US Department of Labor's OSHA awards $10.7 million in Susan Harwood safety and health training grants

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today awarded $10.7 million in Susan Harwood Training Grants to 37 new and 32 returning recipients, including nonprofit and community/faith-based groups, business and trade associations, labor unions, joint labor/management associations, and colleges and universities.

The Susan Harwood Training Grant Program supports in-person, hands-on training and educational programs for workers and employers in industries with high injury and fatality rates; workers who are young, have low literacy or limited English proficiency and/or are otherwise vulnerable; and small business employers.

"No one should ever suffer injury or death for the sake of a paycheck," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "The grants awarded by the federal government today will provide tools for workers and employers in some of the most dangerous industries to identify and eliminate hazards. This education and training will help ensure that every worker returns home safely at the end of his or her shift."

Twenty new organizations have been awarded a total of $3.2 million in Capacity Building Developmental Grants to develop their expertise and capacity to provide occupational health and safety training and education for their constituents. Five organizations have received a combined $400,000 for pilot grants to lay the groundwork for self-sufficient safety and health education programs.

OSHA also has awarded approximately $1.3 million total to 10 organizations as Targeted Topic Training Grants and $100,000 to two organizations in the form of Training and Educational Material Development Grants. Both grant types require that recipients address occupational safety and health topics designated by OSHA, and both support the development of quality training materials and programs that address workplace hazards and prevention strategies.

Additionally, a total of approximately $5.7 million has been awarded to 32 of last year's Capacity Building Developmental Grant recipients that demonstrated satisfactory performance.

"The programs funded by these grants are unique in providing hands-on training to workers in dangerous jobs. They will have a long-lasting, positive impact on workplace safety and health," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels.

The grants are named in honor of Susan Harwood, a former director of the Office of Risk Assessment in OSHA's health standards directorate, who died in 1996. This grant program is an important component of OSHA's efforts to provide workers in high-risk industries with training about job hazards and their rights. It also provides employers with crucial information about unsafe working conditions, mitigation strategies and their responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.

For a list of 2011 Susan Harwood grant awards, visit http://www.osha.gov/dte/sharwood/grant_awards.html.

More information on the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program is available on OSHA's website at http://www.osha.gov/dte/sharwood/. Public inquiries should be directed to Kimberly Mason at harwoodgrants@dol.gov or 847-759-7700.

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.