Answer review – Influencing health and safety culture

Hardly any learners use the facts that a serious avoidable accident and two deaths at the bakery have occurred.

Don’t be afraid to state the obvious. You might assume that some things are so obvious that they go without saying, but this is not always the case with scenario-based assessments.

Lack of management commitment is definitely a factor with this question and should be included in your answer (along with supporting information from the scenario). Just make sure you don’t end up writing 500 words just on this one aspect alone and overlook the wider range of factors that should be included.

Identifying a poor health and safety culture in the given scenario should be straightforward. Look for clues that indicate poor health and safety practices. Avoid simply copying information from the scenario, as it only demonstrates basic reading skills and won’t earn many points. Instead, provide a thoughtful analysis by expanding on the points you make to showcase your critical thinking abilities.

For instance, one indication of a poor health and safety culture is the lack of proper training for workers to repair the bread oven, as mentioned in the scenario. This suggests a lack of competence within this specific workforce segment. To elaborate further, the absence of adequate training may lead to workers attempting to repair the oven without the necessary skills and knowledge, resulting in increased risks of accidents or injuries. This reveals a failure in providing proper training and highlights a gap in the health and safety protocols.

By going beyond a mere mention of the scenario and providing additional insights and explanations, you can effectively demonstrate your ability to analyse and evaluate the health and safety culture in the given situation. This showcases your ability to think critically and make well-supported observations, leading to a more clear and concise assessment of the scenario.