DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

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.

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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 in fall protection in the residential construction industry, assisting small businesses to develop safety and health programs, training hospital and nursing or medical care facility workers in the prevention of injuries, and training small logging employers about the requirements of OSHA's logging standard. 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 4, 1995.

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 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 (employers with 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 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.

Preference in selection will be given to proposals that will conduct train-the-trainer programs and to proposals submitted by consortiums that include community-based organizations or other organizations that can reach out to workers who are minorities, migrants, limited English-speaking, or have entry level and/or minimum wage jobs. In addition, all grant programs will be encouraged to include managers and/or supervisors and small businesses in their training.

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. Fall protection in the residential construction industry. Programs that teach workers and employers about the requirements of OSHA's fall protection standard, 29 CFR 1926 Subpart M, and how to apply them in a residential construction setting.

2. Safety and health programs for small businesses. Programs that provide orientation to OSHA and its requirements for small businesses and that assist small businesses to establish safety and health programs in accordance with OSHA's safety and health management guidelines published at 54 FR 3904 on January 26, 1989.

3. Prevention of injuries in hospital and nursing or medical care facilities. Programs that train workers in the prevention of injuries, especially injuries from lifting.

4. Logging. Programs that train small logging employers about the requirements of OSHA's logging standard, 29 CFR 1910.266

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 the training and/or educational activities.

Eligible Applicants

Any nonprofit organization 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). Applicants other than State or local government supported institutions of higher education will be required to submit evidence of nonprofit status, preferably from the IRS.

A consortium of two or more eligible applicants is also eligible to apply. Each consortium must have a written agreement that spells out roles and responsibilities for each consortium member and designates one member as the lead agency. The lead agency will receive the grant and be responsible for grant administration.

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 produced 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. The Department of Labor regulations implementing this circular can be found at 29 CFR part 95.

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. The Department of Labor regulations implementing this circular can be found at 29 CFR part 96.

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. Fall protection in the residential construction industry.

ii. Safety and health programs for small businesses.

iii. Prevention of injuries in hospital and nursing or medical care facilities.

iv. Logging.

b. The number of workers and/or the number of employers to be trained 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 to recruit trainees for the program.

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

g. 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 experience of the applicant in administering Federal and/or State grants.

c. 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 applications that include one or more of the following elements.

1. Train-the-trainer programs, especially those that train workers to train other workers.

2. Submission by a consortium, particularly one that includes one or more community-based organizations or other organizations that can reach out to workers who are minorities, migrants, limited English-speaking, or have entry level and/or minimum wage jobs.

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, $ 500,000 each for fall protection, safety and health programs for small businesses, and injury prevention in hospitals and nursing or medical care facilities, and $ 200,000 for logging. The average Federal award will be $ 100,000.

Grants will be awarded for a twelve-month period. Grants may be renewed for additional twelve-month periods depending on the availability of funds, the continuing need for the training, and satisfactory performance by the grantee.

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 4, 1995.

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 14th day of June 1995.

Joseph A. Dear,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.

[FR Doc. 95-15128 Filed 6-20-95; 8:45 am]

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