An unfortunate statistic from the US Department of Labor, in 2011 shows that 12% of all workplace fatalities were contract employees. Studies show that temporary workers are much more likely to be seriously injured in the workplace than their counterparts, permanent workers. The risks are higher in industries such as construction, manufacturing and warehousing. Typical injuries to these workers include laceration, fractures, dislocations and amputations. It’s clear that protecting temporary workers with Employment Practices Liability is extremely important.
According to an article in Industrial Safety and Hygiene News, OSHA has been pressing to reduce risks for temporary workers by conducting more workplace inspections and by clarifying employers’ responsibilities. Here are a few things to keep in mind with temporary workers.
- You are responsible for your temp worker’s health and safety. Although a staffing agency only supplied the workers, it’s essential that both the workers’ host employer and staffing agency share responsibility for the well-being of the worker. The best way to see this through is through a contract in compliance with OSHA standards.
- Provide proper training. This is essential in keeping permanent and temporary workers, alike, safe. Adequate training comes from both host employer and staffing agency and OSHA suggests that they both look to, “the hazards it is in a position to prevent and correct, and in a position to comply with OSHA standards.” The two can provide their own best position. In conjunction with proper training comes proper personal protective equipment. Temporary workers are entitled to the same protections as permanent workers.
- Keep proper records of injuries. By doing so, you can identify hazards and potential hazards in the workplace. As far as who is responsible for keeping track, OSHA requires that the employer supervising on a daily basis is the one responsible for record keeping. As a staffing firm, your job is to verify that the host employer has satisfied all its responsibilities in keeping a safe workplace.
At World Wide Speciality Programs, we design our Employment Practices Liability claim coverage to protect your staffing firm from all types of claims. This includes allegations of discrimination, sexual harassment, and wrongful termination. Not only does this policy protect in-house employees, but it also protects temporary employees, who are subject to workplace claims. For more information, call us today at 877.256.0468.