Seasonal Workers – H&S Obligations

Seasonal workers play a vital role in many workplaces and industries throughout the UK. They often face unique risks in the workplace that require special attention to ensure their wellbeing and safety. Within the agricultural sector alone, there are at least 58,000 seasonal or casual labourers employed in the UK each year, other industries would include hospitality, tourism and retail where demand fluctuates with the seasons.

Legal Duties

As an employer, you have a legal obligation to ensure the health, safety and welfare of your employees while they are at work, even if it is seasonal, temporary or casual work that they are undertaking.

• You must ensure that you provide them with all the necessary health and safety information and training at no cost.
• You should also conduct regular equipment maintenance checks, and establish clear safety procedures to reduce the risk of workplace accidents and exposure to harmful substances.
• You must provide comprehensive training, monitor working conditions and communicate effectively to create a safer and more supportive environment for seasonal workers.
• Additionally, protective clothing and equipment necessary for their roles should be supplied for free.

Supervision / Training

As an employer, you must consider that seasonal workers are at a higher risk of injury as they may not be familiar with the roles, tasks, equipment or work environments yet. This lack of experience can increase the likelihood of accidents / incidents and injuries, particularly with added time pressures associated with seasonal peaks in demand. You must provide adequate supervision and comprehensive training, covering essential safety processes / procedures, emergency procedures and safe and proper use of equipment to mitigate these risks effectively.

Welfare

Due to the nature of their work, seasonal workers may be more vulnerable to longer working hours, shifts or physically demanding tasks during peak seasons. Fatigue and stress (both physical and mental) resulting from extended working hours can compromise worker safety and wellbeing. As an employer, you should closely monitor working hours and ensure adequate rest periods are taken.

Communication

Additionally, seasonal workers may face challenges related to language barriers.

Where necessary, you should provide multilingual training materials and appoint supervisors and / or mentors to support them and ensure they understand safety instructions and procedures effectively.

To read about your HR obligations click here

If you would like to discuss this in more detail, please contact us.