OSHA inspections involving temporary workers up substantially

OSHA has substantially increased its inspections of worksites where temporary workers are employed, following up on an initiative announced 18 months ago directed at temporary staffing agencies.

OSHA expressed concerns that “some employers may use temporary workers as a way to avoid meeting all their compliance obligations under the OSH Act and other worker protection laws.” The agency has emphasized that under the law temporary workers are to be treated the same as other employees when it comes to safety and health protections.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that OSHA inspections involving temporary staffing agencies increased 322% for fiscal year 2014, with 283 worksite inspections compared with 67 inspections in 2013. Violations were found in 15 percent of inspections, with hazard communications, occupational noise exposure and personal protective equipment the most frequent subjects.

As Nickole C. Winnet of the Jackson Lewis law firm noted in an article, OSHA has underscored that “both the temporary worker staffing agency and the host employer share responsibility for ensuring that temporary workers are safe.”