NSC Campaign Aims to Help SMBs With Safety Challenges

• A new campaign by the National Safety Council aims to help SMBs, that is small and medium-sized employers, to find effective ways to adopt safety technologies.
• At the core of the campaign developed by the NSC’s Work to Zero initiative, is a five-step process that suggests SMBs: Assess workplace risks; Identify which safety technology solutions are the right fit; Determine readiness for safety technology; Make the business case; and, Plan for pilot programs and technological implementation,
• The process and the other resources available to support the journey are outlined in the NSC’s Small Business Guide to Safety Technology.
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New England Consortium Expands Hazmat Safety Program

• The New England Consortium (TNEC) at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell has secured a five-year, $7.3 million grant from the federal National Institute of Environmental Sciences (NIEHS) for its Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response course.
• The program began as hazardous materials training 35 years ago and has since expanded its training to workers exposed to hazards such as natural disasters, toxic chemicals, mold due to flooding and infectious diseases like COVID-19.
• With this new round of funding, TNEC expects to train more than 5,425 workers annually from across New England and New York in building trades, sanitation, maintenance, health care, higher education and school districts. TNEC partners with New York’s Civil Service Employees Association, as well as the coalitions for occupational safety and health of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New Hampshire to carry out the training.
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Adidas Making Move into Safety Work Footwear

• Adidas is moving into the safety footwear category through a new partnership with protective equipment company GLO Brands B.V.
• According to GLO, the new high-performance safety footwear range is “designed to support working professionals who perform under pressure in the toughest environments.”
• Dubbed “Adidas Pro Work,” the first collection is expected to debut in the second quarter of 2026 through select distribution partners and channels.
• The collection will combine “functional protection with comfort and aesthetics, ensuring professionals don’t have to compromise on style or safety,” the company stated.
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Michigan OSHA Opens Grants for SMBs

• Michigan small business, that is those with 250 or fewer employees, are eligible for a dollar-for-dollar match up to $5,000 through MIOSHA’s Workplace Improvement to Safety and Health (MIWISH) grant program, the agency has announced.
• These grants provide support for employers looking to invest in equipment and training that directly improve workplace safety and health.
  Grants totalling $500,000 in the last fiscal year were awarded to 136 employers.
• The new grant cycle began Oct. 1 and funds will be awarded until they run out.
• SMBs in high-hazard industries and projects tied to State and National Emphasis Programs such as trenching, silica, heat illness, amputations, and cannabis safety are preferred.
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