If your business is taking on newly minted skilled tradespeople, this one is for you.

Demand for tradespeople has never been this high. With roles like HVAC technicians, construction workers, and plumbers in shortages, one couldn’t pick a better time to join the club.

But while training will prepare them for the technical aspects of the job, tackling the safety aspects of their new role could be an unpleasant learning experience. Here are a few of the issues they might encounter and how you, the business owner, can prevent them in the first place.

Injuries & Strains from Loading & Unloading Cargo onto Vehicle Roofs

When the Ford Transit that your plumbing business depends on is at interior storage capacity, the next best option is utilizing roof storage to store those heavy work ladders and PVC pipes.

However, loose long pipes are cumbersome, and lifting work ladders that weigh up to 50lbs is no easy task—and that’s before factoring in days when multiple work sites must be visited. So if new workers are inexperienced, older, or have any kind of physical limitation, they’ll obviously be at a disadvantage when it comes to hoisting and removing bulky items from the top of the Transit. Studies show that incorrect form and posture while performing these actions with the wrong equipment can lead to higher exertion and muscle strains.

But you can keep them and your business in one piece with the right investments. Combining conduit carriers that neatly house PVC pipes with cargo racks that have rear rollers makes loading and unloading easier while reducing the risk of anything falling back down on them while doing so. Ergonomic drop-down ladder racks (yes, they exist!) with extended reaches help prevent strains and injuries when loading heavy work ladders, boosts reach for most body types, and can help reduce back issues later in life with continued usage.

Falls from Climbing Tires or Bumpers

Your new workers will endanger themselves and expose your drywall business to liabilities every time they climb a bumper to load or unload that Sheetrock from your ProMaster’s roof. While it may be necessary in the moment, it’s the quickest route to injuries, downtime, and worker’s compensation.

Avoiding slips and falls from stepping on tires or bumpers is as simple as investing in a rear door access ladder that lets workers maintain three points of contact as they hoist or remove objects from a vehicle’s roof.  With a perfectly distanced standoff and nonslip steps, the right rear door access ladder brings them a full step closer to OSHA compliance and one step farther from an expensive hospital visit.

While you’ll improve roof accessibility to materials and equipment, you’ll also be maintaining your vehicle’s value by not placing weight on parts that weren’t meant to be stepped on and potentially damaged. Today’s best rear door access ladders have the added benefit of keeping your work van’s door intact by offering no-drill installation—a positive for resale value.

Cargo Falling from Vehicle Roofs

Besides being a liability to your business, improperly stored roof cargo is a danger to all drivers. In fact, out of the 703 people killed and 17,000 injured because of objects in the road, 81% involve objects that were separated from passenger vehicles because they weren’t tied down.

While your construction business’s F250 shares the same road as passenger vehicles, it doesn’t have to share the same fate if your roof rack is up to the task.

A loaded cargo rack on your pickup’s topper is a normal part of the workday, and if that cargo rack has 5” high full length side rails made from aluminum tubes, you’re off to a good start in securing those plywood bundles. Adding a proper retractable ratchet tie down takes it a step further to ensure that those bundles stay put. An added bonus? You’ll stay compliant, as properly secured loads ensure that you’ll avoid fines up to $5,000, depending on your location.

Luckily, if your new workers are used to bungee cords on cheap racks to secure cargo, the learning curve here isn’t steep at all and will surely be a welcome alternative to their previous experiences.

Welcome to the Job

Though these three issues are only a glimpse into the long list of potential hazards trade workers face on a regular basis, they are common and easily fixed. And as a good business owner, you’ve done your research and know that there are solutions for them all–it’s just a matter of investing in well-engineered products.