Protecting workers in the temporary staffing industry

Background: Workers hired through temporary staffing companies have a high rate of severe and fatal injuries despite the legally mandated, shared responsibility of the temporary staffing company and the host company to assure safe work. Aims: The aim of this study was to elucidate the perspective of temporary staffing personnel on approaches to mitigating injury risk among the workers they hire. Methods: Based on a conceptual model representing the interplay between work and health, we conducted a 'brainstorm' of temporary staffing personnel regarding perceived barriers to protecting temporary workers. A content/context analysis used standard qualitative methods, and the findings were triangulated with notes taken during the discussion. Results: Temporary staffing employers describe loss of control of the working conditions once workers are placed at host/client companies. Further, they describe a contentious relationship between temporary staffing and host companies, where it is difficult to hold host companies to account. Other barriers to providing temporary workers with a safe work environment include the temp companies' lack of knowledge of site-specific hazards, the poor quality of onsite Occupational Safety and Health training, and ignoring Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements. Conclusions: The perspective of temporary staffing companies should be considered to address the lack of cooperation and shifted responsibility described in this study. Policy and practice changes could include requiring contract language, implementing communication about safety, either sharing workers' compensation purchase or removing exclusive remedy protections from hosts, and prescribing safety training, such as an OSHA 10-h programme. Suggested interventions need further study.