Your crew is someone's first example of how construction gets done.

From Brandon Glenn's Safirst newsletter on LinkedIn.

At Safirst, every new safety professional completes 160 hours of onboarding, mentoring, coaching, and walking jobs alongside our team.

That applies whether they bring ten years of experience or are just starting their career in construction safety.

We respect the experience people bring. Those 160 hours help them understand how Safirst operates on active jobsites, how we communicate, and how we put our expectations into practice.

Safirst inspects more than 150 projects each week. Our professionals see different contractors, crews, phases, and conditions. Preparing them for that takes time in the field with people who can explain our approach and demonstrate it.

The same principle applies to the newest person on your crew.

Orientation begins the learning. Your example carries it forward.

October is Careers in Construction Month, promoted by NCCER's Build Your Future initiative. It's a chance to think about how we prepare the people entering our industry, and how we support experienced workers joining a new team. Build Your Future: Careers in Construction Month

What they learn after orientation

An employee can complete orientation, watch the training videos, and sign every required form. Then they step onto the jobsite and spend the next ten hours learning from the people around them.

They watch how their foreman prepares the work. They notice how experienced tradespeople handle problems and respond when the schedule gets tight.

They learn what happens when someone asks a question or raises a concern.

What we demonstrate every day teaches employees what our expectations actually mean.

Experience comes with a responsibility to teach

An experienced worker may immediately notice equipment entering the work area, an unstable material stack, or another trade creating a hazard nearby. A new employee may not recognize those conditions yet.

Before assigning a task, walk through the work together:

1. Discuss the hazards. Explain what you see.
2. Demonstrate the method. Show the appropriate way to do it.
3. Set the stop point. Identify when they should stop and ask for direction.
4. Check understanding. Have them explain or demonstrate what they understood.

Even an experienced hire needs that conversation. They may know their trade well and still be learning your equipment, procedures, and project conditions.

Make asking for help part of the culture

People joining a crew want to prove they belong. Some hesitate to ask questions because they don't want to slow others down.

Our response determines whether they keep asking.

Give each new employee a designated person with the knowledge, patience, and time to teach. Check in during the shift instead of waiting for the employee to find you.

Be clear from the beginning: "You are expected to ask questions. You are expected to speak up. When something changes or you're unsure, stop and get direction."

Then reinforce those expectations through your actions.

Give employees resources they can use

Many people entering the trades are comfortable learning through technology. That's one reason we built Safirst ONE, our construction safety management app.

Safirst ONE lets contractors provide trade-specific, OSHA-focused training in English and Spanish. It gives employees more learning resources and gives supervisors a starting point for follow-up.

After a course, ask: "What did you learn, and how does it apply to what we're doing today?"

Connect the training to the actual tools, conditions, and procedures onsite. Verify understanding in the field, and complete any required hands-on instruction and evaluation before assigning the work.

Coach, correct, and follow through

When an employee needs correction, address it promptly and respectfully. Explain the concern, demonstrate the right approach, and check that the lesson carries into the work.

Recognize good decisions as well. Asking for help, identifying a hazard, and preparing a task carefully are worth reinforcing.

Before your next shift

Ask yourself: "If someone learned how to work solely by watching me today, what would I have taught them?"

Then choose one employee to check in with, one task to explain, or one skill to demonstrate.

At Safirst, we dedicate 160 hours because we believe preparation deserves that investment. On your crew, it may take a different form. What matters is making it intentional and continuing it after orientation ends.

Having the chance to shape someone's career is a privilege. Taking the time to do it well is part of leadership.

— Brandon Glenn