There are many kinds of jobs out there. One should be no safer than the other. If federal officials have anything to say about it, they’re going to make it safer for temporary workers.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), there’s a new initiative underway to protect temporary employees from workplace dangers, risks and hazards. Officials decided to announce this new initiative during OSHA’s Workers’ Memorial Day event. This is an event that’s used to recognize and pay tribute to workers who have been killed on the job and to help to renew the focus on making our nation’s workplaces safer for everyone.
OSHA officials sent out a memo to regional administrators instructing field directors to look at companies and their engagement of temporary workers. If these workers are present, they’re required to take it a step further and to make sure that the company is complying with their responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
Our Lauderdale work accident lawyers understand that there’s a new code in the books to keep an eye on these temporary workers and to take note when any of them are exposed to health or safety violations. In addition, OSHA inspectors will be looking to make sure that these temporary workers are getting the proper training that they require to complete each job safely. This training should be provided by the employer in a language that the worker can understand.
“Workers must be safe, whether they’ve been on the job for one day or for 25 years,” said Dr. David Michaels with OSH.
Workers’ Memorial Day is a national holiday that was observed on the 28th of April.
But the efforts don’t stop there. In addition to the new enforcement plans, officials with OSHA have started work with the American Staffing Association and different employers who use these kinds of staffing agencies. With this partnership, they’re hoping to promote better practices in working to make sure that temporary employees are safe on the job.
In the last few months, officials with OSHA have received a number of reports about temporary workers who were killed on the job. Unfortunately, many of these fatalities happened on their first day of work. And what were the most common citations resulting from these accidents? You guessed it — improper training and a lack of safety protections.
According to the latest statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), more than 10 percent of the near 5,000 people killed on the job in the U.S. in 2011 were temporary workers. That’s close to 550 fatalities.
If you’re working as a contracted worker or a temporary worker, you have the same rights as anyone else. Make sure you’re getting the proper training to complete your job safely. You need to also make sure you’ve got the proper safety equipment, too. Just because you’re not on the payroll all year, that doesn’t mean that you’re any less important.
Call Freeman, Mallard, Sharp & Gonzalez — 1-800-561-7777 for a free appointment to discuss your rights.
More Blog Entries:
U.S. Airways, Inc. v. McCutchen, Equitable Relief, and Third-Party Work Accidents, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, April 22, 2013
Broward Authorities Investigate Deadly Port Accident, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, April 10, 2013