OSHA and ASA are committed to providing ASA members and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect the health and safety of workers and understand the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act). Through the Alliance, the organizations will continue to protect the health and safety of temporary workers, particularly by reducing and preventing exposure to safety and health hazards during temporary job assignments. This renewal agreement provides a framework and objectives for the Alliance’s activities. Alliance participants will summarize specific activities and timeframes for completion in a written work plan.
Through the Alliance, the organizations will use relevant injury, illness, and hazard exposure data when appropriate to help identify areas of emphasis for Alliance awareness, outreach, and communication activities. The Alliance will also explore and implement selected options to evaluate the effectiveness of the Alliance and measure the impact of its overall effort on improving workplace safety for employers and workers. In renewing this Alliance, OSHA and ASA recognize that OSHA’s State Plan and On-site Consultation Project partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort, and that information about the products and activities of the Alliance may be shared with these partners for the advancement of common goals. The Alliance goals and the objectives include:
Raising Awareness of OSHA's Rulemaking and Enforcement Initiatives
- To share information on occupational safety and health laws and standards, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers.
- To share information on OSHA's National Emphasis Programs, Regulatory Agenda, and opportunities to participate in the rulemaking process.
Outreach and Communication
- To develop information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, and to develop ways of communicating such information (e.g., print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools, and OSHA's and ASA's websites) to staffing firms, host employers, and temporary workers.
- To speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or ASA's conferences, local meetings, or other events.
- To share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding ASA best practices or effective approaches through training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum) developed by the participants.
Then-Assistant Secretary Dr. David Michaels (right) and Richard Wahlquist, President and CEO of the American Staffing Association (ASA), signing the OSHA and ASA Alliance on May 21, 2014.
Products and Resources
Alliance Program Participants Developed Products
- A Case Study on the Shared Responsibility of Staffing Agencies and Host Employers for Temporary Worker Safety—Personal Protective Equipment and Injury Recordation. ASA and National Safety Council Case Study, (2016, October). Provides practical information for staffing companies and host employers to better protect temporary workers from workplace injuries, and understand which party is responsible for recording injuries on the OSHA Form 300 injury and illness log.
- Host Employer Safety Responsibilities With Respect to Temporary Workers (YouTube Video). The video, featuring Dr. David Michaels, Former Assistant Secretary for OSHA, and Stephen Dwyer, ASA General Counsel, discusses the safety and health obligations of host employers or clients using the services of staffing firms. (November 0015).
Webinars on the Temporary Worker Initiative (TWI) Bulletins.
- OSHA's New Record-Keeping and E-filing Requirements—What They Mean to Staffing Firms. (December 2016).
- OSHA's Temporary Worker Initiative Bulletin Series: Protecting Workers From Exposure to Blood-borne Pathogens. (January 2017).
- OSHA's Temporary Worker Initiative Bulletin Series: Providing Powered Industrial Truck Training. (February 2017).
- OSHA's Temporary Worker Initiative Bulletin Series: Communicating With Workers About Hazardous Materials. (February 2017).
- OSHA's Temporary Worker Initiative Bulletin Series: Noise Exposure and Hearing Conservation. (September 2018).
- OSHA’s Safety and Health in Shipyards Employment Bulletin. (February 2020).
OSHA Related Web Pages
Additional Resources
- Safety Matters: Keeping Temporary Workers Safe on the Job. American Staffing Association (ASA). ASA and OSHA have joined forces to develop and execute a strategic plan focused on protecting the health and safety of temporary workers in the U.S.