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The structure and organization of work are continually changing. Changes may be cyclical, reflecting economic and social conditions, including business cycles and labor market structures. Other changes, often resulting from new technologies, may be unidirectional. Whether or not the changes are temporary or permanent, employment arrangements affect worker exposures to workplace hazards and their ability to address them. The literature review focuses on the effects on occupational safety and health (OSH) of relationships that have been described as fissured or market-mediated, including the staffing agency model, the franchised relationship, same site contracting, supply chain relationships, and contracting by a firm with many individuals. Worker safety may be affected by several factors, including economic pressures on contracted employers, the separation of control of the work environment from the employment relationship, and the short tenure of workers in some dangerous jobs. After summarizing the limited number of studies that attempt to measure the impact of these non-standard employment relationships on worker safety and health, researchers briefly discuss other changes in the labor market that affect OSH, and then turn to the policy and legal implications of these mediated relationships. Finally, they highlight the need for better data, safety and health surveillance, and research when employment relationships are fissured. The paper focuses on changes and strategies in the U.S., but provides some references to relevant international studies.

Research Gaps

• Two types of investigations would be helpful in better understanding the health consequences of nonstandard employment and the effectiveness of policies intended to address them. A population-based prospective investigation of the health consequences of non-standard employment could be designed to account for a range of issues found in the current literature, most notably selection bias. This would be useful in both understanding how workers in standard and non-standard employment differ, if at all, and the impact of non-standard work on health and wellbeing. (page 27)

Citation

Boden, L. I., Spieler, E. A., Wagner, G. R. (2016). The Changing Structure of Work: Implications for Workplace Health and Safety in the US. Chief Evaluation Office, U.S. Department of Labor.

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The Department of Labor’s (DOL) Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) sponsors independent evaluations and research, primarily conducted by external, third-party contractors in accordance with the Department of Labor Evaluation Policy and CEO’s research development process.