SOP for Conducting EHS Orientation for New Employees

Standard Operating Procedure for Conducting Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) Orientation for New Employees

1) Purpose

The purpose of this SOP is to establish a standardized process for conducting Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) orientation for new employees to ensure they understand organizational safety policies, procedures, and regulatory compliance requirements.

2) Scope

This SOP applies to all new employees, contractors, and interns joining the organization who require EHS training as part of their onboarding process.

3) Responsibilities

HR Department: Schedule EHS orientation sessions and provide a list of new hires to the EHS team.
EHS Trainer: Deliver the orientation session and ensure content is comprehensive and engaging.
Supervisors: Reinforce EHS policies and practices with new employees during on-the-job training.
New Employees: Attend the orientation session and actively participate in discussions and assessments.

4) Procedure

4.1 Scheduling the Orientation

HR Coordination:
- The HR department notifies the EHS team about the onboarding schedule for new employees.

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Set a Date and Venue:
- Plan the orientation session to occur on the employee’s first day or within the first week of joining.
- Reserve a training room or set up a virtual platform for remote sessions.
Inform Participants:
- Provide new employees with the session details, including date, time, and location or login credentials

for virtual sessions.

4.2 Preparing Orientation Materials

Develop Training Content:
- Include topics such as workplace hazards, emergency procedures, personal protective equipment (PPE), waste management, and incident reporting.

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Create Visual Aids:
- Prepare slides, videos, and handouts to make the session engaging and informative.
Customize for Roles:
- Tailor content to address specific risks and responsibilities associated with the employee’s role.

4.3 Conducting the Orientation

Welcome and Introduction:
- Introduce the EHS team and outline the objectives of the orientation session.

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Present Key Policies:
- Explain organizational EHS policies, including employee responsibilities and compliance expectations.
Demonstrate Safety Practices:
- Provide practical demonstrations of emergency exits, PPE usage, and fire extinguisher operation, where applicable.
Encourage Participation:
- Engage participants through Q&A sessions, case studies, or group discussions.
Administer Assessment:
- Conduct a short quiz or assessment to evaluate understanding of the topics covered.

4.4 Post-Orientation Activities

Provide Orientation Materials:
- Distribute copies of EHS policies, emergency contact information, and other resources to participants.

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Document Attendance:
- Record attendance using the Orientation Attendance Log (Annexure 1) and maintain it in the employee’s training file.
Feedback Collection:
- Request participants to complete a feedback form to improve future sessions.

4.5 Continuous Improvement

Review Orientation Effectiveness:
- Analyze assessment results and feedback to identify areas for improvement.

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Update Training Content:
- Revise materials periodically to include updates in regulations, organizational policies, or best practices.
Report Training Metrics:
- Share participation statistics and compliance metrics with senior management.

5) Abbreviations, if any

EHS: Environmental, Health, and Safety
PPE: Personal Protective Equipment

6) Documents, if any

Orientation Attendance Log
EHS Training Feedback Form
EHS Policy Document

7) Reference, if any

ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Standards
Internal EHS Policies
Local Workplace Safety Regulations

8) SOP Version

Version: 1.0

Annexure

Template 1: Orientation Attendance Log

   Date  Employee Name  Department  Trainer Name  Signature  
  DD/MM/YYYY  John Doe  Production  Jane Smith

Date	Employee Name	Department	Trainer Name	Signature
DD/MM/YYYY	John Doe	Production	Jane Smith

Template 2: EHS Training Feedback Form

   Question  Response  
  Was the session informative?   
  What can be improved?