White Card Construction Hazards and Risks 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a 'dangerous incident' under the WHS Act?
- A near miss nobody noticed
- An incident exposing a person to immediate risk to health or safety, even without actual injury (Correct answer)
- A traffic jam near the site
- A minor workplace disagreement
Correct answer: An incident exposing a person to immediate risk to health or safety, even without actual injury
Dangerous incidents expose people to serious risk regardless of whether anyone was actually injured — examples include uncontrolled collapses, explosions, and electric shocks.
Question 2: What must happen with a workplace incident scene?
- Clean it up immediately
- Preserve it undisturbed until an inspector directs otherwise, except for rescue (Correct answer)
- Take photos then clean up
- Nothing — continue working
Correct answer: Preserve it undisturbed until an inspector directs otherwise, except for rescue
Incident sites must be preserved for investigation. Only actions to help injured persons or prevent further danger are permitted before an inspector authorises changes.
Question 3: What does 'reasonably practicable' mean under WHS law?
- Do the cheapest option
- What can reasonably be done considering the hazard likelihood, harm degree, and cost proportionality (Correct answer)
- Do nothing if it costs money
- Whatever the worker prefers
Correct answer: What can reasonably be done considering the hazard likelihood, harm degree, and cost proportionality
Reasonably practicable means considering the likelihood and severity of the hazard, available knowledge, suitable controls, and whether the cost is proportionate to the risk.
Question 4: What is a Job Safety Analysis (JSA)?
- A financial analysis of the job
- Breaking a job into steps to identify hazards and controls for each step (Correct answer)
- A job performance review
- An employment application assessment
Correct answer: Breaking a job into steps to identify hazards and controls for each step
A JSA systematically breaks work into sequential steps, identifies hazards for each step, and specifies controls to manage each hazard.
Question 5: What is the first step in the risk management process?
- Control the risk
- Monitor and review
- Identify hazards (Correct answer)
- Assess the risk
Correct answer: Identify hazards
Risk management follows: identify hazards → assess risks → control risks → monitor and review.
Question 6: What are workers' duties under Section 28 of the WHS Act?
- No duties — all responsibility is on the PCBU
- Take reasonable care for their own and others' safety, comply with reasonable instructions, and cooperate (Correct answer)
- Only follow instructions they agree with
- Only ensure their own safety
Correct answer: Take reasonable care for their own and others' safety, comply with reasonable instructions, and cooperate
Section 28 requires workers to take reasonable care, comply with reasonable instructions, and cooperate with WHS policies and procedures.
White Card Construction Hazards and Risks 3
What is a 'dangerous incident' under the WHS Act?