UNIT 3: HEALTH AND SAFETY IN ENGINEERING
Unit 3: Health and Safety in Engineering
Level: 1 and 2
Unit type: Optional specialist
Guided learning hours: 30
Assessment type: Internal
Unit introduction
The ability to work safely in an engineering environment is essential for your own
wellbeing and that of others. This unit will help you to understand health and safety
requirements and to know how to prepare and carry out an activity safely in your
engineering work space. In this way, you can enjoy all the challenges that
engineering activities can offer without undue fear for your own safety or for
that of others.
The initial focus of the unit is on gaining awareness of the dangers of not working
within appropriate legislation and procedures. In the event of an incident, it is
essential that you know how to respond. This unit will take you through the
important legislation and policies that you need to know.
You will then consider how materials and equipment should be handled and the most
appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to use when undertaking particular
engineering activities. Identifying risks is an important activity here.
The knowledge and understanding gained through studying this unit will be put to
good use in other areas of engineering study and working life.
Learning aims
In this unit you will:
A understand safe and effective working in an engineering workplace
B know how to follow procedures and undertake a work activity safely.
Specification – Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 First Award in Error! Reference source not found. – 51
Issue 5 – March 2020 © Pearson Education Limited 2020
UNIT 3: HEALTH AND SAFETY IN ENGINEERING
Learning aims and unit content
What needs to be learnt
Learning aim A: Understand safe and effective working in an engineering
workplace
Topic A1: Accident and emergency procedures
Understand the accident and emergency procedures to be followed in response to an
incident in an engineering workplace, including:
● identification of appropriately qualified persons, including first aider, fire warden
● actions in the event of an accident or emergency, including use of fire extinguishers
(types and applications), types and sounding/initiating of emergency alarm,
evacuation procedure and escape routes, location of first-aid facilities
● identifying and using procedures to be followed in the event of dangerous
occurrences or hazardous malfunctions of equipment, processes or machinery
● reporting routines, e.g. assembly points, hazards and malfunctions, injury, near-miss
occurrences
● accident and emergency procedure document, including brief summation of contents,
purpose, legal requirements, possible improvements, e.g. in usage, format, visibility.
Topic A2: Working safely in an engineering organisation
Understand safety procedures to be followed in an engineering working environment,
including:
● handling materials and equipment in an approved manner and in line with the most
current legislation/regulations: Health & Safety at Work Act and related legislation,
Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations, Manual Handling Operations
Regulations, Use of Work Equipment Regulations, Display Screen at Work
Regulations, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH), Reporting of
Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR), relevant
workplace policies and procedures
● the roles and responsibilities of the employer, including compliance with legislation,
policy and procedures, health, safety and wellbeing of employees
● the roles and responsibilities of employees, including own and others’ health, safety
and security; compliance of the workplace with legislation, policy and procedures.
52 Specification – Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 First Award in Error! Reference source not found.
Issue 5 – March 2020 © Pearson Education Limited 2020
UNIT 3: HEALTH AND SAFETY IN ENGINEERING
What needs to be learnt
Learning aim B: Know how to follow procedures and undertake a work
activity safely
Topic B1: Materials and equipment handling
Know how personal and protective equipment should be used for an engineering
activity, including:
● Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations
● personal protective equipment (PPE): overalls for general workshop activities, eye
protection for a range of machinery and equipment, skin care (barrier creams,
gloves), protective hat where required, protective footwear for general workshop
activities, masks/respirators for areas with poor ventilation or dust, hearing
protection (ear plugs, ear defenders), PPE manufacturers’ guidelines for use.
Topic B2: Risks and risk assessment
Defining a hazard:
● A hazard is something that can cause an adverse effect. The hazard could be an
object, a property of a substance, a phenomenon, or an activity, e.g. moving parts of
machinery, sharp objects, electricity, slippage and uneven surfaces, dust and fumes,
handling and transporting, contaminants and irritation, material ejection, fire,
working at height, environment, pressure/stored energy systems, volatile or toxic
materials, unshielded processes.
Defining risk:
● A risk is the likelihood that a hazard will actually cause its adverse effect, together
with a measure of the effect, e.g. tools, materials or equipment in use, spillages of oil
and chemicals, not reporting accidental breakages of tools or equipment, and not
following working practices and procedures.
Steps of a risk assessment are to:
● identify the hazard
● decide who might be harmed
● evaluate the risk and decide on precautionary measures
● record findings and prepare to implement them
● review and update the assessment.
continued
Specification – Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 First Award in Error! Reference source not found. – 53
Issue 5 – March 2020 © Pearson Education Limited 2020
UNIT 3: HEALTH AND SAFETY IN ENGINEERING
What needs to be learnt
Topic B3: Engineering work activity
Preparing the working environment prior to an engineering activity and completing an
engineering activity safely.
Preparing the working environment, including:
● ensuring that work area is free from hazards
● selecting and using, correct and appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE),
and hygiene procedures
● obtaining and understanding drawings/work instructions and manufacturers’
instructions
● obtaining suitable tools and carrying out checks to ensure that they are safe and in a
usable condition.
Completing an engineering activity safely in a working environment, including:
● implementing safety procedures
● completing all tasks and documentation
● using tools and equipment safely, and only for the purpose intended
● maintaining a tidy workplace, with exits and gangways free from obstruction
● taking measures to protect others from harm resulting from any work that they are
carrying out
● returning drawings/work instructions and tools upon completion
● disposing of unusable tools, equipment, components and waste materials (oil, soiled
rags, swarf/offcuts, etc).
54 Specification – Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 First Award in Error! Reference source not found.
Issue 5 – March 2020 © Pearson Education Limited 2020
UNIT 3: HEALTH AND SAFETY IN ENGINEERING
Assessment criteria
Level 1 Level 2 Pass Level 2 Merit Level 2 Distinction
Learning aim A: Understand safe and effective working in an engineering workplace
1A.1 Outline the actions that 2A.P1 Explain how accident and 2A.M1 Explain the importance
need to be taken if there emergency procedures of following accident and
is an accident in an are used in an emergency procedures in
engineering workplace. engineering workplace. response to an incident
in an engineering
workplace.
1A.2 Identify the key features 2A.P2 Outline the roles and 2A.M2 Explain the roles and 2A.D1 Explain the importance
of legislation, policy and responsibilities of self responsibilities of self of employees and
procedures for an and others under the and others under the employers adhering to
engineering workplace. legislation, policy and legislation, policy and correct legislation, policy
# procedures required for procedures required for and procedures in an
an engineering an engineering engineering workplace.
workplace. # workplace. # #
Specification – Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 First Award in Error! Reference source not found. – 55
Issue 5 – March 2020 © Pearson Education Limited 2020
UNIT 3: HEALTH AND SAFETY IN ENGINEERING
Level 1 Level 2 Pass Level 2 Merit Level 2 Distinction
Learning aim B: Know how to follow procedures and undertake a work activity safely
1B.3 Outline procedures for 2B.P3 Describe the personal 2B.M3 Explain why personal 2B.D2 Evaluate personal
handling materials and protective equipment to protective equipment is protective equipment
equipment for a given be used when handling required for different in an engineering
engineering activity. materials and equipment processes in an workplace, reporting
in an engineering engineering workplace. how well the PPE
workplace. manufacturer’s
guidelines adhere to the
appropriate regulations.
1B.4 Identify risks associated 2B.P4 Complete an accurate
with one engineering risk assessment for one
activity. engineering activity. #
1B.5 Prepare the work area 2B.P5 Prepare for, and carry
appropriately for a given out, an engineering
engineering activity. activity safely.
*Opportunity to assess mathematical skills
#Opportunity to assess English skills
56 Specification – Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 First Award in Error! Reference source not found.
Issue 5 – March 2020 © Pearson Education Limited 2020
UNIT 3: HEALTH AND SAFETY IN ENGINEERING
Teacher guidance
Resources
The special resources required for this unit are:
● access to a workshop environment and the range of tools required to carry out
engineering work activities (essential)
● access to relevant legislation and regulations applicable to the working environment,
emergency procedures and policies, including access to computers and the internet to
enable learners to research current legislation and regulations (as required).
Assessment guidance
This unit is assessed internally by the centre, and externally verified by Pearson.
Please read this guidance in conjunction with Section 8 Internal assessment.
Much of the assessment evidence for this unit could come from practical activities. These
can be carried out solely for the purpose of this unit but, equally, could be the activities
associated with other units.
Risk assessment evidence should come from an assessment of an engineering work
activity. It is important for learners to understand that risk assessment should be
undertaken prior to all new work activities. However, if learners are undertaking practical
units in this qualification, which also require assessment of risk, they should not use the
same evidence for this unit.
Learners could assess the policies and procedures related to an engineering workplace in
the educational context, or that of an engineering employer.
Level 2 learners should be able to act independently when assessing risks, outlining
procedures and undertaking activities. Evidence for a risk assessment could come from
completion of a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) template. Learners should show that
they are aware of the main points included in procedures; they do not need to reproduce
documents. At Merit and Distinction level, learners should be able to develop a critical
perspective on procedures, explaining their importance and making suggestions for
improvements, either in content or usage. They should also be able to report on the
effectiveness of PPE manufacturers’ guidelines.
At level 1, learners will produce evidence that shows their basic knowledge and
understanding of health, safety, accident and emergency procedures. They should be
able to prepare a workplace for an activity.
Specification – Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 First Award in Error! Reference source not found. – 57
Issue 5 – March 2020 © Pearson Education Limited 2020
UNIT 3: HEALTH AND SAFETY IN ENGINEERING
Suggested assignment outlines
The table below shows a programme of suggested assignment outlines that cover the assessment criteria. This is guidance and it is
recommended that centres either write their own assignments or adapt any assignments we provide to meet local needs and resources.
Criteria covered Assignment Scenario Assessment evidence
1A.1, 1A.2, 2A.P1, Accident and You have just started work in an engineering A written report or presentation.
2A.P2, 2A.M1, Emergency workplace and have been asked by your team
2A.M2, 2A.D1 Procedures and leader to investigate: relevant workplace
Workplace Roles legislation, policy and procedures, your own
and Responsibilities responsibilities and those of others.
1B.3, 1B.4, 1B.5, Preparing for and You have been asked to prepare for and carry Teacher observation record of the
2B.P3, 2B.P4, Carrying Out an out a new engineering work activity. You need to preparation and execution of the task.
2B.P5, 2B.M3, Engineering Activity investigate the personal protective equipment A written report that evaluates PPE
2B.D2 (PPE) needed, complete an assessment of risks requirements.
and carry out the activity safely.
58 Specification – Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 First Award in Error! Reference source not found.
Issue 5 – March 2020 © Pearson Education Limited 2020
