How Onboarding Safety Training Reduces New Hire Injury Risks

Every workplace in every industry comes with some level of risk. This could be a high-risk industry like construction or manufacturing, with very obvious hazards such as heavy equipment and machinery, or it could be less obvious, such as ergonomic risks faced by office workers. Regardless, these hazards are why safety training is so important, especially during the onboarding process.

Onboarding safety training is the process of teaching new hires how to stay safe on the job. It often includes topics such as emergency procedures, fire hazards and fire extinguisher use, and industry specific topics like forklift or ladder safety. The goal is to make sure that every new employee knows how to recognize the hazards in their workplace, follow safety rules, and work without putting themselves—or others—at risk.

Obviously, training is important for everyone in an organization, but new hires are more likely to get hurt than experienced workers, as they are unfamiliar with the environment, the tasks, and the safety procedures. Without proper training, they’re more likely to make mistakes, take shortcuts, or misunderstand what’s expected of them.

According to the Travelers 2025 Injury Impact Report, 36% of injuries happen during an employee’s first year. This is a 1% increase from the previous year, which was already a 1% increase from 2023. This trend means that the danger first-year employees face is on the rise, making onboarding training more important now than ever before.

In this post, we will explain why new hires face higher injury risks, how onboarding safety training helps reduce those risks, and how to know if your safety training is working.

It’s no surprise that new employees are more likely to be injured on the job. As previously stated, new employees experience a disproportionately high number of workplace injuries. But, why is this the case? Well, there are a few reasons, such as:

• A lack of experience: New workers don’t always know how to safely use tools and equipment, or how to recognize hazards in the workplace, which could lead to them performing work in an unsafe way.
• Unfamiliarity with safety rules: Even if they’ve worked a similar job before, every workplace has its own procedures. Without guidance on specific protocol, new hires might miss important steps and perform tasks improperly.
• Trying to “fit in”: Many new hires feel pressure to keep up, prove themselves, or not ask too many questions. This mindset can lead them to take unsafe shortcuts, take on tasks beyond their capabilities, and avoid asking for help when they need it.

An employee’s early days on the job are critical. That’s why onboarding safety training needs to be more than just a box to check and a certificate to obtain; it must be taken seriously and built to be effective.

Good onboarding safety training does more than just teach people the rules; it sets the tone for how seriously your organization takes safety, and it gives new hires the tools they need to perform work safely. Onboarding safety training reduces risk by:

• Introducing job-specific hazards: Every role has unique dangers. Safety training helps new workers understand what hazards they’ll face before they’re exposed to them, how to spot the hazards, and what to do to combat/avoid them.
• Reinforcing the safety culture: When safety is a part of onboarding, it sends the message that safety matters. New employees learn right off the bat that following safety rules is not an option, especially when they see other employees following the policies and procedures laid out during training.
• Building confidence to speak up: New hires often don’t want to admit when they’re unsure or uncomfortable, but no one should wait for disaster to learn. Good training encourages questions and teaches that speaking up is a part of working safely.
• Encouraging safe habits from the start: Habits form early. When new hires learn the right way to do things from day one, they’re more likely to follow those habits long-term, strengthening the culture in your workplace.

To be effective, onboarding safety training needs to cover a mix of general and job-specific content. At a minimum, it should include:

• Emergency procedures: How to respond in the case of a fire, chemical spill, severe weather, or medical emergency. Make sure new hires know where to go and what to do.
• Incident reporting: Explain how to report injuries, near misses, or unsafe conditions. Stress that reporting is always encouraged and never punished.
• Personal protective equipment (PPE): Teach what PPE is required for the job, when to use it, and how to wear it correctly.
• Preventing slips, trips, and falls: This is one of the most common causes of workplace injuries, especially for new hires. In fact, according to the same report from earlier, slips, trips, and falls made up 27% of injuries over the past five years, the second most of any cause of injury! Because of this, it’s important to teach proper housekeeping, walking surfaces, and hazard awareness.

Additionally, training should cover job-specific hazards, such as working with machinery, chemicals, electrical tools, forklifts, or in confined spaces. Safety training cannot be generic; there is no such thing as “one-size-fits-all” training.

Want to know if your onboarding safety training is making a difference? Start by being mindful of:

• Injury trends: Are new hire injuries going down over time? If not, your training may not be doing enough to reduce risk.
• Knowledge checks: Use quizzes, discussions, or hands-on tests to see what new hires remember and how well they understand safety procedures.
• Behavior observations: Are new hires using PPE correctly? Are they reporting hazards and following proper procedures when performing work? Observing their behavior gives a real-time view of how training translates to action.
• Feedback loops: Ask new hires what they thought of the training. What was helpful? What was confusing? Use this feedback to keep improving. Additionally, if injuries or near misses are happening in specific areas, and employee feedback shows knowledge gaps there, update your training to address these issues.

The best way to track these is by using a powerful Learning Management System (LMS), such as Capability, and utilizing automated online training. These systems can track reported incidents to help you make quick decisions. To learn more, click here.

To create long-term success in workplace operations, safety has to start the moment a new hire begins. Habits must be formed immediately, because creating a mindset is easier than changing one.

One injury is one too many. The time and effort spent on quality training will always be worth it. When a person begins working for your organization, they are trusting you to give them all the tools needed to stay safe in daily operations. You have a responsibility to provide these tools. Don’t take shortcuts, and don’t let them down. Take safety seriously right from the start.

Remember: safety isn’t something you learn, it’s something you live, and the best way to build safe habits is to start growing them on day one.

Capability’s online safety training courses help to educate employees on workplace safety and health regulations, policies, and best practices. These courses cover a wide range of topics, all designed to fit the needs of various industries. To find the courses you need for your business today, click here.