Examiners Report

NEBOSH INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMA

IN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
Unit IC International workplace
and work equipment safety
JULY 2008

CONTENTS

Introduction

General Comments

Comments on individual questions

2008 NEBOSH, Dominus Way, Meridian Business Park, Leicester LE19 1QW
tel: 0116 263 4700

fax: 0116 282 4000

email: info@nebosh.org.uk

website: www.nebosh.org.uk

The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health is a registered charity, number 1010444
T(s):exrpts/J/J-C0807

DW/DA/REW

Introduction

NEBOSH (The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health) was formed in 1979 as
an independent examining board and awarding body with charitable status. We offer a comprehensive
range of globally-recognised, vocationally-related qualifications designed to meet the health, safety,
environmental and risk management needs of all places of work in both the private and public sectors.
Courses leading to NEBOSH qualifications attract over 25,000 candidates annually and are offered by
over 400 course providers in 65 countries around the world. Our qualifications are recognised by the
relevant 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 to be recognised and regulated by the UK regulatory authorities:

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

The Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELLS) in Wales
The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) in Northern Ireland

NEBOSH follows the GCSE, GCE, VCE, GNVQ and AEA Code of Practice 2007/8 published by the
regulatory authorities in relation to examination setting and marking (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 their
qualifications and experience. The standard of the qualification is determined by NEBOSH, which is
overseen by the NEBOSH Council comprising nominees from, amongst others, the Health and Safety
Executive (HSE), the Department for Education and Skills (Df ES), the Confederation of British
Industry (CBI), the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the Institution of Occupational Safety and
Health (IOSH). Representatives of course providers, from both 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 is
hoped will be useful to candidates and tutors in preparation for future examinations. It is intended to
be constructive and informative and to promote better understanding of the syllabus content and the
application of assessment criteria.
NEBOSH 2008

Any enquiries about this report publication should be addressed to:

NEBOSH
Dominus Way
Meridian Business Park
Leicester
LE10 1QW
Tel:
0116 263 4700
Fax:
0116 282 4000
Email: info@nebosh.org.uk

General comments

Many candidates are well prepared for this unit assessment and provide comprehensive and relevant
answers in response to the demands of the question paper. This includes the ability to demonstrate
understanding of knowledge by applying it to workplace situations.
There are always some candidates, however, who appear to be unprepared for the unit assessment
and who show both a lack of knowledge of the syllabus content and a lack of understanding of how
key concepts should be applied to workplace situations.
In order to meet the pass standard for this assessment, acquisition of knowledge and understanding
across the syllabus are prerequisites. However, candidates need to demonstrate their knowledge and
understanding in answering the questions set. Referral of candidates in this unit is invariably because
they are unable to write a full, well-informed answer to the question asked.
Some candidates find it difficult to relate their learning to the questions and as a result offer responses
reliant on recalled knowledge and conjecture and fail to demonstrate any degree of understanding.
Candidates should prepare themselves for this vocational examination by ensuring their
understanding, not rote-learning pre-prepared answers.
Recurrent Problems
It is recognised that many candidates are well prepared for their assessments. However, recurrent
issues, as outlined below, continue to prevent some candidates reaching their full potential in the
assessment.

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

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

Some candidates fail to answer the question set and instead provide information that may be
relevant 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 of
answer required. If, for instance, a question asks the candidate to describe something, then
few marks will be awarded to an answer that is an outline.

Some candidates fail to separate their answers into the different sub-sections of the questions.
These candidates could gain marks for the different sections if they clearly indicated which
part of the question they were answering (by using the numbering from the question in their
answer, for example). Structuring their answers to address the different parts of 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 their
time and give excessive detail in some answers leaving insufficient time to address all of the
questions.

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

UNIT IC International workplace and work equipment safety

Section A all questions compulsory

Question 1

(a)

(b)

Identify the hazards associated with the use of mobile elevating

work platforms (MEWPs).

(5)

Outline the control measures that should be taken when using

MEWPs.

(5)

For part (a), candidates needed to identify hazards such as falls from a height of
persons or materials, instability of the vehicle, being struck by other vehicles, trapping
and impact hazards, mechanical failure, contact with overhead lines or other
obstructions and exposure of employees to adverse weather conditions.
Having identified the hazards candidates were then required to outline the measures
which would be required to reduce the risk when using the equipment. These include
the selection and training of operators; guarding scissor mechanisms to prevent
trapping; correct positioning of the MEWP to prevent over-reaching and proximity to
dangers such as overhead lines; maintaining stability by the use of fully extended and
locked outriggers on firm ground; preventing the use of the equipment in adverse
weather conditions; keeping within the safe working limit; prohibiting the transfer of
persons or materials to or from the platform while it was in a raised position; regular
inspection and servicing of the equipment; preventing falls from the platform by the
use of hand rails or harnesses; controlling working areas by the use of barriers and
signs and providing head protection where appropriate.

Question 2

A vegetable packing plant employing 200 men and 60 women is about to

open. The plant will operate 24 hours a day on a three-shift system.
Outline the specific welfare arrangements that will be necessary prior to
the factory opening.

(10)

The specific welfare arrangements that the company would have to provide include a
sufficient number of sanitary conveniences which should be separate for men and
women (or capable of being locked from the inside) and which should be adequately
lit, ventilated and kept clean; washing facilities situated close to the sanitary
conveniences and changing rooms, provided with a supply of hot and cold or warm
water, soap or other means of cleansing and means of drying; a clearly marked supply
of drinking water with cups; clothing accommodation and changing facilities which
should be separate for men and women and contain means for drying wet clothing
and for separate storage of contaminated clothing; decontamination facilities with
showers and a clear division between clean and dirty areas; rest and eating facilities
including sufficient tables and seats, arrangements for preparing and heating food and
for boiling water, facilities for nursing mothers and means or procedures for preventing
contamination of the area where food and drink are taken; and adequate first aid
facilities including trained personnel taking into account the number of persons
employed and the proximity of emergency services.

Question 3

In order to install a large item of machinery such as a turbine rotor it is

sometimes necessary to perform adjustments while the rotor is in motion.
These adjustments are necessarily undertaken with the rotor in an
unguarded condition.
Outline the elements of a safe system for such work.

(10)

The elements of a safe system of work for carrying out the operation described in the
question include: the use of experienced workers fully trained in the systems to be
adopted since this is not a task to be carried out by the young or inexperienced; the
provision and use of a single one piece close fitting overall with no external pockets
together with arrangements to ensure there are no other entanglement hazards
present such as the wearing of jewellery, pendants for example, or long hair; the use
of temporary guards on or the isolation of parts of the machine which are
unnecessarily exposed; where practicable the use of jigs to ensure workers hands are
distanced from the unguarded rotor; the provision of a stand by man in direct contact
with the person carrying out the work with means of immediate communication such
as telephone or radio to ensure an emergency response should the need arise; the
provision, close at hand, of an emergency stop or braking arrangements; the use of an
inching device to minimise the free rotation period or using the slowest speed possible
consistent with the task; the provision of adequate lighting; the introduction of a permit
to work to formalise the establishment of the safe system of work and the erection of
barriers and signs to prevent the close approach of non-involved personnel.

Question 4

The transfer of an extremely flammable liquid from a bulk storage tank to

a road tanker may generate static electricity. Outline the control
measures which would reduce the risk of ignition of the extremely
flammable liquid vapour due to static electricity.

(10)

In answering this question, candidates should have addressed the main methods of
avoiding the build-up of static electricity. These would have included: controlling the
pump rate and transfer speed; earthing and bonding the pipeline, the tanker and the
storage tank to ensure all equipment was at zero potential after allowing sufficient
relaxation time; the provision of an interlock between the earthing arrangements and
the pump; the avoidance of splash filling and the selection of conductive/smooth
materials for the transfer system; elimination of possible contamination arising for
example from the presence of water in the pipeline; the use of a vapour return system;
nitrogen blanketing of the road tanker barrel to minimise the risk of explosion; the
provision of instrumentation, for example, to detect earth leakage and the use of anti
static clothing and footwear.

Question 5

A company produces waste in the form of a hazardous sludge and is

concerned about the increasing cost of using an approved contractor to
dispose of the waste at a landfill site.
Outline FIVE options that the company could consider to reduce the cost
and environmental impact of dealing with the waste.

(10)

In answering this question, candidates should have referred to options such as:
identifying recycling opportunities at all stages of the process; substituting process
materials for ones that give rise to non-hazardous waste; improving production
efficiency in order to produce less waste; treating waste on site to reduce quantity, for
example by de-watering; treating waste to reduce hazardous properties; mixing the
waste with other waste streams to neutralise hazardous properties; selecting waste
contractors who can process the sludge; seeking opportunities to exchange waste
streams with companies that can use waste as raw material; exploring other means of
disposal such as incineration, or directing liquefied waste to a sewer and exploring the
possibility of becoming approved to save costs.

Question 6

(a)

(b)

In relation to automatic fire detection and alarm systems, outline

the basic principles of operation of:
(i)

heat detectors;

(4)

(ii)

smoke detectors.

(4)

Identify the circumstances in which EACH type of detector

would be inappropriate.

(2)

For heat detectors, candidates were expected to distinguish between the fixed
temperature type and the rate of rise type. A fixed rate heat detector has a sensing
element fixed at a particular temperature. By means of a thermocouple or similar
arrangement, it detects when the predetermined temperature is reached. A rate of rise
heat detector detects abnormally fast temperature rises by means of electronic
resistors or thermistors.
Smoke detectors are of two main types: ionising and optical or photoelectric. The
chamber of an ionising type has two plates set apart, one charged negatively and the
other positively. A small radioactive source is used to ionise the chamber into which
smoke may enter in the event of fire. The detector reacts to the change in electrical
current caused by the neutralisation of ions by the smoke particles. The optical type of
detector has a number of variants but chiefly responds either to the obscuration of a
focused light ray or to the scattering of light from an optical ray. It therefore reacts
either to a reduction in light at a receiver or, more commonly, to the sensing of light by
an optical sensor placed in the chamber where light would not normally be detected.
In answers for part (b), candidates should have identified firstly that a smoke detector
would be inappropriate in situations where smoke, steam or vapour might normally be
expected such as in kitchens while a heat detector might be considered inappropriate
in situations where sudden temperature changes might be experienced in normal
circumstances or in situations where slow burning materials are involved which would
have an effect on the speed of response.

Section B three from five questions to be attempted

Question 7

It is proposed to inspect, clean and repair the inside of a tank that is 6

metres in diameter and 10 metres high and which has previously been
used for storing leaded petrol.
Outline the steps that should be considered in order to enter this
confined space and to carry out the work safely.

(20)

Good answers to this question were those that approached the proposed work in a
logical and sequential way, clearly outlining what would be required at each stage in
order to ensure the work was carried out in a safe manner. In order to develop a safe
system of work, a full risk assessment would have to be carried out when
consideration would need to be given to the likelihood of flammable atmospheres from
the previous contents of the tank, the possibility of air contamination from the cleaning
or repair methods used and the build-up of heat within the tank. The assessment
would also need to look at other issues from the work to be carried out including
working from height and the toxic effects of lead.
Completion of the risk assessment would point to appropriate precautions such as the
need to purge the tank with an inert gas, the use of forced ventilation, atmospheric
testing before entry and while the work was being carried out and the provision of
personal protective equipment possibly including air-fed breathing apparatus.
Attention would also need to be paid to the requirements for electrical equipment (for
example intrinsically safe or flameproof) and earthing arrangements. If heat were to be
a foreseeable problem, then consideration should be given to issues such as job
rotation and fluid intake. Additionally, consideration should be given to the prevention
of falls from height and the means of access and egress in the event of escape and
rescue. Procedural arrangements would centre on the implementation of an entry
permit system, limiting the number of people working in the tank, communication with
standby personnel and drawing up emergency arrangements.
The emergency arrangements to be considered would include issues such as the
provision and maintenance of cutting equipment, hoists, fire-fighting equipment,
personal protective equipment such as breathing apparatus, first aid facilities including
resuscitation apparatus and liaison with the emergency services. Additionally,
arrangements should be in place to ensure that all personnel involved in the operation
had received sufficient training in the work methods, the precautions needed and the
emergency procedures.

Question 8

Workers in a vehicle maintenance workshop undertake spray-painting of

vehicles using a solvent based paint that has a low flash point.
Outline the measures to be taken to ensure that the risks associated with
the spray-painting activity are adequately controlled.

(20)

One of the first measures to be taken in this situation would be to carry out an
assessment of the risks involved in carrying out the activity which would include the
hazardous properties of the paints and solvents used (normally by reference to safety
data sheets), the circumstances in which the work was carried out, possible ignition
sources and the likelihood that a fire or explosion would occur. The control measures
to be taken would be firstly to ensure that the workshop was constructed of fire
resistant material, and then to give consideration to the possibility of replacing the
paint in use with one that was less flammable. An external fire resistant storeroom
would have to be provided for the paints and solvents with the quantities present in
the workshop reduced to a minimum and kept in non-spill containers provided with
lids. Procedures would have to be put in place for the containment and clean up of
spillages and for the cleaning of the spray guns. Local exhaust ventilation would have
to be provided in the workshop with care taken to ensure all electrical equipment was
to the standard appropriate for the conditions that might prevail, such as flameproof or
intrinsically safe. Fire fighting equipment would have to be provided together with
adequate fire escape routes and emergency procedures drawn up and communicated
to the workforce who would also need instruction and training on the risks involved in
the operation and the precautions to be observed.

Question 9

Corrosion is a major problem in many industrial processes.

(a)

(b)

Outline the characteristics and causal factors of electrolytic

corrosion.

(8)

Outline the strategies AND methods for identifying potential

corrosion failures.

(12)

Electrolytic corrosion is an electrochemical process in which one metal corrodes

preferentially when in electrical contact with a different type of metal and both metals
are immersed in an electrolyte. The metals have different electrode potentials and the
electrolyte provides a means for ion migration whereby metallic ions can move from
the anode to the cathode. This leads to the anodic metal corroding more quickly than
it otherwise would whereas the corrosion of the cathodic metal is retarded.
Characteristics of corrosion include pitting and erosion and its products may affect
quality of product and may lead to a reduction in flow in pipe work.
A strategy to prevent corrosion would aim to interrupt the formation of a corrosion cell
by the removal of electrical contact or the removal of the electrolyte. Removal of
electrical contact can be achieved by insulation using plastic or a similar insulating
material, or by the use of protective coatings such as galvanising or painting.
Additional methods of preventing corrosion include the use of a sacrificial anode made
of a metal which is more active than the protected metal; the connection of an
electrical power supply to oppose the corrosive current and the use of water treatment
and/or purification techniques. The use of visual inspections and NDT are a means of
identifying the effects of corrosion as is also checking for the presence of contaminant
in the product and the use of corrosion measure currents.

Question 10

A worker has received an electric shock from a 240 volt portable drill
whilst installing a set of wooden shelves.
(a)

(b)

(c)

Outline the physical effects the worker may have suffered from
the accident.

(5)

State the emergency action that should have been taken

immediately after the accident.

(5)

Identify the precautions that might have been taken to prevent

the accident.

(10)

For part (a), candidates should have outlined effects such as fibrillation of the heart
muscles with possible cardiac arrest, respiratory failure, muscular contraction or
spasm, involuntary grip that can prolong current flow, burns to tissue and ultimately
death. There is also the possibility of secondary injuries such as those resulting from
a fall.
Part (b) was concerned with the emergency action to be taken immediately after the
accident and it was expected that candidates would refer to matters such as isolating
the source of power or using a non-conductive instrument to push the victim clear;
wrapping the victim in insulating material and checking for breathing and pulse;
administering mouth-to-mouth resuscitation if needed; placing the victim in the
recovery position and contacting the emergency services.
Part (c) sought information on the precautions that might have been taken in order to
have prevented the accident. More successful candidates were those who provided a
structured answer by looking at equipment selection, technical precautions and
organisational issues. In selecting equipment, consideration should be given to the
use of reduced voltage, battery-powered and/or double-insulated tools and conformity
with standards. Technical precautions include the use of residual current devices,
ensuring earth integrity (where appropriate), using correctly rated cables and fuses,
and ensuring that equipment or system components (plugs, sockets, cables etc) are
free from damage, while organisational issues relate to maintenance arrangements,
inspection and testing of portable appliances and electrical systems, housekeeping
standards, and the provision of information, instruction and training particularly in
relation to systems of work and pre-use checks.

Question 11

A company has been contracted to undertake maintenance work on the

roof of a building, which is partly constructed of fragile material.
(a)

(b)

Identify the characteristics of the fragile material that may

contribute to the risk of falls through the roof.

(5)

Outline the measures to be taken to reduce the risk to those

involved in the roof work and those who may be affected by it.

(15)

In answering part (a) of the question, candidates should have referred to

characteristics such as the age and condition of the material; the type of material such
as fibre board, asbestos or polycarbonate and its thickness; the sheet profile; the span
between roof supports; the design of the supporting structure such as the purlins; the
condition of the fixings; the slippery nature of the surface and the fact that the fragile
material might well be camouflaged by deposits of dirt and other material.

For the second part of the question, an initial reference should have been made to the
importance of completing a full risk assessment of the operation to be carried out and
the consequent production of a method statement detailing the safe system of work to
be followed. This would describe the proposed means of access to the area of work
such as the provision of scaffolds and crawling boards and the erection of edge
protection to prevent the falls both of persons and materials from the roof. It would
also be necessary to identify areas of the roof containing fragile materials, to mark
them with barriers or signs and to prevent falls through them by the use of covers. An
additional safeguard would be to provide safety nets and/or air bags under the areas
of the roof which contained fragile materials. For certain tasks, the use of safety
harnesses with adequate fixing points might also be necessary. Arrangements, such
as a hoist, might be needed to transport tools, equipment and materials to the roof,
while the use of chutes should be considered for the removal of rubbish. An important
factor in carrying out this type of work is to ensure the use of competent personnel
fully briefed and aware of the risks involved and the precautions to be observed.
Finally, measures would have to be taken such as the erection of barriers and signs to
prevent occupants of the building from passing beneath areas of the roof where work
was being carried out and also members of the public from passing in close proximity
to the building.

10