NEBOSH IG-1

(Planning & writing answer technique)

ONLY FOR REFERENCE (MODEL ANSWER TO PREVIOUS QUESTION)

INSTRUCTION:

FOR QSN 1:

Read the question carefully. Notice that it's worth 20

marks; the examiner will be looking for 20 responses
to award marks against. The examiner only has your
words to judge your knowledge. You must make sure
there is enough information in the comment for the
examiner to understand what you mean. The examiner
cannot guess or assume you mean anything other than
the words you have chosen to write down.
You must also note that this question has an
instruction to support your answer, where applicable,
using relevant information from the scenario. This
means that the examiner is expecting you to provide
some theoretical responses to the scenario with
specific examples/information from the scenario.
You must also remember to monitor your word count.
The whole exam paper should have no more than
3000 words. To be proportional, this means that this
question should be within 10% of 600 words (540–
660 words).
Construct an answer plan to make sure you have 20
responses, and that some of them are linked to the
scenario. Remember not to submit your answer plan
– that is just for
your own guidance.
Answer Plan:
◾ Economic downturn (An economic downturn has

intensified the pressure to be more cost-

effective).
◾ High staff-turnover.
◾ Poor communication.
◾ Operational pressures to get the job done.
◾ Lack of consultation.
◾ Lack of worker involvement.
◾ Organisational change.
◾ Shareholder pressure (The shareholders are also keen
to improve the return on their investment in
shares).
◾ Client pressure (aircraft efficiency/customer retail
outlets).
◾ Unclear roles and responsibilities.
◾ Lack of senior manager support (The CEO has said on
many occasions that the costs of running the airport
are too high and everyone needs to be ‘more
competitive’ on reducing costs).
◾ Complexity of operations (large geographical
area, wide range of activities, team pressures,
catastrophic outcomes for failure, shift system, cost).
◾ Lack of training.
◾ Risks not evaluated/understood.
◾ Failure to invest (The maintenance budget is
focused on maximising the airport’s customer
retail units).
◾ Competing demands (Aircraft efficiency is
measured by the amount of time they spend flying
vs. adequate time to services).
◾ Lack of policy/procedures.
◾ Lack of monitoring/supervision (Supervisor usually
waits for the worker to return to the maintenance
hangar).
◾ High number of contractors (There are many
contractors involved in a range of tasks across the
airport).
Model Answer:
The airport is experiencing an economic downturn and
the owners want to reduce costs. Maintenance works may
be reduced, increasing risks from poorly maintained plant
and equipment.
Video-conferencing and induction videos are used as ways
of communicating with the workforce and contractors.
However, problems with these methods of
communication may mean the safety messages are not
understood by the workers or contractors.
The scenario describes the importance of aircraft
efficiency. This may mean that the effort to get jobs done
quickly may increase the likelihood of someone not
following a safety procedure and therefore increase
incidents amongst the maintenance team.
New emergency procedures have been placed in the
airport intranet and notice boards. The scenario does
not indicate that anyone was consulted about their
content. A lack of consultation can lead to lack of
compliance with the content of a procedure.
Meetings between workers and management are held
regularly, giving the possibility of worker involvement
being a positive influence in working safely. However, if
workers’ opinions are not listened to, then the lack of
involvement can result in poor discipline and
increased incidents.
The CEO is recently appointed, and so the attention
paid by the new management team to cost-cutting may
prevent investment in safety initiatives.
The shareholders for the business may want an improved
financial return on their investments. Expenditure
planned for new safety initiatives may be redirected to
shareholder dividends.
The requirements of customers, e.g., aircraft
efficiency and customer retail outlets, may increase
the need for getting the job done and ignore any
health and safety requirements.
The airport HR team has developed emergency
procedures without consultation. This may mean they
are unsuitable or do not comply with local legislation.
The CEO has said that everyone needs to be ‘more
competitive on reducing costs’. This lack of support on
investment for health and safety is likely to increase the
number of incidents at the airport.
Complex operations may also mean that some areas are
less well understood and therefore poorly managed. Also,
the large geographical and shift patterns may make it
difficult to adequately supervise employees.
It is important that adequate training is given in safe
systems of work. Failure to provide training may mean
there is a lower level of competency and a reduced
ability to maintain safety standards.
The wide variation in activities may act as a barrier to
health and safety because risk assessments may not consider
all the hazards, or identify all of the appropriate control
measures.
There is already a lack of investment because the
Maintenance Team’s hangar needs repair. The allocation
of the maintenance budget onto the airport’s customer
retail units may become a barrier to maintaining safety
standards.
Competing demands may lead to budgets being allocated
to operational needs rather than health and safety needs.
This will act as a barrier to maintaining health and safety
standards.
The absence of emergency procedures may lead to a lack
of understanding on the action to take if an emergency
arises. Not having suitable policies and procedures in
place may reduce progress in improving health and safety.
The Supervisor usually waits for the worker to return
to the maintenance hangar. A lack of supervision when
the tasks are being performed may mean health and
safety procedures are not followed.
There are many contractors involved in a range of tasks
across the airport. The contractors may not place the
same level of importance in health and safety that the
airport staff do.
 High staff turnover may lead to a lack of knowledge
about safety systems and a decline in safety standards.
Internal auditors may be unfamiliar with the standards
required for the health and safety management system.
An audit that does not identify all non-compliance will
lead to safety standards not being maintained.

QSN 2

To develop the answer plan, use your study materials

and have copies of C155 and R164 available to read.
Do not quote or cut/paste from the convention or
recommendation. You are asked to clearly base your
answers on information contained in the scenario. You
need to apply C155 and R164 to the scenario.
You can also remind yourself that Convention 155 is
legally binding on states that have ratified the ILO
(the International Labour Standard). The aim of this
convention is to prevent accidents and ill-health by
minimising hazards at work.
Recommendation 164 provides non-legally binding
guidelines to achieve occupational health and safety
covered in the Convention.
Answer Plan:
◾ Convention 155 Recommendation 164.
◾ So far as reasonably practicable.
◾ A safe workplace (The floor is in a poor state with potholes and
oil stains).
◾ Safe plant and equipment (constant flow of
equipment entering and leaving or being
repaired).
◾ Safe processes.
◾ Ensure chemical, physical, biological substances and agents are
without risk.
◾ Provide PPE where required.
◾ Take practicable measures against mental/physical fatigue.
◾ Hours of work do not adversely affect occupational safety and
health.
◾ Prevent accidents.
◾ Information (video-conferencing, emails, intranet, etc.).
◾ Training.
◾ Adequate supervision (Supervisor usually waits for the worker to
return).
◾ Emergency procedures. (A video-conference has
been arranged to discuss the adoption of the new
emergency procedures that HR have developed).
Model Answer:
C155 has the aim of achieving a safe and healthy workplace
‘so far as reasonably practicable’. This means there is a
balance between the cost of control measures, and the
likelihood and consequences of harm if the control
measures are not adopted.
To meet the legal requirements, R164 advises repair to
workplaces to prevent hazards. The floor is in a poor
state with potholes and oil stains which present an
unmanaged hazard.
The employer must ensure that chemical substances are
without risk. This will mean substituting dangerous
chemicals for less dangerous ones.
The employer has a responsibility to supply and maintain
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) where hazards cannot
be managed by other methods.
The employer must prevent harm arising from mental
and physical fatigue. This will mean the airport must
have adequate welfare facilities where workers can rest.
The airport works a shift pattern. The hours of work
involved in that shift pattern must not adversely affect
occupational safety and health.
 The aim of C155 is to prevent accidents. Reducing costs
at the airport may become a barrier to managing safety
and therefore accidents may increase.
The Convention requires workers to be given adequate
information. Using communication methods such as
video-conferencing, emails, intranet, etc. will support
the flow of information to workers.
Workers must be given appropriate training. HR seem to
be committed to training in the emergency procedure that
they have produced.
Workers must be able to report concerns with the safety
system to their supervisor. Supervisors usually wait for
the worker to return to the hangar, which is likely to
result in not all concerns being reported.
Emergency procedures must be established. A video-
conference has been arranged to discuss the adoption of
the new emergency procedures that HR have developed.

QSN ;3

Answer Plan:
◾ Qualifications to perform the required task.
◾ Accreditations to associations.
◾ Health and safety policy.
◾ Risk assessments/method statements.
◾ Arrangements for monitoring safety.
◾ Financial resources.
◾ Intellectual resources.
◾ Equipment in their ownership.
◾ Equipment inspection records.
◾ Equipment maintenance records.
◾ Competent health and safety assistance.
◾ Insurance cover.
◾ Accident rates/incident rates/accident statistics.
◾ Training records.
◾ Selection of sub-contractors’ procedures.
◾ Previous clients as references.
◾ Any enforcement action from authorities.
Model Answer:
The contractor must be checked to make sure that they have the necessary
qualifications to undertake the tasks in the contract.
Contractors who are accredited by trade associations are already likely to
have demonstrated levels of competence to perform contracted tasks.
Contractors with a well-written and supported health and safety policy
are much more likely to take health and safety responsibilities seriously.
Risk assessments and methods statements should be considered as evidence
of the contractor’s capability to perform the tasks in the contract.
Contractors who have arrangements in place for monitoring safety send a
clear message of the intention to avoid accidents.
Some contracts require considerable expenditure by the contractor
before the job can be invoiced. The contractor must have the financial
resources to undertake the contract.
Some contracts require high levels of expertise. The intellectual resources
(competent person, specialist equipment) must be considered before awarding
a contract.
Contractors who already have the necessary tools and equipment should
be considered before contractors who may have to hire tools and
equipment.
Where the contractor has full equipment inspection records, they should
be considered in preference to contractors who have limited inspection
records.
Contractors who have access to competent health and safety assistance
should be preferred to contractors who do not have competent
sources of health and safety advice.
Contractors who can demonstrate that they have all the necessary
insurance documentation in place demonstrate that they want to
operate legally and safely