New Jersey has been recognized for its significant achievements in workplace safety, securing a high position among all fifty state in a comprehensive survey conducted by Protex AI. The survey highlighted New Jersey's low rate of occupational fatalities, with only 2.67 fatalities per 100,000 workers, indicating the effectiveness of its worker safety regulations and enforcement.
The state's approach to ensuring worker safety involves a combination of federal standards established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and state-specific regulations managed by the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Together, these frameworks aim to minimize workplace hazards and protect workers.
Key initiatives contributing to New Jersey's success include the Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health Program, which provides protections for state and local government employees, and the Right to Know Act, mandating that employers disclose information about hazardous substances in the workplace. Furthermore, New Jersey's workers' compensation law ensures support for employees suffering from job-related injuries or illnesses.
Despite the state's overall safety achievements, the survey identified farming, fishing, and forestry as the most hazardous occupations in New Jersey, with transportation and material moving ranking as the second most hazardous. This underscores the necessity for ongoing sector-specific safety measures and training to address the risks associated with these fields.