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About the study
BWC and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have partnered to research ways
to create a safer work environment for employees working in the wholesale/retail trade and other sectors that have delivery, installation, receiving or
material handling tasks. Originally this grant was solely for delivery, but has now been expanded to include other material handling tasks.
The study will analyze the effects of adding equipment to a material handling process (e.g., stair-climbing powered hand trucks,
truck-lift gates, lift tables, pallet positioners, carts, etc.) and determine if the addition reduces on-the-job injuries to the back and
shoulder areas. The goal is to provide the wholesale/retail and industries with similar processes with information to help reduce
injuries and illnesses, and improve work processes.
About the grants
Employers participating in the study receive grant money from BWC to help purchase the equipment for the study. Participants should be
performing material handling operations of large/heavy single or multiple stacked items (e.g., appliances, furniture, vending machines, furnaces,
water heaters, construction materials, food products, keg beverages, etc.). They must pay into the Ohio State Insurance Fund.
BWC's SafetyGrant$ Program provides a 2-to-1 matching grant (up to $40,000)* to employers to help purchase the
equipment. To take advantage of this opportunity, an employer must agree to provide information for the study
before the equipment is put in place and for two years after installation. BWC and NIOSH will evaluate information
gathered to determine the cost effectiveness of these equipment interventions in reducing occupational injuries. Upon approval, the
company will be notified whether they will receive funding now or 6 months from the grant approval date.
*Grants conditional upon funds availability
If you'd like this information in a print format, download this fact sheet.
To begin the application process, download the
Safety Intervention Grants Program Wholesale/Retail Trade Delivery procedural guide.
Voluntary questionnaire
NIOSH will seek employee volunteers from each employer to answer questionnaires to rate back and shoulder pain
before and after using the engineering controls. NIOSH will not share personal identifying information of the
volunteer employees with BWC or other employers. Employers approved to receive the grants funds will still receive
the funds even if none of their employees wish to answer the questionnaires.
Employee questionnaires will include background information, reported musculoskeletal disorder symptoms and
details about their usage of the safety grant funded intervention and safety incidents. Employee participation
in completing the NIOSH study questionnaire is voluntary. NIOSH will ask for questionnaires to be
completed periodically throughout the two-year grant reporting period. The BWC ergonomist will provide
additional information on the voluntary employee questionnaire portion of the grant.
Sample questionnaire
Reporting to BWC
Employers participating in the Wholesale/Retail Trade Delivery safety grants program will be required to
provide 90-day data reports to BWC through our website.
Click here to access Safety grant reporting.
Employers are also required to provide a one-year case study report on their Wholesale/Retail Trade Delivery
SafetyGRANT$ intervention item. Send the case study one year after the implementation date to:
BWC WRT SafetyGRANT$
c/o SafetyGRANT$ program coordinator
13430 Yarmouth Drive
Pickerington, OH 43147-8310
or send a fax to 614-365-4972.
Annual reporting forms
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