An Introduction to the Safety Induction

An Introduction to the Safety Induction

A safety induction is a training session designed to teach your employees about your worksite, organization, emergency procedures, rules, safety management plan, incident and hazard reporting requirements, and other important aspects of your company’s operation.

A safety induction normally lasts between 30 minutes and two hours.

What does a safety induction cover?

The following are general topics that may be discussed during a safety induction:

· General safety policies, rules, and procedures

· Overview of the company

· Site tour

· Outline of rules

· Job and site hazards

· Hazard reporting

· Incident reporting

· Safety management plan

· Emergency equipment and procedures

· Necessary personal protection equipment

· Standard health and safety information

· Required training

· First aid

· Employee safety responsibilities

· Qualifications and licenses

· Security and access

· Housekeeping rules and duties

· Who to ask for help when questions or concerns arise

What are the benefits of providing a safety induction?

There are many advantages to providing a safety induction—here are a few of the most important:

· Legal compliance: in Australia, providing a safety induction for every worker on site is required

· Accident reduction: properly trained workers are less likely to make mistakes

· Increased employee confidence: workers who know what they are doing perform more confidently

· More efficient workers: employees familiar with correct procedures can follow them more quickly and with less assistance

· Enhanced company image: it is expected that a professional company will provide a proper safety induction

· Ethical benefits: providing safety induction training to protect employees is the right thing to do

How can I make a safety induction session more memorable for my workers?

Here are a few tips from the Digicast white paper, How to Improve the Timing of your Induction Training:

· Use a combination of text and images in your training material

· Keep sentences and words short

· Write at a tenth grade reading level or lower

· Incorporate demonstrations, which may include videos

· Try to keep it short without rushing through the material

Where can I download a safety induction checklist template?

A safety induction checklist template which provides all of the basic information while leaving room for customization is available free from ACRIS Services. This safety induction template can be printed out as many times as needed to provide a copy to each of your workers.

The bottom line on the safety induction…

A safety induction is a legally required training session that provides many benefits to your employees. Present all of the information you need in an entertaining way and use a free safety induction template as a resource to guide you. Lives depend on it!