How to Keep New Employees Safe During Their First 90 Days

Starting a new job can be an exciting and stressful experience for any employee. But for employers and safety professionals, it’s also a critical period to ensure that new hires stay safe and engaged right from the start. In my keynote presentation, “How to Keep New Employees Safe During Their First 90 Days,” I dive into the importance of the first 90 days as one of the most vulnerable periods for any employee—especially when it comes to safety.

The first 90 days are often the most dangerous time in an employee’s career, with nearly one-third of nonfatal injuries occurring during this period. My goal with this presentation is to help organizations build a more effective, structured, and engaging safety program that ensures new employees are set up for success, both in terms of safety and long-term retention.

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of delivering this presentation to organizations across industries, from large audiences at industry conferences to smaller businesses looking to enhance their safety protocols. As a safety professional with extensive experience in risk management, organizational culture, and safety leadership, I’ve seen firsthand how much potential there is to prevent injuries during this crucial period.

This presentation is designed for safety managers, HR professionals, operations leaders, and anyone involved in onboarding or training new employees. It’s especially beneficial for industries with high turnover rates or where job tasks involve physical labor, such as manufacturing, construction, and logistics.

The First 90 Days Are Critical

Statistics show that nearly one-third of nonfatal occupational injuries happen in the first year of employment, with many of these occurring during the first 90 days on the job. As safety leaders, we must take a proactive approach to protect new hires during this critical period. From the moment a new employee begins the hiring process, safety should be at the forefront of the conversation.

The first few months set the tone for the rest of an employee’s time with your company. It’s during this period that workers are most vulnerable, with distractions and stress affecting their ability to fully absorb the safety protocols and procedures. This is why it’s so important to have a solid plan in place.

Start Before They Start

I encourage employers to “start before they start.” The safety conversation should begin as soon as the job posting goes live. Does the job description clearly outline the risks associated with the position? Do job interviews include questions about safety behaviors and past experiences? By making safety a focal point early on, we establish clear expectations and show new hires that safety matters from the very beginning.

Key Strategies for Onboarding

It’s not enough to have a few safety slides in your onboarding effort. Safety training must be interactive, iterative, and continuous throughout the first 90 days. From day one, new hires should be introduced to the risks they’ll face on the job, the safety tools at their disposal, and the culture of safety that the company promotes.

• Role Clarity: New employees need to know what’s expected of them in terms of their job tasks and the safety requirements tied to those tasks.
• Social Integration: Beyond just job tasks, new hires need to feel like they belong. This sense of belonging will lead to better performance and higher engagement with safety practices.
• Ongoing Feedback: Provide feedback regularly, not just on performance, but on safety competencies. Celebrate when they demonstrate safe behaviors, and remember, it’s all about reinforcing positive actions.

One tool I recommend is having current employees mentor new hires. This shows that safety is a shared responsibility and fosters an environment of mutual support.

Avoiding Injuries During the First 90 Days

During these early days, accidents often occur due to a lack of familiarity with the job site and the associated risks. I emphasize that the key to preventing injuries is creating a culture where workers feel comfortable asking questions, admitting when they don’t know something, and being empowered to stop unsafe actions.

For example, in a manufacturing setting, common injuries during the first 90 days involve hand, finger, and wrist injuries, as well as back and head injuries. These can often be prevented by introducing clear safety protocols for all tasks and providing hands-on demonstrations for new employees. In fact, I encourage companies to use methods like job shadowing and real-time safety coaching to ensure employees understand how to work safely.

Leadership’s Role in Safety

Leaders have the power to shape the safety culture of the organization, and they must lead by example. I’ve found that companies that celebrate milestones, like “graduating” from the 90-day probation period, help new employees feel a sense of achievement and recognition. It can be as simple as awarding them with a safety certification. These types of celebrations reinforce safe practices and acknowledge the new hire’s commitment to safety.

How To Change Your Organization’s Safety Culture

This blog summarizes the key points from my keynote presentation, “How to Keep New Employees Safe During Their First 90 Days.” If you’re interested in implementing these strategies in your organization and reducing incidents during this critical onboarding period, let’s talk!

To discuss how we can apply these lessons and improve your organization’s safety culture, click here to schedule a meeting with me.