Are Temp Workers at Higher Risk for Workplace Accidents?

Temporary workers are normally employed by staffing agencies to supply a source of labor to businesses. Over the last two decades, the use of staffing agencies and temporary employees has doubled.

Unfortunately, staffing agencies and businesses do not always provide a safe working environment for temporary workers.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently noted the vast failure of employers to prevent workplace accidents among temporary employees. According to OSHA, workers hired through a staffing agency are rarely given the training needed to perform their job safely. Due to the nature the position, employers might not have financial incentives to invest in training temporary employees.

As a result, temporary employees often find themselves in an unfamiliar work environment without adequate training to avoid work accidents.

However, OSHA requires staffing agencies and the companies who use them to accept joint responsibility for the safety of temporary employees by ensuring that training, hazard communication and recordkeeping requirements are fulfilled.

Can Temp Workers Receive Workers’ Comp?

Companies who hire through staffing agencies are not required to pay for workers’ compensation benefits in the event a temp worker is injured in a work accident. Fortunately, in Ohio, staffing agencies are still required to pay benefits when temp workers are injured.

According to data found in the workers’ comp system in the state of Washington, temp workers were substantially more likely to be injured in construction and manufacturing related work accidents. Although injured temp workers could file a workers’ comp claim with their staffing agency, many do not out of fear they could miss future work assignments.

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Larrimer & Larrimer, LLC – Columbus Workers’ Comp Attorneys

Did You Know? In 1970, about 38 workers died every day in fatal work accidents. Presently, the rate has fallen to 12 deaths per day.