Agency workers' health and safety
Control agency workers' working hours
The Working Time Regulations set limits on working hours. They also set out workers' entitlement to rest breaks and to holidays. Unless agency workers are genuinely self-employed (running their own business), they are covered by the regulations.
The worker's employer is responsible for complying with the regulations. For more information on the requirements, see our guide to hours, rest breaks and the working week.
You need to be careful. There are special rules for young workers and night workers. Also, if workers work for more than one business, their total working hours could exceed the limit. You should make reasonable enquiries of agency workers about whether they are working elsewhere and take reasonable steps to ensure that their weekly average of 48 working hours is not exceeded. Alternatively, ask the worker to make an agreement that the limit should not apply in their case.
If you are an agency that places workers you employ with other businesses, you are responsible for managing their working time. You must work with the businesses using your workers to ensure that they provide the right rest breaks and other entitlements.
Subjects covered in this guide
- Introduction
- Understand your duties in relation to agency workers' health and safety
- Health and safety risk assessment for agency workers
- Co-operate to protect agency workers' health and safety
- Agency workers and health and safety information and training
- Ensure agency workers use health and safety equipment and follow procedures
- Monitor agency workers' health and safety
- Control agency workers' working hours
