Temporary Workers: Not Just a 'Guest Employee'

In addition, OSHA has begun working with the American Staffing Association, and employers that use staffing agencies, to promote best practices ensuring that temporary workers are protected from job hazards.

Key areas of change that affect you include:

• Revisions to the OSHA regulations, purpose and objectives;
• Reasonable care and informed compliance;
• Role of employer, agency, supervisors, workers, compliance auditors;
• Focused assessment requirements;
• Training responsibility (contract language and pre-engagement performance can put the burden of general training back on the agency's responsibility);
• Record-keeping requirement;
• Standard operating procedures;
• Penalties;
• Control of documents/control of records; and
• Best practices.

This issue is not limited to traditional manufacturing sites. This applies to any place covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act.