Health and safety induction is a critical component of onboarding new employees and ensuring their awareness of workplace hazards, safe work practices, and emergency procedures. Effective induction helps to prevent accidents, promote a safe working culture, and comply with legal requirements. 

The primary purpose of health and safety induction is to equip new employees with the knowledge and skills necessary to work safely in their assigned roles.  

The objectives of induction typically include: 

• Company Safety Policy and Culture: Explain the organisation’s commitment to health and safety, emphasising the importance of employee participation in achieving a safe working environment. 
• Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment: Introduce the concept of hazard identification and risk assessment, providing examples of common workplace hazards and their associated risks. 
• Safe Work Practices and Procedures: Provide specific instructions on safe work practices relevant to the employee’s role, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), proper lifting techniques, and hazard reporting procedures. 
• Emergency Procedures and Evacuation Plans: Explain emergency procedures in detail, including fire alarms, evacuation routes, assembly points, and first aid arrangements. 
• Individual Responsibilities and Reporting: Emphasise the individual responsibility of each employee to work safely and report any hazards or incidents. 

Induction training should be an ongoing process, regularly updated to reflect changes in workplace hazards, safety regulations, and employee roles. Regular refresher training can reinforce key safety messages and ensure that all employees remain up to date on the latest safety procedures.