A safety focus that starts during the recruitment process can improve organisational safety, lower costs, and support compliance with legal requirements. For 20 years, Cameron has driven key initiatives to reduce incidents for Acclaimed Workforce and worked closely with clients to reduce workplace injuries. He has witnessed the positive impact of incremental changes to safety, entering the workforce in the late 1980s in construction, then managing Acclaimed Workforce’s (formerly Baytech) Victorian recruitment operations for 10 years, prior to becoming a HSE Manager.

“Every action, proactive and reactive, taken towards making a workplace safer helps to protect employees,” Cameron says. “We know this starts with the recruitment process because we have seen how key changes to our recruitment processes have reduced injuries over time.”

Given two thirds of all services claims fall within the categories of potentially preventable joint/muscular, wounds or musculoskeletal injuries, starting early can help. We look at four ways you can reduce safety risks during recruitment.

1. Focus on safety during the interview 

For specific roles, safety knowledge is a critical attribute that should be assessed. Asking questions related to safety will assist you in understanding a candidate’s safety experience and equally importantly, attitudes towards safety. Depending on the role, this may be an essential component to a hiring decision.

“Responses to safety questions can be useful in customising onboarding programs and supervision levels for new starters,” explains Cameron. “The statistics demonstrate that inexperienced people, often young workers, are at higher risk.” While online safety inductions are useful and educational, they are only one step in the learning process, which requires constant reinforcement. The right questions during an interview may help to stop organisations assuming safety knowledge.

Below are five simple general questions:

• Tell me about the safety training you’ve undertaken? What do you think are the biggest risks in this job?
• Can you describe a time when you identified a hazard in the workplace? How did you address it?
• If you saw a safety incident or a near-miss, what would you do afterwards? How would you make sure it didn’t happen again?
• What would you do if an employer repeatedly violated safety regulations?
• Tell me about a time you had a difference of opinion with a colleague or Supervisor. How did you handle it?
  

2. Verify credentials and experience 

Verifying credentials along with experience is a foundational step in risk management. In Australia, Work Health and Safety legislation requires employers to ensure that workers are competent and suitably qualified for the tasks they perform.

Unfortunately, a small percentage of applicants make false claims on their application, whether that be in relation to work rights, qualifications, high-risk work licences, or even referees. For roles involving forklift driving, machinery or hazardous substances for example, ensuring candidates have up-to-date certifications and licences is essential. This also means keeping tabs on expiry dates of specific certifications or visas, so it’s important to have monitoring processes in place. Thorough verification prevents unqualified personnel from entering roles where they might endanger themselves or others.

Referees play a crucial role in verifying experience. “While we’re encountering an increasing number of fake or misleading referees, thankfully it is not many,” says Cameron. In the worst-case scenario, a listed referee may be a friend or relative imitating a real referee. However, most often it is a colleague at work who is not a direct supervisor, because the candidate is worried about what the supervisor will say. When mobile phone numbers for referees are provided, you can verify legitimacy by calling the organisation, ideally speaking to the referee on their work number. For those who have left the business, look up their LinkedIn profile.

If sufficient processes are not in place, this may lead to accidents and impact on insurance coverage and premiums.

3. Conduct functional capacity assessments or pre-employment medicals

Australian safety authorities such as WorkSafe Victoria and SafeWork NSW recommend pre-employment functional capacity assessments, especially for physically demanding roles. This involves practical tests to ensure candidates can safely perform essential tasks, such as lifting, repetitive movements, and maintaining sustained postures.

Early identification of physical limitations allows for appropriate job matching and further risk reduction. Cameron states, "Many long-term injuries are the result of pre-existing injury escalation, or because those without prior experience in physical work are assigned to physically demanding roles." While this appears obvious, most companies unfortunately learn this lesson from experience.

Functional capacity testing is a cost-effective way to pick up potential issues. However, pre-employment medicals are more comprehensive. A way to reduce risk and minimise costs is to identify specific tasks or roles as part of your Job Analysis, in which assessments or medicals are required.

4. Drug and Alcohol Testing

Substance use is a major risk factor in Australian workplaces, especially in safety-sensitive environments. Capital cities tend to have higher consumption rates of heroin and cocaine, while regional areas on average have a “substantially higher” long-term cannabis intake. With alcohol and drugs linked to up to 11% of workplace accidents, there are many reasons to consider testing.

Pre-employment testing can help to minimise risk, as those unable to curb habits for a job interview may be a higher risk on-the-job. However, random testing is also something organisations may consider, helping improve psychosocial and physical safety. It must be noted that organisations cannot just randomly test employees without ensuring compliance with policies and contractual obligations.

Drug and alcohol screening policies must be implemented in line with guidance from state and federal bodies. Testing should also comply with privacy laws and be coupled with education around substance misuse and access to support services, such as Employee Assistance Programs. Tests cannot be targeted at just one single employee, unless specific triggers are met (i.e. a forklift accident). All employees need to be informed of the policy, the organisation’s process for testing and follow up actions for positive tests, which can include disciplinary action.

Reducing safety risk for construction, warehouse, transport and manufacturing staff in Australia is a multi-faceted challenge. By starting early, it can help improve outcomes. Investing in these measures demonstrates a genuine commitment to employee wellbeing and sustainable business operations.

If you require advice or a workforce management solution, Acclaimed Workforce provides tailored and cost-effective services to help you reduce risks.