OSHA Awards $12.7 Million in Grants to Promote Workplace Safety, Health Training, Education

Sept.20, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has awarded approximately $12.7 million in grants ( https://www.osha.gov/harwoodgrants/awards#tab2 ) to help 100 non-profit organizations educate and train workers and employers to recognize serious workplace hazards, prevent injury, understand workers’ rights and employers’ responsibilities under federal law. Funded through the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program ( https://www.osha.gov/harwoodgrants ), the grants were awarded in three categories: Targeted Topic Training, Training and Educational Materials Development, and Capacity Building. “The award of Susan Harwood Training Grants reminds us of Dr. Harwood’s important contributions to making our nation’s workplaces safer and healthier for countless U.S. workers,” said Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su. “Dr. Harwood’s dedication to educating workers and employers continues to inspire those of us at the Department of Labor and those whose organizations will use these grants to help save lives.” Doug Parker, assistant secretary for occupational safety and health, said, “These grants are one of our most effective resources for providing training and education to hard-to-reach workers in high-hazard industries. More than a third of the awardees will be conducting training in the south, improving our training footprint in an area with a large, underserved workforce. Training should be a key part of ensuring vulnerable workers are in safe and healthy environments and that they feel safe at work.” OSHA awards grants to non-profit organizations, including community and faith-based groups, employer associations, labor unions, joint labor-management associations, Native American tribes and local and state-sponsored colleges and universities. Target trainees include small-business employers and underserved vulnerable workers in high-hazard industries. Many of the recipients of fiscal year 2023 Susan Harwood Training Grants will provide training and education in their regions and across the nation. Construction and crane-related organizations receiving grants included: Construction Education Foundation of Colorado, LIUNA Training and Education Fund, American Road & Transportation Builders Association, Chicagoland Construction Safety Council, Construction Advancement Foundation of Northwest Indiana Inc., Tree Care Industry Association Inc., National Association of Tower Erectors, Organization of Hispanic Contractors, Associated General Contractors of America, Shasta Builders Exchange.