On hire employment services industry

On hire employment services is one of the highest risk types of employment because the workplaces where agency employees perform their duties are not under the direct control or supervision of their employer (the agency).

Shorter terms of employment, and the transient nature of moving between workplaces means workers are always considered to be new workers and are therefore at greater risk of injury. 

Workers

This mode of short term temporary employment has become increasingly popular in recent years with an increase of almost 600 per cent in the decade 1991 - 2001.

Major risks

Workers engaged by labour hire agencies are often placed in employment at short notice in response to the needs of agency clients. They may be in workplaces where the risks of injury is not be adequately managed or the risk are not well communicated to the worker.

Common injuries

Common risks of injury include:

• falls
• body stressing, from repetitive and fast-paced work, moving heavy or awkward loads, or doing work that requires workers to adopt bad posture
• amputation and crush injuries from plant and equipment that is poorly guarded.

This website contains information to assist you to identify the features to look for in agencies with better safety performance and the questions to ask of agencies and clients.