MIOSHA awarded $870,000 in training grants to 20 nonprofit organizations statewide to strengthen worker safety and health. The annual MIOSHA Consultation Education and Training (CET) grants are awarded for the development and implementation of safety and health training and services, specifically to help support small and medium-sized businesses.
“Protecting Michigan workers requires continuous innovation and training in the workplace,” said LEO Deputy Director Sean Egan. “These grants help ensure businesses across the state can provide critical training and services to protect workers across a wide range of industries.”
Projects that received a training grant include targeted workplace health and safety training in high-hazard industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, training for silica exposure control, as well as mental health awareness training for the construction industry.
"Every grantee plays an important role in developing and expanding occupational safety and health training,” said MIOSHA Director Bart Pickelman. “Offering mental health awareness in addition to traditional workplace safety and health training programs is a perfect example of how employer groups, labor organizations and other nonprofits are adapting their exemplary safety and health training programs to meet the needs of their workforce."
MITA, a statewide construction trade association representing over 500 Michigan companies, will implement a new suicide prevention program to train over 2,000 employees who work on Michigan roads, bridges and underground utility systems.
“MITA is pleased to be able to bring the important topic of suicide prevention to the construction industry with the support of a recent MIOSHA grant award. Our hope at MITA is to create an atmosphere on construction sites where important cues are recognized so that mental health issues are identified and dealt with in a positive manner with positive outcomes,” said MITA Executive Vice President Rob Coppersmith.
The grant awardees include:
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AFL-CIO of Michigan
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Alpena Community College
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Associated General Contractors of Michigan
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Bay College
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Center for Workplace Violence Prevention, Inc.
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Corewell Health Lakeland Hospitals
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Eastern Michigan University Organization for Risk Reduction
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Emergency Services Rescue Training
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Great Lakes Safety Training Center
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Incompass Michigan
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Lawrence Technological University
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Michigan Association of Chiropractors
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Michigan Green Industry Association (MGIA)
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Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association (MITA)
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Michigan State University
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Parents for Student Safety Employment Standards (PASSES)
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Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWSDU)
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United Auto Workers (UAW)
- University of Michigan Center for Ergonomics
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Wayne State University
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Safety professionals at MIOSHA Michigan Voluntary Protection Program (MVPP) sites gathered to share best practices for their safety and health workplace management programs during a quarterly meeting last month.
Safety representatives from 22 MVPP companies met for the MVPP Fall Mentor's meeting in Ann Arbor on Oct. 18.
Black and Veatch, an MVPP member and Ann Arbor- based construction company, hosted the meeting and performed a virtual workaround at one of its jobsites to demonstrate the company's robust workplace safety and health management program.
"MVPP site representatives continue to provide structured guidance on advancing health and safety systems across a diverse range of industrial sectors within both General Industry and Construction.” This synergistic approach to robust health and safety system development and deployment continues to advance MIOSHA’s mission to help protect the safety and health of Michigan workers," said MIOSHA MVPP Specialist Aaron Gundrum.
MVPP is a MIOSHA cooperative program designed to assist employers and employees by providing a mechanism and criteria designed to evaluate and recognize outstanding safety and health management programs.
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 MVPP site safety leaders took part in a communication excerise during the MVPP Fall Mentors meeting Oct. 18. 2023.
MVPP Program
There are two levels of recognition within the MVPP program.
The Michigan Star program is designed for workplaces that have an exemplary safety and health management program with injury and illness incidence rates below the industry average for the last three years.
The Rising Star program provides the steppingstone for those establishments that have the desire and potential to achieve Star Status within 1-3 years. Rising Star participants have a good safety and health management program and have incidence rates at or below the industry average for two out of the last three years.
Current Star sites are available to mentor other companies that have an interest and desire to improve their safety and health management program. Mentors inform, counsel, train and strive to achieve excellence in safety and health through the program.
Visit www.michigan.gov/mvppp to apply or call us to see if you qualify: 517-284-7720.
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A new requirement taking effect next year will require certain employers in designated high-hazard industries to submit injury and illness information to federal OSHA electronically.
Starting Jan.1, 2024, OSHA will require establishments with 100 or more employees in certain high-hazard industries to submit data from Forms 300, 300A and 301 by March 2 each year. Establishments with 250 employees or more must also submit annual data in industries that must routinely keep OSHA injury and illness records. The White House approved the final rule in July after OSHA proposed the changes in March 2022.
Submission requirements for the March 2, 2024 deadline include:
• MIOSHA Form 300 (Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses)
• MIOSHA Form 301 (Injury and Illness Incident Report)
• MIOSHA Form 300A (Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses)
Learn more about OSHA and its injury and illness recordkeeping and reporting requirements
MIOSHA requires most Michigan employers with 11 or more employees to log and maintain these records and make sure they are available in the event of an investigation.
Additional recordkeeping information, including general guidelines, forms and FAQs, are available on the MIOSHA website at www.michigan.gov/recordkeeping.
Asbestos Public Acts 135 and 440
The Michigan Public Act 135, “Asbestos Abatement Contractors Licensing Act” and the Michigan Public Act 440, “Asbestos Workers Accreditation Act” are asbestos regulations designed to protect employees and members of the public who occupy areas or buildings where asbestos work occurs. Public Act 135 and Public Act 440 are enforced by the MIOSHA Construction Safety and Health Division Asbestos Program.
Public Act 440 provides requirements for the training and accreditation of persons who perform asbestos-related work in public and commercial buildings. Public Act 440 requires that asbestos abatement workers, supervisors, project designers, inspectors and management planners successfully complete the appropriate initial or refresher training requirements and apply for accreditation with the asbestos program before performing asbestos work in Michigan. Accreditations must be renewed annually. Asbestos inspectors, management planners, and project designers must also satisfy asbestos-related work experience requirements before becoming accredited to work in the state.
Public Act 135 provides requirements for contractors performing friable asbestos removal or encapsulation work in Michigan. Public Act 135 requires an individual or company to obtain an asbestos abatement contractor’s license from the asbestos program, before removing or encapsulating friable asbestos. Licensed trade groups (i.e., electricians, mechanical contractors, plumbers or residential builders) may be exempt from licensure but must follow all other abatement requirements (i.e., notification, training, and implementation of worker protections). Public Act 135 requires licensed abatement contractors to provide project notifications to MIOSHA at least 10 calendar days prior to beginning any non-emergency asbestos abatement project exceeding ten linear feet or 15 square feet, or both, of friable asbestos materials. Licensed abatement contractors are required to submit to the Asbestos program a one percent (1%) project notification fee (i.e.,1% of the price of the contract for the asbestos abatement project).
Public Act 135 also requires a building or structure owner or lessee to have a post abatement air monitoring check performed by a qualified neutral party, completely independent of the asbestos abatement contractor, at all asbestos abatement project sites involving a negative pressure enclosure and ten or more linear feet, or 15 or more square feet, of friable asbestos materials.
Currently, the Asbestos Program is being reviewed by the MIOSHA Lean Process Improvement (LPI) team. At the completion of the review, the LPI team will make suggestions for potential operation improvements within the Asbestos Program.
MIOSHA Asbestos Program
The MIOSHA Asbestos Program was launched in 1986 to ensure people working with asbestos are properly trained and that the individuals performing asbestos removal comply with rules governing the work activity. These rules are designed to protect not only the individual employee performing asbestos abatement work but also the general public in the area where the work is occurring.
Asbestos abatement workers, supervisors, project designers, inspectors, and management planners must successfully complete the appropriate initial or refresher training requirements and become accredited before working in Michigan.
Verify an Asbestos Accreditation in Michigan.
For more information or general asbestos questions, call the MIOSHA Construction Safety and Health Division: (517) 284-7680 or visit www.michigan.gov/asbestos.
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 MIOSHA General Industry Part 73, Fire Brigades
Effective Oct. 23, 2023, the General Industry Standard Part 73, Fire Brigades under The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Act, PA 154 of 1974, MCL 408.1014r, was amended to include rules that involve best practices regarding proper use, handling, decontamination, containment, and storage of firefighting foam concentrate containing intentionally added perfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS).
The new PFAS rules (R 408.17313) require employers must:
- Follow specific manufacturer-provided safety data sheets (SDSs) for all firefighting foam concentrate that employees may be exposed to and follow best practices regarding the proper use, handling, and storage of information.
- Establish containment and handling requirements for firefighting foam concentrate containing PFAS.
- Ensure decontamination of a firefighter’s body and equipment following the use of firefighting foam concentrate containing PFAS.
- Prohibit the use of firefighting foam concentrate containing intentionally added PFAS by a firefighter for training purposes.
- Prohibit the use of firefighting foam concentrate containing intentionally added PFAS by a firefighter for equipment calibration purposes (unless required by law or the facility where the calibration occurs has implemented appropriate measures).
MIOSHA also adopted by reference to several National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards. The following rules were updated:
- R 408.17310 – A written policy that establishes the type, amount, and frequency of training to be provided to fire brigade members and maintains training records.
- NFPA 1981: “Standard on Open-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) for Emergency Services,” 2007 edition – effective Jan. 1, 2025.
- R 408.17320 – “PASS” devices shall meet or exceed the requirements of NFPA 1982: “Standard on Personal Alert Safety Systems (PASS),” 2007 edition – effective Jan. 1, 2025
- R 408.17432 – Protective ensemble shall meet or exceed the requirements of NFPA 1971: “Standard on Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting,” 2013 edition – effective Jan. 1, 2025.
A copy of the revised GI Part 73, Fire Brigades standard, is available on the MIOSHA Standards website at www.michigan.gov/mioshastandards.
A copy of the strike-bold draft, which notes modifications from the previously adopted GI Part 73, Fire Brigades standard, is available at www.miosha.gov/mioshastandards.
There have been 31 work-related fatalities reported to MIOSHA in 2023. The information below shares preliminary details about the most recent fatalities reported to MIOSHA, which are believed to be covered by the MIOSH Act. The descriptions reflect information provided to MIOSHA at the initial report of the incidents and are not the result of the official MIOSHA investigations.
Preliminary summaries of the 2023 incidents:
A 57-year-old truck driver was making a delivery in a concrete truck which became stuck at the jobsite. A contractor used a bulldozer with a tow cable to pull the concrete truck out. The hitch pin on the bulldozer failed, causing the tow cable to whip through the windshield of the concrete truck, fatally striking the victim.
A 54-year-old truck driver was kneeling over a single-piece rim wheel and tire assembly. While inflating the tire, the sidewall burst, and the assembly shot up, fatally striking the man.
A 28-year-old Southwest Michigan firefighter responded to a call for a broken tree branch hanging on a power line. After the fire department secured the scene, a different power line broke and struck the firefighter, who was knocked down and electrocuted.
A 58-year-old Van Buren County road worker was part of a four-person crew doing repair work. The victim was performing traffic control when he was struck by a commuter vehicle.
A 34-year-old truck driver was on route performing trash collection. The victim had exited the garbage truck and was placing a garbage hopper into the hopper lift. He proceeded to the right side of the truck to operate the hopper controls with his back to the road when an oncoming commuter vehicle struck the garbage truck from the rear, fatally striking the victim.
A 39-year-old EMT worker was driving an ambulance on I-75 when he came upon a vehicle that crashed into a viaduct wall near an exit ramp. When the victim exited the ambulance to assist the driver, he was fatally struck by an oncoming vehicle, which also fatally struck the driver of the crashed vehicle.
A 61-year-old electrical maintenance journeyman, part of a multi-person crew, was struck by a radiator assembly during the dismantlement of a transformer at an electrical substation.
A 19-year-old warehouse worker and another employee were attempting to change the bucket on a Bobcat backhoe. The victim was attempting to remove a pin from the bucket while the coworker was operating the Bobcat. The victim was fatally crushed after being caught between the bucket and a bollard.
A 35-year-old laborer and his employer arrived at a private residence to perform a tree-trimming job. The bucket truck became stuck, so the crew attached a rope to the front axle of the dump truck and the tie down on the skid steer's bucket. The rope snapped and struck the victim, who was operating the skid steer in the chest.
A 24-year-old production technician was heating a finished part to remove oils when the next cycle of a vacuum forming mold began. The victim was caught between an extended conveyor and a vacuum forming mold, crushing him.
A 24-year-old laborer/roofer was performing a roofing operation on a flat roof near a skylight. The victim fell 20 feet through the skylight and landed on the concrete floor below. The victim was admitted to the hospital and died from his injuries one month later.
A 57-year-old mechanic was mounting two tires for a trailer. The victim took one of the tires outside the shop and placed it on the ground to inflate using a pneumatic air compressor, set at approximately 150 psi (pounds per square inch). The tire exploded and struck the victim in the head.
A 60-year-old owner was found on the workshop floor, unresponsive. During the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) response, individuals on site began to feel ill and the fire department found carbon monoxide levels ranging from 500 to 800 parts-per-million (ppm). Vehicle exhaust fumes exposed the victim to carbon monoxide, which caused carbon monoxide poisoning.
A 70-year-old traffic flagger was fatally hit by a car while regulating traffic at a road construction project.
A 33-year-old demolition laborer was demolishing a cooling tower located on the roof of a building with an angle grinder. The worker cut away one angle iron and was cutting a second angle when the cooling tower started to fall. The worker ran towards the cooling tower when it fell on them.
A 53-year-old laborer was performing fire-proofing activities to structural steel while wearing fall protection, but not physically tied-off to an anchorage point. During the work operation, the victim fell approximately 18 feet to the concrete below.
A 30-year-old journeyman lineman was performing maintenance operations to powerline(s). During the operation, the victim was electrocuted.
A 75-year-old general laborer was operating a riding lawn mower and it flipped over a retention wall.
A 41-year-old truck driver was adjusting the tie-downs on a tractor-trailer near the side of the road when the victim was struck by a pedestrian vehicle.
A 38-year-old tree trimmer was performing trimming operations when he was struck and killed by a falling tree.
A 42-year-old owner was contracted to perform roof repair on a barn. The victim had removed a sheet off of the roof and fell through the opening 30-35 feet to the concrete floor below.
A 31-year-old tree trimmer was aloft trimming a tree limb when he contacted a live overhead power line. The employee was pronounced dead at the scene.'
A 41-year-old pipefitter was pressure testing a pipe when a valve came off the pipe and struck him in the head. The victim was hospitalized and succumbed to his injuries the following day.
A 59-year-old grounds worker was operating a zero-turn riding lawn mower. A witness stated they observed the victim drive straight off an approximate four-foot embankment and onto the cement. The victim was killed when the lawn mower landed on them.
A 69-year-old owner was trimming tree limbs in a bucket truck and fell approximately 30 feet.
A 62-year-old plumber and the owner of a management company arrived at a residential apartment building to unclog a floor drain in the basement that had approximately two feet of standing water. The victim brought an electric drain snake into the basement to clear the drain. However, there was no available power source. There was an available electrical outlet on the second floor of the complex, so the victim and the management company owner then connected extension cords to power the drain snake. The victim was in the basement, and the management company owner plugged in the extension cord on the second floor. The electric drain snake ran for approximately two minutes when the victim was heard falling and calling out for the management company owner. The management company owner ran down the stairs but stopped when the victim told him no. The management company owner contacted Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and could no longer hear the victim. First responders could not enter the basement until the utility company could confirm the basement was safe for entry. First responders entered the basement, removed the victim, attempted resuscitation, and transported the victim to a local hospital where they were pronounced deceased.
A 23-year-old laborer-gutter technician installing gutters from an extension ladder at a job site. A coworker witnessed the victim's eyes roll backwards before losing consciousness and falling approximately 20 feet from the ladder onto the concrete below.
A 51-year-old sole proprietor was performing tree trimming work. The victim was cutting down a large tree in sections. The last section of the tree was cut and as the victim was walking away as the tree fell striking the victim fatally injuring them.
A 25-year-old tow truck driver was heading West on M-6 transporting two vehicles to another location. There were reports of a dog running in the highway. Victim had spotted the dog and stopped the tow truck on the shoulder to attempt to catch the dog. A passing vehicle lost control and struck the victim.
A 50-year-old assistant terminal manager and a coworker were performing a rail ship audit. The coworker was driving vehicles onto a railcar while the victim assisted. The victim was pinned between a stationary vehicle and a moving vehicle on the railcar. Emergency Medical Services was contacted, and the victim was transported to a hospital with internal injuries. Four days later, the employer received notification the victim had passed as a result of the injuries.
Sept. 21, 2023 — Fall Protection - National Emphasis Program
Oct. 25, 2023 — Targeting Industries Under Emphases 1.1 and 1.2 of the Strategic Plan
Oct. 4, 2023 — $500,000 in Grant Funding Available to Michigan Small Businesses for Enhanced Worker Protections
Variances from MIOSHA standards must be made available to the public in accordance with Part 12, Variances (R408.22201 to 408.22251). MIOSHA variances are published online at:
michigan.gov/mioshavariances.
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