources, fuel, oxygen), identify people at risk, evaluate and implement controls, record findings, and review — under fire safety regulations separate from the general risk assessment

Answer

Fire risk assessment under fire safety regulations follows the same five-step structure but focuses specifically on: identifying ignition sources, fuel types, and oxidants; identifying people at risk (especially in sleeping premises); evaluating fire prevention, detection, suppression, and evacuation systems; and recording and reviewing findings.

Question 2

How should risk assessment address the hazards of scaffolding in Gulf construction?

Accepted Answer

Scaffold risk assessment must address: erection/dismantling hazards (falls, falling objects), design for loads, ground conditions, scaffold inspection regime, access, and weather exposure

Answer

Scaffolding risk assessments cover: competence of erectors and dismantlers (falls during erection), design loading capacity, anchorage and stability, weather exposure (high winds are especially dangerous in the Gulf), public/adjacent worker protection, regular inspection (before use, weekly, after adverse weather), and tag systems (green = safe to use, red = unsafe).

Question 3

What risk controls are most effective for preventing manual handling injuries?

Accepted Answer

Mechanize or automate the task (eliminate manual handling), then redesign loads/layout (reduce risk), then provide training and instruction — PPE (back belts) is last and least effective

Answer

The hierarchy for manual handling: 1) Avoid manual handling entirely (mechanical aids — forklifts, pallet trucks, hoists), 2) Assess and reduce the risk (lighter loads, shorter carry distances, team lifting, ergonomic workstation design), 3) Train workers in safe technique. Back support belts have no proven benefit for prevention and are not a substitute for engineering controls.

Question 4

What is the risk assessment implication of 'reasonably foreseeable' harm?

Accepted Answer

Employers must control risks from harm that a reasonable person would foresee as likely — they are not required to anticipate every conceivable but highly unlikely event

Answer

'Reasonably foreseeable' is the legal test for duty of care. Employers must assess and control hazards where harm could reasonably be anticipated, given the nature of the work and available information. Courts assess this against what a competent employer in the same field should have known and done.

Question 5

How should a risk assessment address contractors on a shared worksite?

Accepted Answer

The main contractor must communicate site hazards to contractors; contractors must inform the main contractor of hazards their work introduces; interfaces between work activities must be coordinated

Answer

On shared worksites (construction, offshore, industrial facilities), the principal contractor must: conduct site induction for all contractors, share the site risk assessment findings, receive and review contractors' own risk assessments and method statements, coordinate overlapping activities, and maintain an integrated site safety management system.

NEBOSH IGC Practice Test

NEBOSH IGC Practice Test

NEBOSH Risk Assessment 6