OSHA partners for safety on Johnson & Johnson project

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has joined Torcon Inc., the Somerset County Building and Construction Trades Council, and the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development On-site Consultation Program in an effort to improve workplace safety and health for employees working on the Johnson & Johnson Sterilization Process Technology Relocation Project. These organizations recently launched the partnership at a signing ceremony.

The project involves the construction of a two-story addition to an existing Johnson & Johnson building in Raritan. The addition will include a sterile processing suite, an office area, a training room, a document control room and conference areas. Torcon Inc., the project construction manager, anticipates that at the height of the project, 15 to 20 contractors will employ 80 or more tradespersons on the site. Construction is expected to be completed in 2008.

"The overarching goal of this agreement is to ensure that employees stay safe on the job throughout the life of the project," said Robert Kulick, director of OSHA's area office in Avenel, N.J. "This partnership lays the groundwork for the construction project to be conducive to providing employees with a safe and healthful work environment."

The cornerstone of the partnership agreement with OSHA is the development of a comprehensive site-specific safety and health program designed to reduce workplace injuries and fatalities. The agreement provides incentives for Torcon Inc. and contractors who volunteer to improve their safety and health performance.