Employees’ Health And Safety Responsibilities & Our Company Notices - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From Cambridge IELTS 13 General Training Reading Test 3 · Part 2 · Questions 15–27
Reading Passage
==== Read the text below and answer Questions 15-22. ====
Employees’ health and safety responsibilities
As an employee you have rights and you have responsibilities for your own wellbeing and that of your colleagues. This article explains what these responsibilities are, and how you can meet them.
Your rights
Your rights as an employee to work in a safe and healthy environment are set down in law and generally can’t be changed or removed by your employer. The most important of these rights are:
• as far as possible, to have any hazards to your health and safety properly controlled
• to be given any personal protective and safety equipment without being charged for it
• to stop work and leave your work area, without being disciplined, if you have reasonable concerns about your safety
• to tell your employer about any health and safety concerns you have
• not to be disciplined if you contact the Health and Safety Executive, or your local authority, if your employer won’t listen to you
• to have breaks during the time you are at work
• to have time off from work during the working week
• to have annual paid holiday.
Your responsibilities
Your most important responsibilities as an employee are:
• to take reasonable care of your own health and safety
• to remove jewellery and avoid loose clothing when operating machinery
• if you have long hair, or wear a headscarf, make sure it’s tucked out of the way as it could get caught in machinery
• to take reasonable care not to expose fellow employees and members of the public to risk by what you do or don’t do in the course of your work
• to co-operate with your employer, making sure you complete the training that is provided and that you understand and follow the company’s health and safety policies
• not to interfere with or misuse anything that’s been provided for your health, safety or welfare
• to report any injuries you suffer as a result of doing your job – your employer may then need to change the way you work.
If you drive or operate machinery, you have a responsibility to tell your employer if you take medication that makes you feel sleepy. If you do, they should temporarily move you to another job if they have one for you to do.
==== Read the text below and answer Questions 23-27. ====
Our company notices
A Advance warning
Refurbishment of offices in the Perkins Building will start on Monday 22 May, and is expected to be completed by the end of June. Staff based in that building will be individually notified of where they’ll work for that time. On the previous Friday, facilities staff will move everything that needs to go to your new office. Before then, please make a list of what should be moved, and another list of what can be stored.
B Information about financial systems
The review of the company’s financial systems is now complete, and modifications will shortly be introduced. Jane Phillips from Finance will explain the changes and how they affect you, and answer any queries about them, between 12 and 1 pm on 15 March in Room 5.
C Purchasing Manager
As you probably know, Sadia Ahmed is leaving the company on 31 March, after ten years as Purchasing Manager. Her replacement, Jeff Bridges, will join us on the previous Monday. Jeff will be in Room 70 between 12 and 2 pm on 3 April: feel free to drop in and say hello to him during your lunch break.
D We’re doing well!
We’ve received a large and urgent order from one of our major customers. As a result, we’ll need to run the production line for an additional three hours each evening throughout the week beginning 13 March. Any production workers willing to do this shift in addition to their normal work should speak to the Production Manager asap.
E Quality control
Because of recent concerns about product quality, we’re setting up a team to consider ways of raising quality and making recommendations for changes. As staff from any department might have useful ideas, anyone is welcome to join the team – ring Rodrigo Perez on 1012. It will involve fortnightly meetings and some research, over a six-month period.
F New opportunity
Dev Patel will cease to be part-time content editor of the company intranet at the end of April, as his new role in Marketing leaves him no time for it. We’re looking for two people to take over. If you’re interested, and can work an extra three or four hours a week (for extra pay, of course!), contact Maggie Campbell on 2146.
G And finally…
We hope to re-start the company tennis championship, which hasn’t taken place for the last three years. If this is something for you, talk to Bill Sinclair on extension 2371. You don’t need to be a star player!
Questions
Questions 15–22 Note Completion
Complete the notes below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes on your answer sheet.
Health and Safety at Work
Employees’ rights
• are established by 15 and include the following:
employers should manage any potential dangers to their staff’s health and safety
– any 16 needed for employees to work safely should be free
– employees may inform management of any 17 they have relating to health and safety
employees are entitled to some 18 while they are working
Employees’ responsibilities
to take off jewellery and dress appropriately for their particular work
– to avoid putting colleagues and others at 19
– to do any 20 that the employer offers
to inform the employer of any 21 received while working
– to make sure the employer knows of any 22 you are taking that might affect performance
Questions 23–27 Matching Information
For which company notice are the following statements true?
Write the correct letter, A-G, in boxes on your answer sheet
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q15 | Law | Your rights as an employee to work in a safe and healthy environment are set down in law and generally can't be changed or removed by your employer | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage tells us that employees have the right to work safely because there are strong rules (laws) that protect them. Employers cannot change these rules. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'Law'. This means rules that everyone must follow. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Law' because the passage states that employees have rights to work in a safe and healthy environment that are set down in law. This means that these rights are written rules and cannot be changed or removed by employers. |
| Q16 | Equipment | to be given any personal protective and safety equipment without being charged for it | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that employees should get safety tools and items for free. This means employees do not have to pay for these important supplies. Answer Explanation: The answer 'Equipment' means tools or things that help employees work safely. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Equipment' because the passage states that employers must give employees protective and safety equipment for free. This shows that equipment is important for employee safety and health. |
| Q17 | Concerns | to tell your employer about any health and safety concerns you have | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that employees can inform their employer about any worries they have about health and safety. Answer Explanation: The answer 'Concerns' means worries or issues. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Concerns' because the passage talks about how employees have the right to tell their employer about any health and safety worries they have. This shows that 'Concerns' is the right word to fill in the blank in the notes. |
| Q18 | Breaks | to have breaks during the time you are at work | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that employees are allowed to take breaks while they are working, which helps them to rest. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'breaks'. This means times when employees can stop working and rest. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'breaks' because the passage mentions that employees have the right to have breaks during their work time. This is important for their health and wellbeing while working. |
| Q19 | Risk | to take reasonable care not to expose fellow employees and members of the public to risk by what you do or don’t do in the course of your work | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that employees should not put their colleagues or other people in danger. This means they should be careful not to create situations that could lead to harm. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'Risk'. This means a danger or something that can cause harm. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Risk' because in the passage, it says employees must avoid putting their colleagues and others at risk. 'Risk' here means a situation that could be dangerous or harmful. |
| Q20 | Training | to co-operate with your employer, making sure you complete the training that is provided and that you understand and follow the company's health and safety policies | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that employees should work together with their employer and complete the training they are given to understand and follow safety rules at work. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'Training'. This means that employees need to do the training that the employer gives them. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Training' because it is mentioned in the passage that employees have a responsibility 'to co-operate with your employer, making sure you complete the training that is provided.' Training is important for employees to know how to work safely. |
| Q21 | Injuries | to report any injuries you suffer as a result of doing your job | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that workers need to tell their employer about any injuries they have while at work. This helps to make sure the workplace is safe. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'Injuries'. This means any harm or damage that happens to a person. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Injuries' because the passage says that employees have a responsibility to report any injuries they get while doing their job. This is important so that the employer can change things if needed to make the workplace safer. |
| Q22 | Medication | If you drive or operate machinery, you have a responsibility to tell your employer if you take medication that makes you feel sleepy | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that if someone drives or uses machines, they need to inform their boss if they take medicine that makes them tired. This is important for safety. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'medication'. This means medicine that a person takes. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'medication' because in the passage, it says that employees must inform their employer if they take any medicine that makes them feel sleepy. This is important so that the employer can make sure the employee can work safely. |
| Q23 | F | We’re looking for two people to take over. If you’re interested, and can work an extra three or four hours a week (for extra pay, of course!), contact Maggie Campbell on 2146 | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the company is looking for two people to do a job. They need help in internal communications because they want someone to take over the content editor role on the company intranet. Answer Explanation: The answer is F. This means that notice F talks about the company needing help with internal communications. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is F because it mentions that the company is looking for two people to take over a part-time job of content editor for the company intranet. This job involves internal communications. |
| Q24 | E | Because of recent concerns about product quality, we're setting up a team to consider ways of raising quality and making recommendations for changes | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that there are worries about how good the products are. They are making a new team to think of ways to make the quality better and suggest changes. Answer Explanation: The answer is E, which means that notice E is about getting people to help improve something inside the company. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is E because this notice talks about a new team that is being set up to think of ways to improve product quality. It invites staff from any department to join and give their ideas, which shows that people are needed to help improve an internal system. |
| Q25 | G | We hope to re-start the company tennis championship, which hasn't taken place for the last three years | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the company wants to start the tennis competition again. It hasn't happened for a long time, but now they are asking staff if they want to join. Answer Explanation: The answer is G. This means that staff can join a competition. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is G because it talks about restarting the company tennis championship. The notice mentions that anyone interested in playing tennis should talk to Bill Sinclair, which means there is an invitation for staff to take part in a competition. |
| Q26 | D | As a result, we'll need to run the production line for an additional three hours each evening throughout the week beginning 13 March | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that workers are needed to work an extra three hours every night for one week. This means it's only for a short time, making it a limited request. Answer Explanation: The answer is D, which means workers are asked to work extra hours for a short time. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is D because it says that production workers can work for three extra hours each evening for one week. This is a temporary request to work more hours, which matches the statement about volunteers working overtime for a limited period. |
| Q27 | A | Staff based in that building will be individually notified of where they'll work for that time | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the staff who work in the Perkins Building will be told one by one about where they will work during the office changes. Answer Explanation: The answer is A. This means that staff will know where they will work for a while due to office changes. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because the notice says that when the refurbishment starts, staff in the Perkins Building will be individually told where they will work during that time. This shows that they will receive information about their temporary work location. |