It’s no surprise that younger people can be foolhardy when it comes to how they conduct themselves which can spell trouble for employers. A large percentage of the population hasn’t lived long enough to have that pesky but sometimes useful emotion of fear instilled within them. We’ll never get anywhere as a society if older people never give them a chance though. If you’re an employer, you’ve probably wrestled with this problem time and time again, and while frustrating, you can step up your safety training before they even get on the job to lessen the risks.Repetition Is Your Friend
It’s not necessarily pandering to repeat the same things over and over again to a young person, it’s just a way to trigger warning bells in their head before a disaster occurs. It has nothing to do with intelligence, it’s just human nature that we only have room in our brains for so much working information at any given time. For example, if they come across a piece of machinery, then they should have been over the proper safety protocol enough times that they don’t even have to think about what to do. It becomes entirely instinctual for them to make that first step. Also, you might think about trying different mediums to get the message across. Some people learn better by reading, others through practical demonstration or visual charts or videos.
Walking Them Through It
Specifics can be helpful here, so set up as many practical demonstrations as possible. Look through all of the ways someone has injured themselves in the past, and ensure that the emphasis is put on these problem areas. In a real emergency, you can’t account for everything, but giving them a sense of caution can be enough to stop them from making a terrible choice. This can help them strike the right balance between paralyzing fear and impetuous actions. Find out how much they already know about worker safety before they even begin their job, and ask them to seek out the potential hazards in every demonstration before you tell them. They may even bring something to your attention that you hadn’t yet considered.
Two Way Communication
You’ll need their input as much as they need yours. If an accident almost occurred, then they should bring this to your attention, so you have the opportunity to address the problem. If they’re developing an injury due to work, you need that information when it starts before the problem is exacerbated with the same activity. Encourage them to talk to you or write you a note, even if they don’t think it’s worth mentioning. You can be the judge, and you can set up your communication in such a way that doesn’t make them feel like they’re wasting your time.
