Program Aims to Reduce Temporary and Contract Employee Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities

Randstad US recently renewed the Safety Standard of Excellence mark from the American Staffing Association. The program, developed by ASA and the National Safety Council, promotes staffing industry-wide safety standards through a uniform national program.

By participating in the Safety Standard of Excellence program, staffing agencies, their placed employees, and clients can build knowledge and a mutually beneficial relationship to identify and mitigate or even eliminate workplace hazards and exposures, ensure clear communication between the agencies and clients, and clearly delineate responsibilities of each party—all intended to reduce temporary and contract employee injuries, illnesses, and fatalities.

Renewal of the mark involves the successful completion of an assessment process, conducted by NSC, to ensure the staffing agency is continually enhancing its safety program and utilizing industry best practices.

“Safety isn’t always the priority for some companies, and that is a major mistake,” said Corey Berghoefer, senior vice president of risk management and insurance, Randstad US. “Creating a safe work environment and culture is critical to an organization’s ability to effectively recruit and retain skilled workers, and even increase employee engagement and morale.”

Promoting and ensuring temporary and contract employee safety and well-being is the responsibility of every staffing agency. In 2013, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration launched the temporary worker initiative focused on compliance with safety and health requirements when temporary and contract workers are employed under the joint or dual employment of a staffing agency and a host employer. The initiative asserts both host employers and staffing agencies have roles in complying with workplace health and safety requirements and they share responsibility for ensuring worker safety and health.

The Safety Standard of Excellence program is sponsored by World Wide Specialty Programs.

To learn more about the Safety Standard of Excellence program, visit americanstaffing.net/safety.

For more information about Ranstad US, visit randstadusa.com.

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About the American Staffing Association

The American Staffing Association is the voice of the U.S. staffing, recruiting, and workforce solutions industry. ASA and its state affiliates advance the interests of the industry across all sectors through advocacy, research, education, and the promotion of high standards of legal, ethical, and professional practices. For more information about ASA, visit americanstaffing.net.

About The National Safety Council

Founded in 1913 and chartered by Congress, the National Safety Council is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to save lives by preventing injuries and deaths at work, in homes and communities, and on the road through leadership, research, education, and advocacy. NSC advances this mission by partnering with businesses, government agencies, elected officials, and the public in areas where it can make the most impact—distracted driving, teen driving, workplace safety, prescription drug overdoses, and safe communities. Safety+Health magazine, the council’s flagship publication, is a leading source of occupational safety and health information.

About Randstad

Randstad North America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Randstad N.V., a €23.8 billion global provider of flexible work and human resources services. As a trusted human partner in the technology-driven world of talent, we combine the expertise and passion of our employees, with some of the most innovative HR technologies on the market today, to advance the careers and business success of our candidates and clients.

Randstad's North American operations comprise 5,700+ associates and a deployed workforce of more than 100,000 in the U.S. and Canada. In addition to staffing and recruitment, Randstad offers outsourcing, consulting and workforce management solutions for generalist and specialist disciplines, including technology, engineering, finance and accounting, clinical and non-clinical healthcare, human resources, legal, life sciences, manufacturing and logistics, office and administration and sales and marketing. Global concepts available to North American client companies include RPO, MSP, integrated talent solutions, payrolling and independent contractor management and career transition services. Learn more at randstadusa.com or randstad.ca.