Safety Orientation – Set Your Safety Standards

We have meet with thousands of companies since starting proActive Safety Services in 2009. I have always been amazed by how many of the companies we meet with didn’t have a safety orientation for people they were putting in harm’s way.

Why is a safety orientation so important?

There are legal obligations that must be meet prior to assigning people to safety sensitive tasks. Furthermore, the chances of accidents and injuries increase dramatically during the first six months of employment. That means that your employees are more likely to get injured during their first 180 days on the job. In addition, over half of the time there is an accident or injury the person who was injured didn’t have the proper training or personal protective equipment that would have prevented the incident.

During the safety orientation you must set your safety standards. We highly recommend that a management leader, owner, or even the company president attend every safety orientation. The message that un safe work will not be tolerated and a number to call to report it is crucial. Your workers need to understand that the leaders of the company want every job to be completed in a safe manner. Not just the jobs, that the General Contractor or Construction Manager requires it.

Unfortunately, there is a segment of workers who actively fake accidents and injuries. With the high cost of worker’s compensation costs and the potential cost of litigating claims arising from accidents and injuries it is essential that you do everything you can to prevent accidents and injuries from happening. Having a safety orientation program that ensures your workers are introduced to the hazards they will encounter is vital to preventing accidents and injuries.

How long should the safety orientation last?

The length of your safety orientation will depend on the number of hazards and procedures that must be reviewed. Also, how your safety training program is structured will play into this. For instance, if your company requires a 30 Hour OSHA Outreach Training prior to employment. The length of the orientation could be much less depending on the complexity of the position.

What is the most important part of the safety orientation?

This is a tough question, however if I must choose, a job title specific job safety analysis review is the most important. It is difficult to know how to avoid a hazard if you don’t know it exists.

How would you rate the safety orientation program at your company? Could it be improved? If so, how?

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If you need assistance establishing a safety orientation program, please contact us by dialing 877-209-9648 or email sales@pasafety.com.