Offers no-cost and confidential occupational safety and health services to small businesses with priority given to high-hazard worksites

The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development will provide consultative workplace safety and health services to small businesses in New Jersey through a $4.74 million cooperative agreement award from the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Under the Consultation Agreements program (CFDA 17.504), the awardee will use the funding to conduct at least 90% of initial consultation visits at high hazard establishments, establishments with 250 employees or less, and those controlled by employers with 500 employees or less. The awardee will also perform 100% of visits involving employee interviews and verify the timely correction of all serious and imminent hazards identified. The one-year award period extends from October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023 and supports the awardee's delivery of confidential, no-cost occupational safety and health services to New Jersey small businesses through on-site assessments, compliance advice, and assistance establishing safety programs.

Consultants from state agencies or universities work with employers to identify workplace hazards, provide advice for compliance with OSHA standards, and assist in establishing and improving safety and health programs. Activities performed consultation visits, which can be either full service or limited service in scope. Full-service visits provide a complete, safety and/or health hazard assessment of all working conditions, equipment, processes, and OSHA or state plan mandated programs. On the other hand, a limited-service visit provides a less complete safety and/or health hazard assessment providing a focused assessment of a particular work process, or OSHA or state plan mandated programs. Deliverables deliverables: 1.) conduct at least 90% of initial visits in high hazard establishments. 2.) conduct at least 90% of initial visits at establishments with 250 or less employees 3.) conduct at least 90% of initial visits at establishments controlled by an employer with 500 or less employees. 4.) conduct 100% of visits where employees were intervieiwed. 5.) verify that 100% of serious and imminent hazards identifed are corrected in a timely manner (