With the summer holidays approaching, the number of temporary workers in logistics is rising. Unfortunately, the use of temporary holiday workers does not always benefit safety at companies. Temporary workers are unfamiliar with the workplace and working methods, and companies often do not take the time to instruct them adequately. It is therefore up to companies to reduce safety risks.
TNO research shows that temporary workers are more often involved in accidents than permanent workers. Between 2005 and 2013, between 8 and 9 per cent of temporary workers experienced an accident. Among permanent workers, that figure is around 7 per cent. The same study also shows that the accident rate rises to 11 per cent if companies do not encourage their temporary workers to work safely. Companies that do not listen to the improvement ideas of temporary workers also face more safety risks: for them, the accident rate is 13 per cent. The good news is that these percentages show that companies can indeed influence the behaviour of temporary workers.
Doing more than giving instructions
To make temporary workers aware of safety, it is important to involve them in the company. Steven Gudde of Olympia Uitzendbureau cited some insights from behavioural psychology during the launch of the Healthy and Safe Warehouse Code last year. Those who want their employees to exhibit safe behaviour need to do more than give instructions. These determine only 15 per cent of employees' behaviour. More important are the employee's self-image and the social norm within the company.
Self-esteem is about belief in one's own abilities. Am I exhibiting the desired behaviour? As a forklift driver, have I mastered safe driving? Can I meet expectations? If the answer is negative, employees are less likely to adapt their behaviour to their environment. The social norm is about the group a person wants to belong to. What does the group think about me? What behaviour do they expect from me?
Good training
It is up to temporary employment agencies to work on the self-image of their temporary workers, starting with good training. Temporary workers who know how to safely operate a forklift or reach truck will start work at a new company with more self-confidence. By creating a permanent pool of temporary workers, employment agencies contribute to greater safety. By gaining experience at different companies, temporary workers are well prepared.
It is up to the hiring company to ensure that temporary workers feel at home and become a full member of the team. Engaged workers are more motivated, which usually leads to a disciplined and safe work attitude. "Do you consciously or unconsciously approach temporary workers differently from permanent workers? Then it becomes difficult to get them to exhibit the same behaviour," says Steven Gudde.
"Treated as an intruder"
The latter - treating temporary workers differently from permanent employees - still happens too often in practice. This is reflected in BLOM Opleidingen's survey. It shows that as many as 32 per cent of temporary workers on forklifts are dissatisfied with their employment contract, compared to 4 per cent of permanent workers. The dissatisfaction has largely to do with the desire to get a permanent contract, but also with the feeling of being treated differently.
Some reactions from temporary workers:
"I am treated like an intruder by permanent employees."
"The difference in treatment between permanent workers and temporary workers irritates me."
"Take people who are always ready for the company into permanent employment."
"Don't just put temporary workers who have been working for the company for more than five years on the street, offer them permanent jobs."
Busyness and stress
Reactions are worrying as the number of temporary workers in logistics will only increase in the coming years. Logistics companies face large peaks and troughs in workloads. Temporary workers are flown in at busy times, where stress is high and safety is under pressure. In these situations, it is first and foremost important that the employment agency makes a careful choice for the right temporary worker.
Companies must then ensure proper supervision of this employee. After all, the hiring company is liable in case of an accident. Based on article 1 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, temporary workers are considered employees of the hiring company. It is also the company's duty to report accidents to the Inspectorate SZW. Those who do not handle their temporary workers carefully will ultimately draw the short straw themselves.
Tom from BLOM - Material handling expert
