Safety for Part Time Employees

While utilising part time work has a number of benefits for employers, it is important to acknowledge and manage the health and safety risks associated with working on a casual basis. 

A study conducted by Safe Work Australia found that part time employees had a workplace injury frequency rate that is twice the rate for full time employees (74 injuries per million hours worked compared to 35 for full time employees).  In addition, shift workers that complete less than 30 hours of work per week had a higher injury frequency rate than non-shift workers that worked the same number of hours and both shift and non-shift employees who worked 35 to 40 hours per week.

These figures are attributed to communication issues.  Part time employees are not often given an adequate induction to their workplace or given information regarding health and safety issues.  As part time employees often only work two or three days per week, they are often less engaged in safety committees, not used to the rhythms of work and not aware of safety changes that occur on their days off. 

Employers need to ensure part time employees are given the same level of induction as permanent / full time employees.  Part time employees should be encouraged to participate in OHS discussions and have a representative on an OHS committee.  It is also important to encourage casual employees to raise safety queries and to report injuries.  These questions should be encouraged, not seen as a hindrance. 

Utilising such techniques can help towards creating a safety conscious workplace culture that will ultimately benefit not only part time employees, but also full time employees and business.

For any legal enquiries relating to Work Heath and Safety, Sparke Helmore Lawyers has one of the largest team of experts in Australia. Contact a team member in your state on our Incident Response Hotline 1800 63 85 63.