This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
This Website Uses Cookies
By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Learn More
This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
ISHN logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
ISHN logo
  • Home
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Digital Editions
    • Archives
    • Buyer's Guide
    • Subscribe
  • Topics
    • Environment
    • Environmental Health and Safety
    • Government Regulations
    • Health
    • Industrial Hygiene
    • Occupational Safety
    • PPE
    • Product Case Studies
    • Psychology
    • Safety Culture
    • Training
    • Transportation Safety
    • More Topics
  • Construction
  • Oil & Gas
  • Columns
    • Editorial Comments
    • Best Practices
    • Positive Cultures
    • Training Strategies
    • Closing Time
    • FR Protection
    • Thought Leadership
  • Products
  • Conventions
    • Convention Companion
  • Multimedia
    • eBooks
    • Infographics
    • Photo Galleries
    • ISHN Podcasts
    • Your Digital Mentor Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • ISHN YouTube Videos
  • More
    • Awards
      • 2020 Readers' Choice Awards- Submit Products
    • eNewsletters
    • Events
    • ISHN Store
    • Product Case Studies
    • Product Innovations
    • Showrooms
    • Vendor News
  • Advertise
    • Contact
Home » The task of training the safety & health of temp workers
Occupational SafetyTraining/Incentives

The task of training the safety & health of temp workers

oshalogo-422px.jpg
August 6, 2014
KEYWORDS OSHA Temporary Workers Initiative / temporary worker safety / TWI
Reprints

OSHAFrom The West Virginia Record

Use of temporary employees has become common. Work injuries to temps is due in part to a lack of communication and confusion regarding the responsibilities of the host employer and the temporary employer regarding the health and safety of temporary employees.

A temp agency often assumes the host employer provides all relevant safety training without taking an active role in ensuring a safe workplace for their temporary employees. A host employer might assume that the temp comes to its worksite well-trained, qualified, and with all necessary hazard training to do the assigned job without ensuring this to be the case.

This failure to work together and to each take an active role in training temps can lead to serious injuries and fatalities. The consequences are costly for both employers, as the law will hold both responsible for failures to comply with health and safety regulations.

OSHA started a “Temporary Worker Initiative” (“TWI”) last year to address concerns that temps are at an increased risk of work-related injury and illness. OSHA’s website specifically its concerns:

* Temporary workers are often not given adequate safety and health training by either the temporary staffing agency or the host employer.

* Some employers may use temporary employees as a means to avoid compliance obligations under the OSH Act;

* Temporary employees get placed in a variety of jobs, including the most hazardous jobs;

* Temporary employees are more vulnerable to workplace hazards and retaliation than their permanent co-workers; and

OSHA issued a memorandum on July 15, 2014 providing guidance to its field staff regarding its enforcement policy in temporary employment situations. It reiterates that OSHA considers the staffing agency and the host employer to be “joint employers” of temporary employees. Each employer bears responsibility for compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Act and its regulations.

The employers may divide responsibilities in a contract, but the contract’s allocation of responsibility might not always discharge either employer’s obligations. Responsibilities for safety and health of the temporary employee often overlap.

In general, a host employer has primary responsibility to determine what hazards exist in its workplace and to comply with worksite-specific requirements. But OSHA’s memo makes it clear that the temporary employer must diligently inquire into the conditions present at the host employer’s worksite and ensure they are not sending their workers to workplaces where hazards exist from which they are not protected or on which they are not trained.

The July 15th OSHA memorandum and OSHA’s website provides the following guidance:

* Both employers should jointly review task assignments and any job hazard analyses to identify and eliminate potential dangers and provide the necessary protections and training.

* Host employers must treat temporary workers like any other workers in terms of training and safety and health protections.

Temporary and host employers should clearly outline in a written contract the respective responsibilities that each will assume for the health, safety, and training of the temporary employee.

Plus, host employers should provide the same training and hazard communication to temporary employees that they provide to their regular employees.

Temporary employers should insist on inspecting the workplace to ensure host employers provide all necessary safety training and hazard communication, as well as in compliance with all applicable health and safety regulations.

Subscribe to ISHN Magazine

Related Articles

Summit Training Source Joins Health & Safety institute family of brands to create the leading safety & health training organization

Health & Safety Institute educates public to beware of the growth of fraudulent CPR training

Related Products

Study Guide for Alive and Well at the End of the Day: The Supervisor s Guide to Managing Safety in Operations

Alive and Well at the End of the Day: The Supervisor's Guide to Managing Safety in Operations

Related Directories

The Laboratory Safety Institute (LSI)

Subscribe For Free!
  • Digital Edition Subscriptions
  • ISHN eNewsletter & Other eNews Alerts
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Popular Stories

Today's News

2 young part-time UPS workers killed in California

Today's News

Steel worker injured at Indiana plant

incident investigation

How to investigate a worksite incident

ambulance

Buffalo Wild Wings manager dies after exposure to toxic cleaning product fumes

Tesla

Report finds worker injuries are “routine” at Tesla’s Nevada plant

ISHN Readers' Choice Awards 2020 product submissions


Events

March 7, 2019

Safety and Wellness: The Combination that Drives Engagement and Profitability

On Demand Attend this webinar for the keys to success, as well as mistakes to avoid, when targeting safety and wellness with a Recognition & Reward Program.

View All Submit An Event

ISHN Podcasts


ISHN Podcasts

ISHN Magazine

ISHN1219_cover.jpg

2019 December

Among the articles in the December 2019 issue of ISHN Magazine, we have expert insight on selecting the right respirator, a link to the 2020 Buyers’ & Resource Guide, 10 safety mistakes that can land you in a courtroom, and much more.
View More Create Account
  • Resources
    • List Rental
    • Safety A-Z
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • Market Research
    • Web Exclusives
    • Privacy Policy
  • Want More
    • Connect
    • Subscribe
    • Survey And Sample

Copyright ©2019. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing