Explanation
1. BACKGROUND:
This legislation will authorize the Director of Public Utilities to apply for, and if awarded, accept and enter into a Safety Intervention Grant Agreement through the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation’s (BWC) Safety Intervention Grant Program. The total amount of the equipment cost is approximately $65,000.00. The grant amount is $40,000.00 and the match amount provided by the Department of Public Utilities will be the difference of up to $25,000.00. The match will be transferred from the Water Operating Fund.
The purpose of the Safety Intervention Grant Program is to gather information about the effectiveness of safety interventions so BWC may share the results with Ohio employers. The program is available to any Ohio state-fund or public employer who wishes to purchase equipment to substantially reduce or eliminate injuries and illnesses associated with a particular task or operation. The program is designed to work and partner with Ohio employers to establish safety intervention best-practices for accident and injury prevention.
With the safety intervention grant, private and public employers are eligible for a 3-to-1 matching grant, up to a maximum of $40,000 for each eligibility cycle. In return, employers will submit to BWC quarterly data reports and a case study one year after the date of the intervention. BWC will use this information to determine the effectiveness of the intervention and share successes with other employers.
The Department of Public Utilities intends to apply for the BWC Safety Intervention Grant monies to replace equipment currently used to blow-out debris from water curb-boxes to make them workable. The equipment being purchased is a called a “Utility Hydro-Vac.” This piece of equipment will make this type of work safer and more efficient by significantly decreasing the potential for injuries and property damage claims.
2. FISCAL IMPACT:
A grant match amount of up to $25,000.00 for the project w...
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