subcontracting companies are the first victims

“Everything seems to be goingwrites Dares, the statistical department of the Ministry of Labor, in its note which has just been published, as if the ordering company had delegated the most arduous work to its subcontracting companies.” For example, repetitive tasks and atypical schedules. In short: to subcontractors, the dirty work. This is what the economist Thomas Coutrot writes in substance: among subcontractors, more employees are exposed to painful postures, dangerous chemical agents and significant noise.

>> Is France the European country with the most fatal workplace accidents?

A link has been observed between subcontracting and more accidents at work. According to Dares, principals can choose to outsource the most dangerous work. Economic pressure and dependence on a principal can also lead to an intensification of work for the subcontracting company. Small subcontracting companies also have less access to prevention institutes, consulting firms, inspections and advice from the labor inspectorate.

Use of temporary workers

Subcontracting companies also use temporary workers more often. When a company uses more than 4% of temporary workers, the rate of industrial accidents is higher. The work accident rate decreases beyond 10% of temporary workers. “As ifwrites the Dares, a high proportion of temporary workers allowed the different employees to better learn to work together.”

For Thomas Coutrot, this phenomenon is explained by less professional experience and less training on the workstations of temporary workers. They are also exposed to more difficult working conditions and the insecurity of their situation can lead them to respect the safety instructions less. And, also, unless you report accidents.