HSE Interview Q&A

Q1: What is safety?

Ans: Safety is the state of being protected from harm or danger. It can also refer to the control of recognized hazards to achieve an acceptable level of risk.

Q2: What are the benefits of following safety at workplace?

Ans: Following are the main benefits of following safety at workplace:

• • Reduction in accidents and injuries
  • Improved productivity
  • Cost savings
  • Better reputation

Q3: What is Accident?

Ans: An accident is an unintended or unplanned event that results in injury, damage to materials, property loss, or death.

Q4: What are the four major causes of accidents at work sites?

Ans: Following are the four major causes of accidents at work sites:

• • Slips, trips, and falls.
  • Poor ergonomics
  • Manual handling and lifting
  • Inadequate training

Q5: What is Injury?

Ans: Injury is defined as a harmful physiological or psychological condition that is sustained by the body as a result of an accident or other traumatic event.

Q6: How to prevent injuries at work sites?

Ans: Injuries can be prevented at work sites by implementing the following steps:

• • Training, PPEs, Housekeeping
  • Enough Resources
  • Accident prevention plan/ Reporting Accidents
  • Competent workers

Q7: What is Hazard?

Ans: A hazard is an inherent property of a substance or occurrence that has the potential to cause loss or damage to property, person, or the environment.

Q 8: What are the types of Hazards?

Ans: Types of Hazards are as follows.

• • Physical hazards
  • Chemical hazards
  • Biological hazards
  • Ergonomic hazards
  • Psychosocial hazards

Q9: What are the steps to find out the hazards in the work site? Ans: You should do the following:

• • Make a list of all the possible hazards related to the work environment, equipment, materials, products, and tasks.
  • Talk to the workers and supervisors before starting the work. Discuss the work plan, the risks involved, and how to prevent them. Ask them to report any hazards they encounter during the work.
  • Read the safety manuals and information for all the products and equipment used in the work. Also, get the SDS for all the chemicals in the work site.
  • Review the previous reports of inspections and injuries. Look for any common or repeated problems or illnesses. Also, check the workers’ health records (with their permission) to see if they have any work-related issues.
  • Get help from health and safety professionals, such as consultants, auditors, or trainers. They can give you a more comprehensive and unbiased evaluation of the hazards and risks in your work site.

Q10: What is Risk?

Ans: Risk is the possibility of harm, damage, or loss that may arise from a hazard.  “Risk = Likelihood * Severity”

Q11: What are the types of risk at work site?

Ans: Types of risk are the categories or classifications of risk based on the source, nature, or impact of the hazard. The Types of Risks associated to any work sites are: 

• • Occupational risk
  • Environmental risk
  • Financial and legal risk
  • Operational risk
  • Reputational risk
  • Strategic risk

Q12: How to control risks?

Ans: Control of risk is the process of implementing measures or actions to eliminate, reduce, or manage the risk. The famous acronym for memorizing the steps of controlling any risk is “ERICPD.”

• • Elimination
  • Reduction
  • Isolation
  • Controlling
  • PPE’s
  • Discipline

Q13: What is Risk Management?

Ans: Risk management is the process of finding and dealing with the potential problems that may affect a project or an organization. Risk management helps to ensure the safety and well-being of the people involved, the protection of the environment, and the achievement of the goals and objectives.

Risk management involves four main steps:

• • Identifying the risks
  • Analyzing the risks
  • Evaluating the risks
  • Treating the risks.

Q 14: What is Risk Assessment?

Ans: Risk assessment is a process of identifying, analyzing, and controlling the potential hazards and risks associated with an activity or operation. The steps of risk assessment are:

• • Identify the hazards that could cause harm or damage.
  • Analyze the likelihood and severity of the consequences.
  • Evaluate the level of risk and prioritize the actions to reduce or eliminate it.
  • Implement the risk control measures and monitor their effectiveness.
  • Review and update the risk assessment regularly or when there are changes in the situation.

Q 15: What is JSA?

Ans: JSA stands for Job Safety Analysis. It is a procedure to identify the dangers of specific job tasks in order to reduce the risk of injury to workers. The steps of JSA are:

• • Choose a job to analyze and break it down into specific tasks.
  • Determine the hazards and risks present in each task.
  • Identify the preventive controls and residual risks.
  • Record the findings and communicate them to the workers.
  • Review and revise the JSA as needed.

Q 16: What is the difference between RA and JSA?

Ans: RA and JSA differ in their scope and purpose. RA is a wide and general process that deals with all operational risks in a business, project, or activity. JSA is a specific and detailed process that concentrates on the risks and tasks related to a particular job.

For instance, RA for a construction project may involve risks such as environmental hazards, equipment failures, weather conditions, budget overruns, etc. JSA for a construction worker may involve risks such as falling from heights, electrocution, noise exposure, etc.

RA helps to find and rank the most important risks and apply suitable controls to handle them. JSA helps to avoid injuries and accidents by making sure that workers follow safe work procedures and use personal protective equipment.