Help Protect New and Less Experienced Employees from Injury

According to a 2022 study reported in Safety + Health Magazine, first-year injuries led to more than 6 million missed workdays—37% of all absences caused by occupational injury! Of the new-worker incidents, overexertion was at the top of the list—accounting for 27% of injury causes, with “slips, trips and falls” coming in second at 22%. Sprains and strains were the most common injuries at 38%.² Employees in their first month are more than four times as likely to have a lost-time claim than those with a one-year tenure, according to Risk & Insurance, with one in eight work injuries occurring on an employee’s first day.³ These troubling findings give us opportunity to examine contributing factors and what can be done to prevent some of these injuries.

When new to a role, it’s human nature to have first-day jitters or heightened nerves as we try to make a good impression on our new supervisors and coworkers. Another obvious contributor is that sometimes new employees simply haven’t had time to develop the skills needed to safely perform their jobs.

Other factors are worth discussion, as well. Periods of lower unemployment may play a part. As employees leave higher risk jobs for work that’s more desirable and less physically demanding, the resulting open positions are often the riskiest. With lower unemployment, businesses are left to fill these positions with a smaller pool of candidates. And this can begin a cycle of less experienced workers being hired and injured on the job.

Safety education and training should be a priority for all staff—giving special attention to employees who haven’t yet gained a familiarity with your business or those who lack experience in a particular operation in which they’re scheduled to work. This includes detailed safety orientations for newly hired workers as well as existing employees who will take on a new role.

Employees should be informed of your company’s commitment to safety and the expectation that all employees perform their jobs safely to help avoid incidents. Training should also include reviewing procedures with employees prior to their assignment to a task that exposes them to hazards that might be new to them, such as chemicals or equipment. Orientations can be conducted by a supervisor, risk manager, HR representative, or other official. Specific role and task training should be performed by a competent person—someone with sufficient training, experience, and knowledge.

• Consider pre-employment testing to help ensure that potential employees are physically and mentally able to perform the job tasks safely (be sure to clear this with your Human Resources department first)
• Implement a written workplace safety program and make it available to all employees
• Train all employees on their specific roles in safety and expectations before they begin work and continue training on an ongoing basis
• Include ergonomics training, safe lifting techniques, and stretching recommendations to help prevent musculoskeletal disorders and injuries
• Keep procedure manuals updated
• Train employees on how to look for and report hazards
• Make sure your program includes training on all tools and equipment
• Conduct routine safety checks, including daily checks to make sure equipment is working properly
• Use colors and clear signage to indicate risks in work areas
• Encourage questions and open discussion about safety
• Observe employee practices and behaviors and provide feedback