It’s probably something you always suspected, but now there is solid evidence to support it: Part-time, temporary, and contract workers are at higher risk of occupational injuries and illnesses than workers in traditional work situations
That’s the word from National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) researchers Kristin J. Cummings and Kathleen Kreiss.
The researchers said that the higher risks faced by these workers, whom they grouped under the heading of “contingent workers,” are documented in European and U.S. studies that came back with such findings as these:
- The rate of fatal occupational injuries among self-employed workers is twice the national average for all workers, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- The rate of needlestick injuries among temporary nurses caring for AIDS patients in 11 U.S. hospitals was 1.65 times higher than the rate for staff nurses working in the same units.
- A 2004 survey of day laborers in the U.S. found that 19 percent reported work-related injuries that required medical attention in the previous year, compared with less than 5 percent of workers in all private industries and about 6 percent of all workers in construction.
- A preliminary analysis of 2000-2004 data shows that contract coal mine workers with at least 15 years of tenure had a higher prevalence of radiographic evidence for coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (black lung) than no contract coal mine workers.
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“As the use of part-time, temporary, and contract work increases in today’s changing economy, it has become more and more important to understand the implications of the trend for occupational safety and health, and to address factors that may put these workers at unique risk,” said NIOSH Director John Howard. “Studies such as these are important in suggesting evidence-based hypotheses in this complex area, and stimulating next steps in research to address unanswered questions.”
There are a number of reasons – some more obvious than others — why the risk of injury and illness is higher among contingent workers than among traditional “direct-hire” employees. These include:
- Outsourcing of the more hazardous jobs
- Lack of experience and familiarity with operations in a dangerous workplace
- Inadequate safety training and protective equipment
- Limited access to preventive measures, such as medical screening programs
“Components of current health and safety regulations and the workers’ compensation system, which were designed during a different economic era, also play a role,” Cummings and Kreiss wrote. “For example, millions of contingent workers are not covered by workers’ compensation insurance for medical benefits for work-related injury and illness.”
Here Come the Kids
Adding to the issue, business is now entering the season where the risks facing contingent workers are underscored by an influx of interns who may be fresh-faced and eager to please, but who are far from well-versed in the ways of the world, much less the dangers particular to your workplace.
OSHA says that because of their “biologic, social, and economic characteristics, young workers have unique and substantial risks for work-related injuries and illnesses.”
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“Approximately 2.3 million adolescents aged 16 to 17 years worked in the U.S. in 2005,” according to OSHA’s Youth 2 Work website. “In 2004, 35 youth under 18 years of age died from work-related injuries. In 2003, an estimated 54,800 work-related injuries and illnesses among youth less than 18 years of age were treated in hospital emergency departments.”
Last month, OSHA kicked off its fourth annual Teen Summer Job Safety Campaign. The agency is hosting activities around the country to help keep teens safe and healthy on the job. Among these are:
- Career fairs
- Youth programs
- Expos
- Career days
- Training seminars
The agency is emphasizing integrating safety principles into their work,, a skill OSHA hopes will accompany young workers into future jobs.
In tomorrow’s Advisor, we’ll look at ways your organization can reduce the risks faced by another major segment of contingent workers — contract workers — and at a solution for quickly and efficiently bringing your workers – whether contingent or direct hires – up to speed on your safety procedures.