Task $1$: Demonstrating management commitmentSCENARIO

Feathers and Wings $($F&W$)$ is a tropical bird centre located in the small village of Driford. F&W has

$18$ species of birds kept in purpose$-$built aviaries $($bird houses$).$ Each aviary has an indoor and

outdoor area. There are also nesting boxes in the trees surrounding the centre, which the native bird

species use.

F&W has had financial difficulties for the last $18$ months, which has forced the owner to sell the

centre to Animal World. This will not affect the jobs of the current workers, or the previous owner

who has kept their position as the managing director $($MD$).$ However, when on site, the MD spends

most of their time in the office on the telephone. It is hoped that the sale will lead to investment in the

centre and increase the number of visitors each year. As part of this sale, a health and safety

consultant $($HSC$)$ will soon be auditing F&W$\text{'}$s current health and safety arrangements.

Other than the aviaries, the site has a small office and a small rest area. Next to the rest area, there

is a food preparation area, where the food for the birds is prepared. Outside is a shipping container,

containing all the equipment for cleaning out the aviaries and maintaining the centre. The equipment

includes brushes, spades, buckets, hammers, screwdrivers and ladders. An old training matrix is

attached to one of the shipping container doors. There is also a large open$-$topped waste container

for general waste, located next to the shipping container. At the entrance to the centre is a small

entrance booth where payment is taken from visitors.

Recently, four school leavers under the age of $18$ years have joined the centre as part$-$time bird

keepers. In addition, there are $6$ full$-$time bird keepers. Worker A has been working at the centre the

longest and considers themselves to be more superior to the rest of the workers. Worker A thinks

that the younger workers are lazy and frequently orders them around. The younger workers have

tried to talk to the MD about worker A$\text{'}$s attitude, but whenever they do$,$ the MD always tells them to

come and talk to them when they are not as busy.

As part of the recent sale of F&W$,$ Animal World has agreed to a new, larger, owl aviary to be built.

The MD has allocated an area for this at the far end of the centre. Before building the new owl

aviary, the area needs to be cleared of undergrowth. In addition, $5$ nesting boxes, attached to trees

in this area, need to be relocated. To keep the costs down, the MD has agreed with Animal World

that the F&W bird keepers will do all of this work.

HSC visit

The next morning, the HSC from Animal World is due at the centre at $10$:$30.$ Workers B and C have

started to clear the undergrowth and are placing this in the open$-$topped waste container. The MD is

in the office collating the health and safety information for the HSC$.$ As workers arrive, they sign in

on the clipboard just inside the office.

When the HSC arrives, they cannot find any workers. The worker manning the entrance booth had

decided to go and make a hot drink as there have only been $4$ visitors so far today. After wandering

around for ten minutes, the HSC eventually finds the MD in the office. After an initial discussion, the

HSC asks about the health and safety arrangements that the centre has in place. The MD hands the

HSC a thin folder. The HSC has a quick look in the folder and sees a health and safety policy

statement, and a generic risk assessment for working at the centre. Both are dated $2018.$ The HSC

asks if the policy statement is displayed anywhere and to see any accident records. The MD replies

that the policy is not displayed anywhere and that they have not had any accidents. The HSC

suspects that this is not the case, but asks if they can talk to the workers.

Relocation of nesting boxes

Workers

$1$ How does the Managing Director demonstrate poor management commitment

to health and safety?

Note: You should support your answer, where applicable, using relevant

information from the scenario.

Task $2$: Improving communication at F&W

$2$ Effective communication is essential to positively influence health and safety

culture.

How could health and safety communication be improved at F&W$?$

Note: You should support your answer, where applicable, using relevant

information from the scenario.

Task $3$: Advising on audits and inspections

$3$ The MD is talking to the HSC about the audit they are doing for Animal World.

The MD appears confused about audits and inspections.

Advise the MD on the differences between an audit and a workplace

inspection.

Task $4$: Working within a health and safety management system

$4$ To help improve Feather & Wings $($F&W$)$ future health and safety performance,

the HSC recommends that a formal health and safety management system be

implemented.

How will the centre benefit from a formal health and safety management

system?

Note: You should support your answer, where applicable, using relevant

information from the scenario.