Temporary employees serve as a major asset to the workforce, but when someone gets hurt, often times no one wants to take the blame. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has made it clear that staffing firms and host companies share a joint accountability for the health and safety of temporary workers, encouraging the two to outline specific responsibilities in each person’s employment contract.

In an effort to further protect the contingent workforce, OSHA has released two new safety documents — Temporary Worker Initiative (TWI) Bulletin No. 4: Safety and Health Training and Temporary Worker Initiative (TWI) Bulletin No. 5: Hazard Communication. Created to further emphasize the shared responsibility of staffing firms and host companies, these two new documents are part of a series focused on ensuring compliance with health and safety requirements.

TWI Bulleting No. 4: Safety and Health Training

OSHA deems staffing firms and host employers jointly responsible for training temporary employees. All workers are required to receive training prior to starting a project, and the training program must be instituted in a language understood by each individual. Specific training requirements vary by worksite, but in some cases OSHA requires workers to receive both generic and specific training.

Staffing firms are typically responsible for providing workers with basic safety and health training and ensuring they receive adequate site-specific training. OSHA usually prefers specific training be carried out by the host employer, as the organization is typically much better equipped to prepare workers for hazards specific to the worksite.

TWI Bulletin No. 5: Hazard Communication

All workers — including temporary employees — have the right to know about hazardous chemicals they may be exposed to on the job. OSHA places staffing firms and host employers equally responsible for sharing hazard communication with temporary workers, ensuring each person is informed about and properly trained on hazardous chemical exposure.

OSHA holds the host employer mainly responsible for relaying site-specific hazard communications and providing training to avoid chemical hazards that may be present at the worksite. At minimum, staffing firms are tasked with preparing temporary employees with general information on hazard communication and providing basic training on dangerous chemicals they may encounter.

Visit the OSHA website for more information on the responsibilities of both host employers and staffing firms to keep temporary workers safe.

Ease the burden of managing your contingent labor force by partnering with ECS. Our firm assists companies of all sizes in a wide-range of industries, including Fortune 500 companies, defense contractors, information technology, accounting, and engineering firms. Contact us today to find out how ECS can help your organization!