OhioBWC - Basics: (Policy library) - File

 

Policy Name:

Firefighter Exposure to Environmental Elements Grant (FEEEG) Program

Policy #:

SP-06-01

Code/Rule Reference

ORC 4121.37 and OAC 4123-17-56.

Effective Date:

June 28, 2023

Origin:

Division of Safety & Hygiene (DSH)

Supersedes:

New Policy issued October 2, 2017.

History:

Revised June 28, 2023; New Policy issued October 2, 2017.

Review Date:

June 28, 2028

 

 

I.      Policy Purpose

 

BWC created the Firefighter Exposure to Environmental Elements Grant (FEEEG) Program as an extension and modification of BWC’s general industry Safety Intervention Grants Program. BWC uses the FEEEG Program to partner with Ohio employers to minimize firefighter exposure to dangerous environmental elements.

 

II.    Applicability

 

This policy applies to BWC Division of Safety & Hygiene (DSH), employers and their authorized representatives.

 

III.   Definitions

A.    Eligibility Cycle: The eligibility cycle applies to previous grant recipients who may be eligible to receive up to $15,000 per eligibility cycle.  The eligibility cycle is three years.  The eligibility cycle start date is determined by the date of the earliest grant warrant.

B.    Fast track grants: Applications for specific equipment where there is high risk for injuries and illnesses, and the specific equipment is likely to have a significant impact on eliminating future injuries and illnesses.

C.   Post report and assessment: A review of the worksite and newly purchased and implemented equipment using a checklist to observe and evaluate the area or task where the equipment is used.

D.   Pre report and assessment: A review of the worksite prior to implementation of the grant purchased equipment using a checklist to observe and evaluate the area or task where the equipment will be used.

E.    Retroactive purchases: Equipment purchased prior to the receipt of the warrant from BWC for the safety intervention grant. This includes ordered equipment, paid equipment, and received paid equipment.

F.    The following definitions found in the Safety Intervention Grants Program policy do not apply to the FEEEG: comprehensive safety report, unapproved items list, and routine replacement equipment.

IV.  Policy

A.    Unless otherwise specified in this policy, all application requirements, eligibility, participation criteria, reporting, and procedures stated in the Safety Intervention Grants Program policy apply to the applicants and participants of the FEEEG Program. BWC will use this policy to set forth the unique components of the FEEEG Program.

B.    Eligibility criteria.

1.    The employer must be a state-fund private or public taxing district employer who employs firefighters.

2.    The maximum total grant amount an employer can receive is $15,000 per eligibility cycle. The eligibility cycle is three years.  The eligibility cycle start date is determined by the date of the earliest grant award.

3.    BWC will use the last full policy year for which payroll information is available to determine if matching funds are required from the employer:

a.    An employer with total payroll greater than or equal to $500,000 is eligible for a five-to-one matching grant. This means BWC gives $5 for every $1 the employer contributes.

b.    An employer with total payroll less than $500,000 is eligible for a grant with no matching fund requirement.

4.    Employers participating in the Safety Intervention Grant Program are eligible to apply.

a.    Employers may apply for the FEEEG Program even if they have received up to $40,000 in their current Safety Intervention Grants eligibility cycle.

b.    Employers who are in the Safety Intervention Grants Program must be up to date on all required documentation and reports to be eligible to apply for the FEEEG Program.

5.    BWC reserves the right to visit the employer based on the information provided in the application and complete both.

a.    A pre report and assessment before approval of the application and

b.    A post report and assessment after the approval of the grant application.

6.    BWC reserves the right to randomly sample for environmental elements during the worksite visits.

7.    The employer is not required to:

a.    Demonstrate the need for a safety intervention by describing the significance of the problem and the effectiveness of the proposed solution.

b.    Provide two years of baseline data.

C.   Pre-application steps.

1.    The employer must access the online application on BWC’s website.

2.    The employer must provide BWC with the following data:

a.    Number of active firefighters, further defined by:

i.      Number of career firefighters and

ii.     Number of volunteer firefighters.

b.    The total number of calls made in the last calendar year, further defined by:

i.      Number of emergency medical service (EMS) calls,

ii.     Number of fire calls, and

iii.    Number of hazardous material (HAZMAT) calls.

3.    The employer is not required to contact the local BWC customer service office to schedule an assessment by a BWC safety consultant.

D.   Application requirements.

1.    The employer may only apply for, and only use grant funds to purchase, diesel exhaust systems, turn-out gear or personal protective equipment extractor/washing machines, hoods with barrier protection, turn out gear dryers, and washable gloves. Employers may also apply for turnout gear for volunteer firefighters reported under the classification codes 7711 and 9439.

2.    The employer must answer all the questions on the application.

3.    The employer must submit the completed application in writing to BWC.

4.    Section V (Budget) and Section VI (Agreement) of the application require the signature of an employee who has fiduciary responsibility for the employer.

5.    The employer agrees the signer of the agreement, or his or her successor, will have the authority and responsibility to ensure the employer’s FEEEG obligations are fulfilled to:

a.    Purchase and implement the equipment;

b.    Provide receipt documentation to BWC within one-hundred twenty (120) days of the date of the grant award, and

c.     Submit a case study to BWC one year after the equipment implementation date.

6.    There are no item limitations.

7.    The employer is not required to explain any prior rentals or testing of the requested equipment on the application.

E.    BWC evaluation of application.

1.    BWC will consider the employer’s application complete if the following items are received:

a.    The completed application,

b.    The signed Statement of Agreement, and

c.     The signed Budget page and corresponding vendor quotes.

2.    The firefighter grants are considered fast track grants and are reviewed by one member of the Review Committee who recommends either approval or denial of the application to the Superintendent of DSH.

F.    Operation of program.

1.    The employer must agree to submit one case study to BWC one year after the date the equipment was implemented.

a.    The report must be submitted within thirty (30) days of the one-year reporting period.

b.    The employer may request assistance from the BWC safety consultant.

c.     The employer must complete and submit the case study online through a link provided on BWC’s web page.

d.    BWC will require an employer who fails to adhere to the reporting requirement to reimburse the full amount of the grant.

2.    The employer is not required to submit quarterly data reports to BWC.

3.    The employer is not required to contact a BWC safety consultant to observe the equipment and complete a post report and post assessments.

4.    There are no life expectancy requirements for the equipment purchased.

5.    BWC will not approve, and the employer may not use, grant funds for retroactive purchases.

G.   Scenarios.

1.    An employer has received a Safety Intervention Grant in the amount of $40,000 to purchase a power cot system for the EMS unit. The employer is behind on the required quarterly reports. The employer is now applying for a $15,000 FEEEG to purchase a turn-out gear extractor/washing machine.

 

Response: An employer participating in the Safety Intervention Grants Program must be current on all receipt documentation and reporting to be eligible for the FEEEG program. BWC will hold the FEEEG application for a period of forty-five (45) days. If the employer does not submit the delinquent documentation within this timeframe, BWC will return the FEEEG application to the employer.

 

2.    An employer applies for a FEEEG in the amount of $10,000 to purchase a diesel exhaust system. After receiving the funds, the employer submits another FEEEG application two months later for $5,000 to purchase hoods with barrier protection and washable gloves.

 

Response: This is acceptable. A single policy number can have multiple FEEEGs as long as the total of all grants does not exceed $15,000 per eligibility cycle.

 

3.    An employer applies for a $12,000 FEEEG to purchase a turn-out gear extractor/ washing machine. The employer’s payroll for the last full policy year for which payroll information is available is $835,000.

 

Response: Since the payroll is over $500,000, the employer is eligible for the matching five-to-one grant.  BWC will provide $10,000 and the employer must match this with $2,000.