July 2010

Examiners’ Report
NEBOSH International
Diploma in
Occupational Health
and Safety (Unit IB)
Examiners’ Report

NEBOSH INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMA

IN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

Unit IB – International control of

hazardous agents in the workplace

JULY 2010

CONTENTS

Introduction 2

General comments 3

Comments on individual questions 4

 2010 NEBOSH, Dominus Way, Meridian Business Park, Leicester LE19 1QW
tel: 0116 263 4700 fax: 0116 282 4000 email: info@nebosh.org.uk website: www.nebosh.org.uk

The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health is a registered charity, number 1010444

T(s):exrpts/J/J-B 1007 EXTERNAL DW/DA/REW

 Introduction

NEBOSH (The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health) was formed in 1979 as
an independent examining board and awarding body with charitable status. We offer a comprehensive
range of globally-recognised, vocationally-related qualifications designed to meet the health, safety,
environmental and risk management needs of all places of work in both the private and public sectors.
Courses leading to NEBOSH qualifications attract over 25,000 candidates annually and are offered by
over 400 course providers in 65 countries around the world. Our qualifications are recognised by the
relevant professional membership bodies including the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health
(IOSH) and the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM).

NEBOSH is an awarding body to be recognised and regulated by the UK regulatory authorities:

 The Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual) in England

 The Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELLS) in Wales
 The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) in Northern Ireland
 The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) in Scotland

NEBOSH follows the “GCSE, GCE, VCE, GNVQ and AEA Code of Practice 2007/8” published by the
regulatory authorities in relation to examination setting and marking (available at the Ofqual website
www.ofqual.gov.uk). While not obliged to adhere to this code, NEBOSH regards it as best practice to
do so.

Candidates’ scripts are marked by a team of Examiners appointed by NEBOSH on the basis of their
qualifications and experience. The standard of the qualification is determined by NEBOSH, which is
overseen by the NEBOSH Council comprising nominees from, amongst others, the Health and Safety
Executive (HSE), the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and
the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH). Representatives of course providers, from
both the public and private sectors, are elected to the NEBOSH Council.

This report on the Examination provides information on the performance of candidates which it is
hoped will be useful to candidates and tutors in preparation for future examinations. It is intended to
be constructive and informative and to promote better understanding of the syllabus content and the
application of assessment criteria.

© NEBOSH 2010

Any enquiries about this report publication should be addressed to:

NEBOSH
Dominus Way
Meridian Business Park
Leicester
LE10 1QW

Tel: 0116 263 4700

Fax: 0116 282 4000
Email: info@nebosh.org.uk

2 EXTERNAL
 General Comments

Many candidates are well prepared for this unit assessment and provide comprehensive and relevant
answers in response to the demands of the question paper. This includes the ability to demonstrate
understanding of knowledge by applying it to workplace situations.
There are always some candidates, however, who appear to be unprepared for the unit assessment
and who show both a lack of knowledge of the syllabus content and a lack of understanding of how
key concepts should be applied to workplace situations.
In order to meet the pass standard for this assessment, acquisition of knowledge and understanding
across the syllabus are prerequisites. However, candidates need to demonstrate their knowledge and
understanding in answering the questions set. Referral of candidates in this unit is invariably because
they are unable to write a full, well-informed answer to the question asked.
Some candidates find it difficult to relate their learning to the questions and as a result offer responses
reliant on recalled knowledge and conjecture and fail to demonstrate any degree of understanding.
Candidates should prepare themselves for this vocational examination by ensuring their
understanding, not rote-learning pre-prepared answers.

Common pitfalls
It is recognised that many candidates are well prepared for their assessments. However, recurrent
issues, as outlined below, continue to prevent some candidates reaching their full potential in the
assessment.
 Many candidates fail to apply the basic principles of examination technique and for some
candidates this means the difference between a pass and a referral.
 In some instances, candidates are failing because they do not attempt all the required questions
or are failing to provide complete answers. Candidates are advised to always attempt an answer
to a compulsory question, even when the mind goes blank. Applying basic health and safety
management principles can generate credit worthy points.
 Some candidates fail to answer the question set and instead provide information that may be
relevant to the topic but is irrelevant to the question and cannot therefore be awarded marks.
 Many candidates fail to apply the command words (also known as action verbs, eg describe,
outline, etc). Command words are the instructions that guide the candidate on the depth of answer
required. If, for instance, a question asks the candidate to ‘describe’ something, then few marks
will be awarded to an answer that is an outline.
 Some candidates fail to separate their answers into the different sub-sections of the questions.
These candidates could gain marks for the different sections if they clearly indicated which part of
the question they were answering (by using the numbering from the question in their answer, for
example). Structuring their answers to address the different parts of the question can also help in
logically drawing out the points to be made in response.
 Candidates need to plan their time effectively. Some candidates fail to make good use of their
time and give excessive detail in some answers leaving insufficient time to address all of the
questions.
 Candidates should also be aware that Examiners cannot award marks if handwriting is illegible.
 The International Diploma in Health and Safety is taught and examined in English. Candidates are
therefore expected to have a good command of both written and spoken English including
technical and scientific vocabulary. The recommended standard expected of candidates is
equivalent to the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) level 7 (very good user).
It is evident from a number of scripts that there are candidates attempting the examination without
the necessary English language skills.
More information on the IELTS standards can be found at www.ielts.org

3 EXTERNAL
 UNIT IB – International control of hazardous agents in the
workplace

Section A – all questions compulsory

Question 1 Outline the main design features of the following parts of a Local
Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) system:

(a) inlet/hood; (2)

(b) ducting; (3)

(c) fan; (2)

(d) outlet / exhaust. (3)

In answering part (a), candidates should have considered features of the inlet or hood
such as its shape and size, the material of its construction, its capture and face
velocity and its positioning in relation to the contaminant source.

As for ducting, there would be a need to address its internal finish and the nature of its
bends, the material of its construction, its transport velocity and the access provided
for testing and maintenance.

For part (c), candidates should have considered issues such as the type of fan
required whether centrifugal or axial and propeller giving reasons for the choice, the
speed and power required and the possibility of the level of noise it might produce.

As for the outlet or exhaust, reference should have been made to design features
such as its positioning, the avoidance of cowls, its ability to achieve environmental
standards at the point of discharge and again the level of noise that might be
produced.

There were some good answers provided for this question but there were other
candidates who proved to be ill informed and were of the opinion that cowlings were a
good idea and that filters should be placed in the exhaust outlet.

Question 2 Personal dust monitoring has been carried out on five workers who all
work in the same factory area where dust is released. The five workers
were sampled at the same time and for an equal duration. Four of the
results were similar but the fifth was significantly higher.

Outline the possible reasons for this difference. (10)

_____________________________________________________________________
In outlining the reasons for the apparent discrepancy, candidates could have
considered those associated with the working environment and the tasks being
performed; those resulting from possible failures with the monitoring equipment and
those connected with the individual employee.

4 EXTERNAL
 In considering the working environment, there could have been areas in the workplace
which were not as well ventilated as others with possible problems with the local
exhaust ventilation provided. As for the monitoring equipment for the “rogue”
individual, there could have been errors in the calibration of the pump flow, in the
timing of the air measurement, in the selection of the filter for the sampler and in
weighing the filter at the end of the exercise either because of a mis-reading or
because different and possibly uncalibrated scales were used. The equipment might
also have been faulty in some way. The individual, too, could have had a part to play
if he/she had been particularly involved in the more dusty operations, had been
working closer to the dust, had taken fewer or shorter breaks than the other operators
and had not taken sufficient care with personal hygiene and had continued to wear
dusty overalls for long periods. Finally the possibility of deliberate sabotage could not
be discounted.

Most candidates produced answers to a good standard. Some, however were not
specific enough, eg “calibration error”, without referring to any specific part of the
equipment.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Question 3 Bulldozer drivers at a large construction site have reported back pain
which they believe is caused by exposure to whole body vibration.

(a) Outline a range of control measures that could be used to

minimise the risk of the drivers experiencing back pain caused by
exposure to whole body vibration. (7)

(b) Identify THREE other possible work-related causes of the back

pain being experienced by the bulldozer drivers. (3)

Control measures that could be used to minimise the risk to bulldozer drivers from
exposure to whole body vibration include selecting a vehicle with the size, power and
capacity best suited for the terrain and task; ensuring that an individual’s exposure to
whole body vibration is kept below the recommended threshold; organising traffic
routes used by vehicles to avoid rough and uneven surfaces wherever possible and
maintaining both the site roadways and the vehicles’ suspension; fitting suspension
seats with vibration damping characteristics and adjusting these to suit the weight of
individual drivers to avoid “bottoming out”; organising work patterns including job
rotation to ensure that drivers have breaks away from the vehicle and advising them
on how to minimise exposure to whole body vibration by avoiding jolts and shocks.

In answering part (b), candidates could have suggested other possible work related
causes for the back pain such as: poor posture; sitting for long periods of time; the
poor layout of controls requiring the driver to stretch and twist to reach a particular
control or to obtain good vision; no method provided for adjusting the seat which could
make hand and foot controls difficult to operate; the repeated climbing into and
jumping down from a high cab and carrying out other construction related activities
such as the manual handling of heavy loads.

Most candidates produced answers to a good standard.

5 EXTERNAL
_________________________________________________________________________________

Question 4 (a) Use the data below to calculate the 8-hour Time-Weighted
Average (TWA) exposure to a solvent for a factory worker. Your
answer should include the detail of calculation to show your
understanding of how the exposure is determined. (7)

Working Period Tasks undertaken by worker Exposure to

(Total shift time = 8 hours) solvent (ppm)
08.00 – 10.30 Weighing ingredients 140
10.30 – 10.45 Break 0
10.45 – 12.45 Charging the mixers 100
12.45 – 13.45 Lunch 0
13.45 – 15.45 Cleaning equipment 25
15.45 – 16.00 Assisting maintenance staff 0

Assuming that exposure is zero during all other times

Also assume that a legally enforceable Exposure Limit (8 hours TWA) of 100 ppm
is applicable to the solvent

(b) The factory decides to change the working patterns so that each
worker does a single job for a 12-hour shift. A factory worker is
assigned the job of charging the mixers for his 12-hour shift.
Within the shift he is allowed two 45 minute breaks where the
exposure is assumed to be zero.

Using the relevant data above, recalculate the equivalent 8-hour

TWA exposure in the worker’s new role AND outline the legal
implications of this change. (3)

Answers to the first part of the question should have shown how the 8 hour TWA
exposure to the solvent for the worker could be calculated firstly by multiplying
together each time period and exposure including the periods of zero exposure, then
adding the results of the calculations together and finally dividing by eight. This would
give an answer of 75 ppm.

Numerically, this could be expressed as:

((140 x 2.5) + (0 x 0.25) + (100 X 2) + (0 X 1) + (25 X 2) + (0 X 0.25))/8

= 350 + 0 + 200 + 0 + 50 + 0 = 600
600/8 = 75 ppm. This is below the legally enforceable exposure limit of 100 ppm.

For part (b), a similar calculation would have shown an exposure of 131.25 ppm viz:
((100 x 10.5) + (0 x 1.5))/8 = 1050/8 = 131.25

The change in the mode of working has increased the individual’s exposure so it is
now more than the legal exposure limit and accordingly the employer is no longer
adequately controlling exposure and must introduce additional controls.

While in most cases, the calculations for the first part of the question were carried out
correctly, for part (b) errors were made, most commonly in dividing the total exposure
by the number of hours worked rather than by 8. As a result, the candidates
concerned were unable to arrive at the correct implications of the new work pattern.

6 EXTERNAL
Question 5 Identify a range of information sources an employer could use to
determine the extent of work-related stress for workers within an
organisation. (10)

There are a number of information sources available that employers might use to
determine the extent to which workers in their organisations have a work related stress
problem. These include measures of productivity (such as volume or quality of work),
data on accidents and incidents and levels of sickness absence; health surveillance
data and medical reports; records of staff turnover and poor or erratic timekeeping; the
number of complaints received from workers and the grievances or discipline
problems that have arisen; information available from the completion of staff
questionnaires or from performance appraisals or return to work or exit interviews and
the results of an assessment of performance carried out against published stress
management standards.

Most candidates coped reasonably well with this question though few mentioned
assessment against published management standards.

Question 6 The table below shows data provided in a supplier’s catalogue for three
different grades of the same industrial chemical.

Product Description Average Particle

Code Size (microns)
AS1/01 Fine white powder 15
AS1/02 Fine white powder 8
AS1/03 Fine white powder 2

Use the data to identify where EACH of these powders may be

deposited in the respiratory tract following inhalation. In EACH case
outline the mechanisms the body may use to defend itself. (10)

The particle size will determine how far into the body the chemical will penetrate.

For AS1/01, the particles are greater than 10 microns therefore they will enter the
nasal cavity only. The nasal hairs will trap and filter out these particles. They may also
be trapped by mucous in the nose and mouth and subsequently ejected by sneezing
and coughing.

As far as AS1/02 is concerned, particles between seven and ten microns reach the
trachea and bronchioles. They are swept upwards by tiny hairs - the ciliary escalator-
towards the throat and are then removed either by coughing or swallowing.

Particles smaller than 5 microns, as for AS1/03, are likely to reach the deep lung
tissue. When deposited in the alveoli, they may diffuse directly into the blood stream
and be transported to other organs, trigger a defence mechanism where phagocytes
engulf the particulate as a foreign body and migrate away through the lymphatic
channels or may stay in the spaces in the lungs and depending on their chemical
properties may cause fibrosis or pneumoconiosis.

Most candidates recognised that the three powders would be deposited at different
points in the respiratory tract but few had a clear idea of the various mechanisms that
the body might use to defend itself and were thus could not provide a comprehensive
answer for the question.

7 EXTERNAL
 Section B – three from five questions to be attempted

Question 7 (a) Give the meaning of the term ‘ergonomics’. (2)

(b) Outline the effects on health and safety which can arise from
poor ergonomic design. (4)

(c) Lifting and handling aids are frequently used to reduce the risk
from manual handling when lifting loads. Outline the factors to
consider when selecting lifting and handling aids. (4)

(d) A company has decided to provide home workers with portable

(laptop) computers for use at home and on their daily visits to
customers.

Outline the factors which should be considered to minimise

ergonomic risks to their workers when purchasing and then using
the laptops. (10)

For part (a), in defining the term ’ergonomic principles’, candidates could have referred
either to designing the workplace, work methods and work equipment to suit the
worker or ensuring a good fit between the person and their workplace as far as tools,
equipment and workstation are concerned. Other similar meanings were accepted.

In answering part (b), candidates could have outlined effects such as physical harm in
terms of discomfort, fatigue, back strain and work related upper limb disorders
(WRULDs) as well as mental harm as evidenced by increased stress, lack of
motivation and an increase in error leading to accidents or incidents.

For part (c), factors to be considered would include the advisability of seeking advice
and information from suppliers, occupational health nurses and hygienists; observing
solutions in use from similar industries and if possible trying out a variety of aids
before purchase. It will be important to check that the aid is in conformity with the
relevant standards; that its safe working load is suitable for the work to be done; to
ensure that it can be used where there may be space constraints and to enquire as to
its maintenance requirements. There were a number of candidates who did not refer
either to the suitability of the safe working load or conformity to standards while a few
focussed on the factors that should be considered in drawing up a safe system of work
for the use of the aids rather than those that might influence the selection process.

Part (d) of the question focussed on the ergonomic considerations involved in the use
of portable computers and the factors which should be considered to minimise risks to
users. The initial selection and purchase of the equipment is of prime importance if the
computer is to be used on the move where consideration would need to be given to
the provision of as large a screen as possible; to the weight of the equipment which
should be as small as possible; to the provision of light weight carrying cases or
trolleys and to the provision of friction pads to stop the computer slipping during use.
During home use consideration would have to be given to the provision of a separate
mouse and keyboard and a separate screen or docking station as well as the
provision of other workstation equipment such as a chair and desk.

8 EXTERNAL
 Other factors which would have to be considered would be the involvement of the
users in the selection of the equipment; revising the DSE and manual handling risk
assessments to reflect the new mode of working and providing training on the use of
the portable machines with reference to carrying out risk assessments on workstations
created at home or on the move; on minimising the ergonomic risks associated with
correct set-up and use, for example on the importance of taking regular breaks and on
minimising the manual handling risks associated with carrying the laptop. It seemed
that some candidates did not read the question with sufficient care and wrote of the
factors to be considered when using desk top rather than laptop computers while
others assumed the laptop would be used only in a single location outside the
corporate office environment.

Question 8 An airborne contaminant has an Occupational Exposure Limit (OEL) of

10ppm, 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA). Engineering controls have
been introduced but the airborne concentration of the contaminant in a
workshop has been measured at 180ppm, 8-hour TWA.

The occupational hygienist has selected a piece of respiratory protective

equipment (RPE) with an assigned protection factor (APF) of 20, which is
to be worn temporarily by all workers in the contaminated area.

(a) Using the data above outline how the hygienist could have
calculated the APF AND whether the hygienist made an
appropriate selection. (4)

(b) Outline other factors that should be taken into account when
selecting appropriate RPE. (6)

(c) When RPE is used it may not provide the level of protection
stated by the manufacturer. Outline the possible reasons for this. (10)

This was not a popular question, but those who chose to answer it generally did well.
Candidates should have outlined that the assigned protection factor (APF) of an item
of respiratory protective equipment is the concentration of contaminant in the air
divided by the concentration in the face piece. In the scenario described, the maximum
concentration in the face piece to which a worker should be exposed would be the
occupational exposure limit (OEL) – 10ppm. Therefore the minimum APF required
would be 180/10 =18. An alternative way to arrive at the same answer was to
recognise that an APF of 20 would result in a concentration of contaminant in the face
piece of 180/20 = 9 ppm which is within the OEL of 10 ppm. The hygienist has
therefore made an appropriate selection though respiratory protective equipment with
a higher APF might be chosen to provide an increased factor of safety.

For the second part of the question, candidates were expected to outline other factors
that should be taken into account in the selection of respiratory protective equipment
(RPE). They should have referred to the nature of the hazard (e.g. dust or vapour)
involved; the comfort of the RPE where consideration would have to be given to the
length of time that workers would need to wear the equipment and the type of work to
be carried out taking into account its physical nature, the degree of movement
required and the restrictions of the working space; the facial characteristics of the
wearer (e.g. scars) which might influence fit and whether fit testing might be required;
the compatibility of the RPE with other personal protective equipment; durability and
the ease with which it can be put on and maintained; its manufacture to an appropriate
standard and importantly the need to consult fully with the workers and obtain their
acceptance of the proposed selection. Cost would also be a factor.

9 EXTERNAL
 There a number of reasons why RPE may not provide the level of protection stated by
the manufacturer. The initial selection of the equipment may have been incorrect
following an inadequate assessment of the level and type of contamination to be
countered together with the work rate of the workers concerned and the length of time
that the equipment would have to be worn. Other reasons include a poor air flow or a
reduction in battery power – not often mentioned; the fitting of incorrect cartridges or a
failure to replace them before saturation which may be exacerbated by other
contaminants which would decrease the expected saturation time; equipment
incorrectly fitted or incompatible with other personal protective equipment being worn;
inadequate training in its use and particularly in the care that should be taken in its
removal; poor maintenance and inadequate storage resulting in the face piece being
left exposed; damage occurring during use and inadequate monitoring and
supervision to ensure the equipment was always used when required and the fact that
the equipment might not have been manufactured to the appropriate standards.

Question 9 (a) Explain how the hepatitis B virus may be transmitted to workers
AND identify the types of occupation where workers may be at
risk of infection. (5)

(b) Outline control measures to minimise the risk of hepatitis B

infection. (15)

For part (a), candidates should have explained that the virus might be transmitted
through direct contact with infected blood or body fluids arising from infected
instruments such as needles and may spread through broken or damaged skin.
Additionally there is the possibility that the virus may be transmitted by splashes of
infected blood or other body fluids to the eyes, nose and mouth. The examples given
of occupations at risk should have included amongst others healthcare workers and
those involved in the provision of social care and also those involved in refuse
collection or cleaning services. This part of the question was competently answered
by most candidates though there was a suggestion made that the disease might be
contracted from animals and that therefore abattoir workers could be at risk.

Answers to part (b) were not to the same standard and those who did not do so well
seemed to lack knowledge of the appropriate control measures. These would include
the use of litter picking sticks to minimise the risk of puncture wounds; the prohibition
of eating and drinking where there is a risk of contamination; the use of personal
protective equipment such as goggles, gloves and footwear; covering up wounds with
a waterproof dressing; the safe disposal of sharps; the introduction of procedures for
the collection and disposal of contaminated waste and for cleaning up body fluids and
blood and the importance of frequent hand washing.

In addition to the practical elements of a safe system of work, candidates were

expected to outline other measures such as the consideration of an immunisation
programme for particularly vulnerable workers; the introduction of clear procedures for
actions to be taken in response to a needle stick or similar type of injury such as the
encouraging of bleeding, rinsing under warm water and seeking prompt medical
advice and the provision of information on hepatitis and training in systems of work to
high risk and other workers and the importance of ensuring that special precautions
are taken by first-aid personnel such as the use of mouth shields. There was a
suggestion that a programme of health surveillance should be introduced for those
workers who were at risk. Since the question was concerned with measures to
minimise the risk of infection, it is questionable whether this could be considered as a
relevant control.

10 EXTERNAL
Question 10 (a) Describe the possible health effects from exposure to ionising
radiation. (5)

(b) Outline the control measures that should be in place where

persons may be exposed to ionising radiation at work. (15)

For part (a), candidates were expected to describe that the possible health effects
from exposure to ionising radiation will include radiation sickness (nausea, vomiting,
hair loss), dermatitis, burns either superficially to the skin or more penetrating burns
causing cell damage, cataracts, temporary or permanent infertility, decreased
immunity and cancer induction. Radiation sickness and decreased immunity were
scarcely mentioned.

Control measures that should be in place where persons may be exposed to ionising
radiation at work include limiting the time of exposure with the exclusion of particularly
vulnerable groups such as young persons and pregnant women; the use of sealed
sources whenever possible; increasing the distance between the radiation source and
those at risk to reduce the level of exposure; using shielding between the radiation
source and those likely to be exposed with the amount of shielding required
dependent on the energy of the source; containment for example by the use of glove
boxes; prohibiting eating and drinking in areas where unsealed radioactive sources
are used together with the need for a high standard of personal hygiene to prevent
spread and the covering of all breaks in the skin with protective material; the provision,
use and, where applicable, laundering of personal protective equipment such as
gloves, lab coats and over shoes; the availability of competent advice; the provision of
training and information to workers on the health risks involved and the control
measures to be applied; personal monitoring by means of film badges; regular
monitoring of the work area for example by means of a Geiger counter and ensuring
the safe disposal of all contaminated materials.

Candidates who were familiar with the subject were able to include most of the
relevant control measures in their answers and obtained the marks available. There
were some, however, who were not so well informed.

11 EXTERNAL
Question 11 (a) Give the meaning of the following AND give an example:

(i) carcinogen; (2)

(ii) mutagen. (2)

(b) A health and safety practitioner and an occupational health nurse

are preparing a training presentation to be given to workers who
could be exposed to carcinogens in the workplace.

Describe control measures specific to carcinogens that should

be included in the presentation. (6)

(c) Other than assisting health and safety practitioners outline

additional functions an occupational health nurse may have in a
large organisation. (10)

In answer to part (a), candidates should have given the meaning of a carcinogen as
an agent which has the ability to produce malignant tumours and which may attack the
cell reproduction mechanism. It causes changes in the cell’s DNA such as the
production of abnormal cells with uncontrollable growth and its effects are irreversible,
continuing well after exposure to the agent has taken place. Candidates should note
the reference to the qualifying word “malignant” which was often omitted. Simple
answers such as “causes cancer” did not adequately describe the meaning of the
term.

A mutagen causes mutations or changes in the DNA of cells and the damage caused
can be passed on to future generations. The damage to the cell may kill it and there is
always the danger that it can in addition lead to cancer.

For part (b), it would be beneficial to begin the presentation with an explanation of the
nature of carcinogens such as their special properties and how they differ from normal
toxins. Information should also be included as to how they might be identified such as
through labels with reference given to warning phrases and hazard symbols that might
be used. As for control measures, these would include limiting their use to a level as
low as reasonably practicable and by using a totally enclosed system. It would also be
necessary to provide appropriate storage including the use of closed/sealed
containers which should, for transfer be labelled and securely closed. Areas where the
carcinogens are used should be designated with identifying signs to indicate their
boundaries. Precautions should also be taken against contamination including the
prohibition of eating and drinking in contaminated areas and the provision of adequate
washing facilities. While personal protective equipment such as overalls and gloves
should be worn, workers should be made aware that the equipment is only useful as a
secondary control in combination with other controls. Answers to this part of the
question were to a reasonable standard though some candidates did not refer to the
importance of closing and labelling containers which were to be moved while others
did not focus on control measures specific to the use of carcinogens but to those
appertaining to the use of chemicals in general.

The occupational health nurse would have an important part to play in carrying out a
general assessment of health risks in the workplace, preventing health problems and
promoting healthy working conditions. The nurse’s functions might include among
others, health screening and surveillance; providing first aid treatment or training
others to carry this out; interviewing workers following periods of sickness or on their
rehabilitation; taking part in pre-employment assessments; and very importantly
offering counselling and support when this is needed.

12 EXTERNAL
The National Examination
Board in Occupational
Safety and Health

Dominus Way
Meridian Business Park
Leicester LE19 1QW

telephone +44 (0)116 2634700

fax +44 (0)116 2824000
email info@nebosh.org.uk
www.nebosh.org.uk