Ohio BWC Awards More Than $300,000 to Support Workplace Safety

Columbus, OH (WorkersCompensation.com) - The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) awarded safety intervention grants totaling more than $300,000 to Ohio employers in August. 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.

"Ten conscientious public and private entities have been awarded grants to improve safety and lessen the likelihood Ohio workers will be injured on the job," said BWC Administrator/CEO Steve Buehrer. "We are pleased they are making safety a priority and encourage other employers to consider utilizing BWC safety services to make their own improvements."

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.

The following are a list of businesses that received grants from BWC in August.

Allen Township Fire Department (Union County)
BWC awarded $30,749.33 to purchase rescue tools including cutters, spreaders, vehicle lifting devices and a lightweight power unit to reduce sprains and strains of the back, arms, neck and shoulders. Allen Township Fire Department is a public employer providing first response for auto accidents, industrial and agricultural emergencies.

Carey Exempted Village Schools (Wyandot County)
BWC awarded $11,283.33 to purchase rolling grille counterbalance security gates to reduce the potential for injury, such as sprains and strains, contusions and open wounds related to the operation of existing heavy gauge steel gates.

Damschroder Roofing Inc. (Sandusky County)
BWC awarded $10,680.74 to purchase a mobile fall protection system, dual roof cutter and mechanical workhorse to reduce the risk of injury related to trips and falls. The system should also reduce the ergonomic risks of strains and sprains resulting from awkward postures during manual material handling. Damschroder Roofing is a roofing contractor that specializes in commercial roofing.

Donald Martens & Sons Ambulance Service, Inc. (Cuyahoga County)
BWC awarded $40,000 to purchase three power load systems to reduce the risk of injury related to manually lifting and loading patients into ambulances. Donald Martens & Sons Ambulance Service provides medical transportation primarily from hospitals and nursing facilities.

Elyria City Schools (Lorain County)
BWC awarded $39,990.82 to replace heavy, hydrolic-cylinder tables with lightweight tables with suspension. This will reduce the risk of pinch points, sprains and strains and crushing injuries related to the exertion required to set up and tear down the heavy weight tables.on. Elyria City Schools is a public school system located in Lorain County.

Iten Industries Inc. (Ashtabula County)
BWC awarded $40,000 to purchase three vacuum lifts to reduce the risk of back, shoulder and arm injuries related to manual material handling of composite sheets that weigh up to 520 lbs. Iten Industries is a manufacturer of thermoplastic and thermoset stamped, molded and machined plastic parts.

Northcoast Inc. Recycling Specialists (Lake County)
BWC awarded $16,480.75 to purchase a hydraulic core stripper to reduce the risk of injury related to repetitive motion, awkward postures and cuts associated with the use of box cutters and skill saws. Northcoast Inc. Recycling Specialists is a waste reduction center that recycles plastic, cardboard, paper and foam.

Stark Metal Sales Trucking (Stark County)
BWC awarded $27,200 to purchase a rolling tarp system to reduce the risk of injury related to forceful exertion, awkward postures and slips, trips and falls associated with manually covering loads on large tractor-trailers. Stark Metal Sales is a motor carrier, with specialized equipment for transporting heavy general commodities, particularly for steel and metal products.

SUPERB Industries (Tuscarawas County)
BWC awarded $14,733.33 to purchase a motorized bridge hoist and trolley system to reduce the risk of injury due to pushing and pulling, awkward postures and slips, trips and falls related to manual material handling involving the present trolley. SUPERB Industries is a custom metal stamper and plastic injection mold manufacturer.

City of Washington Court House (Fayette County)
BWC awarded $40,000 to purchase a trailer mounted asphalt/concrete road repair system to reduce the risk factors of strains and sprains associated with manual material handling while repairing streets and roadways. There are additional risks associated with heavy lifting, repetitive motion, burns and exposure to vehicular traffic. The Washington Court House Street Department is a public employer providing street repair and maintenance services to the city.

Learn more about the Safety Intervention Grant Program and view the stories of previous grant recipients at ohiobwc.com or BWC's YouTube channel.

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