The primary reason companies use staffing services to supplement their current hiring needs is to reduce costs. When a temporary employee is on assignment at a client site, the entity responsible for worker’s compensation is the temporary staffing company, not the place where the work is being conducted. This has proven to be a problem since staffing managers have little control over the safety and equipment at a client site. While temporary workers are becoming more common in the workplace, they are also at higher risk for workplace injuries. Here are several examples given by the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health.
- Clarification of responsibility for both parties. It is recommended that OSHA provide additional provisions for both the host company and the temporary staffing service in regards to employee safety. This would cover who is responsible for safety training, hazardous materials, record keeping, and injury or illness reporting. Proactive partnerships are highly desired by staffing companies.
- Provide an orientation that includes OSHA rights. Temporary staffing companies at this time are not required to provide specific information regarding OSHA regulations for their pool of temporary employees. However, a quick orientation to go over the rights of an employee while on a job can go a long way to preventing injuries or will allow employee to understand the proper procedure should they be hurt on the job. Meeting with new temporary employees on-site at the start of a new assignment can be very helpful.
- Proper reporting channels should be followed and enforced. Because of the way regulations are today, a temporary employee is only responsible for letting the staffing company know about an injury. In many cases this means the host company isn’t even aware of an issue. The employee may contact their staffing manager after hours to report an incident. OSHA should include a provision for reporting the injury to the supervisor as well as the staffing service. Let all of your workers, including temporary staff, know about proper reporting procedure in your facility.
- Worksite inspections should be conducted. Many temporary staffing companies visit the worksite before agreeing to conduct business with the client. This kind of onsite inspection can be beneficial for a service to assess the risk of danger for potential employees. Encourage your staffing partner to tour your facility and understand the risks for their employees.
Is workplace safety a concern for your warehouse or manufacturing environment? If you are looking for manufacturing staffing agencies in Texas, contact us today.