Ohio BWC Awards More Than $465,000 To Support Workplace Safety

Columbus, OH (WorkersCompensation.com) - The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) awarded safety intervention grants totaling more than $465,000 to 18 Ohio employers in May. 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.

“Several of the grants awarded last month went to emergency medical services agencies and will help first responders stay safe while assisting Ohioans in need,” said BWC Administrator/CEO Steve Buehrer. “The benefits of these grants are numerous and could contribute to a future drop in injuries as we share information with other emergency medical service operations about interventions that could make their workplaces more comfortable and safe.”

Ohio private and public employers are eligible for the 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.

Below is a list of grant recipients:

Barbasol LLC (Ashland County)
Barbasol produces men's and women's shaving cream. BWC awarded $40,000 to purchase a bulk handling system to reduce the risk of injury related to manual material handling, repetitive motion and slips, trips and falls.

City of Bedford Fire Dept. (Cuyahoga County)
The employer is a public fire and emergency medical services division of the City of Bedford. BWC awarded $28,937 to purchase two cot loading systems to reduce the risk of injury related to manual handling of patients as they are loaded and unloaded into emergency vehicles.

Community Blood Center/Community Tissue Services (Montgomery County) (WRT)
CBC/CTS is a not-for-profit organization that operates to fulfill the need for blood and tissue grafts. BWC awarded $40,000 to purchase rail-gates, automated interior door openers, electric carts, a stair climber and roller conveyors to reduce the risk of injury related to manual material handling, such as sprains and strains and slips, trips and falls that could occur during the delivery process of various products.

Crawford Machine Inc. (Crawford County)
Crawford Machine is a manufacturer of brass fittings and air brake hose assemblies. BWC awarded $11,646 to purchase pneumatic collet open/close attachments to reduce the risk of cumulative trauma disorders related to repetitive motion, forceful exertion and awkward postures.

City of Dover Fire Dept. (Tuscarawas County)
The employer is a public fire and emergency medical services division of the City of Dover. BWC awarded $33,326 to purchase two cot loading systems to reduce or eliminate the risk of injury related to manual handling of patients as they are loaded and unloaded into emergency vehicles.

Lakeshore Cryotronics Inc. (Delaware County)
Lake Shore Cryotronics is an international leader in the development of innovative measurement and control technologies. BWC awarded $12,478 to purchase a custom designed ergonomic lifter to reduce the risk of injury related to manual material handling, such as sprains and strains, in addition to the risks associated with awkward postures.

Lake Township (Stark County)
Lake Township is a public employer responsible for maintaining the township's roadways. BWC awarded $37,113 to purchase a pothole patching system to reduce the ergonomic risk factors associated with manual material handling while repairing streets and roadways, such as strains and sprains, as well as exposure to vehicular traffic.

Logan Clutch Corporation (Cuyahoga County)
Logan Clutch designs, engineers and manufactures a complete line of fluid/air actuated clutches. BWC awarded $40,000 to purchase electric hoists and workstation redesign modifications to reduce the risk of injuries such as sprains and strains and cumulative trauma disorders related to manual material handling, repetitive motion, awkward postures and excessive force.

Maverick Innovative Solutions (Ashland County)
Maverick Innovative Solutions is a metal fabricator providing components for the power generation industry, mainly gas turbine power generation. BWC awarded $40,000 towards the purchase of a recycling system and renovation of a blast booth to reduce the risk of injury related to overexposure to silica during sand blast operations.

Monroe Township (Adams County)
Monroe Township is a public employer responsible for providing maintenance of roads and cemeteries, as well as fire protection. BWC awarded $39,180 to purchase a telescoping boom mower and rotary cutter with hydraulic door/blade to reduce the risk of injuries such as sprains and strains, awkward postures, vibration and repetitive motion related to the manual process of maintaining township roadways, , as well as exposure to inclement weather.

Moore Orchards Farm Inc. (Ottawa County)
Moore Orchards is a small family-owned apple orchard. The employer was awarded $40,000 to purchase plastic bins to reduce the risk of injury related to manual material handling, such as sprains and strains, in addition to cuts and lacerations from loose metal and nails protruding from wooden crates.

Optimum Plastics, Inc. (Delaware County)
Optimum Plastics is a manufacturer of plastic films and bags. BWC awarded $40,000 to purchase a manufactured ergonomic lifting device to reduce the risk of injury related to manual material handling of heavy plastic roll stock.

Perstorp Polyols, Inc. (Lucas County)
Perstorp Polyols is an organic chemical manufacturer. BWC awarded $7,472 to purchase a vacuum lift attachment to reduce the risk of injury related to manual material handling as 55 pound bags of sodium formate are lifted and stacked on pallets.

Village of Ridgeway (Hardin County)
The Ridgeway volunteer fire department is responsible for fire and rescue services covering 52 sq. miles. BWC awarded $20,350.66 to purchase a Holmatro power unit, spreader, cutter, telescoping ram and hydraulic hoses to reduce the risk of injuries such as sprains and strains related to manual material handling, awkward postures and excessive force.

Springfield Township (Hamilton County)
Springfield Township's fire dept provides emergency medical services, fire suppression and prevention, and public education to township residents. BWC awarded $21,055 to purchase a bariatric powered cot, large body surface bariatric board, and four EZ Glide power retrofit kits to reduce the risk of injuries such as sprains and strains, awkward postures and slips, trips and falls related to the manual handling and transfer of patients.

Sweet Manufacturing Company (Clark County)
Sweet Manufacturing is a fabrication shop that manufactures bulk material handling equipment (e.g. bucket elevators, drag conveyors). BWC awarded $10,837 to purchase a mobile weld fume extractor to reduce the risk of injury related to overexposure to zinc oxide.

Western Reserve Animal Clinic (Ashtabula County)
Western Reserve is a mixed animal veterinary clinic. BWC awarded $4,019 to purchase a mobile examination/transport table and collapsible folding cart to reduce the risk of injuries such as sprains and strains and animal bites related to the manual handling of animals for examination.

Village of Weston EMS (Wood County)
The employer is a public emergency medical services division of the Village of Weston. BWC awarded $1,540 to purchase a portable oxygen tank lift to reduce the risk of injury related to manual handling of oxygen tanks as they are loaded and unloaded into emergency vehicles.

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