We can manage risk with the proper training and by making sure a job site is up to code. We all know that we need safety training, first-aid kits on site, and insurance so that we’re covered if something does happen, but we often overlook safety when making new hires.
Some people are more accident-prone than others. These people might be very talented in any number of ways. They might have a promising future ahead of them working from home or joining a sales team, but construction isn’t for everyone. Here’s what you’re looking for if you’re hoping to avoiding hiring accident-prone employees:
Morning People
Construction is a daytime job. It’s a noisy job, and it’s hard to tile a roof at a quarter past midnight. Some of us love staying out all night, but we can adjust to a morning schedule when the job demands it. Others simply can’t get to sleep at a normal hour, and will wind up coming in to work on no sleep at all, guzzling energy drinks and coffee like water to make it through the day. If you have an employee who never seems to have gotten a decent night’s sleep in the morning, you’ll actually be doing them a favor by letting them go.
Sobriety
We’re not here to judge. Recreational marijuana has actually been legalized in many places and some people function just fine with a little boost in their system (heck what are coffee and cigarettes but drugs, anyways?). Others… not so much. You will need to exercise your own judgement in some cases, but it’s pretty safe to say that anyone coming in to work drunk or so high that they can barely stand up is a risk that you don’t need.
Experience
There’s nothing wrong with giving an opportunity to someone who’s never worked a professional construction job before, but you’re not looking to hire someone who’s never even picked up a hammer, and yes, those people are out there. Don’t take for granted that everyone who puts in an application is going to be able to handle basic tasks. You’d be surprised how many people don’t even know to keep their sleeves out of the way of a tablesaw.
An Interest in the Work
Someone who finds the work boring is going to let their mind wander. Someone who’s letting their mind wander isn’t paying attention.
An Even Temperament
There’s plenty of shouting going on on most construction sites. That goes with the territory. What you don’t want is someone who’s always itching for a fight, bickering with the other employees and complaining about the job.
Basically you’re looking for people who come to work ready to work, professionals who know the job and the dangers involved. You can make a professional out of an amateur, but you can’t make a professional out of someone who doesn’t care.
