Communication, Teamwork and Workplace Conduct
This section tests how you receive and confirm instructions, report problems, coordinate with other trades, and behave responsibly at work. Expect scenarios on drawing conflicts, toolbox talks, handovers, safety reporting, punctuality, and respectful conduct.
Core rules
- Confirm instructions by repeating them back or marking them on a sketch; do not rely on memory for dimensions or changes.
- If a drawing conflicts with site conditions, stop and report it. Get a written confirmation before changing the work.
- Report hazards and defects immediately, including damaged scaffolding, faulty tools, and unsafe access.
- Coordinate with other trades before cutting, drilling, or fixing; services and structure may be affected.
- Keep a clean handover: label materials, protect finished work, and record incomplete items.
- Treat workmates and clients with respect; follow site rules on PPE, smoking, mobile phones, and waste.
Worked example
A drawing specifies a 900 mm door opening, but the built opening measures 880 mm. Do not cut the lintel or force the frame. Stop, photograph and record the measurement, report to the supervisor, and ask for a written instruction. The reasoning: a verbal fix may solve the immediate problem but can create a structural or contractual problem; the correct response is to document and escalate.
Traps
- Guessing a dimension instead of asking.
- Accepting a verbal change without recording it.
- Blaming another trade instead of reporting the issue.
- Leaving a task without a handover note or protection for finished work.