A well-planned & well-trained hire can provide extra help and new skills, but on the other hand, a poorly planned & poorly-trained new hire can bring increased costs if you're not careful. New hires pose serious workplace safety risk and their salary could be trivial compared to the cost of a workplace injury.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 40% of workers injured have been on the job less than one year.
Safety is not common sense. It takes training, time, and attention to create a safe workplace. Review the basics with each new hire: written safety policy, drug-free workplace policy, personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements, and specific safety rules with each machine or task.
Taking extra time with new hires on the job site can save a life, limb, or prevent a serious injury. Losses and injuries have real effects on profitability through workers' compensation cost increases and lost productivity.
Safety requires more than a signature. Follow-up to safety training is very important. Double-check to be sure that employees (especially new hires) understand their jobs, have the tools and equipment they need, and are using them safely.
Let your employees know how serious you are about safety, and let’s keep the conversation going year round. Interested in learning more? Reach out to the SynchronyHR Risk Management team today!
*This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice. For further information, please consult a risk management professional.