Project Management Professional (PMP)

Correct: According to HSG47 (Avoiding danger from underground services), plans must only be used as a guide because they are frequently inaccurate or incomplete. A safe system of work requires a three-stage approach: using plans, using cable avoidance tools (CAT) with a signal generator (Genny) to detect services, and then using safe excavation techniques (such as hand-digging trial holes) to confirm the exact location of services before any mechanical excavation begins.

Incorrect: Relying on surface features or dynamic assessments alone is insufficient because many services do not have visible surface indicators and drawings are notoriously unreliable. Reducing digging speed or using a banksman does not satisfy the requirement to locate services before mechanical digging starts. Requesting utility companies to verify plans is impractical for daily site management and does not replace the site manager’s responsibility to use detection equipment and safe digging practices on-site.

Takeaway: Utility plans are only a starting point; site management must always verify service locations using detection tools and hand-dug trial holes before mechanical excavation occurs.

Correct: Health surveillance is a proactive process designed to detect early signs of work-related ill health. Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, when a residual risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) remains despite controls, a systematic approach to monitoring worker health is required. This allows the employer to identify if current controls are failing and provides data to refine risk assessments before a serious injury occurs.

Incorrect: Relying on RIDDOR is a reactive approach that only addresses health issues after they have become severe or caused significant absence, which defeats the purpose of early detection. Monthly training is an administrative control measure but does not constitute health surveillance, which is the monitoring of the person, not the task. While automation is a high-level control in the hierarchy, it is often not feasible for all construction tasks and does not address the management of health surveillance for the existing workforce.

Takeaway: Effective health surveillance must be a proactive, systematic tool used to detect early symptoms of ill health and inform the continuous improvement of site risk assessments.

Correct: Under the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, the duty of care and the requirement for health surveillance apply to those in control of the work. If the site management directs the activities, provides the equipment, and controls the duration of exposure, they must ensure that health surveillance is implemented for all workers reaching the Exposure Action Value (EAV), regardless of their specific employment contract.

Incorrect: The suggestion that only direct employees require monitoring is incorrect because health and safety law focuses on the party controlling the risk and the workplace. Waiting for a formal diagnosis before starting surveillance is a failure of the preventative purpose of the regulations, which aim to catch early symptoms. Relying on vibration-dampening gloves is also incorrect as PPE is the last resort in the hierarchy of control and does not negate the legal requirement for health surveillance when exposure thresholds are met.

Takeaway: Legal responsibility for health surveillance is determined by who controls the work and the exposure, requiring site management to monitor all at-risk workers regardless of their employment status.

Correct: Under the Work at Height Regulations 2005, any work at height must be properly planned, which includes a specific rescue plan. A fundamental requirement is that the plan must be self-sufficient and not rely solely on the emergency services. This is because suspension trauma (orthostatic intolerance) can become life-threatening within minutes, and the fire and rescue service may not have the specific equipment or response time necessary to prevent serious injury.

Incorrect: Relying on emergency services is considered inadequate planning because their response time and equipment cannot be guaranteed for specialized on-site rescues. There are no exemptions based on the duration of the work or the specific type of equipment used; if there is a risk of a fall, a rescue plan is required. Generic site-wide procedures are often insufficient as they do not account for the specific height, equipment, or physical obstacles involved in a particular task.

Takeaway: Rescue plans for working at height must be task-specific and self-contained to ensure immediate recovery and prevent suspension trauma without total reliance on public emergency services.

Correct: Under the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998, employers must ensure that electrical equipment is maintained to prevent danger. PAT is the accepted method for this, involving both a formal visual inspection and a manual test with specialized equipment. Crucially, the frequency of these tests is not fixed by law but must be determined by a risk assessment that considers the type of equipment and the harshness of the construction environment.

Incorrect: The suggestion that PAT is a mandatory annual requirement is a common misconception; the law requires equipment to be safe, but the interval is risk-based. The claim that it must be performed by a chartered engineer is incorrect, as the law only requires a ‘competent person’ with the right tools and knowledge. Finally, PAT does not replace daily user checks; in fact, the majority of electrical defects can be identified by users through simple visual inspections before use, which remains a primary safety requirement.

Takeaway: PAT is a risk-based maintenance regime combining visual and physical checks to ensure electrical equipment remains safe for use in specific site conditions.

Correct: Under PUWER 1998 and the CDM Regulations 2015, where there is a risk of a vehicle or plant falling into an excavation, specific physical measures such as stop blocks, baulks, or barriers must be used. These engineering controls provide a physical safeguard that prevents the machine from overrunning the edge, which is more effective than relying solely on operator judgment or verbal instructions.

Incorrect: While daily maintenance logs and pre-use inspections are required under PUWER, they ensure the mechanical integrity of the machine rather than preventing it from falling into a trench. Using a banksman is a useful administrative control for traffic management but does not provide a physical stop to prevent overrun. Dynamic risk assessments are necessary for changing conditions but do not replace the requirement for physical preventative measures when a known risk of overrunning exists.

Takeaway: To prevent plant from falling into excavations, Site Managers must prioritize physical engineering controls like stop blocks or baulks over administrative or verbal warnings.

Correct: The recommended method involves using a refurbishment and demolition survey to accurately identify asbestos-containing materials, ensuring a licensed contractor handles high-risk materials like asbestos insulating board with proper HSE notification, and verifying that non-licensed work is performed by trained individuals using safe working practices.

Incorrect: Relying on a management survey is inadequate for renovation work as it does not uncover hidden asbestos. Misclassifying licensed work as non-licensed is a criminal offense under the Control of Asbestos Regulations. Delegating all safety decisions to a subcontractor without oversight constitutes a failure of the site manager’s legal duty to coordinate and monitor safety on site.

Takeaway: Successful asbestos management requires precise identification through surveys and the strict application of licensing and training requirements based on the specific risk profile of the materials.

Correct: Immediate containment is the primary objective in environmental incident response. Under the Environmental Permitting Regulations and the ‘duty of care’ principle, site managers must prevent pollutants from entering watercourses or drainage systems. Using spill kits to block drains and contain the source of the leak is the most effective way to mitigate environmental damage and avoid legal prosecution for water pollution.

Incorrect: Washing a spill into a drain is a criminal offense as it intentionally introduces pollutants into the water system. Delaying containment for an investigation is incorrect because the priority is to prevent the spread of contamination; evidence can be gathered after the risk is mitigated. Covering a spill with sand and delaying remediation is insufficient as it allows the pollutant to soak into the ground, potentially contaminating groundwater and increasing the cost and complexity of eventual cleanup.

Takeaway: In the event of an environmental spill, the immediate priority is to contain the pollutant at the source and protect sensitive receptors like drains and watercourses.

Correct: Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations, any refurbishment work requires a specific Refurbishment and Demolition (R&D) survey to locate all asbestos-containing materials. If high-risk materials like pipe lagging are found, they generally require a licensed contractor. Crucially, for licensed work, a four-stage clearance process must be performed by an independent UKAS-accredited body to certify the area is safe for re-occupation.

Incorrect: Option B is incorrect because pipe insulation is a high-risk material that typically requires a licensed contractor and cannot be handled by general maintenance staff. Option C is incorrect because encapsulation is a management strategy that still requires professional assessment and does not bypass the need for a refurbishment survey. Option D is incorrect because a standard management survey is not intrusive enough for refurbishment projects and may miss hidden materials.

Takeaway: Before any refurbishment, a specific R&D survey must be conducted, and high-risk asbestos removal must be verified by an independent four-stage clearance process.

Correct: Under Regulation 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, employers are legally required to review and, if necessary, modify risk assessments if there is reason to suspect they are no longer valid or if there has been a significant change in the matters to which they relate. Relocating electrical distribution boards and changing the site layout constitutes a significant change that introduces new hazards, such as different cable routing or proximity to other trades, necessitating a revised assessment and Safe System of Work.

Incorrect: Verifying insurance and certifications is a part of contractor management but does not address the immediate legal requirement to assess site-specific hazards. Implementing arc-flash clothing focuses on the lowest level of the hierarchy of control (PPE) without first assessing if the risk can be eliminated or reduced through engineering or administrative controls. Waiting for an annual review is a failure of compliance, as the law requires updates whenever significant changes occur, not just at fixed intervals.

Takeaway: Risk assessments must be treated as living documents that are reviewed and updated immediately following any significant change in work conditions or environment to remain legally compliant and effective.