FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Anthony Puglisi
July 23, 2012 973-621-2542
Lauren Shears
973-621-1590
ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO AND OFFICE OF SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION CONGRATULATES GRADUATES OF OSHA TRAINING COURSE
Course Boasts 100 Percent Graduation Rate
West Orange, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. presented the 17 graduates of an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Certification Program with certificates from the U.S. Department of Labor during an awards presentation on Monday, July 23rd. Sponsored by the Essex County Office of Small Business Development and Affirmative Action, the OSHA certification program was highly successful, with 100 percent of the people enrolled in the free, five-week course receiving passing grades.
“Offering free training programs is one of the ways our Office of Small Business Development is helping vendors gain a competitive edge and grow their businesses. The information and certification they receive help them demonstrate to their clients and employees that they are stable, knowledgeable and dependable,” DiVincenzo said. “I applaud the Small Business Office for hosting workshops with timely topics that are beneficial for our small business community, and congratulate the first graduating class for working hard and having a 100 percent success rate,” he added.
“On behalf of the Freeholder Board, congratulations to those who are graduating today and receiving their OSHA certification. You all put in long hours and a lot of hard work,” said Freeholder Vice President Patricia Sebold.
“OSHA guidelines can be very complicated, but understanding and implementing them in the work place is important for the safety of employees and clients. We are pleased to present workshops to help small businesses succeed,” said Deborah E. Collins, Esq., Director of the Office of Small Business Development and Affirmative Action. “Taking time to attend class and complete coursework while operating a small business is a big commitment. I commend our participants for their hard work and participation and wish them the best of luck,” she added.
The “Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Training Program” was a 30-hour class held over five weeks in April and May. It was geared for laborers, foremen, superintendents and project managers who work with construction companies. Participants learned about the OSHA Act and the functions of OSHA, information about the procedures and priorities of an OSHA Compliance Inspection, a description of the rights and responsibilities of the employers and employees under the OSHA Act and the tools, skills and knowledge to identify, control and eliminate hazards in the workplace.
Receiving their OSHA certification were:
· Willie Baker, Real Estate Developer with Home Portfolio, LLC, Newark
· Stephen Callands, Sr., Partner and Contractor with Callands Contracting, Scotch Plains
· Nelson E. Carty, President and Electrician with N. Carty and Sons Contracting Corp., Newark
· Abraham Charles, Owner of Abe Home Improvement, Newark
· Charlotte M. Diakite, Co-owner and Business Manager of A3 Contracting, Linden
· Rashad Dobson, Carpenter with Trinity Construction, Newark
· Hugh Douglas, Project Manager with Douglas Communication Services, LLC, Sayerville
· Michael Garcia, Assistant Field Project Manager from Belier Construction Corp., Fort Lee
· Abdul-Malik Hamid, Electrician with H&F Electric, Orange
· Kaleem Hamid, Electrician with H&F Electric, Orange
· Malik Hamid, Electrical and General Contractor with H&F Electric, Orange
· Shelby Netterville, President of NCC, Inc., Plainfield
· Ana Marie Novoa-Gomez, President of Belier Construction Corp, Fort Lee
· Wanda Prophete, President and CEO of Above & Beyond Construction Services, East Orange
· Ida Spates from New Life Construction, Newark
· Jose S. Vargas from Onpoint Powerwashing and Painting Inc. (Onpoint Service Group Inc.), Bloomfield
· Jeffrey Williams, President of American Built Construction, Newark
“Without an opportunity like this, it would be very hard for me to achieve my goals. As a female contractor in a male-dominated industry, courses like this help my business compete,” Prophete said. “We are all very appreciative for classes like this. I will be the first to sign up for the next workshop,” she added.
“Programs like this give small business owners the knowledge they need to compete and succeed. For me personally, it has helped me stay focused as I build my business,” Baker said.
The “Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Training Program” will be offered again in the future. For information or to find out about future programs, please call the Office of Small Business Development and Affirmative Action at 973-621-2011.