Responsibilities and best practices for host employers
Staffing agencies and host companies have a legal obligation to provide a safe working environment, and OSHA could hold both parties responsible if that doesn’t happen. Because temp workers are under the supervision of the host employer, following these recommendations makes good business sense.
Learn about the temp/staffing agency
Ensure they are a good business partner. Assess their level of experience, communication methods, and safety culture. Ask about their hiring practices. Do they conduct reference checks? Background checks? Drug tests?
Use agencies that provide quality general safety training.
Ask to see a copy of their training or attend one of their training sessions. Keep in mind, site-specific training is also required and is generally the host employer’s responsibility. (See section Conduct site-specific safety and health training.)
Provide written job descriptions.
Review them together prior to job placement. Invite agency staff to visit your site so they understand the tasks that temp workers will perform. This will allow the agency to better assess your needs, provide candidates with the proper skills and experience, and customize their orientation with your operation in mind. Notify the agency before moving workers to a different task or job, or making any other changes.
Do not place temp workers in high hazard work.
This includes operating certain machinery and equipment (including chainsaws), demolition, and working with livestock, which require detailed training to ensure worker safety. If the agency, host, and worker determine that high hazard work would be an acceptable fit, ensure that workers are first accustomed to your environment and processes. Coordinate additional training.
Conduct site-specific safety and health training.
This should be identical or equivalent to that provided to your own employees who are doing the same or similar work. Training should be in a language the worker understands and may include, but is not limited to, hazard communication, location of safety data sheets, safety procedures, safe equipment operation, tool selection and use, control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout), machine guarding, emergency procedures, and personal protective equipment.
Provide and maintain required PPE
Provide it, unless the contract states the staffing agency will provide it.
Include temporary workers in safety meetings
Consider adding a temp worker to your safety committee to get a broader perspective.
Track incidents and injuries
Make improvements that will prevent them from happening again. Alert the agency of any temp worker injuries and work together on solutions to eliminate hazards.
Record temp worker injuries
These should be recorded on your OSHA 300 Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses. OSHA requires that injury and illness records be kept by the host employer, or whoever is providing day-to-day supervision. Have an agreement in place with the temp/ staffing agency that they will share with you all claims forms (801s) and progress of days away from work.
For more on this topic, visit our temp workers safety page.