Hiring the Safety Conscientious
Hiring the Safety Conscientious
When should an employer begin discussing safety with employees? My experience with dental laboratories shows that it is typical for safety to be introduced to new employees during the orientation process. ThatÃs great to make it a part of information for new hires, but safety discussions should begin in the interviewing process.
Whether you use the traditional style of interviewing or the behavioral style, you can ask questions regarding safety performance that will give you a better insight into how the prospect will follow your safety and health rules, use your equipment safely and assist in improving your safety program by identifying unsafe conditions.
Here are some examples of questions to integrate into your interview process:
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Question or statement |
What you want to learn |
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Describe how your prior employer's safety program benefited you. |
You want to find out if the applicant has had to adhere to safety rules in prior employment and their attitude toward safety. |
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In your prior employment what role did you play in improving your employerÃs health and safety program? |
You may find out that the applicant has served on a safety committee. If they did and you have a safety committee, then you can discuss their opportunity to serve on the safety committee. |
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We require all employees to wear safety eyewear in production areas. In your prior employment what has been the most effective way your employer has enforced the safety rules such as use of personal protective equipment? |
You will see what reaction you get to the statement about wearing safety eyewear. Also, you may find out what motivates the applicant to follow the rules and how other employers enforce the rules. |
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The job you're applying for requires that you wear a respirator and that we perform fit testing. You will also be required to complete a confidential medical questionnaire that we'll submit to a licensed healthcare provider. What experience do you have with respirators? |
You need to make the applicant aware of this requirement if it is mandatory. If the applicant has facial hair and it will be required that he shave, then you need to discuss that issue. Remember to take precaution as far as discussing any medical conditions. |
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What experience have you had with handling of emergency situations? |
You may find out that the applicant has emergency training that could be helpful at your laboratory. |
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What types of safety training have you received from previous employers? |
You want to find out if the applicant has received any safety training in prior jobs. |
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What has been the most effective method of communication on safety issues that you've experienced in prior employment? |
You may find out new methods of communication for your own use, but also you want to find out how the applicant learns best. |
Incorporating these types of questions in your interview process can help you avoid hiring someone who has no intention of following your safety rules. Remember that it's best to structure an agenda for your interviews and ask every applicant the same questions. Selecting questions like the ones above that can't be answered with a yes or no allow you to learn more about the applicant and his or her past safety performance.
One last special note about a new resource for you is below.
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NIOSH unveils MRSA Web page A new resource to combat the spread of staph infections in general-industry workplaces is now available on NIOSH's Web site. You can view the Web site at www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/mrsa. About 1 percent of the population is colonized with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, which is a bacteria carried on the skin that can cause health effects ranging from minor skin problems such as boils to serious infections like pneumonia when it comes into contact with another infection, NIOSH said. The antibiotic-resistant bacteria spread through skin-to-skin contact, lack of cleanliness, contaminated items and other means. NIOSH provides several suggestions to avoid a staph infection at the workplace:
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