Temporary Worker Safety FAQ: What You Need to Know About Employing Temporary Workers

Temporary workers can be an important workforce element to employers in any industry and any type of working environment. But they are often overlooked when it comes to safety measures. Keep reading to find the answers to some of the most common employer questions below.

What defines a temporary worker?

Temporary workers are employees who fill a needed position for a short time. These roles are beneficial to both the employee and the employer. The employee is, of course, able to earn a wage during this time, but the temporary period also grants them first-hand experience within the industry or organization before committing as a full-time employee.

Similarly, the employer benefits from the labor that can be completed during the set time, but they can also use temporary employment as a “tryout” to ensure the employee fits the organization’s culture and needs.

There are two types of temporary worker: those brought in by a staffing agency, and those brought in temporarily in a direct-hire situation by the company.

How many temporary workers are there?

In the years following the Great Recession, which ended in June 2009, the annual growth of the temporary labor force outpaced the growth rate of all employment. In March 2022, temporary employment peaked at nearly 3.2 million workers and has since seemed to settle around 2.7 million workers.

When is temporary labor useful?

There are countless reasons for an organization to look into hiring temporary workers. Here are a few of the most common:

• You have a project that needs to be completed in a short amount of time.
• You don’t have the time or resources to screen and hire employees.
• You want to see if the employee works well with your company or has the right skills before making an offer for a permanent position.
• Your company’s workforce is down due to illness or vacations.
• Your business is seasonal and requires more workers during different times of year.
• You need to add temporary labor to meet an increased demand in production.

What are some of the industries that commonly use temporary workers?

Nearly any industry can benefit from the use of temporary work at various times. But there are certainly some industries that see the most use of temporary employees, simply by the nature of their work.

The construction industry, warehousing, retail businesses, and hospitality companies commonly employ temporary workers. These industries often see short-term projects and tend to have more defined “busy seasons” allowing them to benefit from added labor from time to time.

From the standpoint of the employee, skilled trades such as electricians, plumbers, welders, and carpenters are often in high demand but tend to be more necessary on a project basis. Additionally, janitorial staff and even finance professionals (think auditors or tax preparations) are typically not needed full time and see a lot of temporary work.

Why are temporary workers likely to get hurt?

Whether in temporary or full-time employment, new employees are at an increased risk for work-related injuries. The Travelers Insurance 2023 Injury Impact Report found that 34% of workplace injuries occurred during an employee’s first year on the job. And when you consider that temporary workers are often “new” multiple times a year, it is easy to see why this employment group is at such high injury risk.

Other factors contributing to higher rates of temporary worker injuries include:

• Unfamiliarity with the job or equipment
• Poor communication between the staffing agency, employer, and temporary worker
• Inadequate safety training for hazards
• Inadequate protective measures
• Unexpected changes in work

What are my responsibilities to a temporary worker?

OSHA’s Temporary Worker Initiative states that staffing agencies and host employers are considered jointly responsible for keeping a work environment safe. All workers must receive the same safety training and equipment, regardless of their employment status.

Staffing agencies and host employers may split up training responsibilities, but temporary workers must be fully trained before work begins. If a host employer provides permanent workers with PPE, they must give the same equipment to temporary workers and provide training on how to use and care for it.

What can I do as an employer?

While keeping all employees safe should be the goal of any employer, here are some tips to keep in mind when it comes to employing temporary workers.

Provide Training

Think about it this way: undertrained temporary workers could endanger your full-time employees if they don’t understand the potential hazards of a job. That should not be a risk you take.

Document All Training

All records should include the date the temporary worker was trained, a description of the training given, the topics covered, the trainer’s name, and the evaluation method used to determine training effectiveness.

Supply Appropriate PPE

Control the quality of the PPE by providing it yourself, and make sure workers know how to safely use and maintain all equipment.

Use Signs and Labels

Workers who are not familiar with the workplace may not remember all precautions and hazard warnings. Label emergency stops, post reminders about lockout/tagout and machine guarding, and be clear about prohibited behaviors.

Supervise Closely

Ensure your supervisors are keeping an eye on these workers to make sure they work safely, but also that they are providing the same feedback about safety performance as they would regular workers.

Do I need to record temporary worker injuries or illnesses?

In short, yes. Any recordable injury or illness that occurs to employees on your payroll, no matter their employment status or organizational level, must be recorded on your company’s incident logs. This also applies to employees not on your payroll but who fall under your day-to-day management.

If an injury or illness occurs to a temporary worker provided by a staffing agency, you must communicate with the agency about recording the incident. If the employee falls under your day-to-day supervision, the incident must go on your own logs. If the employee is supervised by the contracting company, the incident must go on their logs.

Let HSI Help

Learn more about temporary worker safety today and find out how HSI can help you give your entire workforce — whether they are full-time or temporary workers — access to interactive and effective safety training.