Workplace Safety Tips for New Employees

Date: 04.03.2011

What do you think is the factor that plays the most significant role in determining whether a particular workplace will grapple with ongoing safety issues? Surprisingly, experts say that it’s not the type of industry setting that most influences workplace safety – instead, it’s the organizational culture of each workplace. If there is an established “culture of safety” within a particular company, work-related illnesses and injuries are far less likely to occur.

As a result, the on-boarding, orientation, and training process that your company initiates for new hires represent a unique opportunity to reinforce a culture of workplace safety. Here are a few tips to ensure that new employees get the information they need to stay safe and healthy on the job.

• Comprehensiveness is key. When it comes to imparting workplace safety information, less is not more. Give yourself enough time to discuss every aspect of the company’s workplace safety procedures from start to finish. Don’t assume any prior knowledge on the new employee’s part.
• Use hands-on training whenever possible. Studies have shown that listening to an instructor drone on and on in a lecture hall-like environment is one of the least effective methods of retaining information. Whenever you can, use the actual equipment and office space where the new employee will be working as a hands-on learning lab of sorts.
• Make it a two-way conversation. In order to enhance the training experience, aim for engagement and interactivity. Allow plenty of time for questions and clarification.
• Follow up. Although most safety training occurs during the new-hire orientation phase, workplaces that aspire to having “culture of safety” should regard this process as ongoing, rather than finite. Schedule regular follow-up training sessions, especially during an employee’s first year on the job.

On-boarding a new employee is a rare opportunity to instil proper safety procedures. Make the most of it!