What safety training records should I expect from a staffing agency placing industrial workers?

Begin by asking how records are kept. Is there one file per worker, a shared sheet or a mix of paper and email? Ask the agency to produce the records for a few workers chosen by you, not by the seller. How long it takes, and how complete the files are, tells you a lot.

Then look at what each record shows. Useful records name the training, the date, the provider and whether the worker was tested or only attended. Ask how the agency handles training that clients provide on site, and whether it keeps a copy. Ask who notices when training is out of date and what happens to a worker who has not refreshed it.

Finally, ask about incidents. How does the agency learn of injuries or near misses at client sites, and how are they recorded and followed up? Ask your lawyer to review any past claims or notices, and ask your insurance adviser how the agency’s coverage reflects its safety practices. Visit a client site if the seller allows it. Ask who at the agency is responsible for safety records, and whether that person has other duties that might crowd the work out.

Key takeaways

• Ask for records on workers you choose, and time how long they take to produce.
• Check that each record shows the training, date, provider and whether the worker was tested.
• Ask how incidents are recorded and followed up, and review past claims with your lawyer.
• Ask who owns safety records at the agency and whether that is their only job.