Confirmed: Part-timers at higher injury risk

Got part-time employees? It may be worth spending a little extra time and attention to their safety needs.

New research confirms what many have already noted or suspected: Part-time, temporary or contract workers are at higher risk for occupational injuries than workers in full-time positions.

The evidence that shows a higher risk for part-timers is out there:

• The rate of occupational injuries among self-employed workers is twice the national average for all workers.
• Temporary nurses caring for AIDS patients in 11 U.S. hospitals were 1.65 times more likely to suffer needlesticks than the rate for staff nurses working in the same units.
• A survey of day laborers found 19% reported work-related injuries that required medical attention during the course of a year, compared to 6% of all construction workers.
• Contract coal mine workers with at least 15 years tenure had a higher rate of evidence for black lung disease than non-contract workers.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health study calls for more research. The study also notes these workers’ unpredictable schedules contribute to safety and health problems.
For more detail go to the CDC web site.

DIGGING DEEPER
How can you prevent unsafe behavior or terminate continually unsafe employees without lost productivity and legal backlash? To get the details, check out the Executive Report: Terminating Unsafe Employees: What Supervisors Need to Know.