safety interview question

[rajuv]

I recently failed a interview, Not received any feedback yet but I believe it was due to messing one question at the interview.
The interview question I messed up on was " what would you do if you see a colleague conduct a very serious safety breach"

Any tips on how to answer this and what answer they are looking for?

 

[12guard4]

If you can't answer that correctly you aren't right for the railway.

 

[Bletchleyite]

What is the correct answer, out of interest? The only one that could really be validly expected *at interview* i.e. prior to any safety training would be "to follow the appropriate reporting procedure immediately". Nobody outside the railway is going to know what that procedure is, surely?

("About to conduct..." may of course lead to a different answer if you were in a position to prevent it)

 

[Fran Davies]

So I think I would say,'tell them its wrong, attempt to stop them, reprt to someone who can stop them. If they do stop report it as a breach of safety anyway' Is that right? I imagine its a duty to try to stop them not just report?

 

[OneLowban]

@rajuv

What was your answer?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I assume that's aimed at @rajuv rather than me, as I do not work on the railway and never have done (nor applied to do so)

 

[OneLowban]

I assume that's aimed at @rajuv rather than me, as I do not work on the railway and never have done (nor applied to do so)

Yea sorry my mistake.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Yea sorry my mistake.

No worries

 

[Dynamonic]

The interviewers will know that you don’t know the actual procedure, but they want to see whether your natural responses would be sensible, safety conscious and in everyone’s best interests.
Your answer should be detailed and procedural based. (Think like a flowchart)
‘I’d do this first, if that worked I’d then do that. However, if I felt I couldn’t do this, I’d do this instead.’
You should demonstrate an understanding that the situation could have catastrophic consequences, which could be made worse if you didn’t do certain things correctly.

Fran Davies’ answer is similar to the answer that I used when I was asked that question.

Think safety, rules & procedures!

 

[falcon]

What is the correct answer, out of interest? The only one that could really be validly expected *at interview* i.e. prior to any safety training would be "to follow the appropriate reporting procedure immediately". Nobody outside the railway is going to know what that procedure is, surely?

("About to conduct..." may of course lead to a different answer if you were in a position to prevent it)

The precies reason that question is asked is - that someone outside the industry should know straight away that you ask the person to stop the serious safety breach and report the matter to your line manager at the first oportunity. If someone outside they industry does not know that they are without doubt not fit to work on the railway. It's "sorry you have not been sccessfull on this occasion"

 

[rajuv]

The precies reason that question is asked is - that someone outside the industry should know straight away that you ask the person to stop the serious safety breach and report the matter to your line manager at the first oportunity. If someone outside they industry does not know that they are without doubt not fit to work on the railway. It's "sorry you have not been sccessfull on this occasion"

That's exactly how I answered the question, also included appropriate disciplinary action in line with company policy

 

[Bletchleyite]

That's exactly how I answered the question, also included appropriate disciplinary action in line with company policy

Sounds like it wasn't that question then.

 

[Cerebral]

As a bonus, also maybe mention that the other person may not have realised they were doing anything unsafe. So by pointing it out you can learn from it, to score nicely in the learning outcomes of the situation for example...

 

[falcon]

That's exactly how I answered the question, also included appropriate disciplinary action in line with company policy

I don't think you should have mentioned disciplinary action. All you do is report the matter to your line manager then get on with your duties.