Site Safe Site Hazards and Emergency Procedures 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the NZ approach to managing mobile plant and vehicle safety on construction sites?
- Separate pedestrian and vehicle traffic, use spotters for reversing, maintain exclusion zones around operating plant, ensure operators are competent, and conduct pre-start checks (Correct answer)
- No specific controls are needed for vehicles on construction sites
- Only dump trucks need safety controls — small vehicles do not
- Vehicle safety is managed by the vehicle manufacturer, not the site
Correct answer: Separate pedestrian and vehicle traffic, use spotters for reversing, maintain exclusion zones around operating plant, ensure operators are competent, and conduct pre-start checks
NZ construction site vehicle safety requires: separation of pedestrian and vehicle routes, designated crossing points, use of spotters for reversing vehicles, exclusion zones around operating plant, competency verification for all operators, daily pre-start checks, and speed limits on site.
Question 2: What is a confined space in NZ construction and what special precautions are required?
- An enclosed or partially enclosed space not designed for continuous human occupancy with a risk of hazardous atmosphere — requires a permit, atmospheric monitoring, rescue plan, and standby person (Correct answer)
- Any small room in a building
- Only underground tanks and sewers
- Confined spaces are defined solely by their size
Correct answer: An enclosed or partially enclosed space not designed for continuous human occupancy with a risk of hazardous atmosphere — requires a permit, atmospheric monitoring, rescue plan, and standby person
A confined space in NZ is an enclosed or partially enclosed area not designed for continuous human occupancy, with a risk of hazardous atmosphere, engulfment, or entrapment. Entry requires a permit to work, atmospheric monitoring, a rescue plan, trained entrants, and a standby person at the entry.
Question 3: What is the NZ procedure for reporting a near miss on a construction site?
- Report the near miss to the supervisor, complete an incident report form, investigate the cause, implement corrective actions, and share learnings with the team (Correct answer)
- Near misses do not need to be reported — only actual injuries
- Report it to WorkSafe NZ only
- Discuss it informally at the next team meeting but no written report is needed
Correct answer: Report the near miss to the supervisor, complete an incident report form, investigate the cause, implement corrective actions, and share learnings with the team
NZ best practice requires near misses to be reported, investigated, and acted upon just like actual incidents. They are valuable warning signs that an incident could occur. The process includes: reporting, investigation, corrective actions, and sharing learnings to prevent actual harm.
Question 4: What are the NZ requirements for managing hot work (welding, cutting) on construction sites?
- A hot work permit, fire extinguisher within reach, removal of combustible materials, fire watch during and 30 minutes after work, and no work near flammable atmospheres (Correct answer)
- No special requirements if the welder is qualified
- Only a fire extinguisher is needed nearby
- Hot work permits are only needed inside buildings
Correct answer: A hot work permit, fire extinguisher within reach, removal of combustible materials, fire watch during and 30 minutes after work, and no work near flammable atmospheres
NZ hot work requirements include: a hot work permit, a suitable fire extinguisher within reach, removal or protection of combustible materials within 10 metres, a fire watch during and for at least 30 minutes after work, checking for flammable atmospheres, and appropriate PPE (welding helmet, gloves, apron).
Question 5: What is the NZ earthquake preparedness requirement for construction sites?
- Have an earthquake emergency procedure, identify safe zones and potential collapse risks, practise 'Drop, Cover, Hold' response, and have a post-earthquake site inspection procedure (Correct answer)
- Earthquake preparedness is not required for construction sites
- Only sites in Wellington need earthquake procedures
- Construction sites are inherently earthquake-proof
Correct answer: Have an earthquake emergency procedure, identify safe zones and potential collapse risks, practise 'Drop, Cover, Hold' response, and have a post-earthquake site inspection procedure
NZ construction sites must have earthquake emergency procedures given NZ's high seismicity. This includes: identifying safe zones and collapse risks (scaffolding, partially built structures), practising 'Drop, Cover, Hold', having a post-earthquake site inspection procedure before re-entry, and securing materials that could fall.
Question 6: In NZ construction, what is the procedure for isolating energy sources before maintenance (lockout/tagout)?
- Identify all energy sources, isolate using locks and tags, verify isolation (test that the energy is off), perform the work, and remove locks/tags only when work is complete and safe (Correct answer)
- Simply switch off the machine and start working
- Only electrical energy needs to be isolated
- Lockout/tagout is optional if the maintenance takes less than 10 minutes
Correct answer: Identify all energy sources, isolate using locks and tags, verify isolation (test that the energy is off), perform the work, and remove locks/tags only when work is complete and safe
NZ lockout/tagout procedure requires: identifying all energy sources (electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, gravitational, stored), isolating each using personal locks and tags, verifying isolation by testing, performing the maintenance, and removing locks/tags only when work is complete and it is safe to re-energise.
Site Safe Site Hazards and Emergency Procedures 2
What is the NZ approach to managing mobile plant and vehicle safety on construction sites?