TASK 5 & 6 part A&B NEBOSH IGC (IG1 Paper Solution) Exam Date 03-May-2023

 

Task 5: Employers’ responsibilities in the workplace 
 Employers have obligations under Recommendation 10 of International Labour Organisation R164 - Occupational Safety and Health Recommendation,1981 (No. 164), and also under Article 16 C155 – Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No.155). Which of these employer obligations are likely to have been contravened at the café? (15) Note: You should support your answer, where applicable, using relevant information from the scenario.

Answer:

Employers have various responsibilities in the workplace to ensure the safety of their
workers. Here are some of the key responsibilities that employers must uphold:

1.Providing a safe and healthy working environment for employees, which includes

identifying and assessing hazards, and implementing measures to eliminate or

minimize the risks.

2.Ensuring that workers are adequately trained and have the necessary knowledge

and skills to perform their jobs safely.

3.Providing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to workers when

necessary.

4.Establishing and implementing safety policies and procedures that comply with

relevant laws and regulations.

5.Consulting and involving workers in health and safety matters, including identifying

and assessing hazards, and developing and implementing controls.

6.Monitoring the workplace to identify any potential hazards or risks and taking

appropriate actions to address them.

7.Providing first aid facilities and trained personnel to respond to any emergencies or

accidents that may occur in the workplace.

8.Maintaining accurate records of any workplace incidents, accidents, injuries,

illnesses, and near-misses.

9.Providing workers with appropriate rest and meal breaks, and ensuring that they do

not work excessive hours or in unsafe conditions.

Based on the scenario described, the following employer obligations are likely to
have been contravened at the café:

1.Providing a safe and healthy working environment: The café has a step that has

caused accidents in the past, and despite the 'mind the step' sign, it remains a

hazard. Additionally, the SM's insistence on completing tasks quickly has increased

the workload, which could lead to fatigue and increase the risk of accidents.

2.Ensuring that workers are adequately trained: The SM's behavior towards the fulltime worker who raised concerns about workload indicates a lack of training in

effective communication and management skills.

3.Monitoring the workplace: The owner did not follow up with the SM after leaving a

voice message about the faulty coffee machine, which suggests a lack of proper

monitoring and follow-up.

4.Providing appropriate rest and meal breaks: The increase in worker sick days could

be an indicator of overwork or insufficient rest and breaks

Task 6: Human factors and accident causation 
(a) What organisational factors could have contributed to the accident? (12) 
Note: You should support your answer, where applicable, using relevant information from the scenario.

Answer:

The following organizational factors have possibly leads towards accident:

• The health and safety culture of the café was not positive as they were prioritizing business over safety at the workplace. Extra spaces were occupied by extra tables and chair to accommodate maximum customers. Congestion at the workplace cause the accident

• There was lack of commitment and leadership from the mangement of the organization, management was giving priority to business rather than ensuring safety of the workers and customers present at the workplace

• Café was lacking of resources as they do not have enough space to accommodate large number of customers, just to increase their turnover they let the café to overcrowded with the customers rather than improving sitting capacity of the café

• Shift patterns of the café was not convenient for the workers as it was operational for 07 days a week with no rest. Due to high incoming customers, the workload on the working staff was too excessive and they do not have time to take rest during the shift.

• Lack of effective communication also the main organization factor that lead the events towards accident, as owner after communicating with café machine company decided the time for repair of the defective machine and communicated to shift manger and he do not call back, rather than ignored the instructions when café machine staff came to repair the machine

• There was lack of effective level of supervision at the café, as shift manager was instructed to supervise the café machine company staff when they would come, but shift manager assigned that task to a worker citing that he was busy in dealing with the customers

• There was lack of consultation and worker involvement in the café, as when one of the full time worker raised concerns with the shift manger about the increase in workload, shift manager angrily told them that it was “good for the business, that is what matters most”

• Lack of effective training system at the café also contributes towards the accident, when accident happens shift manager was not capable of handling the situation and got panic at the moment. 

• Behavioral safety was also a factor which leads towards accident as the behavior of workers was not positive regarding health and safety.

Write down this in 350 words

(b) What individual human factors of workers could have contributed to the accident? (6) 

Notes: You do not need to consider the café owner and shift manager’s individual human factors. You should support your answer, where applicable, using relevant information from the scenario.

Answer

The individual factors that have contributed to the accident are as follows:

• Competency of the working staff is one of the factors that contributes to the accident, as café management have hired two-part time workers on busier days which do not possess adequate training and experience

• Lack of physical and mental skills among the workforce also leads towards the accident, as workers raise concerns about the excessive workload and workers were not capable of taking right decisions of their own 

• The risk perception ability of the working staff was very poor they failed to assess the hazards associated with the congestion and excessive sitting capacity at the café.

• Casual attitude of the workers towards the job is also a main contributor as when repair team came at the café the workers who communicated with them was not expecting them to come means he was unaware of the activities at the café

• Personality of the workers was not compatible with the nature of the job. Workers were not capable to avert the health and safety risk present at the workplace.

• Due to excessive workload at the workplace workers were fatigued and this affect their behavior to work safely.

Write down this all answer