Business Update (Issue 25)

Employing a New Worker

Get your workers off to a safe and productive start so they work to live! A new worker is three times more likely to be injured at work than other workers—they require the safest possible start to their new job.

Make sure you have a safe workplace

Before hiring a new worker you should identify the possible health and safety issues in your business and take action to address them.

Review the job

Writing a job description is a good way for employers to understand the job a new worker will fill. You should consider the risks associated with a job and implement action to address these risks.

Hire the right person

A planned selection process assists you in hiring the right worker for a job.

Definition of a ‘new worker’

When the term ‘new worker’ is mentioned, we often think of school leavers entering the workforce and other young workers. While they are an important group of new workers, the definition also includes anyone re-entering the workforce, people who are changing jobs, and, in fact anyone who has been with their employer for less than twelve months.

Contributing factors to new worker injuries

As people new to a business or job are often inexperienced and unfamiliar with the new work environment, procedures, equipment, materials, machinery and tools that may be required to do the job, they are at a greater risk of injury or illness while at work.

New workers often don’t receive the information, instruction, training or supervision required, particularly in regard to health and safety. They are often keen to impress their employer, supervisor and fellow workers. This, combined with the fact that they don’t want to be seen as trouble makers or as incompetent, means they don’t often raise health and safety issues at work.

Your responsibility to provide information, supervision and training

It is your responsibility as an employer to provide all workers with adequate information, instruction, training and supervision, in a form appropriate to new workers.

You cannot simply put a new worker into a new job and expect they will work safely. Nor is it enough to simply provide new workers with a booklet, as they may not read it or be able to understand it. When providing workers with information and instructions, make sure you take into account language or literacy needs.

Taking on a new worker

Review the job
Before you employ a new worker have a clear understanding of the role this worker will be fulfilling and the work that will need to be done. You will also need an understanding of the skills and abilities required for someone to successfully perform that job. Developing a job description can help you outline the specific job requirements.

Recruit the right person
Develop a selection process that will enable you to select the appropriate person for the job first time. The process should include interview questions, practical demonstrations, reference checks and health assessments, if they are appropriate.

The importance of induction

A worker’s experiences in the first few weeks on a new job/task will help shape their attitudes to their work, workplace and work mates. Induction provides a way for you, as the employer, to positively influence existing workers, and people new to your business through the provision of information, training and supervision.

Does every new worker need information and training?

The answer is: YES

Information supplied by WorkCover, South Australia

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