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MNOSHA WSC: Safety Grant Program

Ergonomics grants

Program qualifications

The Safety Grant Program awards funds up to $10,000 to qualifying employers for projects designed to reduce the risk of injury and illness to their workers.

Employer conditions

To qualify, an employer must meet the following conditions.

  • Has been in business for at least two years.

  • Has at least one employee to create the employer/employee relationship.

  • Has workers' compensation insurance.

  • Has had an on-site hazard survey conducted by a qualified safety professional and a written report of the findings and recommendations to reduce the risk of injury or illness to employees, including for:  specific safety practices or equipment; training for purchased equipment; and tuition reimbursement. A qualified safety professional includes:

    1. a Minnesota OSHA Compliance investigator;

    2. a Minnesota OSHA Workplace Safety Consultation consultant;

    3. an in-house safety and health committee (note:  safety committee meeting minutes that document discussion of the hazard survey must accompany the written hazard survey);

    4. a workers' compensation insurance underwriter (note:  an underwriter may sign-off on a loss-control representative's written hazard survey to meet this qualification);

    5. a private consultant; or

    6. a person under contract with the Assigned Risk Plan.

  • Has the knowledge and experience to complete the project and is committed to its implementation.

  • Is able to complete the project within 120 days of a fully executed contract.

    • A fully executed contract is signed by all parties.

    • No project can begin before a contract is signed by all parties.

    • Invoices dated before the date of the fully executed contract will exclude those items from grant eligibility.

Project conditions

To qualify, the project must be supported by all public entities involved and comply with federal, state and local regulations where applicable.

Costs eligible for program participation are all or part of the cost of:

  • purchasing and installing recommended safety or health equipment; training for purchased equipment;

  • tuition reimbursement; the cost of operating or maintaining safety or health equipment; and

  • purchasing or renting real property, if necessary, to meet criteria established by the on-site safety and health survey.

The costs of automobiles, weapons or personnel (such as salary and benefits) will not be covered by these grants.

About the process

Businesses that are the current focus of the Minnesota OSHA Workplace Safety Consultation strategic plan will be given added priority.

If your grant is approved, you will be notified in writing of the specific approval. Whether we approve your grant application or not, in no way diminishes, delays or absolves you of any obligation to abate safety and health hazards.

When a project is complete, the applicant must submit a certificate of completion form, with invoices and proof of payment, to the grants administrator, to initiate issuance of the grant.

An employer that has received a grant for a particular worksite will not be eligible to receive another grant for that worksite during the two years after the date of their award.

More information

Safety Grant Program application