First-Time Supervisor Fundamentals Course: Documenting and escalating issues

1. Question 1 of 15

   Which belongs in a supervisor's note about an incident?

   • AYour guess about why the worker seems lazy or careless
   • BYour personal feelings about the client and the site
   • CThe date, time, place, people involved and what you saw
   • DRumours you heard from staff on the other shifts
   Show answer

   Answer: C. The date, time, place, people involved and what you saw

   Good notes record the facts: when, where, who, what happened and what you did.

2. Question 2 of 15

   Which statement is a fact, not an opinion?

   • A"Jordan arrived at 7:25 for a 7:00 shift."
   • B"Jordan doesn't care about the job anymore."
   • C"Jordan has a bad attitude toward the team."
   • D"Jordan is always late, every single week."
   Show answer

   Answer: A. "Jordan arrived at 7:25 for a 7:00 shift."

   A fact can be checked: a time, a place, words said. Opinions and words like "always" are not facts.

3. Question 3 of 15

   When should you write your notes about an incident?

   • AAt the end of the month, with all other reports
   • BOnly if a manager or lawyer asks for them
   • CAfter talking it over with the whole team first
   • DAs soon as possible, while details are fresh
   Show answer

   Answer: D. As soon as possible, while details are fresh

   Memory fades quickly. Notes written soon after are more accurate and more believable.

4. Question 4 of 15

   You find an error in a note you wrote yesterday. What should you do?

   • AAdd a dated correction without erasing the original
   • BAsk a co-worker to rewrite the note in their own words
   • CLeave the error as it is, because notes cannot be changed
   • DDelete the note and write a new one with yesterday's date on it
   Show answer

   Answer: A. Add a dated correction without erasing the original

   Records must be trustworthy. A dated correction shows what changed and when, without hiding anything.

5. Question 5 of 15

   Where should coaching notes about a team member be kept?

   • AIn a secure place, shared only with those who need to know
   • BOn the staff room notice board, so everyone knows the rules
   • CIn your personal social media messages, for quick access
   • DIn the team group chat, so other leads can see them
   Show answer

   Answer: A. In a secure place, shared only with those who need to know

   Notes about people are private. Keep them secure and share them only with people who need them for their work.

6. Question 6 of 15

   In Alberta, how long must employers keep employment records?

   • A3 years
   • B10 years
   • C6 months
   • D1 year
   Show answer

   Answer: A. 3 years

   Alberta's payment of earnings rules say employers must keep employment records for 3 years.

7. Question 7 of 15

   According to CCOHS, what is the main purpose of an incident investigation?

   • ATo find the facts that lead to corrective action, not to find fault
   • BTo satisfy the insurance company only
   • CTo decide who should be disciplined or fired
   • DTo prove that the injured worker was careless
   Show answer

   Answer: A. To find the facts that lead to corrective action, not to find fault

   CCOHS says investigations look for facts and causes so the incident does not happen again, not for blame.

8. Question 8 of 15

   A stack of boxes falls in a warehouse aisle just after a worker walks past. Nobody is hurt. What is this?

   • AA lost-time injury that must go to workers' compensation
   • BA near miss, which needs no follow-up because no one was hurt
   • CA near miss, which should be investigated
   • DNothing that needs a record, since nobody was hurt
   Show answer

   Answer: C. A near miss, which should be investigated

   A near miss could have caused harm but did not. CCOHS says near misses should be investigated too, to prevent a future incident.

9. Question 9 of 15

   After a fight in a hotel bar, how should witnesses be interviewed?

   • AA week later, when everyone has calmed down
   • BSeparately, one at a time, as soon as possible
   • CTogether in a group, so they can agree on one story
   • DOnly with yes-or-no questions, to keep it short
   Show answer

   Answer: B. Separately, one at a time, as soon as possible

   CCOHS advises interviewing witnesses alone and soon, using open questions.

10. Question 10 of 15

    Why should a security supervisor check CCTV soon after an incident?

    • AFootage cannot be used as evidence after 24 hours
    • BRecordings can be overwritten, so footage may be lost
    • CThe client always deletes the footage every morning
    • DCameras only keep the last minute of video at any time
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Recordings can be overwritten, so footage may be lost

    CCOHS advises checking for video before it is overwritten.

11. Question 11 of 15

    Before anything is moved at an incident scene, what should you do if it is safe?

    • APost photos on social media
    • BSend everyone home
    • CClean up the area
    • DPhotograph the scene
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Photograph the scene

    CCOHS advises photographing the scene before anything is moved, so the evidence is kept.

12. Question 12 of 15

    Which situation should a new retail supervisor escalate rather than handle alone?

    • AA customer asking for a price check on a sale item
    • BA complaint of harassment against another supervisor
    • CTwo workers swapping lunch times, which you are allowed to approve
    • DA cashier asking where the spare receipt rolls are kept
    Show answer

    Answer: B. A complaint of harassment against another supervisor

    Harassment complaints, especially about someone in authority, go through the policy and usually to a manager or HR.

13. Question 13 of 15

    A guard calls you: a person is threatening staff with a knife in the lobby. What first?

    • AEmail your manager about it and wait for a reply
    • BMake sure 911 is called and people get to safety
    • CGo to the lobby and take the knife away yourself
    • DWrite the incident report while the details are fresh
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Make sure 911 is called and people get to safety

    In immediate danger, emergency services and people's safety come first. Notify your manager after.

14. Question 14 of 15

    When you escalate a problem to your manager, what should your message include?

    • AWhat happened, what you did, what you need and how urgent it is
    • BOnly the words "We have a problem, call me"
    • CYour opinion of who is to blame and how they should be punished
    • DEvery unrelated problem from the past few months
    Show answer

    Answer: A. What happened, what you did, what you need and how urgent it is

    A complete message lets your manager act quickly without guessing.

15. Question 15 of 15

    What should the recommendations in an incident report focus on?

    • ADisciplining the worker as the main fix for the problem
    • BGeneral advice like "everyone should be more careful"
    • CNo changes, because most incidents are just bad luck
    • DSpecific fixes for root causes, such as a new procedure
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Specific fixes for root causes, such as a new procedure

    CCOHS says recommendations should be specific, address root causes, and help the worker not repeat the action rather than focus on discipline.

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