National Safety Month: How Employers Can Improve Workplace Safety
At TEAM, workplace safety is a big deal. In honor of National Safety Month, we interviewed Kara Bailey, Fulfillment Manager, to gain some insights on workplace safety best practices.
Preventing Key Risks of Workplace Safety
Kara has been in the background screening industry for over 15 years. When asked about the key risks regarding workplace safety, she shared: "One key risk would be hiring unreliable people, or people with criminal charges." She went on to share that depending on the job function, if not properly vetted, those individuals could be put into high risk positions, such as supervising children or driving large semi-trucks.
Kara went on to share that "background screening potential new hires is a good way to prevent those risks." She mentioned criminal record searches, employment verifications, and drug & alcohol testing as key screenings to consider. However, there seems to be more than simply ordering a background check, but how you look into the results that is important. For example, "does [the candidate] jump around from place to place? And is there a reason why they are jumping around from place to place?"
How Employers Can Make a Change
When asked how employers could create a safer workplace, Kara stated that "implementing background screening is a great solution." She also shared that "doing reasonable suspicion training for your supervisors is an easy win." Kara clarified that the training would educate supervisors on what behaviors could indicate a risk to workplace safety.
For employers that wish to implement background screening, Kara suggested that "one critical factor is being in the know about the Fair Credit Reporting Act." Certain records and criminal charges aren't legally reportable and can't be held to a hiring decision, such as an assault charge that ended in a non-conviction.
Kara also added that for employers in certain states, particularly California, being informed of your own state's regulatory information is important. She made a point that if employers are unsure of how to proceed during the screening process, they should always reach out to their report provider and get clarification from the experts.
Background Checks: How to Ensure Quality
Kara was asked if any factors could decrease the quality of a background report. She shared that one of the most common issues she had seen was "applicants providing false information." She went on to state that "it's important that we have all the information [the employer] collected upfront so that we can do a thorough search on [the applicant]." Mistyped dates of birth were also a common error that Kara pointed out.
"We try to work with our clients and do our due diligence, as well," she clarified. "In [some] cases we will ask for a copy of [the applicant]'s Motor Vehicle Record or a signed release if they haven't uploaded it."
Benefits of Reasonable Suspicion Training
When asked further about reasonable suspicion training, Kara stated that the main benefit of the training is it gives supervisors the knowledge of what they should be looking for, so that they can have the tools needed to question and report suspicious behavior. "It gives them the confidence to address the issue right then." She also commented on the way that the training was eye-opening in regard to what could happen if an employee is under the influence on the job, particularly in the case that an inebriated employee is operating a motor vehicle or other machinery. Kara closed with the statement that if a supervisor has any suspicion about an employee, "they won't know if they don't ask."
Key Takeaways
- Hiring unqualified people can be a huge liability to your workplace.
- Ordering background checks and drug & alcohol testing on potential new hires is one of the easiest ways to boost workplace safety, along with staying aware of industry and hiring regulations. It is also important to understand the reports you are receiving.
- Submitting complete and accurate information is paramount to receiving complete and accurate background reports.
- Reasonable suspicion training can give your supervisors the confidence to question unsafe behavior when they see it.
