Union Construction Works

NJ Laborers Health and Safety Fund: Helping a Contractor Save Time, Money and Lives
When a medium-sized contractor based out of Northern New Jersey realized he was having trouble adhering to the safety and health standards required by OSHA, he called the Laborers. This contractor was pretty successful; he was able to expand his business a great deal during the past few years, yet he still could not afford to keep a safety director on staff full-time.

OSHA regulations were very complex and there were many areas he didn't quite understand. That's where the Laborers and their labor-management funds could help. A certified safety professional employed by the New Jersey Laborers' Health and Safety Fund (NJLHSF) reached out to the contractor and together they developed a plan. First, the NJLHSF visited the contractor's work site and performed a job site analysis to identify hazards. Using a comprehensive checklist designed by the Fund, both parties walked the site, observing both work practices and workplace conditions. From there NJLHSF was able to offer recommendations and help develop effective solutions.

In this case solutions included, providing the contractor with a Model Safety Program, which the contractor used to develop his own safety program and adhere to OSHA requirements. NJLHSF also provided instructional materials, which could be used for toolbox talks and safety meetings. But that's not all.

Recognizing a need for specialized training, the NJLHSF member referred the contractor to another labor-management fund, the Laborers-AGC Training Fund. Providing the construction industry with a highly skilled, dependable workforce is paramount to LIUNA. As such, the Laborers work hard to provide up-to-date apprenticeship and training to all of its members. The contractor requested help training members on how to build and properly use scaffold. Based on the Training Director's recommendations, the Training Fund established an eight-hour scaffold user class, which was held at the work-site in the Fund's mobile training unit. In all 15 employees received this training – a couple of them from other trades. Two other employees of the contractor were sent to the Laborers' Training Center to participate in a 40-Hour Scaffold Builder class, and were eventually designated as competent workers, as defined by OSHA regulations.

All of the services provided, the safety consultation, the materials, the training, came at no cost to the contractor. It is part of the services offered to all signatory contractors, With the assistance from the NJ Laborers' Health and Safety Fund and the NJ Laborers' Training Funds, this contractor was on the right track and better able to compete in the competitive construction market.

Note: Working safe not only prevents illness and injury and save lives…it also saves time and money. Thanks to placing a greater emphasis on his health and safety program. This contractor was able to reduce his Insurance Rating from 1.4 to a .73. This has saved him thousands of dollars in insurance cost…enough to hire his own safety director.

To find out how the Laborers' Union and its labor-management funds can help you, contact us at UnionWorks@njlaborers.org.

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