L&I awards grants for safety and health improvements


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August 21, 2008

Audio available

L&I awards grants for safety and health improvements

TUMWATER — The Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) said today it has awarded $1.2 million in health and safety grants for projects meant to stimulate creative, new advancements in workplace safety and health in Washington.

The initial seven grant award winners are:

Labor Neighbor Radio: Radio safety messages for workers across Washington.
University of Washington and the Governor’s Industrial Safety and Health Advisory Board: Development of young-worker safety and health curriculum for schools.
UW Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences: Training for conducting workshops on the design of age-friendly workplaces.
TOC Management Services: Training for creating an active safety leadership environment for employers.
Northwest Independent Contractors Association: Developing small-business, residential construction, safety-training seminars.
Pregis Corp.: Designing ergonomic improvements for panel production lines.
Service Employees International Union 1199 NW: Developing best-practice guidelines for safe patient handling.

The Washington Legislature appropriated $8 million last year from the workers’ compensation State Fund and established the grant program, known as Safety and Health Investment Projects (SHIP).

L&I said eligible grant projects should aim to prevent injuries and illnesses, save lives, and educate workers and employers about workplace hazards and safe workplace practices. Priority is given to proposals that involve cooperation between employers and employees or their representatives.

Organizations eligible to apply for grants include trade and business associations, labor organizations, employers, employee organizations, joint labor/management groups, and groups of employees. A SHIP Advisory Committee of business and labor representatives helps L&I review grant proposals.

More information is available from Ken Mettler, grants program manager, at 360-902-6307 or invest@Lni.wa.gov.

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For media information: Xenofon Moniodis, 360-902-6458.


	Broadcast version The Department of Labor and Industries says it has given out $1.2 million so far in grants to fund ideas that can reduce workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths. They have $8 million from the Legislature to award, and they’re looking for more applications. Grant winners, so far, will focus on radio safety messages, young-worker safety, construction safety training, ergonomics, safe patient-handling guidelines, and leadership safety training. More information about the grant program is available at www dot safetygrants dot lni dot wa dot gov.

Audio message (10 seconds)

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Voice of Xenofon Moniodis, L&I communications manager: "Our goal is to help improve the workplace-safety culture in Washington State. We think the seven grant winners have come up with some innovative ideas that will help make sure workers aren't injured or killed on the job."