Engineering Technician (EngTech) Health, Safety, Environment and Risk Management Syllabus

Health, Safety, Environment and Risk Management syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Health, Safety, Environment and Risk Management in Engineering Technician (EngTech), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   UK Health and Safety Legislation

   3 topics

   • Statutory Framework
     • Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
     • Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
     • Role and powers of the HSE
     • Employer and employee duties of care
   • Specific Workplace Regulations
     • COSHH and control of hazardous substances
     • PUWER and LOLER for equipment and lifting
     • Manual Handling Operations Regulations
     • PPE at Work and RIDDOR reporting
   • Permits and Safe Systems of Work
     • Permit-to-work systems
     • Lockout-tagout (LOTO) and isolation procedures
     • Confined space and working at height controls
2. 2

   Risk Assessment and Hazard Control

   3 topics

   • Identifying Hazards
     • Mechanical, electrical, chemical and ergonomic hazards
     • Noise, vibration and dust hazards
   • Risk Assessment Process
     • Five steps to risk assessment
     • Likelihood, severity and risk rating
     • The hierarchy of controls
   • Incident Response and Reporting
     • Emergency procedures and first aid
     • Accident investigation and near-miss reporting
     • Fire safety and evacuation
3. 3

   Environmental and Sustainability Responsibilities

   3 topics

   • Environmental Legislation and Duty
     • Environmental Protection Act and waste duty of care
     • Waste hierarchy: reduce, reuse, recycle
     • Control of pollution and emissions
   • Sustainable Working Practices
     • Energy and resource efficiency on the job
     • Sustainable material selection and lifecycle thinking
     • Net-zero awareness and the engineer's role
   • Safe Handling and Disposal
     • Hazardous waste storage and disposal
     • Spill control and containment

Health, Safety, Environment and Risk Management flashcards for Engineering Technician (EngTech)

18 of 51 cards from the Health, Safety, Environment and Risk Management deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. Under UK law, what is the primary piece of legislation governing workplace health and safety?

   The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA 1974) — the overarching 'enabling' Act that places general duties on employers, employees, the self-employed, and others.

2. What general duty does Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 place on employers?

   To ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all their employees (including safe plant/systems, handling of substances, information/training, safe workplace and environment).

3. What duties do employees have under Section 7 of the HSWA 1974?

   To take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others affected by their acts/omissions, and to cooperate with the employer on health and safety matters.

4. What does Section 8 of the HSWA 1974 prohibit?

   No person shall intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interests of health, safety or welfare.

5. Define the legal test 'so far as is reasonably practicable' (SFAIRP) used in UK H&S law.

   It requires weighing the risk (likelihood and severity of harm) against the cost (time, money, effort) of controlling it; a control can be omitted only if its cost is grossly disproportionate to the risk reduced.

6. Which UK body is responsible for enforcing health and safety legislation, and what document type lays out detailed duties under the HSWA?

   The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the main enforcing authority; detailed duties are set out in Regulations (statutory instruments) made under the HSWA, often supported by Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs).

7. What is the legal status of an Approved Code of Practice (ACOP)?

   An ACOP gives practical guidance on complying with the law; it has special legal status — if you are prosecuted and did not follow it, you must show you complied by another equally effective means, or you may be found at fault.

8. Which Regulations require employers to assess risks and are often called the 'umbrella' management regulations?

   The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSWR), which require suitable and sufficient risk assessments and arrangements for planning, organisation, control, monitoring and review.

9. What two enforcement notices can an HSE inspector issue, and what does each do?

   An Improvement Notice (requires a breach to be remedied within a stated period) and a Prohibition Notice (stops an activity immediately or after a set time where there is risk of serious personal injury).

10. What do the PUWER 1998 Regulations cover?

    Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 — they require work equipment to be suitable, maintained, inspected, used by trained people, and fitted with appropriate guards and controls.

11. What do the LOLER 1998 Regulations specifically govern?

    Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 — they require lifting equipment to be strong/stable, marked with safe working loads, used safely, and thoroughly examined at set intervals.

12. Under LOLER, how often must lifting equipment used for lifting persons be thoroughly examined?

    At least every 6 months (and every 12 months for other lifting equipment, or accessories every 6 months), unless an examination scheme specifies otherwise.

13. What is the purpose of the COSHH Regulations 2002?

    Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 — they require employers to assess, prevent or control exposure to hazardous substances (chemicals, dusts, fumes, biological agents) to protect health.

14. In COSHH, what is a Workplace Exposure Limit (WEL) and over what reference periods is it set?

    A WEL is the maximum concentration of an airborne substance averaged over a reference period, expressed in $\mathrm{mg/m^{3}}$ or ppm; the two periods are the 8-hour long-term exposure limit (TWA) and the 15-minute short-term exposure limit (STEL).

15. What do the RIDDOR 2013 Regulations require?

    Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 — they require responsible persons to report specified workplace deaths, injuries, occupational diseases and dangerous occurrences to the enforcing authority.

16. Under RIDDOR, what is the reporting threshold for an 'over-X-day' injury to a worker?

    An over-7-day injury (where a worker is incapacitated for more than 7 consecutive days, not counting the day of the accident) must be reported within 15 days; over-3-day injuries must be recorded but not necessarily reported.

17. What is the purpose of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at Work Regulations?

    To require employers to provide suitable PPE free of charge where risks cannot be adequately controlled by other means, ensuring it is properly assessed, maintained, stored and used as a last line of defence.

18. Why is PPE considered the least preferred control measure in the hierarchy of control?

    Because it protects only the wearer, relies on correct use and fit, can fail without warning, and does not remove the hazard at source — it controls the consequence rather than the cause.

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