1. New Employee Safety Orientation— The Case of the Mixed-up Dough
P O W E R P O I N T ® T R A I N I N G
Target Audience: This case and its training message primarily have to do with safety training for new employees or employees transferring to a different work area. Therefore, it is most appropriate for new employees, employees transferring to a different department, or experienced employees who are designated to train new employees on safety issues.
Training Objectives: This session deals with new employee safety orientation. It should be used in conjunction with a complete training session on new employee orientation.
Background for the Trainer:
This training session presents a case study of an actual accident inspected and documented by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The case presented in this training session is:
Accident:
Report ID:
Inspection:
You may choose to present this training information in a lecture format, or make the training presentation interactive by engaging your class in discussions that will help them identify the facts of the case, the potential causes of the accident, and future accident prevention measures. In either case, students will benefit by learning from a real-life scenario.
Before beginning your training session, print and make copies of the one-page Case Study Student Handout, which is provided on the disc. The Case Study Student Handout can be used as a worksheet during the training session or as a take-away reminder once the training session is complete.
Also, print and make copies of the Case Study Quiz, which is provided on the disc as a fully customizable Word document. The students can take the quiz at the end of the training session in order to help reinforce the information presented. Note that the same quiz is included at the end of this PowerPoint presentation as actual slides to review in class.
Consider taking pictures of new employees who are being trained in your workplace. You can add these pictures to the presentation by inserting them into existing slides or creating new slides.
Make sure the trainees understand the message as you go along. Ask questions periodically to test their understanding.
Speaker’s Notes:
Welcome everyone. Today we will conduct a case study of an actual accident investigated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This is an actual tragic workplace accident that had real-life implications for the worker, the worker’s family, co-workers, and the employer. The Case Study may be disturbing and may even involve a fatality.
The purpose of this training session is to teach and reinforce the importance of new employee orientation and on-the-job training in our workplace in order to prevent tragic accidents. In particular, it deals with how new or transferred employees are to avoid equipment and operations that they are not familiar with. The intention is to learn from the accident and take steps to prevent a similar accident from changing our lives.
New Employee Safety Orientation—
The Case of the Mixed-up Dough

2. Workplace Accidents About 6,000 American workers die each year
More than 3.6 million disabling injuries occur at work
Many accidents occur within a worker’s first six months on a new job
Background for the Trainer:
If your company has new employee safety orientation booklets, binders, or other information, then bring a copy for each employee in this training.
Speaker’s Notes:
According to statistics from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), about 6,000 American workers die on the job each and every year. That is an average of between 16 and 17 workers each and every day.
More than 3.6 million disabling injuries occur at work each year. This means that every nine seconds, some worker in America is suffering a serious, disabling injury.
Many of these accidents occur within a worker’s first six months on a new job. A new job can include working for a new company or transferring to a different department or a different job within the same company.

3. Take a Look at the Facts
Experienced Employee #1 cleaning mixer with lid open
Lid interlock deactivates mixer blade
Air-lock blades are still on
Employee #1 called away to another job
Background for the Trainer:
Training Option: Pass out the Case Study Student Handout. You may have the students read the accident description to themselves before discussing it in the class, or you may use the bullet points on the slide and the speaker’s notes below to describe the accident.
Speaker’s Notes:
An experienced employee (#1) is cleaning a dough mixer with the lid open.
An interlock on the lid deactivates the mixer blades, so they are not operating.
The air-lock blades, through which scrap dough is returned to the mixer, are still operational and not deactivated by the interlock.
Employee #1 is called away to do another job. He leaves the mixer with the lid up.

4. Take a Look at the Facts (cont.)
Untrained Employee #2 wants to learn about machinery area
Approaches mixer and sees it is shut off
Employee #2 not aware that air-lock blades are still on
Speaker’s Notes:
Employee #2, who is new, states that he is in the machinery area to learn more and to move up to a better job.
Employee #2 approaches the dough mixer and sees that the mixing blades are shut off.
He approaches the mixer unaware that the air-lock scrap dough return blades are still on.
© Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0908

5. Take a Look at the Facts (cont.)
Employee #2 puts hand into mixer to clean it
Fingers strike against blades
Partial amputation of three fingers
Speaker’s Notes:
While standing in front of the mixer, Employee #2 puts his hand into the air-lock to clear or clean it.
His fingers strike against the moving air-lock blades
He suffers a partial amputation of the middle, ring, and little fingers on his right hand.
© Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0908

6. What Do You Think Went Wrong?
Was injured Employee #2 properly trained to clean the mixer?
Should Employee #2 have reached into the mixer?
What kind of training should new or transferred employees receive?
Is Employee #1, who walked away from the mixer, also at fault?
Background for the Trainer:
Use the questions on this slide to elicit discussion.
Training options: After reviewing this slide and the accident description, give the class 5 to10 minutes to discuss the accident description in small groups, or ask the students to try to determine some of the facts, potential causes, and possible prevention measures. In either case, use the Case Study Student Handout as a way to encourage discussion as you go through this presentation.
Speaker’s Notes:
Let’s take a few minutes and, using the Case Study Student Handout, work in groups to try to determine the facts of the accident, the potential causes of the accident, and possible prevention measures. Then we will review the Case Study together in class.
Consider some of the questions on this slide when discussing the Case Study in your groups.

7. Let’s Review the Causes
Employee #1 left machine unattended
Employee #2 is new to the machinery area
Not aware of moving air-lock blades
Wanted to help
Put hand into machine
Background for the Trainer:
Try to get the trainees to put themselves in the place of the person in the case study. What would they have done in this case? Point out how a near miss can turn into a catastrophe in the presence of emergencies. In this case, the new worker was anxious to help out; however, he was not aware of the hazards of the machine.
Speaker’s Notes:
One contributing factor is that Employee #1 did not properly lock out the machine and then left it unattended. If the machine had been locked out properly, the curious new Employee #2 would not have suffered the same injuries when he reached into the machine.
Another contributing factors to this accident is that Employee #2 was new to the work area. He had not been trained on the hazards of the equipment and was not qualified to work on or near the machine.
Employee #2 was not aware of the hazards associated with the machine, especially the moving air-lock blades. He probably assumed that the power to the machine was turned off, because he had observed the other worker cleaning it.
Employee #2 wanted to help. He wanted to make a good impression with co-workers and prove that he was willing to help out. He also wanted to learn about the machinery. Although you may want to help out and learn about machinery, stay away unless you have been trained.
Obviously putting his hand into the machine was the primary cause of his injury. Never work with machinery unless you have been trained on the safe work practices for using that machine.
Can you think of any other causes that may have contributed to this accident?

8. Hazard Awareness Tool and machinery injuries Slips, trips, and falls
Electrical hazards
Material handling
Fire potential
Back injuries
Background for the Trainer:
If your company has conducted Job Safety Assessments or a Job Hazard Analysis, bring copies of those documents to help employees understand the specific hazards of the jobs they will be doing.
Speaker’s Notes:
Because there may be many potential hazards associated with a new job, it is very important that you learn the hazards and how to protect yourself from those hazards.
Power tools and machinery have numerous potential hazards, including the point of operation such as the blade of a saw, power transmission units such as belts and pulleys, automation that will cause parts of a machine to move unexpectedly, etc.
Slip, trip, and fall hazards can include water on the floor, plastic on the floor, electric cords across walkways, storage boxes placed in hallways, stairs, etc.
Almost every job exposes workers to potential electrical hazards. New workers must be aware of high-voltage panels and high-voltage equipment.
Jobs that require hazardous material handling pose a number of hazards for the new worker. Hazardous materials might be corrosive to the skin, toxic when inhaled, poisonous if accidentally ingested, or just slippery if spilled on the ground.
Many jobs have some form of fire potential. New workers need to made aware of flammable chemicals and combustible materials, as well as potential ignition sources such as welding, hot motors, or sparks.
Back injury can occur from jobs that require lifting heavy objects, repetition when lifting light objects, or poor posture such as bending forward to work over a moving conveyor belt. Be sure to check your company’s policy regarding the use of back belts.
Forklifts and other moving equipment can be difficult for the new worker to get used to—especially if her or she is coming from a work environment that does not have much equipment traffic.
What are some other potential hazards of a new job?
Forklifts and moving equipment

9. Keys to Preventing Accidents
Read labels
Wear PPE
No horseplay
Lift with your legs and maintain good back posture
Background for the Trainer:
Bring any written procedures your company has for training new workers—specifically, on-the-job or hands-on training procedures.
Show pictures of new employees being trained by experienced co-workers or supervisors.
Speaker’s Notes:
Learn about the chemicals you work with by reading the labels and the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS).
Wear all personal protective equipment (PPE) that is required for your job. Remember, the PPE has been selected for your job to protect you from the specific hazards associated with your job.
Do not participate in horseplay such as running, throwing objects, or playing practical jokes.
Protect your back by using good lifting techniques. Use material-handling aids such as carts or hand trucks for heavy objects. Maintain a good back posture while at work. Be sure to check your company’s policy regarding the use of back belts.
Know your role in an emergency such as a fire or evacuation. Learn to recognize emergency alarms, know how to escape from your new work location, and know the location of your designated safe meeting area.
Take responsibility for housekeeping in your new work area. Clean up spilled liquids such as water or oil. Pick up slip and trip hazards such as plastic, cardboard, or other debris. Keep tools, electric cords, boxes, and other objects out of designated walking areas.
Know your role in an emergency
Take responsibility for housekeeping

10. Don’t Let It Happen to You
Learn the specific hazards of a new job
Do not touch machinery unless trained and authorized
Follow safety rules and safe work practices
Don’t be afraid to ask about hazards
Listen to safety training
Speaker’s Notes:
Let’s take a look at what we can do to prevent a similar incident from happening at our facility.
Learn about all the specific hazards of your new job. Make sure you know what hazards could cause you injury and what steps you can take to prevent accidents. If you are training a new employee, be sure to point out all the potential hazards of his or her new job.
Do not touch machinery unless you have been trained and authorized. Even if the machine looks simple or is similar to a machine you have operated in the past, do not attempt to operate the machine, clear a jam, or clean the machine until properly trained and authorized. If you are training a new employee, keep him or her away from any machines until you are confident the worker knows how to safely operate the machine.
Follow all safety rules and safe work practices. The safety rules have been established to protect employees from injury. If you are training a new employee, be sure to follow all the safety rules to model safe behavior. Point out the rules and safe work practices for specific tasks associated with the job.
Do not be afraid to ask questions about hazards or safe work practices. If you are unsure, it is better to ask and be safe than it is to guess and then be injured. If you are training a new employee, encourage the new worker to ask questions.
Pay attention to all safety training. Whether the training is in a classroom or on the production floor, it is important. If you are training a new employee, make sure the new worker understands the safety training by asking him or her questions and encouraging discussion.
Are there any questions?
Thanks for your attention.

11. Quiz
1. Why do many accidents occur within a worker’s first six months on a new job?
2. Describe some slip and trip hazards that new workers should be made aware of.
3. What can you do to learn more about the materials you work with?
4. What should you do if you are unsure of the hazards of a particular job?
Background for the Trainer:
Remind employees that the quiz is to encourage further discussion and to help you, the trainer, be sure that everyone understands what was discussed.
Print copies of the quiz for participants to take on their own, or go over the questions as part of the training session.

12. Quiz (cont.) 5. When is it OK for new employees to operate machinery?
6. Describe some fire hazards that new employees must be told about.
7. How should new employees be trained?
8. Once you know the hazards of a job, what else do you need to know?
© Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0908

13. Quiz Answers
1. Q. Why do many accidents occur within a worker’s first six months on a new job?
A. New employees not familiar with hazards.
2. Q. Describe some slip and trip hazards that new workers should be made aware of.
A. Water on the floor, electric cords in walkways, boxes in hallways, etc.

14. Quiz Answers (cont.)
3. Q. What can you do to learn more about the chemicals you work with?
A. Read the chemical labels and MSDSs.
4. Q. What should you do if you are unsure of the hazards of a particular job?
A. Ask your supervisor or co-workers about the hazards.
© Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0908

15. Quiz Answers (cont.)
5. Q. When is it OK for new employees to operate machinery?
A. Only after they have been trained and deemed competent on the machine.
6. Q. Describe some fire hazards that new employees must be told about.
A. Flammable materials, combustible materials, potential ignition sources.
© Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0908

16. Quiz Answers (cont.) 7. Q. How should new employees be trained?
A. Classroom instruction followed by hands-on, on-the-job training.
8. Q. Once you know the hazards of a job, what else do you need to know?
A. How to protect yourself from those hazards.
© Business & Legal Reports, Inc. 0908