DOL awards $10.5M in workplace safety training grants

The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is giving $10.5 million in grants to 80 nonprofit organizations across the country to train high-risk workers and their employers on how to recognize serious workplace hazards.

The funding will from the department’s Susan Harwood Training Grant Program, which has been used to trained 2.1 million workers since 1978.

“Susan Harwood training grants save lives,” Secretary of Labor Tom Perez said in a release. “The hands-on training supported by these grants helps assure that workers and employers have the tools and skills they need to identify hazards and prevent injuries.”

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. 

Depending on the type of grant, awardees will be required either to address OSHA hazards, demonstrate their ability to provide occupational safety and health training, education, and related assistance to workers and employers in high-hazard industries, or assess their needs and formulate a capacity-building plan before launching a full-scale safety and health education program.