Greenpeace and the New Jersey Work Environment Council co-released a report on the safety and environmental performance of chlorine bleach plants across the United States. According to the findings, nearly 9 million people in New Jersey could be impacted by a potential disaster. Read Full Report Press Release
The NJ Work Environment Council (WEC) has selected Dan Fatton, an environmentalist, community activist and fundraiser as its new Executive Director. Fatton was selected after the WEC Board and search committee completed a nationwide search. See the Press Release Here
This report offers a unique inside look at the working conditions faced by recycling workers across the United States, as well as a series of specific policy recommendations that municipal decision makers should follow to improve industry accountability and health and safety outcomes. It also includes practical recommendations for public education programs that can prevent dangerous materials from entering the recycling stream; workers are regularly exposed to used needles, dead animal carcasses, and hazardous chemicals. Recycling workers are more than twice as likely to be injured at work as the average worker. Our analysis is based on occupational health studies, OSHA reports about health and safety violations, articles from news media and industry trade publications, interviews with recycling workers, and first-hand observation of recycling work. The findings underscore the need for urgent action to improve health and safety conditions for recycling workers. Improving the recycling sector overall is not only possible – it’s imperative for averting today’s ecological crises, and protecting the health and well-being of this important group of climate workers who protect us all. Read Full Report The report was produced by: GAIA Partnership for Working Families MassCOSH National Council for Occupational Safety and Health. [...]
The New Jersey Supreme Court overturned a lower court decision and held that an employee who engages in whistleblowing is protected by the NJ Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA), even when the whitsleblowing is part of the employee's regular job duties. Full Article by Andrew Dwyer, an attorney in Newark at The Dwyer Law Firm and Debra Coyle McFadden, interim director of the New Jersey Work Environment Council. July 18, 2015 - Star Ledger
Workers whose job is to evaluate health and safety issues are less vulnerable to being fired for telling truth to employers. The New Jersey Supreme Court yesterday widened the state's whistleblower law, ruling that employees whose jobs entail identifying helath and safety risks are entitled to protection under the statute. See Article Here
Workers whose job is to monitor whether their employer complies with standards and regulations are not barred from whistleblower protections under a state law designed to prevent retaliation against employees who speak out, the state Supreme Court ruled Wednesday. See Article Here
The NJ Supreme Court ruling today in Lippman v. Ethicon assures that the Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA) will remain a viable statute. The court rejected the argument that employees would not have whistleblower protection if identifying health and safety issues is part of their regular job duties. See the Press Release here
The deadly hazards of Bakken crude oil shipments are of particular concern to residents of New Jersey, as thousands of these rail cars now pass through our towns in at least 11 counties. A derailment in communities such as Edison, Woodbridge, Carteret, Perth Amboy or Linden would threaten hundreds of thousands of people and the environment. The vapors from a spill, even without a fire or explosion, pose a serious health risk, including exposure to cancer-causing benzene; toluene, which has been linked to nerve damage; and hydrocarbons that have been linked to lung damage. There are two pieces of legislation that will be voted on by the Senate this Monday that will help protect New Jersey communities. Please contact your Senator and tell them to vote yes on S2979 and SCR165. S-2979 (Weinberg D-37/Gordon D-38) Requires owners of railroad bridges to submit annual bridge inspection records to the Department of Transportation. SCR165 (Weinberg D-37/Sacco D-32) Urges Congress to pass "Crude-by-Rail Safety Act" which would strengthen safety measures for the transport of crude oil by rail to protect the environment, the public, and communities in America. For more information on the hazards of Bakken crude oil by rail, download the WEC factsheet [...]
Workers in New Jersey recently protested against on-the-job hazards that can significantly harm or even kill employees. In 2013, workplace violence kept an average of four employees per 10,000 off the job in the private sector, but four times that many health care workers lost time at work - and it's trending up from the year before. See Article / Video Here
Workers' Memorial Day is a time to remember those who died on the job or suffered workplace injuries, while raising awareness to prevent future illnesses, injuries and deaths. Pictures from the event Media Coverage April 25, 2016 Home News Tribune Hundreds Rally for Safe Working Conditions The rally and spirited march focused on the demand for respect, including safe work and a living wage. New Labor and the New Jersey Work Environment Council (WEC) helped organize the event, which included 35 other organizations as endorsers. April 26, 2015 Erin Pentenko/The Daily Targum New Brunswick Residents March to Remember Workers Injured during Jobs A computer rack fell on one man, crushing his legs under thousands of pounds and killing him. An angry patient attacked and stabbed a caseworker, nearly killing her before the woman's coworkers stepped in. Press Release Hundreds of Workers and Allies Rally and March to Demand Safe Working Conditions On Sunday, April 24th, hundreds of workers from community organizations, unions, and faith-based groups rallied in New Brunswick, NJ to observe Workers' Memorial Day, an internationally recognized event held annually to commemorate those who have been killed or injured on the job and to renew the fight for safe [...]
