Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

FLICSHEV:
Flammable
liquids – provide proper storage 
facilities
Lubrication
– regular lubrication of machinery
Incompatible
chemicals need segregation
Control
of hot work
Smoking
– of cigarettes and materials, to be 
controlled
Housekeeping
(good) – prevent accumula-
tion of waste
Electrical
equipment – needs frequent 
inspection for damage
Ventilation
– outlets should not be 
obstructed
The effort involved in constructing this list and inventing 
the word helps to fi x the information in memory.
There are other methods to aid memory but these four 
are probably the most practical aids to exam technique.
19.9 
How does memory work?
Understanding how memory works will help the student 
to use it more effectively. As in any scientifi c subject, 
Figure 19.1
Revision 
notes.
➤
make mind-maps (also known as pattern notes): Like 
revision cards, the act of making them is revision in 

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Study skills
421
there is still a lot to be discovered about the workings of 
the mind, and a considerable amount of disagreement 
about what has been discovered so far; but psycholo-
gists generally seem to agree about the way that mem-
ory works.
The process of remembering is divided, roughly, into 
two sections – short term and long term memory. Items 
that go into short term memory, if no further attention 
is paid to them, will fade away and be forgotten. If they 
are rehearsed they will stay in short term memory for a 
while, as, for example, when trying to remember a phone 
number to make a call. To put something into long term 
memory demands a greater ‘depth of processing’, that 
is to say, more mental activity is required so that
(a) information stays in the memory (storage) and
(b) information can be found when it is needed (retrieval).
The techniques described in the section entitled ‘Thinking 
about revision’ give some ways in which storage and 
retrieval systems in the brain can be made to work 
effectively.
Contrary to popular opinion, mature students have 
many assets when it comes to learning. Because their 
life and work experience is almost always more compre-
hensive and of a higher complexity than that of younger 
students, they normally possess more ‘schemas’ 
(areas of knowledge) to which new information can be 
attached. In addition to this there will be more experi-
ences already stored in the brain that can provide an 
explanation for the new pieces of knowledge that are 
being acquired. Add to this a very high level of motiv-
ation, a stronger level of incentive towards success and 
more determined application, and it becomes clear that 
the mature student has many learning advantages.
Research shows that, as learners, we take in 10% 
of what we read; 20% of what we hear; 30% of what 
we see; 50% of what we see and hear; 70% of what we 
ourselves say; 90% of what we ourselves do. It is easy 
to see that people who are working at and studying a 
subject have an advantage.
It cannot be denied, however, that mature students 
tend to be very nervous about exams and often need