How to Prevent Workplace Injury in First-year Employees and What to Do If It Happens

With an abundance of supporting evidence – going back almost a century – it’s a widely accepted reality that employees are more likely to experience a work-related illness or injury during their first 12 months on the job. In fact, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that new employees are five times more likely to get injured than more seasoned employees.  Understandably, many employers assume that youth and inexperience are the leading causes of this phenomenon. While these are certainly key ingredients for some first-year injuries, recent studies have shown that neither age nor experience is the primary culprit. Instead, “newness” to a particular role or work environment seems to be the deciding factor in most first-year work injuries.  Armed with this data, Concentra® helps employers reduce the risk of illness and injury among new employees – and minimize the consequences of first-year injuries that do occur – through strategic occupational health care solutions.
Breaking Down First-year Injuries
When defining a first-year injury, it’s important to only consider the employee’s time in their current role and work environment. Again, continuous tenure is often regarded as the most influential factor in work-related injury rates.  More employees than ever before are re-entering the workforce after retirement or an extended absence, with many others choosing to transition into a new role or move to a completely different industry altogether.4 Since the year 2000, in fact, there has been a 10 percent increase in employees over the age of 55 in the workforce. With the steep rise in (what are considered) “new employees,” and – because new employees are at the greatest risk for sustaining an injury – it is critical that employers take action to prevent these injuries.
In an analysis of more than 1.2 million workers’ compensation claims, Travelers Insurance reported that 37 percent of all workplace injuries occurred during an employee’s first year on the job, with the restaurant, construction, and transportation industries being among the worst affected. For instance, over half of workers’ compensation claims in the restaurant industry involved first-year employees, with slips, trips, and falls topping the list of causes. 
Regardless of when they occur, work-related injuries can be damaging to both the employee and employer. For employees, an on-the-job injury can lead to lost wages, fear of a repeat injury, and the inability to perform certain tasks. For employers, workplace injuries often result in absenteeism, presenteeism, decreased productivity, increased claims costs, and employee turnover. Travelers Insurance also reported more than five million lost workdays associated with first-year injuries alone.
Preventing New Employee Injury With the Help of an Occupational Health Partner
Concentra’s dedicated team of clinicians, analysts, and occupational health care experts can help employers and employees alike to avoid the costly and disruptive consequences of first-year workplace injuries. Among the most effective tools and techniques for preventing new employee injuries are:

• Skill assessments: Ensuring a new hire can perform their intended job functions plays a crucial role in preventing work-related injuries. Through Human Performance Evaluations (HPEs), Concentra clinicians can assess a potential employee’s skills and abilities between the acceptance of an offer and the first day of employment. These evaluations can also help to identify modifications to the employee’s job duties that may be necessary to safeguard them from injury.
• Workplace safety evaluations: Continuous assessment and updating of workplace health and safety standards – through ergonomic evaluations, clinical consultations, and other Concentra services – helps employers stay aware of potential hazards in the workplace and proactively address them before injury occurs.
• Early education and training: By outlining the full scope of duties and responsibilities associated with a particular role from day one, employers can ensure their new hires understand the detailed demands of a position and can express any potential concerns. Based on this outline, a comprehensive training program can be developed and implemented immediately upon hire, eliminating the window of uncertainty or vulnerability that is often responsible for early employee injuries.

From a broader perspective, employers should be deliberate in hiring and placing new employees, with the prevention of first-year injuries as a primary motivation. Oftentimes, rank or seniority results in the most perilous duties falling to new employees, which adds to first-year injury occurrences.⁸ To combat this – and to reduce the risk of early injury – new hires should be introduced to progressively complex or advanced tasks over time.
Even with dedicated occupational safety and health protocols in place, studies show that most industries will record some first-year injuries in each reporting period.  When unavoidable first-year injuries do occur, the employer’s focus must shift to minimizing the consequences of that injury – for both the business and the employee. For first-year employees specifically, an injury sustained early during their tenure may be particularly traumatic and amplify the expected fear or hesitation an employee may have about returning to work. Early injuries can also lead new employees to question whether they can (or should) perform their job functions altogether. Ultimately, these unique challenges can lead to lengthy absences, decreased productivity, increased claims costs, and pronounced employee turnover.
Another beneficial step in the face of an early injury is to gather data that can help prevent similar incidents. By studying first-year injuries within specific roles and among certain employee groups, Concentra can identify injury patterns and their possible causes, ultimately allowing employers to make strategic changes to their procedures and operations to reduce subsequent injuries in those same settings.
With more “new employees” entering, re-entering, or moving throughout the workforce in recent years, it is more important than ever for employers to understand the potential impact of first-year injuries and to take an active role in early injury prevention. With the help of Concentra, first-year injury rates can be reduced, employees can return to work sooner and more confidently, and subsequent injuries can be prevented. To learn more about protecting your workforce with integrated occupational health and safety solutions, contact Concentra to speak with one of our knowledgeable team members today.