Agency workers' health and safety

If you supply or use agency workers you need to be aware of your responsibilities for their health and safety.

Agency workers can face particular problems because, for example, they may not be familiar with the potential hazards in the business they are working in. The risks can be reduced through effective co-operation between the agency and the business. See co-operate to protect agency workers' health and safety.

It is also important to follow good practice in areas such as risk assessment and communication.

Throughout this guide, we use 'agency workers' to mean people who obtain work through an employment business (referred to in this guidance as the 'agency').

Employment and user businesses in certain sectors such as agriculture must also comply with relevant licence conditions set by the Gangmasters Licensing Authority.

This guide explains who is responsible for agency workers' health and safety. It also explains how to carry out a health and safety risk assessment for agency workers.