Temporary workers are an invaluable asset to your team. Whether a project requires a certain skill your team doesn’t have or you need more hands on deck to meet a deadline, temporarily expanding your workforce can be a cost-effective way to get the job done right.
What many employers don’t realize is providing both training and safety gear for temporary workers is a must. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration holds staffing agencies and host employers jointly responsible for providing employees with a safe work environment. If a temporary worker gets hurt on your watch, both your company and the staffing firm could be liable.
Five Ways Staffing Agencies and Host Employers Must Work Together to Keep Temps Safe
OSHA has created guidelines to help staffing firms and host employers know their individual roles in conforming to workplace health and safety requirements. Here’s an overview to give you an idea of each party’s responsibilities.
- Staffing agencies should provide general health and safety training. Host employers must supplement this knowledge with training tailored to specific workplace hazards.
- Prior to sending temporary employees out on assignment, recruiters need to learn about worksite conditions, to ensure talent will be working for a safe host employer.
- Recruiters aren’t required to become experts on specific hazards present at the host employer’s worksite, but they do need to know what risks might be present and how temporary workers will be protected.
- Staffing firms must verify host employers have held up their end of the deal in creating a safe workplace.
- Host employers are required to provide the same training, safety and health protection to temporary workers as full-time staffers.
Open communication is the key to keeping temporary staffers safe on the job, according to OSHA. The agency clearly states that ignorance is not an acceptable excuse for not covering all the bases, so the more informed you are, the better equipped you’ll be to ensure the safety of everyone working on behalf of your company.
Want to add a few temporary workers to your team? Premium Staffing, Inc. is here to connect you with top engineering and manufacturing talent ready to get to work. Contact us today to find safety-minded professionals who will be a huge asset to your team.