Who Is Responsible For Temporary Worker Safety?

Who Is Responsible For Temporary Worker Safety? Just ask OSHA.

OSHA has made it clear that staffing agencies and host employers are jointly responsible for temporary worker safety. This can pose a particular challenge for employers, since many staffing agencies lack the expertise to provide training or to ensure that record keeping requirements are met.

Two years ago in Alabama, OSHA found that both permanent and temporary employees at an auto parts manufacturer faced the danger of being caught in machinery or hit by objects and the risk of suffering amputations. The agency cited the manufacturer and its staffing firm, which face combined penalties of $106,020. In the same year in Texas, both an oil and gas company and a staffing firm faced $120,800 in penalties, having been cited for failing to ensure proper disposal of contaminated materials and not ensuring proper labeling of containers with hazardous chemicals.

There are a few solutions to help overcome this challenge:

Make sure your staffing company provides support for their temporary employees

Host employers should make sure that their contracts with staffing agencies clearly specify the safety obligations of each party. OSHA recommends that both the host employer and the staffing agency “should consider the hazards it is in a position to prevent and correct, and in a position to comply with OSHA standards.”

We as people pay attention to our actions & surroundings when we know that we are being held accountable. This is why it is crucial that your staffing agency holds their placed employees in check. Ensure the agency takes the necessary steps to educated and monitor their employees before and during assigned jobs.

Prioritize your own company’s Safety Culture

Temporary employees imitate and listen to their coworkers. Educate and remind your employees of the importance of safety on a regular basis and they will pass their knowledge to their coworkers. Remembering why safety is important is just as valuable as remembering how.

FDRsafety provides full service safety staffing for a wide variety of industries and workplaces. Our industry leading placement service will quickly and seamlessly fill your need for an on-site safety professional. For a FREE consultation, please contact Jake Snyder, Vice President at FDRsafety.