State Awards $533,000 in Workplace-safety Grants

WORCESTER — Thirty-seven Massachusetts employers were awarded a total of $533,149 to help train nearly 4,400 employees in workplace safety and the prevention of injury, illness and death, the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced today.

“Worker and workplace safety is an important priority for companies and employees across the Commonwealth,” said Gov. Charlie Baker. “We are pleased to award this funding to ensure companies are able to provide training to educate their workers and keep them safe on the job.”

The Department of Industrial Accidents administers and manages the Workplace Safety Training and Education Grant program to promote safe, healthy workplace conditions through training, education, and other preventive programs for businesses and employees covered by the state workers’ compensation law. In fiscal year 2016, the Baker-Polito administration will award a total $700,000 for the safety grant program.

“We are pleased that thousands of workers in the Commonwealth receive training each year in order to make themselves and their work environments safer day to day,” Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito said.

Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Ronald L. Walker made the announcement with the management and employees of Sweet Kitchen Bar, a restaurant, dessert bar, and caterer in Worcester, and one of the grant recipients.

The maximum grant amount per employer is $25,000. Businesses are awarded training grants through a competitive application process. The Department of Industrial Accidents is opening another round of applications soon.

In Western Mass. organizations that received grants include:

• Center for Human Development Inc., Springfield, $9,630. CHD, a nonprofit organization, delivers a broad array of critical social and mental health services. Training will include CPR/first aid;

• Environmental Integrity Company, LLC, Holyoke, $6,527. Environmental Integrity is a full-service electronic recycling and data-destruction company providing green electronic solutions to small, medium, and enterprise customers. Its proposed training includes driver safety, warehouse safety, job-safety analysis, and industrial truck/forklift; and

• Maybury Associates Inc., East Longmeadow, $8,830.20. Maybury is a full-service provider of material-handling products and services. Training will include OSHA 10 & 30.