Many questions in construction safety practice use the same handful of terms. Knowing exactly what they mean makes it easier to pick the safest answer. Here are the ones that come up most often.
Terms you need first
- Hazard: anything with the potential to cause harm. A hazard is a source, such as a fall from height or a live cable.
- Risk: the likelihood that a hazard causes harm, together with how serious the harm could be.
- Risk assessment: a structured look at what could cause harm and which controls reduce the risk.
- Hierarchy of control: the order of options, from removing the hazard, through engineering and safe systems of work, to PPE last.
- PPE: personal protective equipment. It is the last line of control, used when other controls cannot remove the risk.
- RIDDOR: the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations. They set out what must be reported to HSE.
- COSHH: the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations. They cover hazardous substances on site.
- Permit to work: a written authorisation for high-risk work, with the checks in place before it starts.
Why the hierarchy matters
Many practice questions ask you to pick the best control. The hierarchy gives you a quick test: an option that removes or isolates the hazard usually beats one that relies on a person wearing equipment. PPE is important, but it comes last.
Full glossary
The site safety glossary has twenty terms with plain-English definitions. Read it before your first timed set.
Official reference: HSE: Construction.