1.(a) Identify the key stages of a workplace risk assessment.

(5)
 Identify the hazards
 Decide who might be harmed and how
 Evaluate the risks and decide on precaution
 Record your findings and implement them
 Review your assessment and update if necessary

(b) Outline the meaning of `as low as reasonably practicable' (ALARP). (3)

In essence, making sure a risk has been reduced ALARP is about weighing the risk
against the sacrifice needed to further reduce it. The decision is weighted in favour of
health and safety because the presumption is that the duty-holder should implement the
risk reduction measure. To avoid having to make this sacrifice, the duty-holder must be
able to show that it would be grossly disproportionate to the benefits of risk reduction
that would be achieved. Thus, the process is not one of balancing the costs and benefits of
measures but, rather, of adopting measures except where they are ruled out because they
involve grossly disproportionate sacrifices. Extreme examples might be:
 To spend Lim to prevent five staff suffering bruised knees is obviously
grossly disproportionate; but
 To spend £lm to prevent a major explosion a major explosion capable of
killing 150 people is obviously proportionate.

2. Many major oil / gas incidents have occurred in recent years, eg Piper Alpha,
Texas City, Mumbai High.

(a) Outline reasons why such incidents should be investigated by employers. (6)
 Establish Causes of incident
 Establish process failures
 Establish Lessons learnt to prevent similar occurrences

(b) Identify TWO parties, other than the employer, who may want to
investigate these types of incident. (2)
 Authorities
 Insurance Companies

3. (a) Outline the term Flash Point. (3)

 Point at which something is ready explode
 A measure of a fuels flammability
 The temperature where by enough vapor is produced to create a flammable
mixture
 The temperature at which a combustible liquid gives off enough vapour to
produce a vapour / air mixture that will ignite v, when a flame is applied

(b) List the Hazards associated with LNG (4)

  Pool Fires
 LGN Spills on water
 Terrorism
 Explosion in confined space

4. An employee was seriously injured in an accident at work within an oil and gas
installation.
Identify the documented information that might be used by the investigating team to
determine the causes of this accident.(8)
 PTW
 Photographs
 CCTV Footage
 Previous Health and Safety Meeting Minutes
 Risk Assessments / JSA's
 Method Statements
 Individual Capabilities (Stress, Mental Health)
 Control Room Data

Q5. Give the meaning of the following terms:

(a) upper flammable limit (UFL) (2);
 UFL refers to the richest mixture at which the substance is still flammable

(b) lower flammable limit (LFL); (2)

 LFL refers to the leanest mixture at which the substance is flammable (i.e. the
smallest fraction of combustible gas)

(c) flashpoint; (2)
 Flashpoint is the lowest temperature at which the vapour of a combustible
liquid can ignite in air

(d) Highly flammable liquids. (2)

 Substances which, when hot, catch fire in contact with air at ambient
temperature without any energy input.

Q6. Identify the information that might be included on a checklist for an

investigation following an accident. (8)
 Obtain basic facts — names of injured, witnesses, place, date and time,
persons in area. Ascertain substances / chemicals involved, injuries, damage
to equipment
 Establish circumstances — What happened? Causes, events leading to
incident Competence, Supervision, Behaviour
 Preventive Measures - Review the risk assessment for the activity. What
precautions should have been in force? What training should those carrying
out the activity have received? What precautions were actually taken?
 Compare them with those which should have been taken. What training was
actually given? Compare it with training which should have been given.
 Was the initial response adequate? — Firefighting, first aid, containment and
spillage
 Identify underlying causes - Management or supervision failure? Lack of
competence?
 Inadequate training? Shortcomings in original design of equipment of
facilities. Absence of a system for maintenance.
 Determine action needed to prevent a recurrence - improve physical
safeguards, introduce better test and maintenance arrangements, improve
work methods, provide and use personal protective equipment, make changes
to supervision and training arrangements, review procedures involving
outside contractors, improve inspection systems

Q7. Following preparation of a vessel for maintenance within an oil and gas
installation a low specific activity (LSA) radioactive sludge was encountered.
(a) Identify hazards associated with the sludge. (2)
 Risk of fire, explosion, detonation if ignited.
 Toxicity to Divers

(b) Outline FOUR control measures to reduce the risk to workers exposed to the
sludge. (4)
 Wearing of correct PPE
 Monitoring devices and personal sensors Explosion proof certified equipment
Safety procedures, training etc

(c) Identify TWO other pieces of workplace equipment where the sludge may be
found. (2)
 Shale Shakers
 Mud Pits