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 Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) Workplace Improvement to Safety and Health (MIWISH) 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.
"We are encouraging employers to take extra measures to improve workplace safety and health," said MIOSHA Director Bart Pickelman. "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 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.
- Match dollars for the grant money awarded and 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 Jan. 1, 2020.
For additional information about the MIWISH grant program and how to apply, visit www.michigan.gov/mioshagrants, or contact MIOSHA's Consultation Education and Training grant administrator at 517-284-7811.
For additional information about MIOSHA, visit www.michigan.gov/miosha. For additional information about the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, visit www.michigan.gov/leo.
Published: Wed, Oct 02, 2019
