NEBOSH National General Certificate Musculoskeletal and Equipment Hazards Syllabus

List the key principles required for safe lifting operations under LOLER 1998.

Lifting operations must be: properly planned by a competent person; appropriately supervised; carried out in a safe manner. Equipment must be strong/stable, suitably marked with SWL, and thoroughly examined.

What is ergonomics, and what is its core aim?

Ergonomics is the study of the interaction between people, their work/equipment and the environment ('fitting the task to the person'). Its aim is to design tasks, equipment and workplaces to match human capabilities and limitations, reducing ill-health, error and improving efficiency.

What does WRULD stand for, and what does it mean?

WRULD = Work-Related Upper Limb Disorder: a group of conditions affecting the muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves of the neck, shoulders, arms, wrists and hands, caused or aggravated by work activities. Often called RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury).

List the main causes/risk factors for WRULDs.

Repetitive movements; applying force; awkward/fixed postures; insufficient rest/recovery time; sustained or static muscle loading; vibration; cold; poor workstation/equipment design; high work rate or psychosocial pressure.

Name common examples of specific WRULD conditions.

Carpal tunnel syndrome; tenosynovitis; tendinitis; epicondylitis (tennis/golfer's elbow); hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS); bursitis; Raynaud's phenomenon (vibration white finger).

What are typical symptoms a worker may report in the early stages of a WRULD?

Aching, pain, tenderness, stiffness, tingling, numbness, weakness, cramp or swelling in the affected area — often worse during or after the task and easing with rest in early stages.

What does DSE stand for, and what regulations govern its use in the UK?

DSE = Display Screen Equipment. Governed by the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992.

Who is classified as a 'DSE user' under the DSE Regulations 1992?

A worker who habitually uses DSE as a significant part of their normal work — typically daily, for continuous periods of an hour or more at a time.

List the main health risks/hazards associated with DSE workstation use.

Work-related upper limb disorders (WRULDs); visual fatigue/eye strain; temporary headaches; backache and postural fatigue; stress/fatigue. (No proven link to permanent eye damage or, generally, to radiation harm.)

What four main components must be assessed in a DSE workstation assessment?

The display screen; the keyboard and mouse/input devices; the desk and chair (work surface and seating); and the work environment (lighting, glare/reflections, noise, space, software and the task).

What are the key features of a suitable DSE chair under the DSE Regulations?

Stable (five-castor base); seat height adjustable; backrest adjustable in height and tilt to support the lower back; allows freedom of movement and comfortable posture; a footrest provided if needed.

Describe the recommended posture for a DSE user at their workstation.

Forearms approximately horizontal ($\approx 90^{\circ}$ at the elbow); top of screen at roughly eye level; screen about arm's length away; feet flat on floor or footrest; lower back supported; wrists straight and not bent when keying; minimal twisting/reaching.

What entitlements do DSE users have regarding eyesight under the DSE Regulations 1992?

On request, the employer must provide an eye and eyesight test (and at regular intervals thereafter), and provide special corrective appliances (e.g. spectacles) if normal ones cannot be used and they are needed specifically for DSE work.

Besides equipment, what other control reduces DSE-related risks during the working day?

Regular breaks or changes of activity — short, frequent breaks are better than occasional long ones; breaking up screen work with other tasks; plus training/information and a workstation assessment with adjustments.

What does PUWER stand for, and what is its purpose?

PUWER = Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. It places duties on those who own, operate or control work equipment to ensure it is suitable, safe, maintained, inspected and used only by trained people.

What is the definition of 'work equipment' under PUWER 1998?

Any machinery, appliance, apparatus, tool or installation for use at work — ranging from a hand tool (e.g. hammer) to complex machinery and plant.

List the key general requirements PUWER 1998 places on work equipment.

Suitable for its intended use; safe for use, maintained in efficient working order and in good repair; inspected to ensure correct installation/safety; used only by adequately informed, instructed and trained people; protected by suitable safety measures (guards, controls, warnings); with controls and stop/emergency systems.

Under PUWER, what specific control devices/systems must many machines have?

Suitable controls for starting/changing operating conditions; readily accessible stop controls; emergency stop where appropriate; isolation from energy sources; suitable warning devices/markings; controls positioned and identified safely; preventing inadvertent start-up.

Distinguish between mechanical and non-mechanical machinery hazards.

Mechanical hazards arise from moving parts of machinery (e.g. crushing, shearing, entanglement). Non-mechanical hazards arise from associated factors such as electricity, noise, vibration, heat, dust, chemicals, ergonomics and radiation.

List the main types of MECHANICAL hazards from machinery (per BS EN/ISO categories).

Crushing; shearing; cutting or severing; entanglement; drawing-in or trapping (in-running nip); impact; stabbing or puncture; friction or abrasion; high-pressure fluid ejection (injection).

Give an example of each: crushing, shearing, and entanglement hazards.

Crushing: a part moving toward a fixed object (e.g. hydraulic press platen). Shearing: two parts moving past each other (e.g. guillotine blade against a fixed edge). Entanglement: loose clothing/hair caught on a rotating shaft or drill bit.

What is an 'in-running nip' (drawing-in) hazard, and where is it found?

A trap point created where two rotating parts, or a rotating part and a tangent/fixed surface, move together and can draw in body parts or clothing. Found at meshing gears, between rollers, belt-and-pulley contacts, and chain-and-sprocket drives.

List the main NON-MECHANICAL hazards associated with machinery.

Electricity; noise; vibration; high/low temperature (burns/scalds); fire and explosion; harmful substances (dust, fumes, fluids); ionising/non-ionising radiation; ergonomic/manual handling factors; access (slips, trips, falls).

Name the four main types of machine guard, in order of preference.

1) Fixed guard; 2) Interlocked (movable) guard; 3) Adjustable/self-adjusting guard; 4) Trip device / protection device (e.g. photoelectric/light curtain). Fixed guards are preferred where access is not routinely needed.

What is a fixed guard, and what is its main advantage and disadvantage?

A guard with no moving parts, permanently fixed (e.g. bolted) to prevent access to danger. Advantage: simple, reliable, no moving parts to fail. Disadvantage: gives no protection if removed/left off, and can hinder access for maintenance or feeding work.

How does an interlocked guard work to protect the operator?

It links the guard position to the machine's power/control so the machine cannot operate while the guard is open, and opening the guard stops or isolates the dangerous motion (often with guard locking so it cannot be opened until motion has stopped).

What is a trip device (e.g. light curtain/pressure mat), and how does it protect?

A protection device that detects a person/body part entering the danger zone and immediately stops or reverses the dangerous machine motion, without a physical barrier. Examples: photoelectric light curtains, pressure-sensitive mats, trip bars/wires.

List the essential requirements that any machine guard should meet.

Be compatible with the process; prevent access to the danger zone; be of robust/durable construction; not introduce new hazards (e.g. trap points, sharp edges); be difficult to bypass or defeat; allow maintenance ideally without removal; not unduly restrict the view or the work.

List the main hazards associated with hand-held tools (both non-powered and powered).

Non-powered: cuts/abrasions, flying particles, burrs/splinters from mushroomed heads, struck-by, repetitive strain, eye injury. Powered: electric shock, entanglement/contact with moving parts, ejected material, noise, vibration (HAVS), dust/fumes, and (cartridge tools) explosion/penetration.

State key control measures for the safe use of hand-held power tools.

Select the right tool for the job; use double-insulated or reduced-voltage (e.g. $110\ \text{V}$) supplies and RCDs; maintain and PAT-inspect tools; fit guards; provide PPE (eye, hearing, RPE, gloves); train operators; limit vibration exposure and rotate tasks; ensure secure workpieces and good housekeeping.