"Applied Health and Safety" How to avoid Rote Learning?

NikkiNoo · Post by **NikkiNoo** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 9:21 am

Firstly, this is my first post so gosh,

Hello people!. My name is Nikki and I'm a new Health and Safety Co-Ordinator for a construction company. I'm nervous as hell about the construction cert exams in December, this site has been so valuable

E-learning can be so lonely

, not looking for sympathy, but how do you know you're getting it right

? Rote learning is mentioned a few times in examiners reports that it's getting me worried that that's all I am doing.

So it brings me to ask the experts a question... Applied Health and Safety, are there any useful resources?? When I say resources, I mean situations that make you think.. I don't want to memorise answers, but I feel that's all I'm doing.. because to apply the book knowledge, I just seem to freeze on the practice sessions.

I hope you can all understand my dribble!

Post by **bernicarey** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 9:38 am

Hi Nikki - welcome to the forums

I did all my NEBOSH qualifications by Distance/E learning (dictated by what I was doing and where I was at the time), but it can be done, you just have to apply yourself.

I understand your concerns about Rote learning; I found the biggest thing to help understand different aspects was to open your eyes and look around you are the world. Ask yourself questions all the time about what if, why that, and you'll hopefully start to see how the learning should be applied.

When I was studying for my NGC, the provider had a video on their website for students to use to practice their NGC3 practical skills. They also had a students forum.
I remember one student going on the forum and complaining that there were only 5 things wrong that he could find in the video and what a useless video it was.
I probably found 25+; from trip hazards, blocked fire exits, fragile roof, lack of several signs, segregation of vehicles and pedestrians at a workshop door, even problems maintaining temperatures in the winter due to the type of building.

So every aspect you learn about, go out and look for it in the real world, that's where you'll get the 'Applied' from...

If you're on Twitter, there's several accounts that tweet photos of people doing dangerous things, so they're good to see, one of the best being @safetyphoto who also has a website here: http://www.safetyphoto.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Take a look at some photos and decide which Regs they're breaking

NikkiNoo · Post by **NikkiNoo** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 9:51 am

That's awesome advice thank you

I see what you mean about open your eyes, but it's a lot to apply and I don't know where to start .. is there any way we could give each other situations and reply etc? Or point to some situations to make us think?

Post by **bernicarey** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 10:08 am

Have you found the main site, which you can access by clicking on the big square logo in the top left corner?

On the Downloads there are lots of things to help with studies.

Try looking at youtube for safety videos.

NikkiNoo · Post by **NikkiNoo** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 12:22 pm

Thanks Bernicarey,

I've downloaded all I can and am always on youtube (not that youtube is that great), hence why I am here asking these questions, and as per the OP, it's lonely out here.

All I'm asking, is that the experts (you guys) ask questions that relate to your fields of work that might be alien to me (And others). That way we noobs can answer the best we can and you guys can correct us.. thus we'll be waking our brains up, instead of memorising yet more confusing stuff

Post by **bernicarey** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 1:56 pm

That's an interesting discussion point. The back-room team will have a think about it.

Post by **bernicarey** » Fri Oct 02, 2015 3:11 pm

NikkiNoo wrote: All I'm asking, is that the experts (you guys) ask questions that relate to your fields of work that might be alien to me (And others). That way we noobs can answer the best we can and you guys can correct us.. thus we'll be waking our brains up, instead of memorising yet more confusing stuff

Hi Nikki

After due consideration, the back-room have concluded this would not be advisable nor practicable, for a number of reasons; including legal and insurance implications for both individuals and this website.
There were a great many possible scenarios that the team could envisage and were very uncomfortable with.

Fell free to ask specific questions yourself as other members frequently do; this is the way the forum has worked for many years, and is a proven methodology.

MelanieTatum · Post by **MelanieTatum** » Tue Oct 06, 2015 1:11 pm

E-learning is good, but there must be some practical work that will help to increase your efficiency and deteriorate your nervousness.

NikkiNoo · Post by **NikkiNoo** » Thu Oct 08, 2015 8:35 pm

MelanieTatum wrote:E-learning is good, but there must be some practical work that will help to increase your efficiency and deteriorate your nervousness.

It's also cost effective to those that cannot afford tutor led courses. I write method statements and risk assessments all day long, but this NEBOSH is so much bigger than just my work

Post by **kevlarion** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 4:04 pm

Hi NickieNoo

First, welcome to the forum.

I haven't done the construction certificate, but I have done the diploma and... well a lot of learning over the years, and I'm still learning both informally here and other web places where people more knowledgeable than myself gather to discuss things, and formally through the open uni.

What you will need to do is identify some specific thing you want to find out more about, and ask about it in the forum... the real experts (and others) will then a) answer your specific query, or b) discuss it amongst themselves and you can eavesdrop and participate as you see fit.

If I was to ask you about something construction H&S related such as .... what precautions you should take when excavating a trench, then you answered me, I would not be able to correct your reply in a way that would be helpful to your qualification, because I'm not really qualified to give you an answer, or even qualified in your subject to the level you are working towards. I could go and find out from the various resources on the HSE website and other sources, but then you could do that yourself, so what do you gain from me telling you what I've read.

If you are working in construction, you will see things that surprise you, or puzzle you, or that you understand but want to know more about. When you are studying you will read things that make as much sense to you as greek mathematics. Bring those to the forum, ask about them and those who know about it (and maybe some who don't know so much) will answer you with their opinions, you then have to sift through all that information to find the information you are looking for and decide for yourself if it is accurate and relevant, or ask a more specific question to get to the information you need.

The most important thing is to use that frustration you feel to make you curious and to question everything you see, and the reasons behind it.

NikkiNoo · Post by **NikkiNoo** » Tue Oct 20, 2015 7:06 pm

kevlarion...

That is a great help thanks

Cettie · Post by **Cettie** » Thu Oct 22, 2015 11:01 am

Hi everyone. I'm also new to this site and am taking my construction cert in December. I'm doing mine by distance learning too. Here are my tips in case any of these help:

* Take photos of things you see around you - a water services company was recently repairing a sewer in my street and had to excavate the path, a scaffold was built up around my hairdressers, there's scaffolding in the town centre which has fans and netting, a road nearby was dug up, re-tarmaced and repaired - I have photos of all of these and find them really useful to refer back to, to test myself as to what looks right and what might be missing.
* I've set up a study group with a friend also taking the exam. We Skype each week and email each other questions to test each other, then discuss our answers which helps me to find out what I think I know and actually don't know or have forgotten since I last read something.
* The Ed Ferrett 'Introduction to H&S at Work' Sixth Edition has recently come out which includes not just NGC1 but also lots on construction. I got it for about £33 online and it arrived in a matter of days. Each chapter has a wealth of practice questions. At the moment, I'm practicing answering the questions on my laptop as I'm a quick typist, just to get my ideas down and critique myself as to whether I've really addressed the question or not. I'll move onto writing my answers out shortly so I practice timing as well as content for each question.
* YouTube is invaluable. If there are any terms or processes or equipment I'm not sure of, I just search for videos, then it all becomes a little clearer. I am hoping that in the exam I should be able to visualise some of the clips I've saved to help me think what might be relevant to certain questions.
* Mind mapping is helpful as you can focus very clearly on themes and related issues, which you can colour code too to make them more interesting or readable. I've found the app 'SimpleMind+' very easy to use - it's free to download but you can upgrade for a small amount so you can add links, photos etc to the mind maps. I'm sure there must be other apps or mindmap software around. I find it helpful to then glance at the mindmaps I've created when I have a moment spare, hopefully to help me remember points. I save mine as pdfs too as a back up. The mind maps are usually too big to print, but easy to view, move around or enlarge on a tablet or iPad.

The key to learning is understanding. It's not always easy but if you can say, "I understand this now", you'll be fine.

Good luck!