Seasonal and Temporary Worker Safety
Seasonal and Temporary Worker Safety
As your company starts preparing for summer jobs, you may be thinking about hiring some seasonal workers. Many towns, villages and cities hire short-term employees to help with their summer parks and recreation programs. They use them to act as lifeguards at public pools or assist with maintenance work. Since these workers are often young and inexperienced, they can be especially vulnerable to workplace injuries.
Provide Training for Summer Jobs
Most seasonal workers are usually new to the jobs they are assigned, so it’s important to communicate your expectations of safety clearly and provide hands-on training to help them be successful. Be sure to take the time for new employee orientation. You must not forget to address any specific hazards they could encounter and any protective equipment they are expected to wear or safety procedures they must follow. Never assume that new workers will just figure things out as they go. They seldom do.
Supervise Summer Workers to Help Prevent Accidents
It’s important to supervise these new employees, at least initially, to make sure they apply their training correctly. It is always a good option to partner new workers with a more experienced employee who can monitor their work and provide immediate feedback to ensure they are working safely.
Keep Your Young Workers Safe
Young, inexperienced workers are more likely to be injured on the job than your full-time staff. This is based on studies of emergency room visits, and the injury rate for workers under the age of 25 which is approximately twice that of workers 25 and over. Ensure your young, inexperienced employees get adequate training, proper supervision and that they are encouraged to ask questions to help avoid accidents.
When hiring seasonal workers, also keep in mind that the Department of Labor does not allow employees under the age of 18 to perform certain hazardous occupations. These include roofing operations, excavation operations and in most cases the driving of motor vehicles.
Be Cautious About Summer Hazards
Summer work means working in heat and humidity a lot of the time. Follow practices and implement procedures to avoid heat illness, including:
- Gradual acclimation to heat
- Make sure water is readily available to outdoor workers
- Provide breaks in a cool or shaded areas
- Conduct your outdoor work during the coolest times of the day, if possible
- Be sure that your employees and supervisors understand the signs and symptoms of heat illness
- Be sure that your employees and supervisors know what steps to take should a employee show symptoms of heat illness
