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.