OSHA awards over $1.9 million in grants for workplace training on infectious diseases

Washington — OSHA has announced that 14 nonprofit organizations are receiving grants that total more than $1.9 million for workplace training on infectious diseases as part of its Susan Harwood Training Grant Program.

The grants will fund education and training programs aimed at helping employers and workers recognize infectious disease hazards – including coronavirus – and identify preventive measures for a safe workplace, according to a Sept. 8 press release. Funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, the grants include education on employer responsibilities and workers’ rights, as outlined by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.

The funding is separate from other Harwood grants for targeted topic, training and educational materials, or capacity building.

The Harwood program funds grants to nonprofit organizations – including community and faith-based groups, employer associations, labor unions, joint labor-management associations, and colleges and universities – with the objective of training “small-business employers and underserved, vulnerable workers in high-hazard industries.”