SMSTS practice questions and answers 2026. Tap an option to test yourself — you'll see the correct answer and a plain-English explanation for every question. Free, no login.
Q11You are planning night works that may affect neighbouring properties. What legal consideration must be addressed?
✓ Correct answer: A. Assess and control risks to others who may be affected by the work
Health and safety law requires protection of people affected by the work, including neighbours. Risks such as noise and vibration must be assessed and controlled. Why the other options are incorrect: • Proceed as long as work remains within the site boundary: Risks can extend beyond site boundaries. • Rely on planning consent alone: Planning consent does not replace health and safety duties. • Inform neighbours only after work starts: Late communication does not manage risk. • Limit consideration to site workers: Legal duties extend beyond site personnel.
Q12Following a minor incident, you consider whether further action is necessary. What principle of health and safety law should guide your decision?
✓ Correct answer: A. The duty to prevent future harm by learning from incidents
Health and safety law is preventative. Even minor incidents should be used to review controls and prevent more serious harm in future. Why the other options are incorrect: • The severity of the injury alone: Minor injuries can indicate serious underlying risk. • The cost of implementing controls: Cost does not override legal duties. • Whether enforcement action is likely: Compliance is required regardless of enforcement likelihood. • The views of the subcontractor involved: Legal duties are not determined by subcontractor opinion.
Q13An operative reports feeling unwell due to heat while working inside a confined area. What is the most appropriate response?
✓ Correct answer: A. Stop the work and review welfare and environmental controls
Health and safety law requires risks from the working environment to be controlled. Heat stress can present serious risk and must be addressed immediately. Why the other options are incorrect: • Encourage the operative to take a short break only: Short breaks may not adequately control the hazard. • Allow work to continue with increased supervision: Supervision does not reduce environmental risk. • Provide additional PPE: Additional PPE may increase heat stress. • Wait for a formal medical report: Immediate action is required to prevent harm.
Q14You are informed that waste materials are being mixed together in one skip, including hazardous waste. What action should you take?
✓ Correct answer: A. Stop the activity and ensure waste is segregated and disposed of in accordance with environmental legislation
Environmental protection legislation requires correct handling and segregation of waste. Mixing hazardous and non-hazardous waste breaches legal requirements and must be stopped. Why the other options are incorrect: • Allow it temporarily to maintain programme: Programme pressures do not justify legal non-compliance. • Instruct operatives to label the skip only: Labelling alone does not correct improper disposal. • Arrange segregation at the end of the project: Delaying action prolongs the breach of legislation. • Leave the matter to the waste contractor: The duty holder on site remains responsible for compliance.
Q15You are reviewing a subcontractor’s RAMS and notice that environmental controls for waste management are missing. What is the most appropriate action?
✓ Correct answer: A. Reject the RAMS and require them to address environmental legal requirements
Environmental legislation requires proper management of waste. RAMS must reflect legal duties, and the manager must ensure these are addressed before work begins. Why the other options are incorrect: • Approve the RAMS as environmental matters are low risk: Environmental risks remain legally significant even if perceived as low. • Allow work to start and manage waste issues on site as they arise: Controls must be planned, not improvised during work. • Add a verbal instruction covering waste management: Verbal instructions do not replace documented legal compliance. • Rely on the subcontractor’s previous performance: Past performance does not remove current legal requirements.
Q16During an inspection, you find an excavation over 1.5 metres deep with no edge protection or support. The ground conditions are poor, but the work is behind programme. What should you do to comply with legal requirements?
✓ Correct answer: A. Stop the excavation work until it is properly supported or battered and made safe
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations and Work at Height principles require excavations to be made safe. The manager must stop unsafe work immediately where there is a risk of collapse, regardless of programme pressures. Why the other options are incorrect: • Allow work to continue if operatives are experienced: Experience does not remove the legal requirement to provide safe systems of work. • Permit access provided a verbal warning is given: Warnings do not control physical risks such as collapse. • Backfill the excavation at the end of the shift only: Leaving an unsafe excavation open remains a risk throughout the shift. • Record the issue in the site diary and review it later: Recording alone does not address an immediate danger.
Q17A delivery driver is struck by moving plant on site and sustains a fractured arm. As the site manager, which action best reflects your legal responsibilities?
✓ Correct answer: A. Ensure the incident is reported and investigated in line with RIDDOR and site procedures
Specified injuries such as fractures must be reported under RIDDOR. The manager must ensure proper reporting and investigation to comply with legal duties. Why the other options are incorrect: • Record the incident only in the site accident book: An accident book alone does not meet statutory reporting requirements. • Leave reporting to the injured person’s employer: The duty to report cannot be passed entirely to another employer. • Wait to see if the injury worsens before reporting: Reporting thresholds are based on injury type, not future outcomes. • Deal with the matter internally without formal reporting: Failure to report is a breach of legal obligations.
Q18A near miss involving reversing plant is reported on site. No one was injured. As site manager, what is the most appropriate response?
✓ Correct answer: A. Investigate the near miss and review control measures to prevent recurrence
Health and safety law requires proactive management of risk. Investigating near misses helps identify failures in control before a serious incident occurs. Why the other options are incorrect: • Take no action as there was no injury: The absence of injury does not remove the duty to manage risk. • Record it informally and move on: Informal recording alone does not address underlying hazards. • Discipline the plant operator immediately: Disciplinary action without investigation may miss systemic issues. • Wait to see if a similar incident happens again: Waiting increases the likelihood of harm.
Q19Following a fall on site, an operative is absent from work for more than seven consecutive days. As the manager, what legal requirement applies?
✓ Correct answer: A. The incident must be reported to the enforcing authority under RIDDOR
RIDDOR requires over-seven-day injuries to be reported to the enforcing authority. This is a clear legal trigger that the manager must recognise and act upon. Why the other options are incorrect: • No reporting is required as the injury is non-fatal: Non-fatal injuries can still be legally reportable. • Only internal company reporting is necessary: Internal reporting does not replace statutory duties. • Reporting is required only if the injured person requests it: Legal reporting is mandatory and not based on worker preference. • Reporting is optional if first aid was provided: First aid does not affect reporting thresholds.
Q20You notice a visitor has accessed the site without signing in or receiving a briefing. What should you do?
✓ Correct answer: A. Escort the visitor off site and ensure correct access procedures are followed
Health and safety law requires protection of non-employees affected by the work. Site access procedures are essential controls and must be enforced. Why the other options are incorrect: • Allow the visit if they remain with a site operative: Supervision alone does not replace formal controls. • Provide a quick verbal overview and allow access: A brief overview does not adequately manage risk. • Ignore the issue as it is a short visit: Duration does not remove risk exposure. • Ask the visitor to sign in at the end of their visit: Controls must be applied before access is granted.
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