Safety and Health Training Drives Down Municipal Insurance Costs; Saves Taxpayer Money in Middlesex County
NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ – One may ask: why do municipal workers need health and safety training?
For many, many reasons.
Think of snowplow drivers, clearing off neighborhood roads in the middle of an icy night. Or municipal workers who discover discarded hazardous waste in a creek. Or local health workers who may suddenly need to respond to a public health emergency, such as a global pandemic.
The federal government has identified more than 5,000 workplace safety standards; local government is required to show compliance with all of them.
That is why the Middlesex County Municipal Joint Insurance Fund (MCMJIF) provides ongoing training to employees in its member municipalities. Through health and safety classes throughout the year, the towns can fulfill all their training obligations while – more importantly – greatly enhancing workplace safety.
“Residents may be unaware of the many potential workplace hazards that exist when running local government,” explained Glen Kurtz, acting administrator for the MCMJIF. “Our role is to minimize risk to the greatest extent, thus reducing insurance premiums for our members. That is why we prioritize this in-person training, working to create the healthiest and most productive governmental workforce as possible.”
These high standards and additional safety measures go a very long way in protecting the hardworking men and women in our community who are providing essential services, Kurtz added.
Since 2003, the MCMJIF has hired Skyline Environmental, Inc. to provide employee training in both classroom and hands-on settings, under guidelines set by the state Department of Health, the state Department of Labor’s Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health (PEOSH) program and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
“Most municipalities do not have the in-house staff to provide the level of expertise needed for these trainings,” explained James Gotay, president of Skyline Environmental in Old Bridge, founded in 1996. “So, if you run a small municipality, you may have someone designated for safety, health and regulatory compliance. But that person may not have the background, training or credentials. That is why municipal leaders turn to the MCMJIF.”
For example, select Milltown employees have received training for chainsaw use, trenching and excavation, personal protective equipment use, defensive driving and fall protection/ladder safety, among many other courses. In South River, courses have included confined space entry, blood-borne pathogens and work zone safety, among a full list.
Gotay noted there is a direct link between ongoing training programs – which ensure full compliance with government standards – and a reduction in workplace accidents and insurance claims. Also, as MCMJIF members follow all safety training regulations, there is less concern regarding potential citations from OSHA or the state Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health program.
