Many companies rely on temporary workers to fill positions especially for seasonal work. In turn, many temporary workers are relying on temporary placement agencies to earn an income in a tough job market where full or part-time permanent work is not available.
While the relationships between company and temporary workers can be beneficial to both sides, there are also large risks involved, primarily when temp workers are not properly trained for the job they are hired to do. Temporary workers are not guaranteed employment but sometimes the job opportunity can turn into something permanent. Until then, some employers may not spend the time or the money to properly train workers for the job they were hired to do on a temporary basis.
There are many things that can go wrong on a jobsite when people are not aware of proper procedures. While injuries are very common in this kind of situation, fatalities are also very much a possibility. Many accidents on the job can be totally avoided if all workers are properly trained in the beginning and retrained throughout the course of their employment.
Temporary and full or part time employees all have the right to refuse to work in what they consider unsafe working condition which includes situations where training has not been provided. Unfortunately, temporary workers may be more willing to work regardless of training just to be able to keep their job and earn a wage. They still have the right, and in the interest of their welfare, to refuse to do any job if they have not been trained or provided with the proper safety equipment.