Introduction

For aspiring health and safety professionals, the NEBOSH (National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health) certification is highly esteemed worldwide. It equips individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to ensure workplace safety and prevent occupational hazards. As part of the NEBOSH qualification process, candidates must complete a series of written examinations, known as the NEBOSH papers. In this blog post, we delve into the world of NEBOSH paper solutions, uncovering key strategies and tips to help you navigate these exams with confidence.

Understanding NEBOSH Papers

NEBOSH papers are designed to assess a candidate’s understanding of health and safety concepts, as well as their ability to apply them in practical scenarios. These exams vary based on the specific NEBOSH qualification being pursued, such as the NEBOSH National General Certificate, NEBOSH International General Certificate, or other specialized certifications like the NEBOSH Construction Certificate or NEBOSH Fire Certificate.

Nebosh Paper Solution July 2023

Task 1: The legal reasons for health and safety management

Question 1

• Legal reasons are the preventive reasons that protect employers from prohibition noticies and legal penalities. ILO sets legalisations for the health and safety of the workers. There are some enforcement agencies that are in action in every country that enforces organizations to comply with health and safety rules.
• Proper Health and safety Management System :  ILO Convention 115 says that the workplace for workers is considered to be safe and there must be a proper SSOW so that they can manage accidents safely.
• The Garden Space has to fullfill ILO requirements of health and safety  to manage safe working environment in the organization.
• Major accidents : If there happens an accident in an organization there would be involvement of media and the enforcement agencies that would cause low the repute of the company and to organization to be shutdown.
• Legal Rules : Helath and safety management is a legal reason and it is considered to be safe and promotes to client’s trust because clients demand a safe working organization.
• Social Behaviour: some of the health and safety  laws controls antisocial behaviour in the organization which leads to the prosperity and a safe working environment.
• Culture of Organization : Legal reason promotes safety culture of the organization as in case of Garden space.

Low Accident Ratio: Legal reasons related to health and safety of organization reduces accidents or incident ratios in an organization.

Task 2: Health and safety management systems

Question 2

• Positive Leadership: Health and safety also plays a key role in good and a positive leadership. As in Garden Space there is a good health and safety management system .
• Team Work : Leaders play important role in safety culture of organization. In Garden Space  staff was divided in teams to manage and minimize work load and each team has a team leader to guide and support the team.
•  Improvement : Positive leaders always lead to improvements even in health and safety as in Garden Space the owner proudly says that accident book shows there has not been a serious accident for over 4 years.
• Employee Engagement : Good leaders encourage employees to actively participate in health and safety activities and openly communicate to all people in organization.
• Emergency Procedures Management : Positive leaders train their worker to deal with emergency situations to effectively manage the emergency as in Garden Space a work provided first aid and emergency services were called and OM was notified.
• Trainings : Positive leaders conduct trainings for the workers to be safe and provide proper education to enhance the health and safety knowledge and issues.
• Competent Staff : As in Garden Space there were trainings conducted for EPT’s and a proper storage for EPT’s.  There were also trained and experienced staff for operation of EPT’s.
• Allocating Resources : Effective Leaders understand the importance of proper resources needed for managing health and safety procedures and for conducting trainings and the time and supervision needed.
• SSOW : There were  proper procedures and SSOW for the use of EPT’s. Even OTL guided workers that they are advised to use EPT’s only in leisure hours when there are few costumers in store.
• Example Setting :  Leaders who follow health and safety systems effectively are also safe and even set an example for the other organizations to follow.
• Risk Assessments : Positive leaders also play a key role in identifying risks and hazards that has the potential to cause harm and reduce the chances of incidents or accidents.
•    Measuring performance : Good leaders also measure the performance of health and safety to improve it further and minimize more accidents in organisation.
• Empowering Employees : Positive leaders try to keep moral of workers high and health and safety plays essential role.

Task 3: Safe systems of work and training for use of equipment

Question 3 (a)

• Complete Training : As in scenario, there were comprehensive trainings conducted about EPT’s in Garden Space and complete trainings about EPT’s and operating safely.
• Procedures : At Garden Space there was complete SSOW procedures written displayed at there about the safe operation, braking, planning and warehouse parking.
• Outdoor Use : As in scenario, there was complete SSOW and the operations about outdoor use of EPT’s and procedures.
• Maintenance : The SSOW of Garden Space includes complete inspections about machines their inspection, checklist and maintenance.
• PPE’S : The SSOW of Garden Space includes the proper PPE’s that workers should wear steel toe boots for proper protection of workers during the use of EPT’s.
• Load Limit and Route Plannings : At Garden Space, there were specific and safe route plannings and load limit of EPT’s like workers were advised to use EPT’s in quite hours.
• Parking : SSOW includes the proper braking , operating and safe parking and storing of EPT’s in the warehouse .

Customer Flow : When there are fewer clients present and business is slower, the OTL encourages staff to use EPTs in the outdoor section. Then the workers use EPT’s to lower down their risk and hazards.  

Question 3 (b)

• TrainingsAitude to guaranteeing that staff members receive full training before using the new technology.After purchasing the EPTs, the training session was promptly scheduled, showing a proactive attitude to guaranteeing that staff members receive full training before using the new technology.
• SSOW : The current SSOW included with all the safe working operations about EPT’s their use, operations and checklist .
• Practical Demo : There was a practical demonstration given about the use of EPT’s in Garden Space by a trained worker to get knowledge to the all other outdoor untrained workers.
• Discussion : As per scenario, there was conducted a complete discussion of workers from trained workers to all outdoor workers about the safe use of EPT’s.
• Written Procedure : Existing SSOW was shown to every outdoor worker  to know how they can use EPT’s safely in the warehouse and outdoor section.
• Checklist : The SSOW includes a checklist of EPT’s before using the EPT’s to check it and operate safely by minimizing hazards.
• Load Limit : e written process places a strong emphasis on following load limitations, showing that it is important to avoid overloading because it increases the risk of accidents and equipment damage.
• Route Guidance : The written protocol specifies how to plan and prepare the path to be taken, emphasizing the value of taking into account potential risks and barriers.
• Avoiding Slopes: One unique risk connected with utilizing EPTs outside is addressed in the written process, which is likely to contain advice to avoid slopes.
• Pushing Is Not Allowed: According to the established process, employees must pull, not push, the EPTs. This recommendation encourages more stable control and mobility.

Task 4: Workers’duties in the workplace

Question 4

• Recommendation 16: The employer must make sure that employees follow the rules for occupational safety and health. This recommendation may have been broken by Worker X when he disregarded the OTL’s instructions after he was named the new team leader.
• Article 19: According to this article, employees are required to exercise reasonable care to ensure their personal safety as well as the safety of any other people who may be impacted by their actions or inactions. The EPT’s navigation down a constrained path between planter beds by Worker X without taking into account the presence of consumers shows a breach of their duty of care.
• Training: The workshop for using the EPT included Worker X, who had been working at Garden Space for more than ten years. The duty to follow safe work practices was broken by worker X because he decided to disregard the training and instructions given and fail to put the knowledge and skills he learned during the training to use.
• SSOW : During the training session, worker X was informed of the SSOW for using EPTs, which contains guidelines on route planning, load limitations, and avoiding slopes. Worker X disregarded the set SSOW by using an improper shortcut and accessing the EPT.
• PPE’s : Worker X’s adherence to the mandate to wear steel toe cap boots—which are furnished by the employer—is not specifically mentioned in the scenario.
• Customer Safety: Worker X took a risk by choosing to cross the EPT between planter beds while customers were on the property. This disregard for customer safety goes against their duty to safeguard the safety of anyone who might be impacted by their actions.
• Negligence and Recklessness: Worker X’s snarky comments regarding obeying directions and his assertion that planting new trees was a waste of time show a disregard for safety procedures. Such carelessness and irresponsibility go counter to the spirit of the rules and suggestions.
• Hazard Report : It was the responsibility of worker X to alert the OTL or another appropriate person to the hazard if they were aware that customers with trolleys were blocking the main pathway. The responsibility to disclose dangers and maintain a safe working environment is disregarded by failing to do so and choosing a dangerous alternative route.
• Emergency : Following the collision, Employee X panicked and neglected to use the brakes on the EPT, resulting in more injuries for the customer. This disregard for emergency procedures and the inability to react appropriately in a crisis point to a breach of the duty to respond to emergencies
• HSE : Worker X’s general behavior, which includes disobeying directions, failing to follow safe work practices, and acting disrespectfully toward safety precautions, points to a breach of the general obligation to observe the health and safety requirements contained in the regulations.

Task 5: Emergency procedures in practice

Question 5

The most essesntial and critical part of an accident is to manage the emergency effectively.

• First Aid : As per the scenario when injured person screamed the first on duty came to him and provided the necessary first aid services.
• Emergency services : Right after the accident emergency services were called and they were on their to shift him to hospital.
• Reporting Accident : Reporting the accident is a positive health and safety  culture indictor. OM was notified about accident by OTL right after the accident.
• Shifting Hospital : The first aider was staying with the injured person for any help as the emergency services were not arrived to shift him to the hospital.
• Clear the Area : The area of the accident was cordon off and cleared from the people as they would cause panic.
• Store Close : The store was closed after the accident because of the accident the workers would have low self esteem and they would not be able to work properly
• Calm Worker X : OM talked to worker x and calmed down him. OM took the statement and recoded their interview in where worker x told him about all the happenings.
• Statements : OM took the statements of worker x and the witness who witnessed accident. OM also recorded their conversations and took pictures of the accident scene.
• Save The Scene : The scene of accident was saved for the investigation and to take precautionary measures further.
•  Responsible Management : The responsible management also shows a good image and manage the the emergency situation effectively. As in Garden Space the OTL reached immediately and informed OM who also played his role very well.
• Commitment :The commitment of people of the organization about health and safety also matters a lot in dealing with an emergency. As there were competent first aider who provided first aid immediately and other people of Garden Space who played their roles in efficiently managing emergency.

Task 6: Accident investigation

Question 6 (a)

• Cordon Off :As the OM arrived the scene, he asked the workers to cordon off the site of accident for the purpose of investigation and also noted a person who witnessed the accident.
• Recorded : OM returned to the site of accident and observed the site of accident and also recorded site of accident in his phone and also took some photographs.

Question 6 (b)

• Save Accident Scene : TheOM arrived at scene of accident and told the workers to cordon off the scene of accident for the purpose of investigaton and further purposes.
• Witness : As the OM had a look at his surroundings he noted that there is a person who have witnessed the whole accident
• Staying Of Witness : The OM then went to the customer that witnessed the whole accident and asked him if he could stay at Garden Space for the purpose of investigation and he agreed to that.
• Witness Statement : The OM further took the permission of the witness to record their conversation. Witness agreed and told he had no objection to that.
• Clear The Area : The OM then ordered to workers to get out the remaining customers from outdoor section and clear the scene before the store closes for rest of day.
• Worker X : After that OM headed toward worker x in Garden Space office and talked with him to calm down and took his statement on what happened there.
• Recorded Proof : After sending all people to home the OM recorded the scene of the accident in his phone and also took some of the pictures.   

Task 7: Human factors

Question 7 (a)

• Safety Culture : The current safety culture of the Garden Space is positive as there are tainings conducted, health and safety policies made and accident sheets are made to measure the performance.
• Trainigs : As per the scenario, Garden space had conducted EPT trainings for the workers and a safe system of work for them to work safely in the organisation.
•   Responsible Management : The OTL told the workers to use EPT’s only in highly needed situation and in the quite hours when there are few people in the store.
• Leadership : The management of Garden Space shows a positive behaviour as they openly communicate about health and safety and also have serious concern about safety of the workers.
• First Aid : Garden Space has a first aider who was on duty when the accident happened and he provided first aid to injured person and did his job.
• Resources : As per the scenario, Garden space employees complained to the OM about manual pallet trucks so the OM purchased two  electric pallet trucks to facilitate their workers.
• SSOW : The complete training was conducted for EPT’s and also the existing SSOW of the warehouse was communicated like how to operate safely and efficiently manage emergency situation.
•  Health and Safety Policies : As per the scenario, owner of Garden Space shows accident sheet and says that they had no serious accident for over four years.
• Health and Safety Performance : As owner told about no accident in 4 years It shows that they measure their performance about Health and safety system which is positive behaviour.
• Reporting : Reporting the accidents is also a positive behaviour. As in scenario, the OTL immediately called the emergency services and reported the accident to the OM who arrived.
• Structure : The structure of Garden Space is a positive behaviour in health and safety as they have owner  manager, OM and team leaders for every team to divide responsibilities.
• Procedures : As there were the complete procedure of health and safety communicated which is a positive organisational factor.
• Competency : As per scenario , Garden Space has a competent team which includes manager, OM and team leaders for every single team and the competent first aider who can efficiently manage emergency situations.

Question 7 (b)

• Experience : As per the scenario, the worker x has an experience of ten years in Garden Space. His experience made him confident.
• Seniority : Worker x is the most senior employee of Garden Space and he must be promoted to OTL but he did not get his deserved place.
• Emotional State of Mind : As worker x was not given preference and broke down and frustrated and had negative comments about the organisation among all the workers in which he as senior.
• Over Confident : As per his statement, he said that they never waited and put the fresh trees straight away from the warehouse to the outdoor section.
• Work Pressure : There was delay in delivery of new products so worker x took EPT and loaded two large trees on it and headed to outdoor in peak hours.
• Lack of Awareness : Worker x did not see costumer on back and headed EPT on a narrow path without having the knowledge of his surroundings.
• Panic Reaction: when worker x crushed foot of customer he got panic he did not know how to apply brakes on an EPT and kept on crushing foot of customer. His decession was delayed due to panic situation.
• Negative Communication : worker x did negative comments as it is waste of time they had put fresh trees straight away then why to wait. 

Task 8: Identifying data used to monitor health and safety performance

Question 8

• Accident Ratio : We can measure performance by seeing accident or incident ratio includes nearmisses also.
• Absenteeism Rate : Checking rate of employees absents regarding HSE.
• Audit : Conducting HSE audits and inspections to access compliance to HSE and measure performance.
• Trainings Record : Keeping records of worker trainings and competency.
• HIRAC : Identifying workplace hazards and controls related to them.
• Feedback : Getting feedback from the workers and people of organisation.
• Policies : Checking and reviewing HSE policies and keeping them updated.
• Equipment Inspections Checking regular equipments and servicing them regularly.   
• External Feedback Taking feedback from external stake holders and people.
• Illness Recording work related illness and occupational diseases.

Conclusion

Successfully navigating NEBOSH papers requires a combination of thorough understanding, preparation, and effective time management. By following the tips outlined in this blog post and utilizing available study resources, you can approach your NEBOSH exams with confidence. Remember to stay calm, read the questions carefully, and demonstrate your understanding of health and safety principles through practical solutions. Best of luck on your NEBOSH journey and congratulations on taking a significant step towards a rewarding career in occupational health and safety!