TRENTON, N.J., April 29, 2016 – Highlighting the department’s ongoing commitment to workplace safety, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development participated in two events this week commemorating Workers’ Memorial Day. Workers’ Memorial Day is celebrated every year on April 28 to honor those who have died or were injured on the job. The date April 28 was chosen because it is the anniversary of the creation of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

On Monday, Chief of Staff Gary Hasenbalg attended the Mercer County Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO’s 13th Annual Workers’ Memorial Mass at the Ancient Order of Hibernians in Hamilton. Following the mass, Chief Hasenbalg presented the group with a proclamation from Governor Chris Christie marking the annual importance of Workers’ Memorial Day.

Today Chief Hasenbalg joined members of the New Jersey Industrial Safety Committee, the New Jersey State Safety Council, OSHA Region II, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and family members of fallen and injured workers at the annual wreath-presentation ceremony hosted by the Turnpike Authority at its Woodbridge headquarters.

Each year, thousands of workers are killed and millions more are injured at their jobs. Workers, labor unions and OSHA, the main federal agency charged with the enforcement of safety and health legislation, have initiated significant improvements in workplace conditions over the years. Earlier this year, OSHA approved the New Jersey State Plan for government employees, which certifies the state meets all federal requirements for ensuring the safety and health of public workers.

New Jersey maintains some of the nation’s safest workplaces with a consistently lower injury and illness rate than the nation as a whole. The most recent statistics from 2014 show New Jersey’s safety record remains better than the national average. New Jersey had 101,200 work-related injury and illness cases in 2014, which is 2,200 fewer cases than in 2013. This number of cases has been declining each year—from 106,700 in 2012.

More information on the department’s Office of Public Employee's Occupational Safety and Health can be found here.

Chief of Staff Gary Hasenbalg of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development delivered
remarks at the Mercer County Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO’s 13^th Annual Workers’ Memorial
Mass at the Ancient Order of Hibernians in Hamilton.

Department of Labor and Workforce Development Chief of Staff Gary Hasenbalg (third
from left) and representatives from the New Jersey State Safety Council, the New Jersey
State Industrial Safety Committee and OSHA Region II at the Turnpike Authority’s
Workers’ Memorial Day observance.