Keeping OSHA Honest: What Staffing Firms Can Do to Level the Playing Field
Staffing firms work hand and glove with host employers to provide a qualified and safety
oriented workforce. Safety is always important, but in some high-risk industries, the danger posed by
the failure to follow safety guidelines can have catastrophic consequences.
Safety first for their employees is the guiding principle for all reputable staffing firms. But a
common complaint from staffing firms from around the country is that the Occupation Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA) does not consistently follow its own rules when enforcing safety
standards, frequently to the detriment of staffing firms. This concern also applies to states such as
California that have their own departments of occupational safety and health. Many of the rules
regarding proper procedure and safety protocols are ambiguous enough that staffing companies are
inspected and fined more frequently than the host employers.