Factors underlying observed injury rate differences between temporary workers and permanent peers

Background

Temporary workers face increased risk of injury as compared to permanent workers in similar occupations. This study explores the role played by several potential risk factors.

Methods

Injured temporary and permanent workers, matched by industry, tenure and demographic characteristics, were interviewed to isolate the association of temporary employment with several injury risk factors.

Results

Temporary workers had higher workers’ compensation claims rates than their permanent worker-peers. In interviews temporary workers a reported a lower frequency of exposure to hazards. However, they also reported being less likely to be equipped to cope with hazards by such countermeasures as experience screening, safety training and task control.

Conclusion

Policies are needed to improve screening and training of temporary workers to assigned tasks, to discourage job-switching, to improve temporary workers’ hazard awareness, to protect their right to report unsafe conditions. The responsibilities of agencies and host employers for ensuring the safety of their temporary workers need clarification in regulatory policy.

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