Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Targeted Training Grants

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds and request for grant applications.

SUMMARY: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has a grant program, Targeted Training, which awards funds to nonprofit organizations to conduct safety and health training and education in the workplace. This notice announces Targeted Training grant availability for training workers to recognize ergonomic hazards, training workers in process safety management, training construction workers, training small business owners and their workers to develop and implement safety and health programs for their businesses, training workers about lockout/tagout requirements, or training workers in logging safety. This notice describes the scope of the grant program and provides information about how to get detailed grant application instructions. Applications should not be submitted without the applicant first obtaining the detailed grant application instructions mentioned later in the notice. Authority for this program may be found in section 21(c) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 670).

DATES: Applications must be received by August 12, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Grant applications must be submitted to the OSHA Office of Training and Education, Division of Training and Educational Programs, 1555 Times Drive, Des Plaines, Illinois 60018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ronald Mouw, Chief, Division of Training and Educational Programs, or Helen Beall, Training Specialist, OSHA Office of Training and Education, 1555 Times Drive, Des Plaines, Illinois 60018, telephone (708) 297-4810.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Section 21(c) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act provides for the education and training of employers and workers in the recognition, avoidance, and prevention of unsafe or unhealthful working conditions. OSHA has used a variety of approaches over the years to fulfill its responsibilities under this section, one of which is the awarding of grants to nonprofit organizations, including community based organizations, to develop and provide training and education to workers and employers.

The Targeted Training Program is OSHA's current grant program for the training and education of workers and employers. Its goals include educating workers and employers in small businesses (250 or fewer workers), training in new OSHA standards, and training in areas of special emphasis or recognized high risk activities or tasks. Organizations awarded grants under this program, including community based organizations, will be expected to develop training and/or educational programs that address a target named by OSHA, reach out to workers and employers for whom the program is appropriate, and provide them with the training and/or educational program. Success is measured by the number of workers or employers reached by the program and their increased ability to recognize and abate hazards or to comply with OSHA standards.

Preferential consideration will be given to projects that reach workers in high-risk occupations, with special emphasis on minority, youth, non-English speaking, low income and migrant workers. Preferential consideration will also be given to applications that propose train-the-trainer programs, especially those that train workers to train other workers, and to applications that propose to assist employers and their workers with the development of comprehensive safety and health programs that emphasize management commitment and worker participation in hazard recognition and control.

Scope

The purpose of this notice is to announce the availability of funds for grants. Each grant awarded will be designed to develop and provide training and education in one of the following target areas.

1. Ergonomics. Programs that teach workers what ergonomics is, train them how to recognize ergonomic hazards and acute and chronic ergonomic health disorders in the workplace, and demonstrate ways in which ergonomic problems can be abated.

2. Process Safety Management. Programs that provide training for workers who are or will be working at facilities covered by the OSHA process safety management standard, 29 CFR 1910.119.

3. Construction safety and health. Programs that provide training for construction workers who are or will be working at sites covered by recently issued OSHA standards, such as lead in construction (29 CFR 1926.62). These programs will be expected to incorporate new OSHA construction standards, such as fall protection, into their programs when the standards are issued.

4. Safety and health program development for workers and employers in small businesses. Programs that assist workers and employers in small businesses to understand OSHA requirements and implement safety and health programs, including training for workers. For purposes of this grant program, a small business is one with 250 or fewer workers.

5. Lockout/tagout. Programs that teach workers, particularly those involved with the repair and maintenance of machinery, the requirements of OSHA's lockout/tagout standard, 29 CFR 1910.147.

6. Logging safety. Programs that address worker safety in the logging industry, including pulpwood harvesting and the logging of saw logs, bolts and other forest products. Training programs should be carried out in close cooperation with people in the logging industry. It is expected that training will be conducted by technical experts who are knowledgeable about safe work practices and who are responsive to changes in safety equipment and to the needs of the logging workforce. Whenever possible, training should be conducted at logging sites. Grantees will be expected to incorporate OSHA's new logging standard into their programs when the standard is issued.

Among the activities which may be supported under these grants are:

conducting training, conducting other educational activities designed to reach and inform workers and employers, and developing educational materials for use in training and/or educational activities.

Eligible Applicants

Any nonprofit organization, including labor organizations, joint labor-management training trust funds, employer and trade organizations, and community-based organizations, that is not an agency of a State or local government is eligible to apply. However, State or local government supported institutions of higher education are eligible to apply in accordance with 29 CFR 97.4(a)(1).

Nonsupportable Activities

Statutory and regulatory limitations, as well as the objectives of the grant program, prevent reimbursing grantees for certain activities. These limitations include the following.

1. Any activities inconsistent with the goals and objectives of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.

2. Activities involving workplaces largely precluded from enforcement action under section 4(b)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

3. Activities for the benefit of State, county or municipal workers unless those workers are covered by a State Plan funded by OSHA under section 23(g) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

4. Production, publication, reproduction or use of training and educational materials, including newsletters and programs of instruction, that have not been reviewed by OSHA for technical accuracy.

5. Training and other educational activities that primarily address issues other than recognition, avoidance, and prevention of unsafe or unhealthful working conditions. Examples include activities concerning workers' compensation, first aid, and publication of materials prejudicial to labor or management.

6. Activities that provide assistance to workers in arbitration cases or other actions against employers, or that provide assistance to employers and/or workers in the prosecution of claims against Federal, State or local governments.

7. Activities that directly duplicate services offered by OSHA, a State under a State Plan, or consultation programs provided by State designated agencies under section 7(c)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

8. Activities directly or indirectly intended to generate membership in the grant recipient's organization. This includes activities to acquaint nonmembers with the benefits of membership, inclusion of membership appeals in materials with grant funds, and membership drives.

Administrative Requirements

Educational materials will be reviewed by OSHA for technical accuracy during development and before final publication. Instructional curriculums and purchased training materials will also be reviewed by OSHA for technical accuracy before they are used.

Grant recipients will be expected to share educational materials with others in the industry to which the materials apply. Grant recipients must also provide copies of completed educational materials to OSHA before the end of the grant period. OSHA has a lending program, the Resource Center, that circulates grant-produced audiovisual materials. Grant recipients can expect their materials to be included in OSHA's Resource Center lending program.

Grantees will comply with applicable requirements of the following OMB Circulars.

1. A-110, which covers grant requirements for nonprofit organizations, including universities and hospitals.

2. A-21, which gives cost principles applicable to educational institutions.

3. A-122, which gives cost principles applicable to other nonprofit organizations.

4. A-133, which provides audit requirements. All applicants will be required to certify to a drug-free workplace in accordance with 20 CFR part 98 and to comply with the New Restrictions on Lobbying published at 29 CFR part 93.

The program has matching share requirements. Grant recipients will provide a minimum of 20% of the total grant budget. This match may be in-kind, rather than a cash contribution. For example, if the Federal share of the grant is $80,000 (80% of the grant), then the matching share will be $20,000 (20% of the grant), for a total grant of $100,000. The matching share may exceed 20%.

Evaluation Process and Criteria

Applications for grants solicited in this notice will be evaluated on a competitive basis by the Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health with assistance and advice from OSHA staff.

The following factors, which are not ranked in order of importance will be considered in evaluating grant applications.

1. Program Design

a. The plan to develop and implement a training and education program that addresses one of the following targets.

i. Ergonomics.

ii. Workers covered by OSHA's process safety management standard.

iii. Construction safety and health for workers covered by recently issued OSHA standards.

iv. Safety and health program development for workers and employers in small businesses.

v. Lockout/tagout.

vi. Logging safety.

b. The number of workers and/or the number of employers to be reached by the program.

c. The number of workers to be trained as trainers of their fellow workers.

d. The appropriateness of the planned activities for the target selected.

e. The plan for evaluating the program's effectiveness in achieving its objectives.

f. The feasibility and soundness of the proposed work plan in achieving the program objectives effectively.

2. Program Experience

a. The occupational safety and health experience of the applicant organization.

b. The experience of the applicant organization in developing and conducting training or education programs.

c. The technical and professional expertise of present or proposed project staff in training workers and/or employers and in occupational safety and health.

d. The applicant organization's experience in reaching the target population and conducting occupational safety and health and/or training and educational programs for that population.

3. Administrative Capability

a. The managerial expertise of the applicant as evidenced by the variety and complexity of programs it has administered over the past five years.

b. The financial management capability of the applicant as evidenced by a recent report from an independent audit firm or a recent report from another independent organization qualified to render judgment concerning the soundness of the applicant's financial practices.

c. Evidence of the applicant's nonprofit status, preferably from the IRS.

d. The completeness of the application, including forms, budget detail, narrative and workplan, and required attachments.

4. Budget

a. The reasonableness of the budget in relation to the proposed program activities.

b. The proposed non-Federal share is at least 20% of the total budget.

c. The compliance of the budget with Federal cost principles contained in applicable OMB Circulars and with OSHA budget requirements contained in the grant application instructions.

Preferential consideration will be given to organizations, including community based organizations, that submit applications which include one or more of the following program elements.

1. Providing training and/or education for workers in high-risk occupations, with special emphasis on minority, youth, non-English speaking, low income and migrant workers.

2. Conducting train-the-trainer programs, especially those that train workers to train other workers.

3. Assisting workers and employers with the development of comprehensive safety and health programs that emphasize management commitment and worker participation in hazard recognition and control.

In addition to the preceding factors, the Assistant Secretary will consider other factors such as the overall geographical distribution and coverage of populations at risk.

Availability of Funds

There is approximately $1,700,000 available for this program. The average Federal award will be $100,000 and there will be at least one grant for each target. Grants will be awarded for an eighteen-month period.

Application Procedures

Organizations that meet the eligibility requirements described above and are interested in applying for a grant may request grant application instructions from the OSHA Office of Training and Education, Division of Training and Educational Programs, 1555 Times Drive, Des Plaines, Illinois 60018.

All applications must be received no later than 4:30 p.m. Central Time, August 12, 1994.

Notification of Selection

Following review and evaluation, organizations selected as potential grant recipients will be notified by a representative of the Assistant Secretary. An applicant whose proposal is not selected will be notified in writing to that effect. Notice of selection as a potential grant recipient will not constitute approval of the grant application as submitted. Prior to the actual grant award, representatives of the potential grant recipient and OSHA will enter into negotiations concerning such items as program components, funding levels, and administrative systems. If negotiations do not result in an acceptable submittal, the Assistant Secretary reserves the right to terminate the negotiation and decline to fund the proposal.

Signed at Washington, DC, this 17th day of June 1994.

Joseph A. Dear,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.

[FR Doc. 94-15198 Filed 6-22-94; 8:45 am]

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