Purpose of the Task

This Knowledge Application Task places the learner in a realistic organisational environment where a serious safety concern has emerged. The learner must apply advanced strategic safety leadership skills to review hazards, collect evidence, conduct root cause analysis, and design a corrective-action plan grounded in ISO 45001, UK legislation, and risk-based safety principles.

The scenario also requires strategic risk thinking and strong communication planning.

Scenario Overview

A large UK-based civil engineering company is carrying out multi-storey refurbishment works. During routine internal monitoring, senior management has observed an increase in near-miss reports involving suspended loads, damaged access equipment, and poor waste-handling practices. One incident involved a worker stepping onto a defective platform ladder, which shifted and caused the worker to lose balance. No injury was recorded, but the event showed several control failures.

An internal audit flagged weaknesses in:

• Permit-to-work controls
• Site inspection systems
• Contractor coordination
• Communication of critical risks
• Waste handling and housekeeping

The Managing Director requires a full safety investigation and strategic corrective plan.

Learners must now respond as competent senior H&S practitioners.

TASK REQUIREMENTS

Part 1 – Hazard Identification and Documentation (Aligned to ISO 45001:2018 Clause 6.1)

The learner must prepare a structured hazard-identification record covering three critical areas:

1. Access equipment and work-at-height hazards (ladders, MEWPs, platforms)
2. Suspended load movement during lifting operations
3. Housekeeping and waste-handling failures

Each hazard entry must contain:

• Hazard description
• Persons at risk
• Existing controls
• Failure of controls
• Legal duties breached
• ISO 45001 clauses triggered
• Severity and likelihood scoring using a quantified UK-compliant risk matrix

Key UK legislation to be referred to:

• Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
• Work at Height Regulations 2005
• Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)
• Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER)
• Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011

The documentation must show how the learner applied a strategic, systematic riskassessment approach suitable for a Level 7 competency standard.

Part 2 – Root Cause Analysis (RCA)

The learner must conduct a professional root cause analysis, using one of the following:

1. 5 Why Technique
2. Fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram
3. Fault Tree Analysis (FTA)

The RCA must identify:

• Immediate causes (unsafe acts, defective equipment, poor behaviours)
• Underlying causes (poor supervision, weak inspection regimes, unclear roles)
• Root organisational causes (strategic gaps, resourcing issues, weak governance, poor leadership)

Reference must be made to:

• ISO 45001:2018 Clause 10.2 (Incident Investigation and Corrective Action)
• UK HSE guidance HSG245 “Investigating accidents and incidents”

The RCA must demonstrate how organisational failures allowed repeated near misses to occur.

Part 3 – Corrective and Preventative Action Plan (CAPA)

Learners prepare a strategic improvement plan that includes:

1. Engineering controls

o Replacement of defective equipment
o Improved mechanical lifting devices
o Separated walkways

2. Administrative controls

o Revised permit systems
o Strengthened contractor coordination
o Enhanced monitoring and inspection processes

3. Training and competency

o ISO 45001-aligned competency framework
o Mandatory briefings on ladder safety, housekeeping, lifting operations

4. Leadership and governance measures

o Senior leadership oversight meetings
o Key performance indicators (KPIs) for compliance
o Internal auditing schedule improvements

The CAPA must link each action to relevant:

• UK legal requirements
• ISO 45001 clauses
• Strategic organisational objectives & Quantified residual risk scores

Part 4 – Strategic Risk Evaluation (Learning Outcome: Evaluate strategic risks)

The learner must prepare a short analytical report showing:

• How repeated near misses indicate systemic risk
• How poor control of high-risk activities (working at height, lifting) threatens business continuity, reputation, and regulatory compliance
• How a quantifiable risk assessment model guides executive decision-making
• The organisational impact of failing to meet ISO 45001 requirements

The evaluation must show a strategic understanding, reflecting Level 7 depth.

Part 5 – Risk Communication Strategy (Learning Outcome: Articulate risk communication strategies)

Learners design a communication plan that explains how safety information will be shared with:

• Frontline workers
• Subcontractors
• Supervisors
• Senior management
• External stakeholders (if required)

The plan must:

Use clear, structured language that enables understanding at all levels
Include visual aids (simple charts, traffic-light risk indicators)
Define communication responsibilities
Support compliance with ISO 45001 Clause 7.4 (Communication)

A brief example may be included, such as a sample communication message for workers.

Guidance for Learners

Learners must submit:

1. Hazard identification table (completed in detail)
2. Full RCA with diagrams or structured reasoning
3. Comprehensive CAPA plan
4. Strategic risk evaluation report (500–800 words)
5. Risk-communication plan (structured format)

All content must reflect high-level professional reasoning suitable for ProQual Level 7.