Vacation Staffing and Personnel Coverage Risks

June marked the beginning of Summer and with that comes new challenges like vacation staffing gaps, and changes in operational pace. As employees begin taking summer vacations, we may begin to experience personnel changes due to temporary workers or cross-trained staff filling in. Unclear direction when assigning roles and responsibilities can introduce safety challenges.  Below are a few key points to remember if your team experiences a personnel shift as we transition into the summer months:

Communication

When employees are unsure of the assignment, details might be overlooked or completed incorrectly, increasing the risk of incidents.

• To mitigate the risk, ensure to provide clear direction to the employee when assigning a task or handing off a job.

Training

Provide the necessary training required for the role and responsibilities being assigned.

• Temporary Staff – while the staffing agency is responsible for providing general safety training, the hiring department is responsible for providing site-specific hazard training. For example, if a temporary worker has a current forklift certification, certification is not transferable. We are still required to certify the employee on each type of equipment or powered-industrial truck to be used.

• Rotating Staff –  when training employees on a new task, make sure to include proper techniques and safety procedures, as applicable.

Avoid Complacency

Staffing changes or shortages can cause regular employees to become complacent by ignoring job hazards and not taking proper safety precautions. Multitasking, rushing through tasks, and skipping important steps, can all be signs of workplace safety complacency.  Whether a new task or role has been assigned, or you’ve been doing the job for 10 years, always work with safety in mind. 

• Inspect tools and equipment to ensure they are operating properly before starting a job.
• Stop work if you observe a safety issue.
• Stay alert to changes.
• Don’t take shortcuts. Skipping a step or not following procedures may save time but can lead to an injury. Take the time to complete the task or work, in a safe manner.

It is important to remember:

• No one is immune to workplace hazards, regardless of skill level.
• All employees – regular or temporary – should understand their duties and expectations.

For additional information on safe procedures as they relate to temporary staffing in the workplace, managers and supervisors can review the Contractor Safety course in eSafety. For any questions, please reach out to People Services or EH&S.