Ohio employers awarded $2.8 million in worker safety grants

The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation awarded $2.8 million in safety intervention grants to employers in the state in July and August, the bureau announced.

The Safety Intervention Grant Program provides matching funds to both public and private sector employers in Ohio to purchase equipment to reduce or eliminate workplace injuries and illnesses, the bureau said Thursday in a statement. The program provides employers with a 3-to-1 match, up to a maximum of $40,000, with 105 safety grants approved in this latest round.

Quarterly reports and follow-up case studies help determine the effectiveness of employers' safety interventions and establish best practices for accident and injury prevention, according to the bureau's statement.

“The annual $10 million increase in funding for this program has generated an enormous amount of interest from employers, demonstrating a real need and a desire on the part of Ohio employers to protect their workers,” Columbus, Ohio-based bureau administrator and CEO Steve Buehrer said in the statement. “Most importantly, the grants will help them reduce preventable accidents so their workers are safe and do not suffer injury or worse while on the job.”

A wide variety of Ohio employers receive grants, including construction, extraction, health care, manufacturing, schools, service, townships, transportation, villages and utilities. For example, transportation company Valley Personnel Inc. in Ashland County will receive $22,586 to purchase 80 aluminum truck stair system units, while manufacturer Metal-Matic Inc. in Butler County will get $40,000 to purchase four aluminum fall protection systems, with the grants aimed at reducing the risk of injury related to awkward positions and slips and falls from elevated levels, according to the bureau.