igc2 examiners report 2011

7/26/2019 IGC2 Examiners Report 2011

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September 2011

Examiners Report

NEBOSH International

General Certificate in

Occupational Health

and Safety - IGC2


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2011 NEBOSH, Dominus Way, Meridian Business Park, Leicester LE19 1QW

tel: 0116 263 4700 fax: 0116 282 4000 email: [email protected] website: www.nebosh.org.uk

The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health is a registered charity, number 1010444

T(s):exrpts/I/IGC2 1109 EXTERNAL DW/DA/REW

Examiners Report

NEBOSH INTERNATIONAL GENERAL

CERTIFICATE IN OCCUPATIONALHEALTH AND SAFETY

UNIT IGC2: CONTROL OFINTERNATIONAL WORKPLACE HAZARDS

SEPTEMBER 2011

CONTENTS

Introduction 2

General comments 3

Comments on individual questions 4


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Introduction

NEBOSH (The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health) was formed in 1979as an independent examining board and awarding body with charitable status. We offer acomprehensive range of globally-recognised, vocationally-related qualifications designed to meet thehealth, safety, environmental and risk management needs of all places of work in both the private andpublic sectors.Courses leading to NEBOSH qualifications attract over 25,000 candidates annually and are offered byover 400 course providers in 65 countries around the world. Our qualifications are recognised by therelevant professional membership bodies including the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health(IOSH) and the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM).

NEBOSH is an awarding body recognised and regulated by the UK regulatory authorities:

The Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual) in England

The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) in Wales

The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) in Northern Ireland

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) in Scotland

Where appropriate, NEBOSH follows the latest version of the GCSE, GCE, Principal Learning andProject Code of Practicepublished by the regulatory authorities in relation to examination setting andmarking (available at the Ofqual website www.ofqual.gov.uk). While not obliged to adhere to this code,NEBOSH regards it as best practice to do so.

Candidates scripts are marked by a team of Examiners appointed by NEBOSH on the basis of theirqualifications and experience. The standard of the qualification is determined by NEBOSH, which isoverseen by the NEBOSH Council comprising nominees from, amongst others, the Health and Safety

Executive (HSE), the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the Trades Union Congress (TUC) andthe Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH). Representatives of course providers, fromboth the public and private sectors, are elected to the NEBOSH Council.

This report on the Examination provides information on the performance of candidates which it ishoped will be useful to candidates and tutors in preparation for future examinations. It is intended tobe constructive and informative and to promote better understanding of the syllabus content and theapplication of assessment criteria.

NEBOSH 2011

Any enquiries about this report publication should be addressed to:

NEBOSHDominus WayMeridian Business ParkLeicesterLE10 1QW

Tel: 0116 263 4700Fax: 0116 282 4000Email: [email protected]


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General comments

Many candidates are well prepared for this unit assessment and provide comprehensive and relevantanswers in response to the demands of the question paper. This includes the ability to demonstrateunderstanding of knowledge by applying it to workplace situations.

There are always some candidates, however, who appear to be unprepared for the unit assessmentand who show both a lack of knowledge of the syllabus content and a lack of understanding of howkey concepts should be applied to workplace situations.

In order to meet the pass standard for this assessment, acquisition of knowledge and understandingacross the syllabus are prerequisites. However, candidates need to demonstrate their knowledge andunderstanding in answering the questions set. Referral of candidates in this unit is invariably becausethey are unable to write a full, well-informed answer to one or more of the questions asked.

Some candidates find it difficult to relate their learning to the questions and as a result offer responsesreliant on recalled knowledge and conjecture and fail to demonstrate a sufficient degree ofunderstanding. Candidates should prepare themselves for this vocational examination by ensuringtheir understanding, not rote-learning pre-prepared answers.

Common pitfalls

It is recognised that many candidates are well prepared for their assessments. However, recurrentissues, as outlined below, continue to prevent some candidates reaching their full potential in theassessment.

Many candidates fail to apply the basic principles of examination technique and for somecandidates this means the difference between a pass and a referral.

In some instances, candidates do not attempt all the required questions or are failing toprovide complete answers. Candidates are advised to always attempt an answer to acompulsory question, even when the mind goes blank. Applying basic health and safetymanagement principles can generate credit worthy points.

Some candidates fail to answer the question set and instead provide information that may berelevant to the topic but is irrelevant to the question and cannot therefore be awarded marks.

Many candidates fail to apply the command words (also known as action verbs, eg describe,outline, etc). Command words are the instructions that guide the candidate on the depth ofanswer required. If, for instance, a question asks the candidate to describe something, thenfew marks will be awarded to an answer that is an outline. Similarly the command wordidentify requires more information than a list.

Some candidates fail to separate their answers into the different sub-sections of thequestions. These candidates could gain marks for the different sections if they clearlyindicated which part of the question they were answering (by using the numbering from thequestion in their answer, for example). Structuring their answers to address the different partsof the question can also help in logically drawing out the points to be made in response.

Candidates need to plan their time effectively. Some candidates fail to make good use of theirtime and give excessive detail in some answers leaving insufficient time to address all of thequestions.

Candidates should also be aware that Examiners cannot award marks if handwriting isillegible.

Candidates should note that it is not necessary to start a new page in their answer booklet foreach section of a question.


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Question 1 (a) The team leader in a warehouse is giving training to his teamabout manual handling.

Identify SIXfactors in relation to the load which he could includein his talkAND, for EACH, givea practical example that couldbe present in the warehouse. (12)

(b) The manager of the warehouse has recognised that theenvironmental conditions are contributing to risks from themanual handling of loads and has decided to makeimprovements.

Identify FOURenvironmental conditions that the manager could

considerANDidentifyrisk control measures which he couldintroduce. (8)

Factors relating to the load which could be included in the team leaders talk includeits weight which might be too heavy for one individual to lift and carry; its bulk whichcould be a large box or a number of items tied together; the temperature of the loadespecially in relation to cold storage items such as frozen food; the difficulty ingripping the load for example if it was a parcel wrapped in plastic or if no handleswere provided on a bulky package; a centre of gravity which might be off-set such asthe presence of a live animal in the load; a shifting centre of gravity which could occurwith sacks of granules or powders; loads containing hazardous contents such aschemicals, toxic solids, and acids in bottles; and loads with sharp cutting edges such

as needles, glass and metal bands. Candidates did not seem to realise that it wasconcerned solely with factors relating to the load with some basing their answers onTILE (task, individual, load, environment) and discussing each of its components inturn. Those who had not read the question with sufficient care or perhaps did notappreciate what was required, described a safe method of lifting a load which was notwhat was required.

For part (b), candidates were expected to identify environmental conditions such asheat, which could be controlled by the provision of ventilation or air conditioning andarranging for the work to be carried out during the cooler periods of the day; cold,which might be alleviated by the provision of heating and warm clothing and gloves;noise, which could be controlled by the provision of acoustic barriers or the wearing ofpersonal protective clothing such as ear defenders or ear plugs; uneven slippery

surfaces which could be dealt with by weather proofing the building, the use ofabsorbent mats and the introduction of procedures for dealing with spillages;inadequate lighting suggesting the introduction of additional artificial lighting; and lackof space which would point to the need to re-organise the warehouse to provideadditional clear areas. The quality of response provided for this part of the questionwas again poor. Conditions such as rough seas, earthquakes and the weather ingeneral were suggested ignoring the fact that the scenario involved was a warehouse.Examiners were concerned at the apparent lack of attention given by candidates tothe wording of the question.

Paper IGC2

Control of international workplace hazards


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Question 2 Identify FOURtypes of ignition source that may lead to a fire in theworkplaceAND identi fy a control measure for EACH. (8)

Possible sources of ignition that could have been identified included: electricity, where

control measures that could be introduced include inspection, testing, regularmaintenance, earthing, bonding and the fitting of the correct fuses into equipment;chemical sources which can be countered by correct storage procedures and a goodstandard of housekeeping; hot work such as welding or cutting where controlmeasures include the use of a permit to work system, separation of the work and theprovision of a fire watch; overheating of machinery caused by friction which may becontrolled by regular maintenance and lubrication; hot surfaces such as those oncooking or heating appliances where separation would be necessary between theequipment and its fuel source and discarded smoking materials which can becontrolled by introducing a smoking ban in the workplace and providing a separatesmoking area.

With many candidates, the quality of answer provided was just sufficient to obtain a

pass standard but others were only able to offer sources of ignition such as hot workand smoking. A number of candidates again appeared to have misread the questionand discussed types of fuel rather than ignition sources. There were the occasionalreferences to convection, conduction and radiation, to fire spread and the use ofextinguishers and to the classification of fires, none of which were relevant and worthyof marks.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Question 3 Outline control measures that could be used to reduce the risk from theuse of electrical equipment in a workplace. (8)

Answers could have included reference to control measures such as visualinspections for damage to cables, plugs and sockets; the need to ensure that allfuses are of the correct rating; the use of double insulated or battery operatedequipment, or equipment connected to a reduced voltage system or a residual currentdevice; ensuring that means of isolation are provided and that equipment is switchedoff after use; checking that equipment is sited such that outlets are not overloaded,cables are not in vulnerable positions and extension cables are fully uncoiled;checking the equipment to ensure its suitability and conformity with recognisedstandards, for example CE or BS marking; and introducing a specific testingprocedure for portable appliances together with a procedure for reporting defects ordamage.

Answers to this question were generally to a reasonable standard, though somecandidates wrote about the hazards arising from the use of electrical equipment.Examiners again strongly recommend that the attention of candidates should bedrawn to the General Comments at the beginning of this Report and particularly to thesection on Common Pitfalls.


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Question 4 (a) Identify TWOpossible health effects caused by exposure toasbestos. (2)

(b) Identify THREEtypes of product that contain asbestosAND,for

EACH, givean example of where these can be found in theworkplace. (6)

In answer to part (a) of the question, candidates could have identified health effectssuch as asbestosis; lung cancer; mesothelioma or cancer of the lining of the chestand/or abdomen; and cancer of the stomach, intestines or rectum. Answers to thispart of the question were to a reasonable standard though some candidates lostmarks by identifying cancer without giving any further indication of its potentiallocation.

For part (b), candidates could have identified products such as building materials forexample cement sheets, drainpipes, gutters and roof tiles; thermal insulation such as

sprayed coatings and laggings; plastics such as asbestos floor tiles; friction productssuch as gaskets and brake pads; adhesives and sealants such as putty, resins, tileadhesives and mastic; decorative products such as textured coatings or decorativeplasters; and mill board or asbestos rope used for fire proofing.

Answers to this part of the question were disappointing, and although manycandidates mentioned the three types of asbestos with others producing a list ofbuilding materials, the majority were unable to proceed further and Examiners wereleft with the impression that they were not well briefed on the subject of asbestos.

Question 5 Outline precautions to be taken when repair work is to be carried out onthe sloping roof of a building. (8)

Initially an assessment should be made to gauge the condition of the roof and tocheck for the presence of fragile materials. It would then be necessary to provide safemeans of access, normally by the erection of a scaffold; to use roof ladders orcrawling boards; to erect edge protection with guard rails and toe boards to preventthe fall of persons and materials and either to provide barriers and signage aroundareas on the roof containing fragile materials or to cover them to prevent personsfalling through. Other precautions would include provision for transporting tools andmaterials to the roof and the removal of waste; the use of appropriate personalprotective equipment such as hard hats and footwear; the employment of competentpersonnel together with a high level of supervision; and the erection of signs and/or

barriers to prevent members of the public from passing beneath the work area.

In general, answers to this question were to a reasonable standard. If there was aweakness it was that some candidates provided a list of precautions rather than therequired outline alluding, for example, to the prevention of falls without specifying howthis might be achieved.


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Question 6 Identify the main hazards associated with excavation work onconstruction sites. (8)

In answer to this question, candidates were expected to identify the main hazardsassociated with excavation work such as the unstable nature of the sides of theexcavation; contact with buried services such as electricity or gas; ingress of water;build-up of fumes and lack of oxygen; the dangers associated with excavationmachinery such as contact with overhead lines or being struck by the machines; theeffect of the excavation work on adjacent structures causing them to collapse; thefailure to provide protection for the edges of excavations; the restrictions on accessand egress; biological hazards such as leptospirosis; coming into contact withcontaminated land and even the possible presence of an unexploded bomb.

While answers to this question were generally satisfactory, a few candidatesdiscussed control measures rather than hazards, perhaps a further example of payinginsufficient attention to the wording. There was too, a suggestion that some wereconfused between a hazard and a risk, suggesting the hazard of people or vehiclesfalling into the excavation which is the risk which could arise from the hazard of theabsence of edge protection for the excavation.

Question 7 A display screen equipment (DSE) workstation user has complained ofneck and back pain.

Identifyfeatures associated with the workstation that might havecontributed towards this condition. (8)

Features associated with the workstation which might have contributed towards theusers condition include the position of the screen at an incorrect height which wouldcause repeated head movements; the incorrect position of the keyboard; the incorrectheight of the chair because of a lack of adjustability and the incorrect adjustment ofthe backrest; the monitor set at too great an angle for the keyboard which would againforce movement of the head; glare and reflections on the screen which would drivethe user to adopt awkward postures; the pointing device such as the mouse in a non-optimal position; the lack of or the incorrect siting of the document holder; the locationof the workstation as far as lighting and draughts were concerned; and materialsstored round the workstation which would restrict space and affect the users posture.

It was to be expected that most candidates would have used a DSE workstation onoccasions and so a logical approach, dealing with each item of the workstation in turn

should have provided enough information to answer the question. However manyconcentrated only on the chair whilst others referred to long working hours withoutbreaks, lack of sleep and a failure to provide training, features which were not directlyassociated with the workstation.


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Question 8 Outlineissues that should be considered by an organisation whendeveloping a system for the safe collection and disposal of its waste. (8)

_____________________________________________________________________

In answering this question, candidates were expected to outline issues such as: theidentification of waste by its hazardous properties for example general, biological orspecial and by its nature, for example solid or liquid; the quantity produced and thefrequency of removal; the need for separation of incompatible and recyclable wastes;the means for containing waste such as sharps boxes and bags and its marking andlabelling; the provision of safe storage on site and the methods of transportation toand from the storage facility; the means for processing waste such as by crushing,compacting or incinerating; the appointment of a competent and/or licensed wastecontractor; the keeping of necessary records; the possibility of pollution issues arisingfrom spillages; the competence and training of staff and the issue and use of suitablepersonal protective equipment such as overalls and gloves.

Most candidates struggled with this question which proved to be the least popular onthe paper and which was avoided by many. Those who did attempt it generallyshowed little knowledge of the safe collection and disposal of waste and were able torefer only to the different types of waste, storage on site and fire issues.

Question 9 Outline factors to consider when carrying out a fire risk assessment of aworkplace. (8)

A good answer to this question would initially have referred to the statutoryrequirements and then gone on to identify structural, physical and procedural factors

in turn.

In the first case the fire resistance of the structure would need to be confirmed andconsideration given to the fire protection and prevention measures taken, the escaperoutes and exits bearing in mind the travel distances involved and also to the provisionof emergency lighting.

As for physical factors, these would include matters such as the identification ofpossible ignition sources; the quantities of flammable and combustible materials usedor stored in the workplace; and the size of the building and number of people to beevacuated including particular groups at risk such as the disabled and visitors.

In identifying procedural factors, candidates could have referred to the means of

raising the alarm and the positioning and audibility of the alarms provided; the meansof making contact with the emergency services; the adequacy and positioning of firefighting equipment and its accessibility; the procedures for the maintenance ofequipment, alarms and detection systems; the adequacy of emergency signs; thepositioning of a fire assembly point; and the training of personnel in evacuationprocedures including those with special responsibilities such as fire marshals.

On the whole, this question was well answered though a small number of candidatesrestricted their answers to escape routes only and did not consider other issues suchflammables, ignition sources and procedures that should be put in place.


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Question 10 A portable electric sander is being used in the production area of afactory.

(a) Identifyhazards that may be present. (4)

(b) Outlineprecautions that could be taken to reduce the risk. (4)

Hazards associated with the use of the sander include entanglement with the rotatingand abrasive parts of the machine; being struck by ejected material; those arisingfrom the use of electricity; exposure to dust, noise and vibration; and ergonomicissues related either to the design of the equipment or to the way in which the work iscarried out. This part of the question seemed to present few problems though somecandidates did not identify the potential ergonomic hazards.

For part (b), control measures that should be taken to reduce the risks include theintroduction of procedures for the regular mechanical and electrical testing of theequipment; ensuring that a fuse of the correct rating is fitted to the sander and that itis connected either to a residual current device or to a reduced voltage system whilstin use; the necessity to carry out pre-use checks of the equipment; the provision anduse of personal protective equipment such as eye and hearing protection; ensuringthat operators do not wear items of loose clothing which might become entangled inthe machine; the installation of local exhaust ventilation; introducing job rotation andensuring that operators are trained to use the appliance in a way that will minimise therisk of fatigue and discomfort.

Answers were again to a reasonable standard though there was only the occasionalreference to the clothing that operators should wear and to organisational precautions

that should be taken to counter the possible environmental risks.

Question 11 (a) Identify FOURhazards that can cause slips or trips. (4)

(b) Identifycontrol measures that can be used to reduce the risk ofslips or trips. (4)

There are many reasons why people slip or trip including the floor being poorlymaintained or conversely highly polished; changes in level caused by ramps, slopesor kerbs; slippery surfaces caused by oil, water or chemical spillages; dusty surfacessuch as those with a covering of sand; general obstructions in walkways such astrailing cables, pipes and air hoses; mats and rugs; damaged flooring such as torncarpets and linoleum; the presence of ice and snow and the wearing of inappropriatefootwear. Answers to this part of the question were generally to an acceptablestandard.

Control measures that might be used to reduce the risk of slips or trips include theinitial design and layout of the workplace with designated walkways and non-slipfloors; a system of maintenance which ensures the prompt repair of floor defects suchas holes and bumps; procedures for avoiding and dealing with spillages; theprovision of adequate lighting and highlight strips to warn of a difference in levels; theprovision of hand rails and edge protection on stairways; the replacement of damagedor worn carpet, linoleum and tiles; a good standard of housekeeping including theproper management of cables and hoses; procedures for reporting defects and thewearing of appropriate footwear. Answers normally referred to many of the abovecontrol measures though candidates should avoid using phrases such as proper


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lighting and proper housekeeping which have little meaning and are not worthy of amark.


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The National ExaminationBoard in OccupationalSafety and Health

Dominus WayMeridian Business ParkLeicester LE19 1QW

telephone +44 (0)116 2634700fax +44 (0)116 2824000email [email protected]

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