Accidents to employees are most likely to occur during the first month at work according to research by Workplace Health Connect.

New staff are, on average, about four times as likely to be injured in their first month of work than if they had been working for the same employer for a year or more.

The findings are of particular significance for organisations which employ temporary or seasonal staff.

Workplace Health Connect, the free telephone advisory service for small businesses, is urging employers to protect themselves and their staff by conducting regular risk assessments to make workers aware of potential hazards.

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 applies to all employees including temporary workers, meaning that employers are just as responsible for the health and safety of temporary or seasonal workers as they are for full time staff.

Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, employers are required to provide temporary employees health and safety information relating to the job they will be doing before they start work.

Organisations hiring temporary or seasonal workers through an agency must inform this agency about risks to the worker’s health and safety; steps taken to control these risks; any necessary legal or professional qualifications or skills; and any necessary health surveillance.

Under the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations: Increased Flexibility and Protection, the agency should pass this information on to the worker in a way that he or she can clearly understand.

Temporary staff are also entitled to the same level of personal protective equipment as permanent employees.

“For many firms, such as hotels and restaurants, the summer months mean increased business,” said Elizabeth Gyngell, programme director at Workplace Health Connect.

“To cope with this, many businesses take on graduates, students or other temporary staff who are much more likely to be injured than those employed for over a year.

“This issue highlights the importance of business managers being fully aware of their health and safety responsibilities.”