Minerals-Are-Us is a mining organisation that operates a single, large quarry site with two activelymined quarry pits, and one disused pit that has filled with rainwater and become a pit lake. The quarry is in a rural location

UNIT IG1: MANAGEMENT OF HEALTH AND SAFETY 

For: NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety

Open Book Examination

Available for 24 hours

Guidance to learners

This is an open book examination.  It is not invigilated, and you are free to use any learning resources to which you have access, eg  your course notes, or a website, etc.

By submitting this completed assessment for marking, you are declaring it is entirely your own work.  Knowingly claiming work to be your own when it is someone else’s work is malpractice, which carries severe penalties.  This means that you must not collaborate with or copy work from others.  Neither should you ‘cut and paste’ blocks of text from the Internet or other sources.

The examination begins with a scenario to set the scene.  You will then need to complete a series of tasks based on this scenario.  Each task will consist of one or more questions.

Your responses to most of these tasks should wholly, or partly, draw on relevant information from the scenario.  The task will clearly state the extent to which this is required.

The marks available are shown in brackets to the right of each question, or part of each question.  This will help guide you to the amount of information required in your response.  In general, one mark is given for each correct technical point that is clearly demonstrated.  Avoid writing too little as this will make it difficult for the Examiner to award marks.  Single word answers or lists are unlikely to gain marks as this would not normally be enough to show understanding or a connection with the scenario.

You are not expected to write more than 3 000 words in total.

Try to distribute your time and word count proportionately across all tasks.

It is recommended that you use the answer template.

Please attempt ALL tasks.

SCENARIO

Minerals-Are-Us is a mining organisation that operates a single, large quarry site with two activelymined quarry pits, and one disused pit that has filled with rainwater and become a pit lake.  The quarry is in a rural location, next to a main road, 48km (30 miles) away from the nearest town.  It operates six days a week, from 06:00 – 23:00, with an early and a late shift.  There is on-site security to prevent unauthorised access, and to manage visitors entering and exiting the site in vehicles and on foot.  Security officers provide 24-hour security in eight-hour shifts, with a minimum of one security officer on site at all times.  When the site is closed, an individual security officer patrols the outside areas of the site; the same security officer works this night shift every time.

Stone and gravel are extracted at the quarry by using an excavator to scoop up materials and load them onto the top of a 15-metre-long, specialised piece of equipment.  The equipment is a combined funnel and crusher, that the workers call ‘the FC’.  The FC crushes the material and then lowers over a conveyor belt to deposit it.  The conveyor belt takes the material to machinery that sorts it into different sizes, before it is moved into separate areas where it can be loaded on to delivery vehicles.

On site, there is a two-story building containing offices, a training room, and worker welfare facilities.  There is a separate warehouse divided into a hazardous chemical store, and a vehicle maintenance area, with an open bay where vehicles can be parked.  Next to the site gate, there is a vehicle weighing station, that checks vehicles are not overloaded when they leave the site.

The site is accessed via a controlled gate, that is operated by the security officer from an adjacent gatehouse.  The security officer checks identification, directs vehicles on and off site, and provides on-site badges for visitors.  The gatehouse has an emergency button that contacts the police service if pressed; this was installed last year after a group of people became violent while trying to gain access to the site.

All visitors must complete a site induction, and an induction assessment must be passed, before they are allowed to enter the site.  Visiting contractors have to complete a more detailed induction course and pass a more complex assessment to check their understanding of the hazards, risks, and working practices on site.  Once they pass this assessment, they are given a contractor-specific entrance badge that is valid for a period of 12 months.  All visitors, including contractors, must sign-in when entering the site, and sign-out when leaving.

Health and safety responsibilities on site are taken seriously and the quarry management team has taken steps to develop a proactive health and safety culture.  Owners and workers from similar quarries regularly visit the Minerals-Are-Us quarry.  They use the Minerals-Are-Us quarry as a benchmark for good practice and learn from their on-site health and safety.  Some have followed Minerals-Are-Us’ example and now schedule regular, formal health and safety training, and health and safety refresher training, for their workers.  Others have learnt from Minerals-Are-Us to display their health and safety policy statement in multiple places around their sites, and help ensure that workers at all levels clearly understand their roles and responsibilities.  They follow Minerals-Are-Us’ example and communicate these via regular team briefings.

The Minerals-Are-Us managing director (MD) and two shift managers oversee day-to-day site operations.  Each shift has a supervising team leader, and several full-time workers who operate various pieces of plant and site equipment.  The two shift managers carry out site inspections every week, where they also have an opportunity to watch the work being completed and talk to workers.  The workers take pride in the site and always report near misses and hazards.  These reports are investigated by the team leaders, and occasionally by members of the management team if it is required.  Workers are then updated on the investigation outcomes.

At the recent monthly meeting of all workers, the MD proudly informs everyone that the accident book shows there has not been a serious accident at the quarry in the last year.  However, they remind all workers to “…continue being mindful of health and safety, as the type of work carried out on site means that there is always going to be a high risk of injury.  Be especially careful when working near to the pit lake.”  At the end of the meeting, they welcome any further health and safety discussion or questions from workers.

The funnel and crusher (FC)

Recently, the late-shift manager has been receiving several reports that the FC has been stopping unexpectedly.  When this happens, workers have deactivated the equipment for a few minutes before restarting it, and then the FC has started to work correctly again.  On rare occasions, rocks have fallen off the top of the FC as it restarts, but nobody has been hurt.  The fault has been verbally reported to the late-shift manager, who has visually checked the FC, but could not identify the cause of the problem.  They do not want to have an unscheduled shutdown of the FC for a full investigation; there is a formal shutdown scheduled for six months’ time, and they wonder if it can wait until then.  They seek advice from the early-shift manager via a telephone call.  The early-shift manager suggests contacting a contractor to inspect the FC if the problem continues, but currently it is important to keep the FC operational.  The late-shift manager decides to keep the FC working, but run it at a reduced production rate.

The following day the FC stops unexpectedly on six occasions.  During one of these times, a worker is walking towards the FC, which suddenly moves, causing a large rock to fall.  The rock narrowly misses the worker, who reports this near miss straight away to their team leader.  The team leader and early-shift manager immediately go to the FC to discuss the problem.  They deactivate it, while looking at the equipment maintenance manual and safe system of work.  They restart the FC, and it begins working correctly again.  They cannot identify the problem, and realise that they are not competent enough with the technical mechanics of this equipment to deal with this issue.  They decide to schedule a visit from a specialist contractor who they have used in the past to investigate and repair the FC.  The contractor contacts the early-shift manager and tells them that they are unable to visit the site themselves any time soon, because they are currently working over 100 miles away.  They say that they will send a new engineer who has recently started working for them.

Just after sunset the same day, the new engineer arrives during the late shift.  They go to the gatehouse and are told that they need to sign in and complete the contractor induction course and assessment, before they can enter and be issued a permit-to-work.  The new engineer complains that this will delay the work.  They have been given the team leader’s mobile phone number and send them a message.  The new engineer informs them that they have arrived, but cannot go in yet because of the entry requirements.  While the new engineer is working through the induction package, the team leader arrives at the gatehouse and tells them that they can finish the induction later.  The team leader says that the FC has stopped working above the conveyor belt and work is now behind schedule.  The team leader takes the new engineer to the FC and leaves them with Worker A, who has been working at the quarry, and with the FC, for three months.  The team leader then goes to find the late-shift manager who will be able to issue a permit-to-work for the fault-finding and repair task.

Worker A explains what has been happening with the FC, and that now it will not work, despite being deactivated and restarted.  The new engineer is impatient to get to work and starts checking the FC and its conveyor system.  They ask if the nearby lighting levels can be increased, but Worker A says that these are already at maximum brightness, then starts reading messages on their phone.  The new engineer climbs onto the conveyor to have a better look at the FC when unexpectedly the FC starts moving.  The new engineer is knocked over by it and becomes trapped between the FC and the conveyor.  Worker A shouts for help, but cannot be heard above the noise of the FC.  Worker A looks for the nearest emergency stop button (which is located 10 metres away) and they manage to activate it.  Worker A goes to help the new engineer, who is unable to move as their arm is trapped.

The emergency shutdown is noticed in the control room, and communicated to the late-shift manager.  They immediately go to check the FC with the team leader, and half-way there are met by the panicking Worker A, who explains what has happened.  As they continue towards the scene of the accident, the late-shift manager uses their hand-held radio to call for any first-aider who is on duty.  The late-shift manager arrives at the scene of the accident and within two minutes a first-aider also arrives and carries out emergency first aid.  The late-shift manager tries to call the emergency services, but there is no signal on their mobile telephone.  They send the team leader to the office to make the call from a landline telephone, and to alert the security officer that an ambulance will be arriving soon.

The first-aider stays with the injured new engineer until they are taken to the nearby hospital in an ambulance.

The late-shift manager instructs workers to cordon off the scene of the accident.  Once the team leader returns, the late-shift manager asks them to take Worker A to the office and then send Worker A home to rest, as they appear to be in shock.  The late-shift manager then begins recording their observations of the accident scene on their mobile phone and takes some photographs.  They also make sure to record the time, as well as the weather, and the names of those involved in the accident.

Task 1: Managing the contractor on site 

1. What was ineffective about the management of the new engineer

(a)  in relation to provision of training when they initially arrive on site for work (6)
Note: Your answer must be based on the scenario only.                                                 

(b) during work on this site? (5)

 Note: Your answer must be based on the scenario only.

Task 2: Special case risk assessment applications 

2. The night-shift security officer is a lone worker for part of their shift.

Focusing specifically on the lone working security officer, what factors might need to be considered when conducting a risk assessment? (13)

 Note: You should support your answer, where applicable, using relevant information from the scenario.      

Task 3: Indicators of health and safety culture

3  What are the positive indicators of health and safety culture at Minerals-Are- Us? (17)

Note: Your answer must be based on the scenario only.

Task 4: Employer obligations  

4 Employers have obligations under Recommendation 10 (a, b, c, and d) of the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO’s) R164 – Occupational Safety and Health Recommendation, 1981 (No. 164).                         

Comment on how these employer obligations                                                                      

(a) have been followed. (8)

Note: Your answer must be based on the scenario only.                                                 

(b) have not been followed. (8)

 Note: You should support your answer using relevant information from the scenario.           

Task 5: Inspection frequency

5 Why should the outdoor areas be inspected more frequently than the buildings on site? (9)

Note: You should support your answer, where applicable, using relevant information from the scenario.      

Task 6: Developing a safe system of work 

6 A new safe system of work needs to be developed, covering the use of the funnel and crusher (FC). (11)

Why should workers be involved when developing any safe system of work

Task 7: Near miss investigation

7 How could the investigation of previous near misses have helped to prevent the accident involving the new engineer? (14)

Note: You should support your answer, where applicable, using relevant information from the scenario.

Task 8: Roles and responsibilities

8 How have the shift managers and the managing director fulfilled their health and safety roles and responsibilities? (9)

Notes: You do not need to refer to health and safety management systems OR legal duties in your answer. 

Your answer must be based on the scenario only.  

End of examination

Now follow the instructions on submitting your answers.

Disclaimer

This case study is entirely fictional.  It has been crafted to simulate a realistic situation in order to assess your ability to apply theoretical knowledge to practical problems.  Some details in this case study may reflect the author’s real-world insights or experiences.  However, for the purpose of assessment, factual details have been changed or fictionalised.  No element of the content is intended as a factual representation of any specific person, organisation, or event.

Important note

All NEBOSH Intellectual Property shall remain vested in NEBOSH.  NEBOSH assessment papers, supporting documents and answer sheets must not be reproduced/copied/distributed in any way, or any form, electronic or otherwise, without the prior written consent of NEBOSH or as required by law.