As Christmas and the New Year approaches, many New Jersey celebrations will include fireworks. Ironically, for one fireworks company, there is no cause for celebration as it was cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for 12 safety violations.
According to OSHA, Garden State Fireworks, located in Millington, New Jersey, which underwent inspection last May, incurred 12 safety violations. Eleven of the violations were considered serious, which means that a hazardous situation could potentially occur. That situation could injure workers and possibly cause fatalities. One of the violations included failure to maintain safety information as well as employee training on hazardous equipment, chemicals and technology. Once the company has been informed of the citations, it will have 15 business days to comply with the citations or refute them.
Risks are involved in all workplaces. However, it is the legal duty of employers to ensure that the risks are not only avoided, but when they do happen, contingency measures are in place to prevent further damage. Also, employees should be informed and trained on possible hazards and how to act accordingly when faced with a critical situation.
A workplace injury is not something that can be taken lightly. An injured Newark employee could face a lot of difficulties in that type of situation. In addition to incurring medical expenses during recuperation, there is also the problem of lost wages, which can compromise the financial situation of a worker’s family. To address such concerns, an employee may wish to consider filing a claim to obtain workers’ compensation benefits.
Source: Asbury Park Press, “Feds Cite NJ Fireworks Firm for Safety Violations,” Dec. 4, 2013