If your business has 250 or fewer employees and you’d like to up your game in the realm of workplace safety, the Michigan Occupational Safety & Health Administration — MIOSHA — has introduced the opportunity to share in $250,000 in matching grant dollars across the state of Michigan.
MIOSHA has a program called the Michigan Workplace Improvement to Safety & Health — or simply MIWISH — and is opening up the application process.
Small businesses with 250 employees or less can now apply for a matching grant up to $5,000 to make improvements in their workplace safety and health through the grant program.
The MIWISH grants will be offered to employers to purchase safety and health-related equipment and equipment-related training that will provide a safer and healthier work environment and reduce the risk of injury and illness to workers in Michigan.
Bart Pickelman is Director of MIOSHA. He says, “We are encouraging employers to take extra measures to improve workplace safety and health,” and adds, “With a total of $250,000 available from MIOSHA, we’re pleased to partner with employers who want to expand their programs to further prevent injuries for their employees.”
Preference will be given to employers in high hazard industries identified in MIOSHA’s 2019-2023 strategic plan. All projects will be evaluated based on the specific hazards addressed. The grant period begins October 1, 2019, the start of MIOSHA’s 2020 fiscal year, and continues until grant funding is fully expended.
To qualify for the MIWISH grant program, eligible employers must have:
- A qualified safety professional or safety committee conduct a site-specific evaluation justifying the equipment purchase.
- Knowledge and experience to complete the project and commitment to implementation.
- Matching dollars for the grant money awarded and to cover all estimated project costs.
Recommended actions must be in the form of equipment or work area modifications to be used to reduce workplace hazards. Only items referenced in the application can be considered eligible, within the proposed project.
Some equipment examples include:
- Residential fall protection systems…
- Lifting equipment or portable lifting equipment for in-home care or small nursing/residential care facilities…
- Monitoring equipment for confined space entry…
- Noise reduction engineering controls…
- Lock out/tag out systems…
- Cooling systems for agriculture-based worksites…
- Eyewash stations…
MIOSHA is encouraging new grantees to take advantage of this program. Previous MIWISH grant recipients may apply for funds after January 1, 2020.
For more information about the MIWISH grant program and how to apply, visit the link below or contact MIOSHA’s Consultation Education and Training grant administrator at 517-284-7811. Here’s the link: http://www.michigan.gov/mioshagrants
For more information about MIOSHA, you can visit online at www.michigan.gov/miosha.
