Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) Card Site Hazards, Risk Control and Welfare Syllabus

What is the safe sequence of controls before entering a confined space?

Avoid entry if possible; if entry is essential use a safe system of work: permit-to-work, atmosphere testing/gas monitoring, forced ventilation, suitable RPE/equipment, communication, and emergency rescue arrangements in place before entry.

What is the normal percentage of oxygen in air, and why is an oxygen-deficient atmosphere dangerous?

Normal air contains about 21% oxygen. Below roughly 19.5% the atmosphere is oxygen-deficient, causing impaired judgement, unconsciousness and death — often with no warning to the casualty.

Why is oxygen-ENRICHED atmosphere also a hazard in confined spaces?

Excess oxygen (above ~23.5%) greatly increases the risk and intensity of fire — materials ignite more easily and burn fiercely, including clothing.

Why must you never enter a confined space to rescue a collapsed colleague without proper equipment?

The same atmosphere (toxic gas or lack of oxygen) that overcame them will overcome the rescuer. Many confined-space deaths are would-be rescuers. Raise the alarm and use trained rescuers with breathing apparatus.

Name three harmful gases or fumes encountered on site and a source of each.

Carbon monoxide (engine exhausts, faulty heaters), hydrogen sulphide (sewers/decaying matter), and carbon dioxide (combustion, fermentation, displacing oxygen). LPG and solvent vapours are also common.

What does the Manual Handling Operations Regulations require employers to do, in priority order?

First avoid hazardous manual handling so far as reasonably practicable; if it cannot be avoided, assess the risk; then reduce the risk of injury so far as reasonably practicable (e.g. with mechanical aids).

What four factors (TILE/LITE) are assessed in a manual handling risk assessment?

Task, Individual (capability of the person), Load, and Environment. Some add 'Other factors' such as PPE and clothing.

Describe the key points of a safe manual lifting technique.

Plan the lift, feet apart and stable, bend the knees (not the back), keep the back straight, get a secure grip, keep the load close to the body, lift smoothly without jerking, and avoid twisting — turn with the feet.

Why should you keep a load close to your body when lifting and carrying?

The further the load is held from the spine, the greater the leverage/strain on the back. Keeping it close reduces the bending moment and the stress on the lower back.

Give three examples of mechanical aids that reduce manual handling risk.

Wheelbarrows, sack trucks/trolleys, pallet trucks, hoists, gin wheels, telehandlers, forklifts, and conveyor belts/cranes. Even simple lever and roller aids count.

What is a team lift, and what is essential for it to be carried out safely?

A team lift is two or more people lifting one load together. It needs one person to take charge and give clear commands, people of similar height/build where possible, planning the route, and coordinated, simultaneous movement.

What is the difference between a slip, a trip, and a fall on the level?

A slip is loss of grip between footwear and the floor (wet/contaminated surface). A trip is catching the foot on an obstacle or uneven surface. A fall on the level is going to the ground from these, as opposed to a fall from height.

List four common causes of slips and trips on a construction site.

Trailing cables/leads, materials and debris left in walkways, wet or muddy surfaces, changes in level/holes, poor lighting, and unsuitable footwear.

What does 'good housekeeping' mean on site and why is it important?

Keeping the workplace clean and tidy: clearing waste and offcuts, storing materials properly, keeping walkways and access clear, and managing spills. It prevents slips/trips and fires, and improves safety and efficiency.

State three principles of safe material storage on site.

Store on firm, level ground; stack stable loads (not too high, bonded/racked) so they cannot topple; keep heavy items low; keep access routes and fire exits clear; and separate/segregate hazardous and flammable materials.

What does COSHH stand for and what is its purpose?

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (Regulations). It requires employers to prevent or adequately control workers' exposure to hazardous substances such as dusts, fumes, gases, chemicals and biological agents.

What are the basic steps of complying with COSHH?

Identify the hazardous substances and risks (use safety data sheets), assess the exposure, apply controls in the hierarchy (eliminate/substitute/engineering/RPE), inform and train workers, and monitor and review the controls.

Where would you find information about the hazards of a chemical product used on site?

On the product label (hazard pictograms/warnings) and in the supplier's Safety Data Sheet (SDS), which gives composition, hazards, handling, storage, first aid and PPE requirements.

Why is asbestos awareness training important even for workers who do not directly remove asbestos?

Asbestos is still present in many buildings built/refurbished before 2000; any worker who might disturb it must be able to recognise where it may be, avoid disturbing it, and know what to do, because inhaling fibres causes fatal diseases.

Name the main diseases caused by inhaling asbestos fibres.

Asbestosis (lung scarring), lung cancer, and mesothelioma (cancer of the lung/abdomen lining). Asbestos-related disease is the biggest single cause of work-related deaths in the UK.

What should you do if you discover or suspect you have found asbestos during work?

Stop work immediately, do not disturb it, warn others and prevent access to the area, and report it to your supervisor. Work must not continue until it has been assessed by a competent person.

What is respirable crystalline silica (RCS) and which materials contain it?

RCS is fine respirable dust released when cutting, grinding or drilling silica-containing materials such as concrete, stone, brick, mortar, sandstone and tiles. The particles are small enough to reach deep into the lungs.

What disease is caused by long-term exposure to silica dust, and how can exposure be controlled?

Silicosis (irreversible lung scarring); silica also causes COPD and lung cancer. Control with water suppression (wet cutting), on-tool dust extraction (LEV), good ventilation, and suitable RPE as a final measure.

What is the difference between dust suppression and dust extraction as controls?

Suppression uses water to damp down dust and stop it becoming airborne at source; extraction (LEV) captures dust at the tool/source and removes it through filtration. Both reduce airborne dust before RPE is relied upon.

What type of RPE is needed for fine respirable dusts like silica, and what is essential for it to work?

A respirator with an adequate assigned protection factor (e.g. FFP3 disposable or a powered/half-mask with P3 filter). It must be correctly fitted — face-fit tested and worn against clean-shaven skin to ensure a seal.

What are the three main environmental media that site activities can pollute?

Air (dust, fumes, emissions), water (rivers, drains, groundwater via run-off and spills), and land (contamination from spills and buried waste).

What is the waste hierarchy used to minimise the environmental impact of construction waste?

In order of preference: Prevent/reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover (e.g. energy), and finally Dispose (landfill as the last resort).

What precautions prevent pollution of watercourses and drains on site?

Store chemicals/fuels in bunded areas away from drains, use drip trays and spill kits, never wash out into surface drains, control silty run-off, and know which drains are surface water vs foul.

What is 'duty of care' regarding construction waste, and what document accompanies waste leaving site?

The legal duty to ensure waste is stored, handled and disposed of correctly by authorised carriers to licensed sites. A waste transfer note (or consignment note for hazardous waste) must accompany the waste and be kept on record.

How should hazardous (special) waste such as asbestos, oils and solvents be managed on site?

Segregate it from general waste, store it securely in labelled containers, and have it removed only by a licensed carrier to an authorised facility using a hazardous waste consignment note.