This time of year, a lot of people are starting their search for temporary holiday work. Some are high school and college students who want to make some money and stay busy over winter break. Others are adults with full-time jobs who want to pick up some extra cash for holiday (and just regular) expenses.
Retailers and other businesses that get busier over the holidays need the extra labor. So do companies dealing with multiple employees taking vacation time to be with their families.
No one takes on a holiday job with the anticipation that they’ll be injured. However, temporary workers can be more prone to injury than full-time employees for a number of reasons.
Less safety training
Employers often don’t put the same time and effort into safety training for their temporary employees (many of whom are working part-time). That can leave them – and other employees – at greater risk.
That’s why it’s critical for these employees to ensure that they get the training they need – and to ensure that they get the personal protective equipment (PPE) they need. This can be anything from gloves to masks to reflective vests and more.
Long hours increase the risk of injury
As noted, many people who take holiday jobs are already working a full day or week before they go to that second job. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a person’s risk of injury increases by 37% if they work over 12 hours in one day. The risk is 30% greater in jobs that involve working at night. A person who works five days a week and then works at a second job on the weekend has no real time to unwind and relax.
Too many Floridians don’t realize that they may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits even if they work part-time, as we’ve discussed here before. Workers’ comp requirements are based on the type of industry and number of employees in a company – not the status of the employee.
Anyone who suffers an injury on the job should know their rights and how to assert them. That’s often especially true if an employer makes it difficult to file a workers’ comp claim or if a claim is denied. This is where having experienced legal guidance can make all the difference to the outcome of a truly stressful injury-related situation.