[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 90 (Monday, May 11, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25871-25873]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-12372]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Susan Harwood Training Grant Program
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)
awards funds to nonprofit organizations to conduct safety and health
training and education in the workplace. This notice announces grant
availability for training in safety and health programs for
construction, silica in general industry, food processing, shipyards,
logging, and outreach to workers. The 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 June 26, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Grant applications are to 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 (847) 297-4810, e-mail
helen.beall@oti.osha.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
What is the Purpose of the Program?
Susan Harwood Training Grants provide funds to train workers and
employers to recognize, avoid, and prevent safety and health hazards in
their workplaces. The program emphasizes three areas.
Educating workers and employers in small businesses. A
small business has 250 or fewer workers.
Training workers and employers about new OSHA standards.
Training workers and employers about high risk activities
or hazards identified by OSHA through the priority planning process or
otherwise, or as part of an OSHA special emphasis program.
Grantees are expected to develop training and/or educational
programs that address one of the topics named by OSHA (see below),
recruit workers and employers for the training, and conduct the
training. Grantees will also be expected to follow-up with people who
have been trained to find out what, if any, changes were made to reduce
hazards in their workplaces as a result of the training.
What Are the Training Topics This Year?
The purpose of this notice is to announce that funds are available
for grants. Each grant application must address one of the following
topic areas.
1. Construction. Applicants may address one of the following
topics.
Recognition and avoidance of lead and silica hazards in
bridge repair and renovation.
Safety and health hazards in highway construction with
emphasis on preventing fatalities, particularly those caused by being
struck by vehicles and equipment.
Recognition and avoidance of electrical hazards in
construction, particularly contact with overhead power lines. Projects
will emphasize developing systems and procedures that will provide
ongoing training programs for new employees after the grant has ended.
2. Silica in general industry. Recognition and avoidance of silica
hazards in industries where sandblasting is a process, such as metal
finishing, or where silica is part of the manufacturing process, such
as cement.
3. Food processing. Safety and health hazards in red meat and/or
poultry processing.
[[Page 25872]]
4. Shipyards. Safety and health hazards in shipbuilding,
shipbreaking, or ship repair.
5. Logging. Logging safety focusing on the OSHA standard and safe
work practices. Projects must include a statewide group involved in the
logging industry, such as a state forestry association.
6. Outreach to workers. Training workers about their rights under
the OSH Act, how these rights can be exercised and what protections
workers have. Training is to include sections 8(f) and 11(c) of the OSH
Act, employee discrimination complaints under 29 CFR Part 24
(environmental laws), and complaints under the Surface Transportation
Assistance Act of 1982 (29 CFR 1978). Projects will reach out to
workers to inform them of their rights. Preference will be given to
those that develop programs which will continue disseminating
information after the grant ends.
Who is Eligible To Apply for a Grant?
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.
What Can Grant Funds Be Spent On?
Grant funds can be spent on the following.
Conducting training
Conducting other activities that reach and inform workers
and employers about occupational safety and health hazards and hazard
abatement
Developing educational materials for use in the training
Are There Restrictions on How Grant Funds Can Be Spent?
OSHA will not provide funding for the following activities.
1. Any activity that is inconsistent with the goals and objectives
of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.
2. Training involving workplaces that are not covered by the
Occupational Safety and Health Act. Examples include state and local
government workers in non-State Plan States and workers covered by
section 4(b)(1) of the Act.
3. Production, publication, reproduction or use of training and
educational materials, including newsletters and instructional
programs, that have not been reviewed by OSHA for technical accuracy.
4. Activities that address issues other than recognition,
avoidance, and prevention of unsafe or unhealthy working conditions.
Examples include workers' compensation, first aid, and publication of
materials prejudicial to labor or management.
5. 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.
6. Activities that directly duplicate services offered by OSHA, a
State under an OSHA-approved State Plan, or consultation programs
provided by State designated agencies under section 7(c)(1) of the
Occupational Safety and Health Act.
7. Activities intended to generate membership in the grantee'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.
What Other Grant Requirements Are There?
1. OSHA review of educational materials. Educational materials
produced by the grantee will be reviewed by OSHA for technical accuracy
during development and before final publication. OSHA will also review
curriculums and purchased training materials for accuracy before they
are used.
When grant recipients produce training materials, they will provide
copies of completed materials to OSHA before the end of the grant
period. OSHA has a lending program that circulates grant-produced
audiovisual materials. Grant recipients' audiovisual materials will be
included in this lending program. In addition, all materials produced
by grantees may be placed on the Internet by OSHA.
2. OMB and regulatory requirements. Grantees will be required to
comply with the following documents.
29 CFR part 95, which covers grant requirements for
nonprofit organizations, including universities and hospitals. These
are the Department of Labor regulations implementing OMB Circular A-
110.
OMB Circular A-21, which describes allowable and
unallowable costs for educational institutions.
OMB Circular A-122, which describes allowable and
unallowable costs for other nonprofit organizations.
OMB Circular A-133, which provides information about audit
requirements.
3. Certifications. All applicants will be required to certify to a
drug-free workplace in accordance with 29 CFR part 98, to comply with
the New Restrictions on Lobbying published at 29 CFR part 93, to make a
certification regarding the debarment rules at 29 CFR part 98, and to
complete a special lobbying certification.
4. Matching share. The program requires the grantee to provide a
matching share. Grant recipients are to 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%.
How Are Applications Reviewed and Rated?
Grant applications will be reviewed by OSHA staff and the review
results presented to the Assistant Secretary who will make the
selection of organizations to be awarded grants.
Preference will be given to applications that plan to conduct
train-the-trainer programs. Applicants are encouraged to include
managers and/or supervisors in their training. In general, applications
that propose to serve a single employer will not be selected, since
OSHA is interested in reaching multiple employers with each grant
awarded.
The following factors will be considered in evaluating grant
applications.
1. Program Design
a. The proposed training and education program addresses one of the
following topics.
i. Construction.
ii. Silica in general industry.
iii. Food processing.
iv. Shipyards.
v. Logging.
vi. Outreach to workers.
b. The proposal plans to train workers and/or employers and clearly
estimates the numbers to be trained.
c. The proposal contains a train-the-trainer program, and the
numbers to be trained by these trainers are clearly estimated.
d. The planned activities are appropriate for the workers and/or
employers to be trained.
[[Page 25873]]
e. There is a plan to recruit trainees for the program.
f. If the proposal includes developing educational materials, there
is a plan for OSHA to review the materials during development.
g. There is a plan to evaluate the program's effectiveness and this
includes plans to follow-up with trainees to see if the training
resulted in workplace change.
h. The planned work can be accomplished in one year.
2. Program Experience
a. The organization applying for the grant demonstrates experience
with occupational safety and health.
b. The organization applying for the grant demonstrates experience
training adults in work-related subjects.
c. The staff to be assigned to the project have experience in (1)
occupational safety and health, (2) the specific topic chosen, and (3)
training adults.
d. The organization applying for the grant demonstrates experience
in recruiting and training the population it proposes to serve under
the grant.
3. Administrative Capability
a. The applicant organization demonstrates experience managing a
variety of programs.
b. The applicant organization has administered, or will work with
an organization that has administered, a number of different Federal
and/or State grants over the past five years.
c. The application is complete, including forms, budget detail,
narrative and workplan, and required attachments.
4. Budget
a. The budgeted costs are reasonable.
b. The proposed non-Federal share is at least 20% of the total
budget.
c. The budget complies with Federal cost principles (which can be
found in applicable OMB Circulars) and with OSHA budget requirements
contained in the grant application instructions.
d. The cost per trainee is less than $500 and the cost per training
hour is reasonable.
In addition to the factors listed above, the Assistant Secretary
will take other items into consideration, such as the geographical
distribution of the grant programs and the coverage of populations at
risk.
How Much Money Is Available for Grants?
There is approximately $2,000,000 available for this program. The
average Federal award will be $100,000.
How Long Are Grants Awarded For?
Grants are awarded for twelve-month periods. Grants may be renewed
for additional twelve-month periods depending on whether there are
funds available, there is still a need for the training, and the
grantee has performed satisfactorily.
How Do I Get a Grant Application Package?
Grant application instructions may be obtained from the OSHA Office
of Training and Education, Division of Training and Educational
Programs, 1555 Times Drive, Des Plaines, Illinois 60018. The
application instructions are also available at http://www.osha-slc.gov/
Training/sharwood/sharwood.html.
When and Where are Applications To Be Sent?
The application deadline is 4:30 p.m. Central Time, June 26, 1998.
Applications are to be mailed to the Division of Training and
Educational Programs, OSHA Office of Training and Education, 1555 Times
Drive, Des Plaines, IL 60018. Applications will not be accepted by fax.
How Will I be Told if My Application Was Selected?
Organizations selected as grant recipients will be notified by a
representative of the Assistant Secretary, usually from an OSHA
Regional Office. An applicant whose proposal is not selected will be
notified in writing.
Notice that an organization has been selected as a grant recipient
does not constitute approval of the grant application as submitted.
Before the actual grant award, OSHA will enter into negotiations
concerning such items as program components, funding levels, and
administrative systems. If the 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 5th day of May 1998.
Charles N. Jeffress,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 98-12372 Filed 5-8-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-U
