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Proposed legislation hopes to prevent contract worker injuries

Posted on April 19th, 2013 Read time: 1 minutes

Legislators in Maryland have introduced a bill to help avert temporary workers from getting injured while they are on the job. The hope is to increase the safety of short-term workers and require government regulators to properly license contract workers in high-risk industries where hazards are common.

According to the Baltimore Sun, the new law was proposed after a contracted radiologist was accused of improperly handling a contagious disease, resulting in an outbreak. The suggested legislation updates an existing healthcare law that requires all nursing and home health staffing firms to have the appropriate licenses. The reform obligates all short-term employees in the medical field to have the right certifications as well. By including all staffing agencies with contract workers in the healthcare industry to be accredited, companies employing short-term staff may feel more secure and temporary workers will be able to acquire more positions.

HR professionals and staffing companies across the country might want to consider training all short-term staff about the proper procedures for handling dangerous or hazardous material within the workplace. Staffing firms might also want to look into licensing all employees with certifications in their fields to help keep them free from injury.

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