What does it mean to work with a staffing company that can help you find work safely and feel secure in your job search? See how PeopleReady is committed to your safety with our app, JobStack.
What does it mean to work with a staffing company that can help you find work safely and feel secure in your job search? See how PeopleReady is committed to your safety with our app, JobStack.
Safety first. It’s not just a catchphrase, it’s a guiding principle here at PeopleReady—and hopefully, it’s top of mind for you whenever you head out to any job.
Safety first.
It’s not just a catchphrase, it’s a guiding principle here at PeopleReady—and hopefully, it’s top of mind for you whenever you head out to any job. After all, every job involves some safety risks, though some more than others. That’s especially true in the warm summer months.
We’re not trying to scare anyone, but we do want to stress the importance of staying alert and exercising caution on a job site. Your safety is always our top concern—and for good reason: There are several injuries that can put you in harm’s way and keep you from working. Obviously, no one wants to get hurt, and no one wants to spend days, weeks, or even months recovering.
To help you keep an eye out for safety hazards, we’ve put together a list of common workplace injuries that keep workers out of commission:
Overexertion might be the first workplace injury to come to mind since it’s usually among the most common. Think of a worker hurting their back moving a heavy box. These injuries happen regularly because they can result from mistakes we all make when we’re fatigued or distracted, like not following the age-old wisdom of lifting with your legs, not your back.
Workplace falls are typically separated into two categories: falls from heights and falls on the same level. Falls from heights (or between floors) occur when a worker falls from a higher location like scaffolding or a roof. Falls on the same level can occur when you slip or trip over an object. In many cases, the easiest way to prevent falls is just to be alert.
These injuries might sneak up on you because they’re not the result of a big event. They occur after repeatedly performing a small, seemingly innocuous task over and over again. The wear and tear on your muscles builds up over time and eventually you find yourself with an injury or condition (such as carpal tunnel syndrome) from overuse.
We spend a lot of time stressing the importance of personal protective equipment (PPE), and although you might consider it obvious advice, there’s a reason for it. Common injuries like cuts, punctures, and scrapes are largely preventable if you’re wearing the appropriate gear. These accidents occur when you’re not protected or you don’t have control of an object because you’re not wearing the proper equipment.
Now you know some common workplace injuries. So what are some tips to keep in mind to stay safe when you’re on the job site?
Here are the five most important attributes that you need on the job site during the aftermath of a natural disaster.
When communities begin to rebuild after any sort of natural disaster, support from a disaster recovery team makes an enormous difference. Businesses of all kinds begin staffing up and hiring additional help to press forward with the work that needs to be done. While any type of help, big or small, makes an impression—there are specific skills that some disaster recovery workers embody that makes them ideal for these high-impact roles.
Do you have the traits that make for an ideal candidate to help affected communities recuperate? Here are five attributes that help make a successful worker in the aftermath of a natural disaster.
Strong communication skills play a big part in disaster relief. Being able to properly update, convey needs, and connect with other players is key. There isn’t always much time to get a message across, so having the ability to interact and communicate well can make someone a great individual for disaster relief work. Workers with strong communication skills have the ability to engage with colleagues and people of all kinds, at different levels in the organization.
With so many moving parts and people, processes continually changing, and circumstances differing from place to place, being able to adapt in many scenarios is truly valuable. Operations may be going one way at a certain moment and a few beats later, completely change. It takes someone who can think quickly on their feet and use critical thinking paired with common sense to make strong decisions that may ultimately effect whole teams.
Processes aren’t likely to be running as smoothly as they would be under normal circumstances, potentially creating bottlenecks and delays in everything from scheduling and timing to deliveries and approvals. When operations are held up, it takes a worker with patience to weather last-minute changes well.
Sometimes the smallest items can make the biggest difference. Noticing details on a job site is imperative for all aspects from safety to accounting. Disaster recovery work includes many players doing different tasks, so keeping a keen eye on details and following instructions makes progression a lot simpler.
We never know exactly when a disaster is going to show up, which means showing up on time is especially important for workers tackling disaster recovery. There are tons of people, even whole communities, counting on your help—which means reliability and promptness is absolutely necessary when showing up for work.
Ready to use your skills to help with disaster recovery? Businesses need people like you—and PeopleReady is committed to connecting great workers with them.
Safety is our No. 1 priority at PeopleReady. Ask yourself these six questions before your first visit to the job site.
We get it. When it feels like you have a million things to do, safety isn’t necessarily the first thing that comes to mind – particularly when you’re hustling to make it on time and doing the job well.
But imagine the frustration of having to miss work because of an injury. Sitting out of days, sometimes even weeks or months, of pay and on top of that, dealing with an injury. It’s not worth it! But the numbers aren’t comforting: The National Safety Council says that someone is injured on the job every seven seconds, adding up to 510 injuries each hour, 88,500 a week, and 12,600 every day.
Our goal is that when you’re on a job site with PeopleReady, you feel safe. Here are five crucial questions to ask yourself before heading out onto a job, every single time:
When you’re sure of the job description and what your duties are, you can decide whether it’s a job you’re comfortable with and have the skills and proper training for. Make sure you know the details of a job before signing on.
If you show up to a job site and you’re being asked to do work that varies greatly from the description, call your branch representative about your safety concerns.
Don’t take your personal protective equipment (PPE) for granted; many injuries occur just because a worker isn’t wearing their PPE. And remember, PPE can be anything from steel-toed boots to a simple pair of protective glasses.
If there is anything about your job site that doesn’t feel safe, do the right thing and let your supervisor and branch staff know. Respectfully informing them of any potential hazards not only protects you and your colleagues, but safeguards the business.
If you’re injured on the job, you need to tell the onsite supervisor and your branch representative. No matter how minor, your injury should be reviewed and taken care of. Sometimes what may seem like a small injury can turn into something much more serious. Feel free to contact the PeopleReady NurseLine to speak with a nurse about the injury and get help on what to do next. As they always say, better safe than sorry.
On safety training, that is. When you first start working with PeopleReady, you’ll go through a general safety assessment so we can understand how familiar you are with safety procedures and best practices. You can continue to grow your safety understanding and training with PeopleReady through various certifications, like OSHA 10, that provide you with the important safety info you need.
The top three workplace injuries that cause workers to lose workdays are overexertion, contact with or struck by objects/equipment, and slips, trips, and falls. Fortunately, these types of injuries can be prevented much of the time with a bit of foresight and awareness. We’re here to help with that.
You need to know these 4 safety tips before heading to any job site. Read our blog with tips from the safety experts at PeopleReady here.
Your safety on the job site is paramount. Whether you know it or not, you’re the most important person to someone. So ensuring you’re taking all the steps you can to protect your health and well-being should always be top of mind. However, when you work a number of jobs with rotating job sites, locations and duties, it can be difficult to know what to expect from your work each day.
With just a little bit of preparation and insight, you can be steps ahead for safety and make sure you’re heading home at the end of the shift safe and sound. Read 4 simple ways that PeopleReady says will help you put safety first:
You know your schedule better than anyone. A recruiter, manager, boss, supervisor, or co-worker won’t know if you pulled an all-nighter studying or had back-to-back shifts the day before. It’s important that you get the rest and recovery time you need to be alert and focused on the job – and you’re the best person to know when that time will be. With flexible work, the shifts and hours aren’t always your normal 9-to-5, meaning you can decide what shifts work with your schedule and allow for the time you need for your health. Think about any events, activities, or obligations that might affect your schedule—and then find shifts that work around and with your needs.
The more you know about a job site before you head there, the better off you’ll be. From the personal protective equipment (PPE) to the location to the conditions, learn as much as you can about what to expect before you even leave for the shift. When you have a clear understanding of the type of work you’ll be doing and what’s needed, you can be sure to prepare in advance and come equipped with everything you need to do your job safely.
Do you think about your health and safety as separate? Your health is how you feel day-to-day, whether you’re sick or feel well generally. When you feel ill or like you might not be up to the tasks being asked of you at work, you’re much more likely to have an unsafe experience. For example, if you have a fever and spend several hours outside as a flagger, your conditions could worsen making it difficult to pay attention to your work. When you’re not alert on the job, mistakes can happen – and can put your safety at risk. That, in turn, puts others at risk, too. If you feel your health isn’t up to par, listen to your body and don’t do work where your safety could also be in jeopardy. We understand that health issues come up and make it so you can’t go to work: make sure you contact your recruiter or branch rep as soon as you feel you can’t work. Maintaining a good relationship with the customer is important so you have the opportunity to work once you’re feeling well again.
Even within the same industry, not all jobs are the same. Some will require skills that you may not have yet while others are ideal for your abilities. Rather than put yourself in front of potential hazards by trying to do a job you’re not skilled for, focus on roles where you can do your best and do it safely. If your goal is to work jobs where specific skillsets might not even be required, but necessary, let your branch rep know. There are plenty of resources, classes, and certifications available to you so you can safely head in to a work setting and excel without putting your safety at risk.
Work with a staffing partner who values your safety as much as you and your loved ones do. Even better, find a staffing partner that builds these precautions into their processes so you have the support you need. You can use an app like JobStack to tick off these safety boxes, with the ability to see job information and requirements before you decide to take them, have access to your branch rep through text message and mobile, and look at the different shifts available. Learn more about how to make JobStack work for you!
At PeopleReady, safety is our No. 1 priority and it should be yours, too. Remember these 4 safety tips when you show up to any gig.
You hear “safety first” so often you might start to tune it out the same way you ignore those “Do Not Remove” labels on mattresses. Take it from us: Safety should always be top of mind for you, no matter what job you’re on.
If you’re a worker who enjoys the freedom of on-demand work, hopping from gig to gig, you’re going to find yourself in a variety of environments. Not every jobsite is going to be like the others, but there are some general tips you should always keep in mind no matter where you are.
We’ve put together 4 safety tips to remember on any gig:
When you begin working for PeopleReady, we perform a general safety assessment with you to gauge your understanding of safety best practices. We might provide additional instruction time with you depending on your level of safety understanding. All of the information you learn in these assessments is vital to your success and safety on the job.
Certain jobs might require specific additional training, such as OSHA 10. If that’s necessary, we will work with you to complete all training in time to begin work. If you have questions about any required training or opportunities to be proactive about safety assessments, reach out to your local branch manager.
When you accept a job through PeopleReady, we supply you with the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) as required to ensure your safety at the jobsite. Unless you’re told certain items are optional, you must wear this safety equipment at all times.
PPE is important for several reasons: First, for your own safety! We care about your wellbeing above all else, and this is your last line of defense against any on-site danger. It’s in everyone’s best interest to keep you as safe as possible—and the workers around you. Just one person not wearing their PPE could create safety hazards for everyone else. We know sometimes the equipment can feel uncomfortable, but it serves a purpose.
Because your safety is our chief concern, PeopleReady staff make a site visit to any job we’re hiring for so we know it’s suitable for our workers. We ensure that not only are the conditions safe but that we understand what’s being asked of you. We also make onsite visits while you’re on the job to verify that you’re being asked to do what we hired you for and to verify your ongoing safety. However, at the end of the day, you are the best judge of your personal safety. If you find yourself in a situation where you think you’re at an unreasonable risk or being asked to perform a job outside of the given description, don’t do it. Notify your branch manager so they can resolve the situation.
Hopefully you’ll never experience an injury on the job. *knock on wood* But if you are hurt or injured in any way, alert the onsite supervisor and your local branch manager so they know what’s going on. Obviously, if it’s clearly an emergency, seek medical help immediately. However, if it’s a smaller issue that you don’t think requires much attention but don’t want to take a risk, you have access to PeopleReady’s NurseLine, a service that lets you talk to a nurse who can help assess the severity of the situation. It’s an easy way to get medical advice to help decide what step to take next. Regardless of how you choose to handle an onsite injury, what matters most is that you address it as soon as possible.
You’re an experienced construction worker. You have your own PPE, steel toed boots for all weather occasions and keep your eyes open for physical safety hazards: falls, scaffold collapse, repetitive motion injuries and more.
But there are also health hazards you may overlook. Here are 6 things to keep in mind to make sure you stay in tip-top shape.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA), noise-related hearing loss has been listed as one of the most prevalent occupational health concerns in the United States for more than 25 years. Exposure to high levels of noise can cause permanent hearing loss. Short term exposure to loud noise can also cause a temporary change in hearing (your ears may feel stuffed up) or a ringing in your ears (tinnitus). These short-term problems may go away within a few minutes or hours after leaving the noisy area. However, repeated exposures to loud noise can lead to permanent tinnitus and/or hearing loss. Wearing earmuffs or earplugs can protect your hearing.
Silica is a basic component of sand, quartz and granite rock. Activities such as roof bolting, stonecutting, drilling, brick/block/concrete cutting, asphalt paving, hammering, chipping and sweeping concrete can create an airborne silica exposure hazard. An over exposure to silica results in approximately 300 deaths annually in the construction industry. (www.osha.gov, 2015)
Breathing wood dust that becomes airborne through sanding and cutting may cause allergic respiratory symptoms, mucosal and non-allergic respiratory symptoms, and cancer. The extent of these hazards and the associated wood types have not been clearly established but safety equipment and reducing exposure are definitely recommended. OSHA has several suggestions for respirators and other work place safety tips to keep you from breathing as much wood dust.
Breathing asbestos fibers can cause a loss of lung function that often progresses to disability and death. Asbestos can also cause lung cancer and other diseases such as mesothelioma. PeopleReady will not knowingly send you to a job where asbestos is present. If you are on a job where it is found, do not touch it, leave the site and contact your branch manager immediately. Additional information about asbestos is included in your safety handbook and from OSHA.
OSHA estimates that approximately 838,000 construction workers may be exposed to various forms of lead in the workplace. Workers are exposed to lead when they are working near the production, use, maintenance, recycling, and disposal of lead material and products. Workers are often exposed during the removal, renovation, or demolition of structures painted with lead pigments. Learn more about how to control your exposure from OSHA.
Synthetic mineral fibers are made primarily from rock, clay, slag, or glass. These fibers are generally put into three groups into three general groups: fiberglass, mineral wool, and refractory ceramic fibers. There are more than 225,000 workers in the US exposed to synthetic mineral fibers in manufacturing and end-use applications. Learn from OSHA how you can be better prepared for this exposure.
Your safety is very important to us. PeopleReady hopes these tips help keep you healthy and on the job. Have any other health hazards that may be overlooked, even for the most seasoned construction worker?
The construction industry is one of the fastest growing sectors in the nation and demands more and more workers to complete projects on time and on budget. Are you ready to start your career in construction?
The construction industry is one of the fastest growing sectors in the nation. That growth demands more and more workers to complete projects on time and on budget. It’s a line of work that can open doors for many opportunities and PeopleReady is the perfect place to get your start.
It’s important to be safe on a construction site and having the right equipment when you arrive on the job is critical. Here are 5 essentials for your first day working construction. If you need any personal protection equipment (PPE) like what’s described here, please ask your branch office. Your safety is important to us and we can secure PPE for you.
On a construction site, there is the potential for you to be struck by falling objects. Even a small bolt or tool that falls from a short distance above your head can lead to serious injury if appropriate gear is not worn. A standard hard hat will be reinforced on top, have a rain gutter around the sides and be comfortable.
Most eye injuries can be prevented by wearing appropriate eye protection. Drilling, hammering and brickwork can often release dust or other airborne materials. Strong goggle and face shields protect the eyes and face from medium impacts as well as liquids. Some face shields protect the eyes, head and respiratory system.
If you’re working in an environment with continuous noise at levels of 85-90, earmuffs or earplugs can protect your hearing. What you may not realize is how damaging these noises can be to your hearing. This essential gear does not impede speech or any warning signals, but will reduce unwanted noise.
You never know what is lying around a construction jobsite – there could be sharp metal or glass objects, screws, or nails. It’s important to have your feet taken care of in case you fail to see something as you’re walking through the jobsite.
Safety is a priority for PeopleReady. We want to make sure you have a great work experience working in construction. Have an essential item you’d like to suggest?
PeopleReady specializes in quick and reliable on-demand labor and highly skilled workers. PeopleReady supports a wide range of blue-collar industries, including construction, manufacturing and logistics, waste and recycling, and hospitality. Leveraging its game-changing JobStack platform and 600-plus branch offices across all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Canada, PeopleReady served approximately 98,000 businesses and put more than 490,000 people to work in 2020.
