Below are some practice NVQ Level 3 Supervisor questions and answers.
Conforming to General, Health, Safety, and Welfare In the Workplace
1.3 State the organizational procedures developed to report and rectify inappropriate information and unsuitable resources and how they are implemented.
Always inform your supervisor and, if available on-site, use card reporting for general matters.
1.4 Describe different types of Information, their source and how they are interpreted in relation to drawings, specifications, method statements, schedules, manufacturers’ and suppliers’ information and current regulations.
- Drawings – Engineers get drawings from the architects and present them to us following their design.
- Specification – Engineers explain everything that is on the drawing including the specifications.
- Method statements – All tasks are put on the method statements with the risk assessments associated with every task, allowing safe completion.
- Schedules – Every task has a timeframe to be completed.
- Manufacturers and suppliers’ information – This will contain information about the product and its safe use.
- Current regulations – There is an induction, daily briefings, and toolbox talks that explain regulations.
2.1 Describe their responsibilities under current legislation and official guidance whilst working: — in the workplace, below ground level, at height, in confined spaces, with tools and equipment, with materials and substances, with movement/storage of materials and by manual handling and mechanical lifting.
- In the workplace – Everyone has the responsibility to obey the Health and Safety regulation on the job.
- Below ground level – When working in confined spaces, sometimes a special talk is provided on the risk assessment associated with that task.
- At height – Working at height is a high-risk task, so additional training is required, especially harness trained
- Tools and equipment – Ensure the use of the correct tool for the task and these tools are up to date with inspections.
- Materials and substances – Read the manufactures instructions on how to use them and how to store them before use.
- Movement/storage of materials – The site mainly uses cranes and other mechanical tools to move materials. Staff are given training on manual handling; and, for the crane, training is provided on lifting gear.
2.2 Describe the organizational security procedures for tools, equipment and personal belongings in relation to site, workplace, company and operative.
Staff enter the site by signing the logbook, tools are locked in the toolbox, and there are lockers for belongings. Keys for the plant are kept at the manager’s office. Additionally, the site is secured by cameras and security overnight.
2.3 State what the accident reporting procedures are and who is responsible for making reports RIDDOR
If an accident occurs, it must be reported immediately. It is the duty of the person that has the accident to report it in the accident book, and to management.
3.2 Explain why and when personal protective equipment (PPE) should be used, relating to fabricating and maintaining timber and proprietary formwork systems, and the types, purpose and limitations of each type.
PPE is required by rules and regulations on-site. Hard hats, steel-toe boots, hi-vis apparel, and gloves are all mandatory. When cutting with a skill saw, materials for dust control, earplugs and safety glasses should also be used.
When using shuttering oil, staff follow the COSH regulations by using the right gloves and respiratory equipment based on the manufacturer’s advice and company regulations.
3.3 State how emergencies should be responded to following organizational authorization and personal skills when involved with fires, spillages, injuries and other task-related hazards.
- There is an emergency procedure on-site if a fire occurs, to try and put it away if it is possible without putting anyone in danger. If this cannot be done, staff must raise the alarm and make their way out to the fire assembly point, while an appointed person notifies the fire emergency services.
- Spillages – There are spillage kits and there is also the COSH area for all the substances.
- Injuries – If injured, staff must call a first aider and notify the supervisor. In the worst-case scenarios, an ambulance should be called.
4.1 Describe the characteristics, quality, uses, limitations and defects associated with the resources concerning:
- Timber – the use of the timber depends on the work. The quality of the timber should be certified for use on formwork, and limitations of the timber should be limited on use only for formwork. Defects are critical: if the timber has nuts and cracks it is not going to be strong enough to take the pressure.
- Proprietary formwork and associated items – Staff deal with timber formwork, panel formwork and sometimes fibreglass. The concrete finish depends on the quality of each of these in turn, and defects are associated with the strength of each.
- Tie systems – Tie rods should be spaced based on the formwork being used. Some systems have standard places to put them, so they can take the pressure off the load.
- Soldiers and walings – These can be timber, steel or aluminium, all of which are used based on the design.
- Protective coatings – These are relatively easy to apply and prolong the life of the panel when using shuttering oil
- Fixtures and fittings – Clamps, and clips are used to fix and fit.
- Access equipment —These vary as jump systems have different access equipment; while walls have the equipment platforms to get and do the concrete and columns have the same.
- Hand/ powered tools and equipment- Hand tools hammers, spanners, snips, and tape measures are used. The powered tools are the skill saw, drills, jigsaw, and grinders. There are also equipment levels, lasers, scissor lifts, and podiums.
4.2 Select resources associated with your work concerning materials, components, fixings, tools and equipment.
Currently doing walls with pert panels using tie rods, wailers, props, drills, skill saws and podiums.
4.3 State how the resources should be used correctly, how problems associated with the resources are reported and how the organizational procedures are used.
Resources are used to confirm their properties and are based on method statements. Any problems are reported to the supervisor, who takes them higher up to resolve them with the office and/or manufacturer. This avoids delays if using different resources for the task management review of the method statement.
4.4 Outline potential hazards associated with the resources and method of work.
- Back injuries from lifting heavy objects.
- Hazardous by use of shuttering oil or other materials.
- HAVS — hand vibration injury.
- Working at heights.
- Falling objects during the striking of formwork.
- Silica dust from the scabbling operation.
- Wood dust from plywood /timber cutting.
- Cement burns from wet cement.
- Arm and back strain.
4.5 Describe how to calculate quantity, length, area and wastage associated with the method/procedure to fabricate and maintain timber and proprietary formwork systems.
Based on the drawings, the calculation is made on the formula: Area length x width; Volume length x width x height.
The quantity is based on the specification (centres, length, width).
10% is always allowed for waste.
5.3 Describe how to protect workers from damage and the purpose of protection in relation to general workplace activities, other occupations and adverse weather conditions.
Cover with polyethene on purpose to get a nice, clean and quality production within the company requirements.
5.5 State why the disposal of waste should be carried out concerning the work.
Waste needs to be disposed of safely to prevent environmental contamination, to maintain a safe working environment, and with the possibility of re-use or recycling in mind. Staff must comply with the company waste management policies at all times, disposing of the different waste types accordingly, by segregating them into recyclable and non-recyclable materials for the waste management team and ensuring hazardous substances are separated and disposed of following statutory regulations.
6.2 State the purpose of the work program and explain why deadlines should be kept in relation to types of progress charts, timetables and estimated times.
Organizational procedures are in place for reporting circumstances which will affect the work program.
Every job has a deadline. Everything is planned and shared via briefings, and the deadline must be finished in order to submit the work and release the area to the next task or trade (brickies, internal fit-outs etc.). If there are any problems or delays, the supervisor and the site manager must spot them early to manage and work out any mistakes so the program can be achieved.
7.4 Describe how to apply safe work practices, follow procedures, report problems and establish the authority needed to rectify them, to erect and strike formwork for walls, columns, beams, soffits, bases, kickers, stop ends and precast units
By wearing the right PPE, hand/power tools, and equipment following company procedure; implementing method statements, and risk assessments; and if there are any problems these are reported to the supervisor.
Key elements are:
- Attaching or removing soldier/wailers based on method statements.
- Using lifting means following the company’s procedures and regulations on lifting equipment and loads they can lift.
- Fixing and striking all box outs, rebates, grout checks, angle fillets and features, using the right levels.
- Fixing and removing the tie system (including props) based on the method statements and temporary work designs or manufacturers’ guidance on panels.
- Identifying differences in concrete pressure and following instructions and procedures from the company as well as the training provided.
- Constructing make-ups, box-outs, bolt boxes and stop ends – and checking that everything made of wood is nailed down and screwed down properly and safely.
- Following manual handling procedures on moving the materials if no other choice is available.
- Using hand tools, power tools and equipment – Keeping all tools in good condition with regular maintenance, examining each tool for damage before use, and not using damaged tools. Also operating tools according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Work at height – Any work at height activity must make sure work Is carefully planned, supervised, and carried out by competent people. This includes using the right type of equipment for working at height.
- Using access equipment – Those using scaffolding, cherry pickers, or scissor lifts should be trained and competent. Nobody can touch or tempt the scaffolding apart from the scaffolders.
7.6 State the needs of other occupations and how to communicate within a team when fabricating and maintaining timber and proprietary formwork systems.
Communication is important to get the job done especially with other trades. For example, steel fixers on some jobs because they have to finish the rebar first before the shutters can be closed. Work is segregated. Someone will do the cuttings, someone else will put the timber together etc – and all this by following the method statements.
7.7 Describe how to maintain the tools and equipment used when fabricating and maintaining timber and proprietary formwork systems.
All tools and equipment must be kept clean. Check for the maintenance record and PAT test record. Also, follow the manufacturer’s and employer’s procedures. Construction tools and equipment suffer a lot of wear and tear hence, it is important to maintain them regularly. This will help increase the service life as well as the performance of the equipment and, if not checked, small problems generally lead to bigger issues if left unattended. Some companies have a maintenance worker that does all the checks on tools regularly.
Tools in use include the skill saw, jigsaw, drill, and grinder.
The equipment in use are ladders, podiums, platforms, and scissor lifts.