The U.S. Department of Labor awarded more than $11,746,992 in grants supporting workplace safety efforts. The funding targets worker and employer education opportunities that promote safer and healthier workplace environments.

The announcement came on Sept. 22, 2022, detailing the program administered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. It will focus on targeted training, hazard awareness and the creation of safety training programs.

For the 2022 fiscal year, the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program will provide funding to 90 nonprofit organizations, including community and faith-based groups, employer associations, labor unions, joint labor management associations, Native American tribes and local and state-sponsored colleges and universities.

The funding opportunity was initially presented in a June 17 announcement by the Department of Labor, noting grants available in the categories of targeted topic training, training and educational materials development and capacity-building.

The targeted topic training category supports educational programs aimed at workplace hazard prevention that must include training on OSHA-designated health and safety hazards. Training and educational materials development supports the creation of hazard-prevention classroom-ready training and materials. Capacity-building helps organizations develop new training programs that enable a full-scale safety and health education program.

The announcement was accompanied by a list of the 2022 grant awardees. Amongst the recipients are the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health and Community Services & Employment Training Inc., among other universities, unions, associations and foundations.

New Susan Harwood Training Grant Program grant opportunities are set to open up again in the spring of 2023.