To support worker safety and health across the state, LARA Chief Deputy Director Al Pohl announced Thursday the award of $872,000 in Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration grants to 20 nonprofit organizations.

The Consultation Education and Training grants are awarded annually on an open, competitive basis for the development and implementation of safety and health training and services.

“The grants are instrumental in broadening MIOSHA CET safety and health activities to keep Michigan’s working men and women safe on the job,” Pohl said. “Every dollar spent toward improving workplace safety and health is a wise investment that benefits Michigan employers and workers in so many ways.”

The MIOSHA CET Grant Program provides additional options for safety and health education and training to employers and employees. Most of the grants focus on the performance goals identified in the MIOSHA Strategic Plan, with a particular emphasis on hazard recognition and prevention for high hazard industries.

The CET Grant Program is designed to:

• Increase the number of employers and employees receiving occupational safety and health education, training and prevention services, especially employers with less than 100 employees.

• Encourage the development of new strategies for providing occupational safety and health education, training and prevention services.

• Encourage new providers of occupational safety and health education, training and prevention services for Michigan businesses.

• Evaluate the effectiveness of those alternative strategies and providers.

The awarded projects include a wide range of training activities and proficiency levels, including: crane rigging and signaling; silica safety; masonry; confined space entry; ergonomics; tree trimming and chainsaw safety; workplace violence prevention; emergency action plans; hazard recognition and communication; lockout/tagout; machine emergencies; safe chemical handling; noise exposure; electrical hazard awareness; personal protective equipment; aerial lift rescue; emergency evacuation; safety and health management systems; hazard communication; youth safety; and powered industrial trucks.

“We’re pleased to award these grants to employer groups, labor organizations and other non-profits that have demonstrated innovation and diversity in their training programs,” said MIOSHA Director Bart Pickelman. “We appreciate the collaborative effort of these grantees and their mutual commitment toward preventing workplace injuries and illnesses.”

Grant recipients are required to demonstrate how their efforts will meet specific objectives and must file quarterly activity and financial reports with MIOSHA to ensure compliance with CET grant reporting requirements. MIOSHA representatives monitor the grant programs and observe each programs’ operations on-site.

The CET grants have a strong track record of increasing safety awareness in the workplace. The FY 2018 grants continue MIOSHA’s commitment to greater training on safety practices and fewer workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities on the job.

To view the list of the FY 2018 CET grant projects, visit michigan.gov/mioshagrants and click on “FY 2018 CET Grant Projects.”