Safety Grants Program The Safety Grant program awards up to $10,000 to qualifying employers for the cost of projects designed to reduce the risk of injury and illness to their employees. To qualify, an employer must have workers’ compensation insurance, be under MNOSHA’s jurisdiction; a qualified safety professional must have conducted an on-site safety inspection and issued a written report with recommendations based on that inspection; the project must be consistent with the recommendations of that inspection, it must reduce the risk of injury or disease, and it must be feasible; the employer must be committed to the project’s implementation, including an ability to provide funds to match the awarded grant amount, as well as be able to cover all estimated project costs by available funds, and; the project must comply with all federal, state and local laws and regulations. Priority for funds is given first to manufacturing businesses, then to workplaces that have had jobs lost due to safety issues, and then, finally, to all other projects. WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PROTECTION Due to the degree to which workplace violence occurs, employers must affirmatively ensure that their own employees are free from job related violence, not only to create a safe working environment for their employees but also to reduce the likelihood of costly litigation and/or compliance settlements arising out of workplace violence issues. While there is currently no standard that regulates violence in the workplace, OSHA’s “general duty clause” (a clause designed to cover hazards where no specific standard exists) is available to place an affirmative duty upon employers to investigate and evaluate workplace hazards, and to develop and implement preventive programs to curb violence and protect employees. The general duty clause could serve as the basis for a MNOSHA citation related to workplace violence. In addition, federal OSHA has developed guidelines concerning job-related violence in late-night retail establishments, health care and social service industries, and for taxi drivers. WSC helps employers and employees reduce the incidence of violence in workplaces by providing on-site consultation, telephone assistance, education and training seminars, and a resource center. These efforts are targeted towards workplaces at high risk of violence, such as convenience stores, service stations, taxi and transit operations, restaurants and bars, motels, guard services, patient care facilities, schools, social service industries, residential care facilities and correctional institutions. OSHA provides guidance on COVID-19 issues such as recording and reporting cases of COVID-19, determining whether a COVID-19 case is work related and creating preparedness plans for safe workplaces.
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION INSURANCE
WHAT IS WORKERS‘ COMPENSATION INSURANCE? Workers’ compensation insurance provides compensation to employees who have a work- related injury or disease. Compensation includes partial wage replacement and full payment of medical and vocational rehabilitation costs. In case of death, workers‘ compensation benefits are
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