Safety Grants Designed to Assist in Reducing Illness and Injury
The Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation (BWC) recently awarded safety intervention grants totaling more than $206,000 to Ohio employers.
BWC designed the Safety Intervention Grant Program to assist Ohio employers in reducing illnesses and injuries and to create a partnership with them to establish best practices for accident and injury prevention. [WCx]
Two Grants Partnership of BWC and NIOSH
Two of the grants are the product of a partnership between BWC and National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to study workplace injuries largely in the wholesale/retail trade sector. Accurate Mechanical, Inc. (Ross County) and Alenne Corp, dba Key Construction (Ross County), which received grants through the program, will become part of a study analyzing how adding the equipment to a delivery, installation or receiving process may reduce particular on-the-job injuries.
“Accurate Mechanical and Key Construction are not only creating safer work environments for their employees, they are joining BWC’s partnership with NIOSH to reduce injuries across the entire wholesale/retail industry,” said BWC Administrator/CEO Steve Buehrer. “Our thanks go to them for taking an interest in a larger effort to make improvements within their industry, and also to every Ohio employer taking the initiative to protect their workforce from injury and accidents.”
Grant Recipients
Accurate Mechanical Inc. (Ross County)
BWC awarded $25,790.20 through the Wholesale Retail Trade grant program to purchase a lift gate, powered stair climbers, powered carts, enclosed trailer, material lifts, material hoists and industrial furniture movers. The new equipment is expected to reduce the risk of injuries such as sprains and strains, and slips, trips and falls related to manual material handling. Accurate Mechanical provides HVAC services to residential and commercial businesses.
Alenne Corp., dba Key Construction (Ross County)
BWC awarded $36,376.83 through the Wholesale Retail Trade grant program to purchase a telescoping forklift, power buggy, dumping hopper and lift gate. The new equipment is expected to reduce the risk of injuries such as sprains and strains, and slips, trips and falls related to manual material handling. Key Construction is a family-owned custom home builder.
J. McCoy Lumber Company LTD LLC(Adams County)
BWC awarded $36,637.84 to purchase roller conveyors and two semi-automatic pallet building machines to reduce the risk of injuries resulting from the repetitive motion and awkward postures associated with building pallets by hand. McCoy Lumber manufactures a variety of hardwood products from railroad crossties and pallets to retail products such as flooring and interior moldings. [WCx]
Cleveland Thermal Holdings, LLC (Cuyahoga County)
BWC awarded $6,755.72 to purchase hand trucks and a mobile drum carrier/palletizer to reduce the risk of injury related to manual material handling as 40 gallon drums weighing in excess of 300 pounds are maneuvered by hand. Cleveland Thermal Holdings is an energy manufacturer and supplier, providing thermal heating and cooling service to commercial and residential properties.
Mayfield Village Fire Dept. (Cuyahoga County)
BWC awarded $34,588.37 to purchase a power load system to reduce the risk of injury-related to manually lifting and loading patients into emergency vehicles. Mayfield Village Fire Dept is a public employer providing first response and transportation for emergencies.
Canei Roofing & Construction, dba C & C Associates (Franklin County)
BWC awarded $9,972.23 to purchase an automatic welding machine with portable generator, and tall and short boy screw guns to reduce the risk of injury and cumulative trauma disorders related to manual material handling, awkward postures, forceful exertions and repetitive motion. C & C Associates is a family-owned construction, remodeling and roofing business.
Elford Inc. (Franklin County)
BWC awarded $8,240 to purchase 4′, 6′ and 8′ platform ladders to reduce the risk of injury-related to slips, trips and falls. Elford is a general contractor and construction manager.
Packard Forest Products, Inc. (Franklin County)
BWC awarded $26,166.66 to Forest Products to purchase an automated tarping system to reduce the risk of injuries such as sprains and strains related to manual material handling and awkward postures.. Forest Products is a wholesale distributor of specialty wood building products.
LifeShare Community Blood Services (Lorain County)
BWC awarded $1,016.94 to purchase an adjustable workbench and anti-fatigue mat to reduce the ergonomic stress injuries related to repetitive motion, static posture and prolonged standing. LifeShare Community Blood Services is a nonprofit blood center servicing hospitals across Northeast Ohio.
Kelchner, Inc. (Warren County)
BWC awarded $20,734.08 to purchase vacuum pipe lift to reduce the risk of injuries such as sprains, strains and cumulative trauma disorders related to manual material handling and manually rigging pipe. due to repetitive motion and injuries related. Kelchner is a site utility and excavation company.
Ohio private and public employers are eligible for safety intervention grants, which include a 2-to-1 matching amount up to a maximum of $40,000 for a total of $60,000 – $20,000 from the employer and $40,000 from BWC. Quarterly data reports and follow-up case studies help BWC determine the effectiveness of employers’ safety interventions and establish best practices.
Author Michael B. Stack, CPA, Director of Operations, Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. is an expert in employer communication systems and part of the Amaxx team helping companies reduce their worker’s compensation costs by 20% to 50%. He is a writer, speaker, and website publisher. www.reduceyourworkerscomp.com. Contact: mstack@reduceyourworkerscomp.com.
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