Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

management report
, candidates are marked 
against the following fi ve criteria:
1. 
Selection of topics for urgent management action
(0 to 10 marks)
This requires candidates to emphasize those items 
on their observation sheets that they consider 
require urgent attention by management and to 
present them, together with suggested remedial
actions (both short and longer term), in a logical
and coherent manner. Those issues that are high 
risk and high priority, such as electrical safety, 
emergency exits and poor work practices, must be 
emphasized and highlighted. The report must dif-
ferentiate between urgent and routine matters with 
simple cross-referencing to the observation sheets.
2. 
Consideration of cost implications (0 to 5 marks)
Candidates must demonstrate that they are aware 
of cost implications although they will not be
judged on the value of the actual costs of a given 
measure.
If training is recommended as a solution to a prob-
lem, candidates should indicate if this is likely to 
require a few hours of work-based instruction or 
several days of more costly off-the-job training.
It is the assessment of magnitude of the cost that is 
important, rather than precise fi gures. Words, such 
as ‘cheap’ and ‘expensive’, are better than giving no 
estimate. There should be an emphasis on the costs 
of taking no action (e.g. lower productivity, more 
compensation claims and possible enforcement 
action).

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Specimen answers to NEBOSH examinations
433
3. 
Identifi cation of breaches of legislation (0 to 5 marks)
Since reference material is not allowed during 
the application, candidates are only expected to 
indicate knowledge of the relevant legislation rather 
than the exact title and date. For example: Health 
and Safety at Work Act, First-Aid Regulations,
PUWER and the Workplace Regulations are accept-
able abbreviations on the observation sheets and in 
the management report.
The following list of Acts and Regulations would be 
relevant to all inspections:
➤ 
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act
➤ 
Management of Health and Safety at Work 
Regulations
➤ 
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order
➤ 
Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare)
Regulations
Most inspections would also include some of the 
following regulations:
➤ 
Manual Handling Operations Regulations
➤ 
Provision and Use of Work Equipment
Regulations
➤ 
Personal Protective Equipment at Work
Regulations
➤ 
Electricity at Work Regulations
➤ 
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health 
Regulations
➤ 
Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) 
Regulations
➤ 
Health and Safety First Aid Regulations
➤ 
Noise at Work Regulations
➤ 
Vibration at Work Regulations
➤ 
Health and Safety (safety signs and signals) 
Regulations
➤ 
Work at Height Regulations
➤ 
Health and Safety Consultation with Employees 
Regulations.
4. 
Presentation of information (0 to 10 marks)
A good report should normally comprise about three 
sides of handwritten A4 (i.e. about 500–750 words). 
It should cover the following points in a logical
sequence:
➤ 
where and when the inspection took place
➤ 
a brief summary of what was found
➤ 
a short list of issues requiring urgent action by 
management with convincing arguments why 
such action is needed and calling attention to 
possible breaches of health and safety
legislation
➤ 
reference to the list of observations and
recommended actions (which should be
attached to the report), calling particular atten-
tion to any recommendations which could have 
a high cost in terms of fi nance, inconvenience
or time
➤ 
a short conclusion.
5. 
Effectiveness in convincing management to take
action (0 to 15 marks)
Managers are unlikely to have time to plough 
through lengthy reports. The report should be writ-
ten in such terms that a manager would be able 
to take reasonable action based on facts relatively 
quickly. Therefore, it should be concise, readable 
and highly selective in terms of the action required 
by management. It should contain balanced argu-
ments on why action is needed and explain the 
effect it would have on the standards of health and 
safety at the workplace.