Safety Grants Help Ohio Employers Improve Working Conditions

Over the past year, more than $3.3 million in Safety Intervention Grants has been awarded by the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC).

As part of National Safety Month, the BWC is reminding employers that hundreds of Ohio businesses are substantially reducing workplace injuries and creating safer work environments using the grants.

“Good safety programs save lives and they save money,” said BWC Administrator/CEO Stephen Buehrer. “By offering grants to help employers reduce accidents and illness, we’re making it easier for them to do the right thing when it comes to improving workplace safety.

The Safety Intervention Grant program assists businesses purchasing equipment to reduce or eliminate injuries and illnesses associated with a particular task or operation.

For every dollar an eligible employer spends, they can receive two dollars through the grant program, up to a total BWC payout of $40,000.

The program has awarded $43,864,434 to 1449 employers since its inception.

Data submitted by participating employers to study the effectiveness of the safety interventions is utilized by the BWC to establish best practices for other employers.

One recent example of success is Green Lines Transportation, Inc. of Malvern.

After receiving a $40,000 Safety Intervention Grant in 2009, Green lines now reports a decline in injuries, and increased productivity.

Prior to receiving the award, the commercial hauling company used a manual process to secure loads on flatbed trucks. Using grant money, Green Lines purchased five automated rolling tarp systems to reduce their risk factors.

Since purchasing the new equipment, injury rates decreased from 5.7 for the two years prior to the intervention, to zero the two years following the equipment purchase. Additionally, the company reported that the automated process has saved 64 hours, per year, per truck.

Source: Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation