Ensuring a safe and secure work environment is of paramount importance for both employees and employers. Recognizing this, the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation (BWC) has implemented the Safety Intervention Grant program, which aims to support businesses in promoting workplace safety and reducing occupational hazards. This blog post dives into the significance of the Safety Intervention Grant and its impact on fostering a culture of safety within Ohio's workplaces.
Understanding the Safety Intervention Grant: The Safety Intervention Grant program offered by the Ohio BWC is a proactive initiative designed to assist employers in financing projects that enhance safety in the workplace. It provides funding for the implementation of safety-related interventions to mitigate workplace risks and prevent occupational injuries. By enabling businesses to address potential safety issues, the grant program seeks to reduce workplace accidents and create a healthier workforce.
Eligibility and Application Process: To be eligible for the Safety Intervention Grant, employers in Ohio must have an active BWC policy and be up to date with their premium payments. The grant is open to private and public employers, including nonprofits, state agencies, and political subdivisions. The application process involves submitting a detailed proposal outlining the safety intervention project, its potential impact, and the estimated costs. The BWC evaluates applications based on various criteria, including the potential for risk reduction and the feasibility of the proposed intervention. Additional eligibility requirements and application requirements may apply.
Impact on Workplace Safety: The Safety Intervention Grant program has had a significant impact on improving workplace safety across Ohio. By incentivizing employers to prioritize safety interventions, the grant has helped reduce workplace injuries and illnesses. It has fostered a proactive approach to safety, enabling businesses to identify potential hazards and implement preventive measures. Through investments in safety equipment, ergonomic improvements, and training initiatives, employers have created safer work environments, leading to a decline in workplace accidents and associated costs.
The Safety Intervention Grant program offered by the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation plays a crucial role in promoting workplace safety and reducing occupational hazards. By providing financial assistance to employers, the grant encourages the implementation of safety interventions and fosters a culture of safety within Ohio's workplaces. Through its wide-ranging coverage and impact on reducing workplace injuries, this program serves as a model for other states to prioritize and invest in occupational safety. By continuing to support businesses in their safety efforts, the Safety Intervention Grant helps build a safer and healthier workforce for the future.
Eligible Costs:
Bathing systems: typically used in health care to provide height adjustment or easier entry. This also applied to veterinary services.
Cable pulling equipment: powered equipment that pulls cable or wire.
Chest compression systems: mechanical chest compression systems.
Conduit bending equipment: equipment used to manipulate meta and/or plastic piping for a wide array of applications.
Cot loading equipment: equipment intended to aid in loading/unloading cots. Employers may apply for cot loading systems or cots with an integrated loading system. They may also apply for powered cots only if they are replacing a manual cot AND if they're also applying for a powered load system.
Electric beds: powered height adjustable beds.
Extrication equipment: lighter or cordless tools used for vehicle extrication.
Floor cleaning equipment: floor scrubbers, waxers, buffers, vacuums, dryers or any other manual or powered device whose purpose is to clean, wax, buff, vacuum or dry a floor or walking surface.
Flooring or floor treatments: flooring or floor treatments that minimize slipping.
Hose reel equipment: firehose reel equipment intended to assist with hose use/storage.
Lift gates: typically used to raise material from ground level to truck level and vice versa.
Lift tables: a device that typically employs a scissors mechanism to raise or lower materials.
Mulch dispensing equipment: portable equipment that dispenses mulch or other material at a worksite.
Patient lifting devices: designed to lift and transfer patients from one place to another.
Patient stair chairs: device used to transport patients up and down a staircase.
Portable traffic signals: an alternative to human flaggers intended to create a safety work zone.
Powered pallet jacks: motorized pallet jacks intended to allow for easier moving lifting of heavy loads.
Saws with presence sensing technology: saws designed to stop immediately when the blades come in contact with a person.
Scissor lifts, vertical mast lifts: aerial lifts/work platforms which are only capable of vertical displacement and do not allow for much in the way of horizontal extension.
Snow removal equipment: equipment in which the primary purpose is to remove snow and/or melt ice, i.e., blades, snow blowers, salt spreaders, etc.
Truck tarping systems: systems intended to make it easier set up and protect loads.
Vacuum lifts: lifting systems based on vacuum technology where fast repetitive handling of heavy loads is often required.
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To learn more and get connected contact: Nico Samaniego, Business Development Coordinator