Photo courtesy of Guy F. Atkinson Construction Atkinson provides a comprehensive orientation for new employees that covers the company’s safety culture and tests their knowledge on 36 different safety-related topics.

At Atkinson, new-employee orientation is essential to ensure people are equipped with the proper knowledge and tools to succeed.

The comprehensive orientation includes training on the company’s safety culture, drug screening, and online training — with testing — covering 36 different safety-related topics. Finally, the new employee sits down with the site safety manager for a one-on-one orientation covering site-specific safety issues and policies. Following this orientation, new employees complete “speak up, listen up” training.

This reinforces AGC Safety Team member Atkinson’s safety culture and encourages employees to take ownership in their own safety. Employees from the foreman level up to top management are required to complete OSHA 10 and Atkinson’s “on the front line” training, which centers on employee responsibilities and accountabilities.

In addition, Atkinson implements a mandatory safety committee for each project, with weekly meetings to ensure issues that arise are dealt with and closed in a timely manner.