White Card Hazardous Materials and Manual Handling — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What document gives you information about the hazards and safe handling of a chemical on site?
- A timesheet
- A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) (Correct answer)
- A delivery docket
- A site map
Correct answer: A Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) describes a hazardous chemical's properties, hazards, safe handling, storage and first aid measures, and must be available on site.
Question 2: If you find or suspect asbestos in a building, what should you do?
- Break it up to check
- Vacuum it with a normal vacuum
- Stop work, leave it undisturbed and report it to your supervisor (Correct answer)
- Sweep it up quickly
Correct answer: Stop work, leave it undisturbed and report it to your supervisor
Do not disturb suspected asbestos. Stop work in the area, keep others away, and report it so a licensed assessor or removalist can deal with it safely.
Question 3: What is the correct technique for lifting a load manually?
- Bend the back and twist while lifting
- Bend the knees, keep the back straight, hold the load close and avoid twisting (Correct answer)
- Lift as fast as possible
- Hold the load away from your body
Correct answer: Bend the knees, keep the back straight, hold the load close and avoid twisting
Lift with your legs by bending the knees, keep your back straight, hold the load close to your body, and avoid twisting to reduce the risk of strains and back injury.
Question 4: Before manually lifting a heavy item, what should you do first?
- Just grab it and go
- Throw it
- Assess the load and consider using a mechanical aid or a team lift (Correct answer)
- Roll it down the stairs
Correct answer: Assess the load and consider using a mechanical aid or a team lift
Assess the weight, size and path first. Where practicable use a trolley, hoist or other mechanical aid, or arrange a team lift, rather than risking injury.
Question 5: Why is silica dust (from cutting concrete, bricks or tiles) dangerous?
- It stains clothing
- It is only a nuisance
- It is harmless
- Breathing it in can cause serious lung disease such as silicosis (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Breathing it in can cause serious lung disease such as silicosis
Respirable crystalline silica dust can cause silicosis and other serious lung diseases, so dust controls such as water suppression, extraction and respirators are essential.
Question 6: What is the best control for dust when cutting concrete or masonry?
- Doing it faster
- On-tool water suppression or dust extraction, plus a fitted respirator (Correct answer)
- Opening a window
- Wearing a paper hat
Correct answer: On-tool water suppression or dust extraction, plus a fitted respirator
Use water suppression or on-tool dust extraction to stop dust at the source, and wear a properly fitted respirator (RPE) as additional protection.
Question 7: How should hazardous chemicals be stored on site?
- In unlabelled containers
- In their original labelled containers, kept secure and separated from incompatible substances (Correct answer)
- Next to food
- In open drink bottles
Correct answer: In their original labelled containers, kept secure and separated from incompatible substances
Keep chemicals in their original, correctly labelled containers, store them securely, and keep incompatible substances apart to prevent dangerous reactions.
Question 8: Repetitive bending, twisting and heavy lifting can cause which type of injury?
- Sunburn
- Hearing loss
- Musculoskeletal disorders (such as back and joint injuries) (Correct answer)
- Tooth decay
Correct answer: Musculoskeletal disorders (such as back and joint injuries)
Poor manual handling and repetitive movements can cause musculoskeletal disorders, including back, shoulder and joint injuries, which are common in construction.
White Card Hazardous Materials and Manual Handling
What document gives you information about the hazards and safe handling of a chemical on site?