10 questions, graded as you go, with the reason for every answer. No sign-up.
What this covers
PPE
Safety signs
Fire
Fire extinguishers
Hot work
LPG
Fire law
Electrical safety
Overhead lines
Underground services
Sample questions
Your safety helmet is dropped from the scaffold onto concrete. It looks undamaged. What should you do?
Carry on wearing it until the expiry date
Check the harness inside and keep using it
Wear it back to front so the weak side is behind
Get it replaced before carrying on working
Show the answer
D. Get it replaced before carrying on working
A hard impact can weaken the shell in ways that cannot be seen, so the helmet should be replaced. Checking the cradle alone does not show hairline damage to the shell.
Reference: Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992, regulations 7 and 11
What must you do if the PPE you have been given is damaged or lost?
Buy your own replacement so that work can go on
Report it to your employer and get a replacement
Borrow a workmate's until the end of the shift
Carry on carefully until the next safety meeting
Show the answer
B. Report it to your employer and get a replacement
Employees have a legal duty to report loss of, or obvious defects in, PPE, and the employer must replace it free of charge. Borrowed equipment may not fit and leaves the other person unprotected.
Reference: Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992, regulation 11
Why do site safety boots normally have a protective midsole as well as a toecap?
To insulate the wearer from live electric cables
To stop nails and sharp objects piercing the sole
To stop the boot slipping on wet scaffold boards
To support the ankle when walking on rough ground
Show the answer
B. To stop nails and sharp objects piercing the sole
The midsole resists penetration by nails and other sharp objects underfoot, a common site injury, while the toecap protects against falling and crushing loads. It is not electrical insulation, and slip resistance comes from the sole pattern.
Reference: Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992, regulation 4; BS EN ISO 20345 (safety footwear)
