PROTECTING TEMPORARY WORKERS: BEST PRACTICES FOR HOST EMPLOYERS*


Information compiled from the United States Department of Labor website.


An updated set of safety and health best practices for host employers was released this past July, to help host employers better protect the safety and health of temporary workers. Te practices, published as “Protecting Temporary Workers: Best Practices for Host Employers,” were developed by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—in partnership with the American Society of Safety Professionals, the American Staffing Association, the National Occupational Research Agenda Services Sector Council, and the Safety and Health Assessment and Research for Prevention Program within Washington State’s Department of Labor and Industries.


Estimates suggest there may be as many as 16 million temporary workers (i.e., those who are paid by a staffing company and assigned to work for a host employer company) in the U.S. during a year. Research shows that the risk of experiencing a work-related injury may be higher for temporary workers compared to non-temporary workers.


According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), host employers are responsible for protecting the safety and health of all workers, whether temporary or permanent.


In 2013, OSHA launched its Temporary Worker Initiative in response to increasing reports of temporary workers suffering serious or fatal injuries, some even in their first days on the job. Te OSHA Temporary Worker Initiative has issued numerous guidance documents outlining the joint safety and health responsibilities of staffing companies and host employers. Tis new resource builds on this work by providing an in-depth set of best practices for host employers to follow and supporting materials to facilitate their implementation.


Estimates suggest there may be as many as 16 million temporary workers (i.e., those who are paid by a staffing company and


assigned to work for a host employer company) in the U.S. during a year.


24 TPI Turf News March/April 2023


The Document Tis document, “Protecting Temporary Workers: Best Practices for Host Employers,” issued in July of 2022, is DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 2022-126. It provides a set of best practices for host employers to follow to better protect the safety and health of temporary workers. Te best practices are organized into three sections:


• Evaluation and contracting;


• Training for temporary workers and their worksite supervisors; and


• Injury and illness reporting, response, and recordkeeping.


Te best practices are applicable across industries and occupations. Te document also includes scenarios to provide examples of how the best practices might be implemented as well as checklists for each of the three sections that can be printed or completed electronically. View the document at the link that follows. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2022-126/pdfs/2022-126.pdf View and download the checklists at the link that follows. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2022-126/2022-126_ Checklists_508.pdf


Additional information and resources regarding the joint safety and health responsibilities of host employers and staffing companies can be found on the OSHA Temporary Worker Initiative website: https://www.osha. gov/temporaryworkers. If you have questions or need more information, please contact the NORA Coordinator at NORACoordinator@cdc.gov.


Worker safety and health goes hand in hand with worker engagement, productivity, and performance. By following these best practices and going beyond compliance with OSHA laws and regulations, host employers can do their part to ensure a safer, healthier workforce, which may ultimately contribute to an increased competitive advantage.


* Host employers may also be referred to as worksite employers, clients of staffing companies, or secondary employers.


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