A Model of New Employee Safety Risks

Abstract

This chapter describes the new employee safety risk model which I have developed to explain causes behind the high accident rates associated with new employees. The model, shown in Fig. 1.1, also provides the structure for the chapters of this book. In each of the chapters, specific parts of the new employee safety risk model are discussed in detail, and as such, only a brief overview of each part of the model is given in this chapter. Each chapter presents research findings to support the proposed causal mechanisms behind new employee accidents and offers suggestions on how the specific safety risks associated with each causal mechanism can be managed. The model is structured (from left to right) to follow the path of entry of a new employee into an organization, and this structure helps outline the key safety risk factors associated with each point during the entry process, and into a new employee’s initial period of employment (e.g., approximately the first 3 months).