5 Things You Need to Know About Temporary Staffing Safety
September 6, 2018 | Staffing Blog
Many companies find temporary staffing through a staffing agency to be more reasonable for them instead of having full-time employees. Doing so is not only cost-effective, it is also extremely helpful when you need to cover periods when production skyrockets.
If you are considering moving in this direction, however, you will need to be fully aware of the amount of responsibility to you have in regards to these employee’s safety. In 2013, OSHA created a program in order to protect temporary workers. This initiative provides clear instructions and guidelines so the employers can take the proper precautions.
It is imperative that you follow these temporary staffing safety instructions, not only because OSHA will inspect your site, but also to protect your business and the individuals that you employ.
Preparing Temporary Staffing Safety in Your Work Environment
To give you some insight into what type of responsibilities you will have, we have compiled a list of six things you should know about temporary staffing safety.
1. You Are Responsible For Keeping Your Work Environment Safe
When it comes to doing so, you should be most concerned with the hazards that exist in the workplace. Your role, in this case, is to prevent and correct any hazards that could threaten the safety of your employees and to comply with OSHA standards. Temporary workers should be treated just liked any other worker when it comes to training, safety, and health protections
2. Make Sure You Have A Written Safety Partnership Agreement
Within this agreement, the staffing agency should include:
- The tasks that the temporary worker will be performing during their employment with you
- The safety and health responsible for each employer
- Who is responsible for providing PPE
- Who is responsible for communicating all of the to the temporary worker
- And how any illnesses or injuries should be communicated from the host employer to the staffing agency
3. The Injury and Illness Records For The Temporary Employee Must Kept By The Employer
OSHA requires that these records are kept by the person who is providing the temporary worker day-to-day supervision. All illnesses and injuries should still be communicated to the staffing agency. Make sure to conduct a thorough investigation of the conditions of the employee’s illness or injury and that it is properly documented.
4. An Inspection Can Result In Citations For Both The Employer and Staffing Agency
OSHA views the safety responsibilities as being equally shared between you and the staffing agency. Because of this, both companies tend to share the blame for any problems noticed during an investigation. Even so, the host employer will often be more heavily impacted by the citation due to the fact that they are more responsible for supervising day-to-day safety.
5. To Protect Yourself, Make Safety Responsibilities Explicit
Receiving citations from OSHA can land you with some pretty hefty fines, depending on the severity of the problem. To ensure no one is injured and that your business is protected as well, it will help immensely if you train your employee extensively on the tasks they are performing and how to do them in a safe way. Make posters to hang around the workplace keeping awareness present of safety precautions. The more effort you put out in this area, the more effective you will be.
Staffing Agencies Are Your Safety Partner
No matter what staffing agency you choose to work with, the two of you need to be in communication to ensure that the necessary protections are being provided for temporary staffing safety. The agency should be fully aware of what exactly specifies a hazard in your industry and type of workplace and the best way to provide protection in these circumstances. You can expect regular contact to verify that you have and are continuing to fulfill your responsibilities within your workplace.
For more information regarding the safety laws for temporary employees, contact us here.