Question: What is OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program?

Answer:

OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program is the agency's primary program for providing small business owners no-cost consultation services to address hazards and improve workplace safety and health without fear of citations or monetary penalties. These programs are funded by OSHA and run by state grantees that are knowledgeable about the needs of the small businesses they serve.

Question: Who is eligible for SHARP?

Answer:

For businesses already in OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program: Everyone currently in the program.

For new businesses who want to join: The size requirements for employer participation in SHARP are 250 or fewer onsite employees and fewer than 500 corporate-wide employees. This upper corporate size limit does not apply to individual franchisees.

Question: Do the student course completion cards expire?

Answer:

The student course completion cards in Construction, General Industry, Maritime Industry, and Disaster Site do not have an expiration date. The form and content of additional training is left to the discretion of the student and/or employer.

Question: Are authorized OSHA outreach trainers able to teach other persons to become trainers?

Answer:

No. Only OTI Education Centers may conduct OSHA trainer courses and authorize persons as trainers.

Question: Can a Construction trainer teach a 10- or 30-hour General Industry or Maritime course?

Answer:

No. Only a trainer who completed the appropriate OSHA industry-related trainer course may teach the 10- or 30-hour classes in those industries.

Question: Does OSHA have final authority regarding which card is accepted?

Answer:

No. Because the Outreach Training Program is voluntary for OSHA, the employer has discretion in the enforcement of safety and health training requirements at their work sites and determines if a card meets their acceptability standard.

Question: Does this chart mean that an employer who requires a 10- or 30-hour card should take a trainer card as a substitute?

Answer:

Becoming an authorized Outreach trainer is the highest achievement in the Outreach Training Program. Trainers are authorized to teach courses for 10- and 30-hour students. OSHA does not consider any courses as equivalent to those conducted at the OTI Education Centers. Because the Outreach Training Program is voluntary for OSHA, acceptance of a trainer card as a substitute is at the discretion of the employer.

Question: My application was not accepted. How do I receive reviewer comments?

Answer:

To receive comments on the grant application, the organization's authorized representative must send an email request to HarwoodGrants@dol.gov. All requests must be on the organization’s letterhead and signed by the authorized representative as shown in Section 21 of the SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance, and/or identified as the authorized representative on the application summary document. In addition to the organization's application name, the request should include the following:

1. Funding Opportunity Announcement number;
2. Grants.gov Tracking Number (GRANT____________);
3. Organization name;
4. Training topic/category;
5. Authorized representative’s name and complete mailing address, zip + 4; and
6. Contact phone number or e-mail address.

Question: Am I eligible to apply?

Answer:

Nonprofit organizations, including qualifying labor unions, community-based and faith-based organizations, and employer associations, that are not an agency of a state or local government, are eligible to apply. Indian tribes, tribal organizations, Alaska Native entities, Indian-controlled organizations serving Indians, and Native Hawaiian organizations are eligible to apply. Additionally, state or local government-supported institutions of higher education are eligible to apply. Please note OSHA does not offer grants to individuals seeking occupational safety and health training.

Question: What types of grants are solicited?

Answer:

The category of grants offered each year varies. Historically, training grants have been offered for Targeted Topic Training, Training and Educational Materials Development, and Capacity Building.