Health & welfare: why it matters
Far more workers are made ill by their work than are injured by it. Dust, noise, vibration, chemicals and manual handling cause long-term disease, while poor welfare spreads everyday ill health.
Welfare is not optional. Under CDM 2015 suitable facilities must be provided from the first day on site, and occupational health controls protect workers from the slow harms that do not show up as accidents.
Health & welfare revision notes
Health and welfare questions make one point: work makes more people ill than it injures, so welfare and occupational health are not optional. Learn what CDM 2015 entitles you to from day one, and the slow harms to guard against, in the notes below.
Welfare from day one
Toilets, washing facilities with hot and cold water, drinking water, somewhere to rest and eat, and somewhere to change and store clothes must be available from the start of work, not added later.
Washing matters
Hand washing with hot water and soap is not just comfort, it stops you swallowing dust and chemicals (the ingestion route) and prevents skin problems.
Occupational health
The slow killers, dust, noise, vibration, chemicals and manual handling, harm health over years. Health surveillance catches early signs before they become permanent.
Cement and dermatitis
Wet cement is highly alkaline and causes burns and dermatitis. Keep it off the skin, wash it off promptly, and protect your hands and knees.
Sun and weather
Outdoor work brings UV exposure (a skin cancer risk), heat stress in summer and cold in winter. Cover up, use sun cream, take breaks and stay hydrated.
Hygiene and eating
Never eat, drink or smoke in a work area where dust or chemicals are present. Wash first and use the rest facilities, so contamination is not swallowed.
Hear a question in Polish
These questions turn on entitlements and long-term harms, what welfare must be provided, or how dust and vibration damage health over years. Press Play in Polish below to hear a real question read aloud alongside the English.
What is a reasonable temperature for a workplace under normal circumstances?
At least 16°C
At least 20°C
At least 18°C
At least 22°C
Every wrong answer can also come with an AI explanation that points to the specific rule behind the correct answer, so you learn from each mistake instead of just memorising. Native Polish audio and AI explanations are two things you will not find on other CSCS practice sites.
Health & welfare quiz, five questions
Five health and welfare questions in the real CITB format. Watch for the ones on welfare from day one, hygiene and the routes hazards take into the body. Answer each one and it is marked straight away, with the reason it is right.
0 of 5 answered
Score: 0 / 5
Q1. Why is it important to have access to drinking water on a construction site?
Reveal explanation
Correct answer: A. To help keep workers hydrated
Access to drinking water is crucial to prevent dehydration among workers.
Q2. Which facility is NOT a requirement on a construction site?
Reveal explanation
Correct answer: B. Canteen serving hot food
Canteen serving hot food is not a mandatory requirement; however, sanitary conveniences and washing facilities are.
Q3. What is the purpose of providing suitable lighting on a construction site?
Reveal explanation
Correct answer: B. To prevent accidents and injuries
Adequate lighting is essential to prevent accidents and injuries by ensuring visibility.
Q4. How often should first aid kits be checked and replenished?
Reveal explanation
Correct answer: C. Whenever they are used
First aid kits should be checked and replenished whenever they are used to ensure they are fully stocked.
Q5. Which of these statements about welfare facilities is true?
Reveal explanation
Correct answer: B. Employers must provide facilities for workers to store and dry clothing.
Employers must provide suitable facilities for workers to store and dry clothing.
Answer all five to see how you did on health & welfare
The real CITB test is 50 questions in 45 minutes, with a 45 out of 50 pass mark. Our free mock test uses the same format and needs no account.
Common mistakes
These health and welfare beliefs cost you your long-term health, not just a mark on the test. Correct them before you sit it and before the damage adds up on site.
Mistake 1: “Welfare facilities are optional on a small site.”
Correct: Suitable welfare must be provided on every site from day one under CDM 2015. Toilets, washing, drinking water and a place to rest are a legal requirement, not a luxury.
Mistake 2: “Cement just washes off, no harm done.”
Correct: Wet cement is strongly alkaline and causes serious burns and dermatitis, sometimes after prolonged contact you barely notice. Keep it off the skin and wash it away promptly.
Mistake 3: “It is fine to eat with dusty hands.”
Correct: Eating with contaminated hands swallows dust and chemicals, the ingestion route into the body. Always wash and use the rest area away from the work.
Related CSCS topics
Health and welfare ties into the slow, long-term hazards covered elsewhere. These related areas complete the picture: