U.S. Department of Labor | May 9, 2016
Funds
help high-risk, vulnerable workers identify, prevent workplace hazards
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced
today the availability of a total of $4.6 million in funds in the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program.
The grants will fund the creation of in-person, hands-on
training and educational programs and the development of materials for workers
and employers in small businesses; industries with high injury, illness and
fatality rates; and vulnerable workers who are underserved, have limited
English proficiency or are temporary workers. The program intends to help
workers and employers identify and prevent workplace safety and health hazards.
Nonprofit organizations including community and faith-based
organizations, employer associations, labor unions, joint labor/management
associations, Indian tribes, and colleges and universities are eligible and
encouraged to apply for the grants.
“Ensuring that all workers are safe on the job is a top
priority for the Labor Department. The Susan Harwood training grants help equip
vulnerable workers and their employers with the information and knowledge they
need to identify and prevent injuries,” said U.S.
Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez. “The program continues the proud legacy
of its namesake who did so much to understand and improve worker protections in
her 17 years with the department.”
The program honors the late Susan Harwood, former director
of OSHA’s Office of Risk Assessment, whose tenure led to the development of
worker protection standards for exposure to bloodborne pathogens, cotton dust,
benzene, formaldehyde, asbestos and lead.
This funding opportunity includes two separate and distinct
announcements: Targeted Topic Training Grants and Capacity Building Training
Grants.
Targeted Topic Training grants support the development of
quality training programs and educational materials that focus on identifying
and preventing workplace hazards. These grants require applicants to address
the occupational safety and health hazards designated by OSHA in the
announcement.
There are two types of Capacity Building grants available: Capacity
Building pilot and Capacity Building Developmental grants. Pilot grants will
assist organizations in assessing their needs and formulating a
capacity-building plan before moving forward with a full-scale safety and
health education program. Developmental grants focus on improving and expanding
the capacity of an organization to provide safety and health training,
education, and related assistance to target audiences.
The funding opportunity announcements are available at http://www.grants.gov/, where new
applicants must register and returning applicants must ensure registration is
accurate and up-to-date prior to completing the application. The registration
process generally takes between three to five business days, but may be as long
as four weeks if applicants fail to complete all steps in a timely manner.
Organizations new to the System for Award Management will need to allot an
additional 14 days for registration to receive a Commercial and Government
Entity code.
Applicants are encouraged to begin the process of
registering with www.grants.gov as soon as
possible. Applications for both Targeted Topic Training grants (SHTG-FY-16-01)
and Capacity Building grants (SHTG-FY-16-02) must be submitted by June 28, 2016.
All applications must be submitted electronically and are due no later than
11:59 p.m. EDT on the due date. No extensions of the deadline will be granted.
OSHA has developed a series of short webinars to assist prospective applicants
in understanding the application process. The webinars will be available at http://www.osha.gov/dte/sharwood/index.html.
More information on the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program
is available on OSHA’s website at http://www.osha.gov/dte/sharwood/index.html.
Questions from the public should be directed to Donna Robertson by emailing harwoodgrants@dol.gov or calling
847-759-7700. Please note that this is not a toll-free number.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act
of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful
workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for
America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and
providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/.
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Media Contacts:
Maureen Soyars, 202-693-4655, soyars.maureen.e@dol.gov Mandy McClure, 202-693-4672, mcclure.amanda.c@dol.gov
Release Number: 16-952-NAT
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