The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL), the New Jersey State Industrial Safety Committee (NJSISC) and the U.S Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has signed an agreement establishing an alliance to foster safer and more healthful workplaces in the Garden State.

Jon L. Gelman

Through this partnership, the participating organizations will share information, resources, guidance  and access to training.

The alliance is based on the recognition of the value of collaboration in enhancing employee safety, which all three agencies have a hand in enforcing.

“At the forefront of our mission is ensuring the health and safety of New Jersey’s public workers,” said Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo. “This agreement with OSHA, and our long-standing partners at NJSISC, will help provide our employees with access to all the resources they need, so workers can get the common-sense protections they deserve.”

The participating agencies intend to work together to raise awareness of workplace safety and health practice through a new campaign called “Safe Sound.” New information will be disseminated through the campaign on management leadership, employee engagement, and systematic approaches to find and fix workplace hazards before they cause illness or injury to a worker.

For example, the participants will share relevant injury, illness and hazard exposure data to help identify areas of emphasis for awareness, outreach and communication, and will evaluate the effectiveness of its efforts in improving workplace safety.

“It is clear that an excellent safety record can positively impact workers and their families, as well as business productivity and sustainability,” Robert Kulick, OSHA regional administrator in New York, said. “This alliance, based on OSHA’s national Safe  Sound Campaign, provides a roadmap for New Jersey employers as they focus on safety performance. It is rooted in the belief that every workplace should have a safety and health program that includes three core elements of management-leadership, worker participation and a systematic approach to find and fix hazards.”

James Braswell, chair of the State Industrial Safety Committee, said: “Through the alliance with the OSHA New York Regional Office and the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the NJSISC has affirmed its commitment to promote effective safety and health programs across New Jersey and increase access to workplace safety training. We are excited to be part of this joint collaboration and for the ability to influence the future of safety and health within our state.”

Employers with exemplary safety records will be recognized and invited to share their best practices with others. NJDOL’s free, on-site safety consultation program will be promoted.

Claimants' attorney Jon L. Gelman is the author of "New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Law" and co-author of the national treatise "Modern Workers’ Compensation Law." He is based in Wayne, New Jersey. This blog post is republished with permission.