Some workers are sceptical about seeking jobs through an employment agency, fearing that their safety is not prioritised by the company that offers them their work assignment. It’s a misconception, however; employers are bound by law to provide labour hire workers the same treatment and priority on health and safety that they offer their own employees.
Legally speaking, labour hire workers are those who are directly employed by an agency, then “on-hires” them to a different organisation or company to perform labour for them. In this set-up, the first company has the responsibility to provide just compensation for their work, aside from other employee entitlements. However, contractors and employers are still responsible for their labour hire workers’ health and safety.
In Perth and in other parts of Western Australia, employers are expected to provide the same benefits and safety standards on the workplace for labour hire workers. As the government had laid out, employers and self-employed persons are expected to ensure that their labour hire workers’ safety and health are not compromised as a result of their work.
This obligation for a labour hire worker, however, is not limited to the employer. The employment agency is also obligated to provide the necessary safety measures in terms of guidelines and information to ensure their workers are prepared to carry out the job they are hired to do.
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