OSHA Launches Initiative to Protect Temporary Workers (TRN Update)

From Cliff Gerbick, CSP (The Reserves Network Director of Safety)

Each year towards the end of April, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) holds a remembrance ceremony for Workers Memorial Day.  During this time, OSHA remembers those workers who lost their lives on the job and recommits to making worksites safer.

However, this year, in addition to the remembrance service, OSHA introduced an initiative to protect temporary workers in the workforce.  OSHA sent a memo to all regional administrators who assess field operations directing field inspectors “to assess whether employers who use temporary workers are complying with their responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.”

This memo comes on the heels of a recently published Standard Interpretation that clarified who in the temporary agency/host employer is responsible for what aspects of required safety and health education.  That standard interpretation can be found at by (CLICKING HERE: osha.gov)

OSHA has long held that temporary agencies are required to provide general safety and health training while host employers are required to provide site specific training on potential hazards and risks.  Those responsibilities are not changing; OSHA is simply putting and emphasis on ensuring that both parties are fulfilling their obligations under the OSH Act.

Compliance Safety and Health Offices (CSHO’s), commonly referred to as OSHA Inspectors, are instructed to identify employers that utilize temporary workers and “assess whether temporary workers received required training in a language and vocabulary they could understand.”

Additionally, OSHA has begun working with the American Staffing Association (ASA), the largest trade association representing the U.S. staffing industry, in order to better promote best practices and provide education to both staffing agencies and host employees on OSHA requirements and employee training.

For more information on the OSHA Initiative, please visit (LINK: osha.gov)

For more information on the American Staffing Associating, please visit (LINK: americanstaffing.net)

Cliff Gerbick is the Director of Safety for The Reserves Network, a provider of “Total Staffing Solutions” in the office, industrial, professional and technical markets. To contact Cliff, email cgerbick@TRNstaffing.com.

Visit the The Reserves Network’s website at www.TRNstaffing.com.

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The Reserves Network Celebrates National Staffing Employee Week Sept. 10-16

Fairview, Ohio — From Sept. 10-16 The Reserves Network, a regional staffing service for the office, industrial, professional and technical markets, will join staffing companies across the country in celebration of National Staffing Employee Week (NSEW). A Week, which was founded by the American Staffing Association (ASA) to pay tribute to an increasingly important segment of the American workforce: the nation’s temporary employees.

Businesses, according to ASA, tap staffing companies for quality talent in virtually all occupational sectors, from call center service representatives to skilled tradesmen to attorneys. ASA also reports that 79% of temporary and contract employees work full-time (35 hours or more per week), virtually the same as the rest of the work force.

“National Staffing Employee Week is a salute to a vital group of people who actively contribute to the growth of the American economy,” says Amy Gerrity, president of The Reserves Network. “We would also like to thank all of our employees – the hard work and effort you put forth on a daily basis is appreciated by everyone here at The Reserves Network.”

As part of the celebration, the company has selected “2012 National Staffing Employee Stars” from each of its office and on-site locations. Nominees will be honored with a certificate and monetary prize.

“The Reserves Network would like to congratulate the 2012 Staffing Employee Stars,” adds Gerrity. “Their exemplary performance makes up of the model of excellence we set forth to achieve as an organization each and every day.”

For more information about National Staffing Employee Week (Click Here!)

Apply Online by clicking the “Apply Arrow” below!

About The Reserves Network

The Reserves Network is a regional staffing service for the office, industrial, professional and technical markets. Founded in 1984 and headquartered in Fairview Park, Ohio, the provider of ‘Total Staffing Solutions’ has won multiple honors for outstanding sales growth and management excellence. System-wide, the company expects to place nearly 20,000 employees annually at its more than 35 office locations in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Wisconsin. This includes temporary, temporary-to-hire and direct-hire placements. For more information on The Reserves Network visit www.TRNstaffing.com

For additional information on this news release, and all other media inquiries on The Reserves Network or its affiliates, please contact the Communications Department at comm@TRNstaffing.com.