Page 17 - NJ Cooperator Spring 2020

NJCOOPERATOR.COM THE NEW JERSEY COOPERATOR — SPRING 2020 17 WE ADVISE, YOU SUCCEED accesspm.com NJ Offices Flemington, Edison, Paramus, Mt. Laurel 908.237.9900 PA Offices Lehigh Valley, Horsham 610.791.1600 SINCERE Est. 1989 REACH FOR THE STARS WE MANAGE OUR CUSTOMERS ABOVE & BEYOND At Executive Property Management, we are light years ahead in our profession. For more than thirty years, we have successfully focused on providing our customers with unrivaled value in areas of financial consulting and reporting, customer service, cost control, technology and integrity. Let us guide you to a brighter tomorrow. Maria, LLP in New York City, explains that serving the real estate industry in New York “Safety is something that is such a tremen- dously important factor in any operation and Northern New Jersey. RAB negotiates that the unions will be involved in it to a on behalf of property owners and operators great deal.” Ferranti agrees, adding that “All in collective bargaining agreements with the staff members and property managers can unions that represent their maintenance and benefi t from health and safety training to operating employees. Th ey also advise and avoid accidents, and any such training plans represent members in matters involving per- are determined by the individual residential sonnel and human resource administration. buildings. If the employees are participants in the 32BJ Training Fund, there are classes safety committees for smaller unions via that include signifi cant content on training, their collective bargaining agreements. Th e including Industrial Training.” According to Linda Nelson, director of ployers about new or updated safety regu- 32BJ’s Th omas Shortman Training Program, lations or practices and how they should which provides worker safety and train- ing curricula in New Jersey and New York, this information might also come through “Th e onus for safety training and providing a dedicated OSHA consultant, or through a safe workplace lies on the employer. Each the managing agent/employer themselves, building or association is responsible for en- gineering their own safety controls, such as based on their staff structure and the nature making sure obvious hazards are removed of the topic—whether that be more meet- and that workers are safe in a given area. ings, formal training sessions, a pamphlet, or Gloves, eye-shields, and respirators are re- quired to be provided wherever necessary, and the employees must be trained in how to use this safety equipment.” To help employers fulfi ll that obliga- tion, Nelson’s fi rm off ers a 30-hour training says that employees do sometimes compro- course geared to the building and housing mise their own safety by cutting corners industry to familiarize workers with all the when they want to do something quickly— safety rules and regulations governing mod- ern residential and commercial buildings. appropriate ladder would be the proper way Once the students complete the course, they to reach something high up, for example— receive a certifi cate from OSHA. Nelson but at the end of the day, when a building says that the course is not legally mandated, violates a labor or safety law covering their but it’s in everyone’s best interest if the em- ployees taking the course are well trained to know what safety problems to look for and a cooperative, condominium, or rental,” says how to prevent accidents and injuries from Persanis. “Th e owner is ultimately respon- happening in the fi rst place. “\\\[Participants\\\] learn how to avoid any sequences are usually fi nes.” type of injury that could happen through physical mishap,” she says. “\\\[We\\\] include employer has been grossly negligent, there training in ergonomics, health and environ- mental control, fi re prevention and contain- ment, how to prepare surfaces appropriately, OSHA violation in connection with it, even protection from hazardous chemicals, and if the employer was trying to be consistent, so forth. Th ey are also taught about manual there could be penalties there.” But Sparer and power tools, electrical safety, and how also acknowledges that “Employers in New to deal with garbage collection and trash to York and New Jersey are very sensitive to the avoid blood-borne pathogens like HIV and issue \\\[of safety\\\] for a variety of reasons—not hepatitis.” Th e 32BJ courses are off ered free of ployees.” charge at various locations throughout the jurisdictions of its membership, as well as should fi rst notify the building’s managing online. Th e Training Fund will even set up agent of the situation, and let them take it remote locations for training if the circum- stances warrant it. For example, Sparer cites be fi rst brought up to the managing agent so a large employer that devoted an entire fl oor that they may be rectifi ed as quickly as possi- of one of their buildings to erect a mock-up ble,” says Persanis. “If that doesn’t work, then of a boiler to serve as part of their employee the employees may contact their union rep- use and safety training on boiler operations. resentative. For violations of labor law and Full-length courses run for 11 weeks and are unfair labor practices the employees may off ered quarterly. Some of the most popular contact their union or the National Labor in the tri-state area include Fire Safety for Relations Board. Administrative grievances Residential Buildings, CPR/AED, Air Pollu- tion Control, and Electricity Basics. RAB and CHIP Th e Realty Advisory Board on Labor Re- lations (RAB) is a multiemployer association City, Long Island, Westchester, Connecticut, Usually RAB is involved in establishing association will also advise unions and em- be rolled out. Depending on the update, who will advise on the best training methods on-site instruction. IRL Of course, even with all these organiza- tions, regulations, and protections, in real life (IRL) accidents do still happen. Sparer standing on a nearby chair when getting an employees, the owner is liable. “Th e owner is responsible, whether it is sible for what goes on at the building. Con- “If \\\[an injury happens\\\] on the job, if the could be exposure to litigation and things along those lines,” says Sparer. “If there’s an least of which is avoiding injury for their em- In the case of a clear-cut violation, staff from there. “All violations of any kind should can be directed to the Department of Labor or OSHA for health violations.” But of course, avoiding unsafe condi- continued on page 18