Health and Safety Flashcards
(14 cards)
What is the RICS Guidance Note on Surveying Safely 2019?
is a practical guide that sets out how RICS members and regulated firms should manage health and safety risks in surveying and property-related work.
What is the RICS concept of a ‘safe person’?
It is a core principle from the RICS guidance note Surveying Safely, and it reflects a shift in focus from just making environments safe to ensuring that individual professionals are capable, prepared, and safety-conscious in any setting.
What is the Richborough’s lone working policy?
Pre-visit planning
departure/arrival times
Check ins
Fully charged mobile phone
appropriate PPE and ID
Training on situational awareness
Report any incidents
Whats included in a health and safety form for a site visit?
Basic site details
Pre-visit assessment eg access
Any risks eg Tics on site
Control measures eg PPE
Emergency contact information
Declaration signature
What is the RICS ‘Surveying Safely’ guidance and how do you apply it in your role?
The RICS Guidance Note: Surveying Safely (2019) sets out a framework for managing health and safety in surveying practice.
It introduces the concept of the ‘safe person’, meaning individuals take personal responsibility for assessing and mitigating risks.
I apply this by undertaking risk assessments ahead of site visits, using PPE where appropriate, and adhering to Richborough’s lone working and health and safety procedures.
What is the ‘safe person’ concept and how do you embody it?
A ‘safe person’ is someone who is competent, aware of risks, and actively manages their own safety and that of others.
I embody this by planning site visits in advance, carrying out risk assessments, wearing suitable PPE, and making sure lone working protocols are followed when visiting sites or door knocking.
How does your company approach lone working, and what procedures do you follow?
Richborough has a lone working policy that requires colleagues to notify others of their location, ensure mobile phones are charged, and document times of departure and return. When door knocking, I diarise my movements and stay in regular contact with colleagues. This ensures someone is always aware of my whereabouts.
How do you support health and safety from a mental wellbeing perspective?
I’ve attended a webinar on mental health which highlighted the link between wellbeing and productivity. I ensure I take regular breaks, manage my workload effectively, and check in with colleagues to support a healthy team culture. Mental wellbeing is an important part of our overall health and safety approach.
Tell me how you applied lone working procedures in a real situation.
I was door knocking to contact landowners.
Ensure personal safety in line with Richborough’s lone working policy.
I made sure my phone was fully charged, shared my schedule with colleagues, and recorded departure and return times in my calendar. I also stayed alert to my surroundings.
The visits were completed without incident and colleagues were reassured by the visibility of my movements.
How did you prepare for a safe consultant team site walkover?
I was leading a consultant team on a site visit involving ecologists, planners, and engineers.
Ensure all participants were aware of site-specific risks.
I issued a Health and Safety form in advance and completed one myself. Based on advice from the ecologist, I advised the group to wear long trousers and suitable footwear due to tics and uneven ground.
The visit went smoothly, with all team members appropriately prepared. No safety incidents occurred.
What risks do you consider before a typical site visit?
I assess physical risks such as uneven ground, water features, weather, livestock.
I also consider access issues, the presence of structures, and whether lone working is involved.
Based on the risk assessment, I take steps like wearing PPE, informing others of my whereabouts, and bringing site plans or emergency contact numbers.
Have you ever identified a hazard on-site and acted to mitigate it?
On one occasion during a site walkover, we encountered unexpected livestock in a neighbouring field. I advised the team to keep to the perimeter and not to approach the animals. I then informed the land agent post-visit so the client could be made aware. This reinforced the need for up-to-date site intelligence before visits.
How do you ensure others are aware of health and safety requirements when you coordinate visits?
I circulate a site-specific health and safety briefing in advance and request that all participants confirm they’ve read and understood it. I also hold a short verbal briefing on-site before we begin. For example, during a recent visit with consultants, I flagged ecological risks (ticks) and ensured everyone had dressed appropriately and remained in contact during the walkover.
