nized so that there are now 5 elements in NGC1 and 12 elements in NCC1. ...
examiners reports which are available from NEBOSH. These reports not only ...
Preface to the fourth edition The Introduction to Health and Safety
in
Construction
the P r a c t i c a l A p p l i c a t i o n N C C 2 h a s b e e n significantly
has quickly established itself a s the s t a n d a r d text for
revised. C h a p t e r 21 i n c l u d e s a s a m p l e practical applica-
students taking the N E B O S H National Certificate in Con-
tion b a s e d on the n e w s c o p e a n d format. T h e c h a n g e s to
struction Health a n d Safety, a n d for t h o s e taking other
the N G C begin in 2 0 1 1 .
courses in building or c o n s t r u c t i o n . It is also of great
This b o o k h a s b e e n written specifically for students
value to those working in the c o n s t r u c t i o n industry at all
w h o are studying for the N E B O S H National Certificate
levels - particularly c o n s t r u c t i o n site m a n a g e r s a n d fore-
in C o n s t r u c t i o n Safety a n d Health but will also be use-
men. As it has b e c o m e a significant w o r k of reference
ful for t h o s e studying a variety of building a n d construc-
for managers with health a n d safety responsibilities, it
tion c o u r s e s , s u c h a s the Higher National Certificate a n d
is a matter of prime i m p o r t a n c e that it s h o u l d b e kept
D i p l o m a . It w a s felt appropriate to p r o d u c e a text book
up-to-date, as far a s is p o s s i b l e , with n e w legislation a n d
w h i c h mirrored the C o n s t r u c t i o n Certificate syllabus in
recent developments.
its revised unitized form a n d in a single volume to the
There has been c o n c e r n over a n u m b e r of y e a r s at
required breadth a n d d e p t h . T h e s y l l a b u s , w h i c h follows
the poor record of health a n d safety in the c o n s t r u c t i o n
the general pattern for health a n d safety m a n a g e m e n t set
industry. The legal health a n d safety requirements for all
by the Health a n d Safety E x e c u t i v e in their g u i d a n c e H S G
places of work are n u m e r o u s a n d c o m p l e x ; it is the inten-
6 5 , is risk a n d m a n a g e m e n t b a s e d s o it d o e s not start
tion of the authors to offer an introduction to the subject
from the a s s u m p t i o n that health a n d safety is best man-
for all those who have the m a i n t e n a n c e of g o o d health
a g e d by looking first at the c a u s e s of failures. Fortunately,
and safety standards a s part of their e m p l o y m e n t duties
failures s u c h a s a c c i d e n t s a n d ill-health are relatively rare
or those who are c o n s i d e r i n g the possibility of a career
a n d r a n d o m events in m o s t w o r k p l a c e s . A full c o p y of
as a health and-safety professional. Health a n d safety is
the s y l l a b u s a n d g u i d e c a n be o b t a i n e d from N E B O S H .
well recognized as an important c o m p o n e n t of the activi-
T h e c o u r s e h a s b e e n d i v i d e d into three distinct units
ties of any organization, not only b e c a u s e of the impor-
e a c h of w h i c h is a s s e s s e d separately. T h e three units
tance of protecting p e o p l e from harm but a l s o b e c a u s e
are N G C 1 - M a n a g e m e n t of health a n d Safety, N C C 1 -
of the growth in the direct a n d indirect c o s t s of acci-
M a n a g i n g a n d controlling h a z a r d s in c o n s t r u c t i o n activi-
dents. These c o s t s have i n c r e a s e d higher than the rate
ties a n d N C C 2 - C o n s t r u c t i o n health a n d safety practical
of retail price inflation by a c o n s i d e r a b l e a m o u n t in the
application.
last few years as the n u m b e r of civil c l a i m s a n d a w a r d s
This d e v e l o p m e n t offers the opportunity for additional
have risen each year. It is very important that b a s i c health
a n d more flexible c o u r s e formats a n d students may now
and safety legal requirements are clearly u n d e r s t o o d by
study parallel c o u r s e s (in, say, general health a n d safety
all organizations whether public or private, large or s m a l l .
a n d fire) without repeating the m a n a g e m e n t unit. Stu-
A good health and safety p e r f o r m a n c e is normally only
d e n t s w h o d e c i d e to take individual units will, on p a s s i n g ,
achieved when health a n d safety is effectively m a n a g e d
receive a Unit Certificate. However, it has n e c e s s i t a t e d the
so that significant risks are identified a n d r e d u c e d by
need for an additional chapter (Chapter 6) on construc-
adopting appropriate high quality control m e a s u r e s .
tion law a n d m a n a g e m e n t to deal with t h o s e construction
This fourth edition of Introduction
to Health and
Safety
t o p i c s that were in the original m a n a g e m e n t syllabus
in Construction is b a s e d on the unitized N E B O S H sylla-
Whilst the main c h a n g e s i n c e the third edition has
bus for the N E B O S H National Certificate in C o n s t r u c t i o n
b e e n the re-organization of the s y l l a b u s a n d the practical
Health and Safety. This unitization m a k e s it a s c o m p a t i b l e
a p p l i c a t i o n , there have a l s o b e e n s o m e c h a n g e s to the
as possible with short c o u r s e s b a s e d on the eight units
syllabus. T h e main o n e s are a s follows:
of the ENTO standard. The N E B O S H National Certificate in Construction Health a n d Safety ( N C C ) is a c c r e d i t e d
•
A d d i t i o n a l items on Civil L a w
as a level 3 award by O f q u a l a n d by the S c o t t i s h Q u a l i -
•
Preparation of site w a s t e m a n a g e m e n t plans
fications Authority (SQA). T h e s y l l a b u s h a s b e e n reorga-
•
W a s t e M a n a g e m e n t P l a n s R e g u l a t i o n s 2008
elements in N C C 1 . The fourth edition h a s b e e n revised so that the b o o k follows the new N C C s y l l a b u s . S i n c e
M o r e detail on the safe m o v e m e n t of p e o p l e on c o n s t r u c t i o n sites including k n o w l e d g e of the Site
nized so that there are n o w 5 elements in N G C 1 a n d 12 •
A n e w s e c t i o n on driving at w o r k
\
Preface to the fourth edition
I •
Additional items of work e q u i p m e n t including electrical generators a n d k n o w l e d g e of the S u p p l y of
• • • • • •
W e have b e e n a s k e d about the allocation of marks to e a c h q u e s t i o n but s i n c e the m a r k s a w a r d e d to e a c h
Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2 0 0 8
part of a q u e s t i o n c a n vary, only general g u i d a n c e c a n be
M o r e e m p h a s i s on risks a s s o c i a t e d with electricity
given. All o n e or t w o part q u e s t i o n s are 8 mark q u e s t i o n s
a n d their controls
with a m i n i m u m of 2 m a r k s a w a r d e d to any part. Ques-
U s e of electrical equipment in f l a m m a b l e
tions with three or more parts are 2 0 mark q u e s t i o n s with
atmospheres
a m i n i m u m of 4 m a r k s for e a c h part.
Fire risk a s s e s s m e n t of temporary w o r k p l a c e s a n d
The book
is also intended
a s a useful
reference
timber frame buildings
g u i d e for m a n a g e r s a n d directors with health a n d safety
The principles of g o o d practice regarding the
responsibilities a n d for safety representatives. C h a p t e r
control of e x p o s u r e to h a z a r d o u s s u b s t a n c e s
18 s u m m a r i s e s all the m o s t c o m m o n l y u s e d A c t s a n d
Health risks a n d controls a s s o c i a t e d with s p e c i f i c
Regulations. It w a s written to provide an easily acces-
agents including a s b e s t o s
sible reference s o u r c e for s t u d e n t s during a n d after the
K n o w l e d g e of the C h e m i c a l (Hazard Information
c o u r s e a n d m a n y others in industry a n d c o m m e r c e s u c h
and P a c k a g i n g for Supply) Regulations 2 0 0 9 C H I P 4
as m a n a g e r s , s u p e r v i s o r s a n d safety representatives.
particularly the E U U N Globally H a r m o n i z e d S y s t e m
There
is
considerable
commonality
between
the
of C l a s s i f i c a t i o n a n d Labelling of C h e m i c a l s (GHS)
N E B O S H C o n s t r u c t i o n Certificate; the N E B O S H Cer-
•
S a f e handling a n d storage of w a s t e
tificate in Fire Safety a n d R i s k M a n a g e m e n t a n d the
•
R a d o n - risks to health a n d control m e a s u r e s
N E B O S H National G e n e r a l Certificate a n d this c o m m o n -
•
Control of Artificial Optical Radiation at Work
ality is reflected in the b o o k . There is also s o m e overlap
Regulations 2010
of t o p i c s b e t w e e n s y l l a b u s e l e m e n t s a n d c h a p t e r s and
Tower c r a n e s
the authors have d r a w n attention to this w h e n it o c c u r s
•
Q u i c k hitches on e x c a v a t o r s
by indicating where the fullest a c c o u n t of the t o p i c may
•
T h e u s e of c o f f e r d a m s and c a i s s o n s
be f o u n d .
•
T h e p u r p o s e a n d s c o p e of pre-demolition,
•
Finally, s i n c e o n e of the o b j e c t i v e s of the b o o k is to provide a h a n d b o o k for the u s e of any p e r s o n w h o has
d e c o n s t r u c t i o n or refurbishment surveys M o r e information is also given on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization
and C h e m i c a l s R e g u l a t i o n s
( R E A C H ) , the introduction of a new regime for domestic g a s safety, the C o m p e n s a t i o n A c t 2 0 0 6 a n d future A summary
of the
Sense,
Report on Health a n d
Common
Safety'
i c s w h i c h are o u t s i d e the s y l l a b u s . T h e s e include fast track settlement of c o m p e n s a t i o n c l a i m s following the W o o l f e reforms (Chapter 5) a n d the demolition
c h a n g e s to the Control of P e s t i c i d e s Regulations. 'Common
health a n d safety a s part of their responsibilities, w e thought that it w o u l d b e helpful to a d d a few useful top-
Safety
by Lord Y o u n g has
also been included. S o m e more recent examination q u e s t i o n s have b e e n a d d e d at the e n d of e a c h chapter. M a n y q u e s t i o n s c o v e r the contents of more than o n e chapter. It is reco m m e n d e d that students have sight of the p u b l i s h e d
using
e x p l o s i v e s (Chapter 17). W e have a l s o u s e d the opportunity of a n e w edition to a d d a c h a p t e r on the international a n d environmental a s p e c t s of c o n s t r u c t i o n health a n d safety that are not i n c l u d e d in the N C C s y l l a b u s . T h i s will b e useful for t h o s e w h o n e e d to travel a n d w o r k overseas. W e h o p e that y o u find this n e w edition to be useful.
e x a m i n e r s reports which are available from N E B O S H . T h e s e reports not only provide an excellent g u i d e on the e x p e c t e d a n s w e r s to the q u e s t i o n s but a l s o indicate areas of student misunderstanding.
Phil Hughes Ed Ferrett
