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OSHA News Release
2003 - 09/22/2003 - U.S. Labor Department Awards More than $11 Million in Grants for Safety and Health Training Programs; University of Texas at San Antonio awarded $197,422

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Region 6 News Release:   OSHA-03-194
Mon., Sept. 22, 2003
Contact: Frank Meilinger
Phone: (202) 693-1999


U.S. Labor Department Awards More than $11 Million in Grants
for Safety and Health Training Programs
University of Texas at San Antonio awarded $197,422

DALLAS -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) awarded the Regents of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, N.M., with a $194,310 new training materials development grant.

OSHA awarded more than $11.2 million in Susan Harwood Training Grants to 67 nonprofit organizations for safety and health training and educational programs; 50 of these grantees are new recipients of these grant monies. The new grantees were selected through a national competition announced last May. The remaining 17 grants are one-year extensions of existing grants.

" This $11.2 million in grants will leverage the reach of training and education efforts to increase the health and safety of workers. These grants will also provide increased compliance assistance in a wide range of professions and disciplines-all of which will contribute to our mission to safeguard America's workers," said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao.

These grants will support classroom quality training programs that can be published and used by other organizations, training for OSHA's industry-specific ergonomic guidelines, and training for targeted safety and health hazards, including workplace violence and small-business safety and health management systems. The university will develop a 3-part training program that focuses on creating comprehensive safety and health management systems for small construction companies.

This year OSHA awarded grants in three categories. Targeted Topic Training Grants support training for construction and general industry hazards, transportation fatality hazards, workplace violence, emergency preparedness and response, lead and silica exposure, and safety and health management systems for small businesses. OSHA Training Materials Development Grants support the development, evaluation, and validation of training materials for the eight areas in the targeted topic training grants. Finally, Ergonomics Guidelines Training Grants support training based on the new industry-specific ergonomics guidelines targeted by OSHA: the nursing home industry, retail grocery stores, poultry processing and shipyards.

"Outreach and education are important tools for us to use in reducing injuries and illnesses," said OSHA Administrator John Henshaw. "These grants will help train employees in targeted occupational safety and health topics, and develop practical, user-friendly materials and curricula that will be made available to others so a larger audience can benefit in the future."

The training grants are named in honor of the late Susan Harwood, a former director of the Office of Risk Assessment in OSHA's Health Standards Directorate, who died in 1996. During her 17-year tenure with the agency, Harwood helped develop OSHA standards to protect workers exposed to bloodborne pathogens, cotton dust, benzene, formaldehyde, asbestos and lead in construction.

OSHA is dedicated to assuring worker safety and health. Safety and health add value to business, the workplace and life. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.
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