Temporary workers in Minnesota face a much higher risk of injury than permanent employees, according to a comprehensive study analyzing more than 3.5 million injury claims across multiple states.
The multi-state study conducted by ProPublica compared injury data between temporary and permanent workers, focusing on incident types, frequency, and severity. Drawing from injury claims in Minnesota, California, Florida, Massachusetts, and Oregon, researchers found that:
- Temporary workers were significantly more likely to suffer a “caught-in” or “struck-by” injury.
- In Minnesota, temp workers were 72% more likely to be injured on the job compared to full-time, permanent employees.
- In California, permanent workers were only half as likely to experience heat exhaustion as temporary workers.
- Temporary workers in Minnesota were more than three times as likely to be injured by chemical exposure as permanent workers.
Data like this explains the growing number of tragic stories involving temporary worker injuries — such as that of Lawrence Daquan “Day” Davis, a 21-year-old temp worker who was fatally crushed by a pallet loader on his very first day. Following the accident, OSHA fined the company $192,000 for failing to properly train and supervise its temporary workforce.
Three Main Reasons for Higher Injury Rates
Both the study and real-world cases like Davis’s highlight recurring patterns we see in our practice. When temporary workers are injured, three main factors usually contribute to what can only be described as the “perfect storm” of preventable injury:
- Lack of Training — Temp workers often receive less training than permanent employees. Combined with the physically demanding nature of many temporary roles, this lack of preparation significantly raises the risk of accidents.
- Economic Pressure — In a challenging job market, more people accept temporary or part-time work to gain experience or income. As the number of temp workers increases, so does the overall rate of temporary worker injuries.
- Reporting Issues — Work injuries among temporary employees frequently go unreported. This may stem from fear of losing future job opportunities, confusion about workers’ rights, or disputes between temp agencies and host employers over responsibility.
The end result is a growing population of injured workers who may never return to the workforce — with medical costs and lost wages ultimately falling on taxpayers rather than the companies responsible for maintaining safe workplaces.