Michigan Opens New Round of Safety Equipment Grants for Small Employers
MIOSHA awarded $500,000 to 129 employers last fiscal year, with construction firms making up the largest share of recipients.
- By Danielle Naidu
- Oct 14, 2026
Michigan employers with 250 or fewer workers can apply for matching grants of up to $5,000 to buy safety and health equipment and related training, MIOSHA said.
The MIOSHA Workplace Improvement to Safety and Health (MIWISH) program matches employer spending dollar for dollar. The new grant cycle opened Oct. 1, and MIOSHA will award grants until funding is gone.
Priority goes to applicants in high-hazard industries listed in MIOSHA's strategic plan and to projects linked to state and national emphasis programs. Examples of targeted industries and hazards include amputations, cannabis, heat-related illness, and trenching and excavation.
To qualify, employers must fall under MIOSHA jurisdiction and have no more than 250 employees companywide. They must complete a site-specific evaluation that justifies the purchase, and the project must be directly tied to lowering workers' risk of injury or disease. Employers also need the knowledge and experience to carry out the project and must commit to implementing it.
Many of last year's recipients bought personal protective equipment, including fall protection harnesses, safety glasses, gloves, high-visibility clothing and safety helmets.
One recipient, Sobie Company, used its grant for Type II safety helmets and full-body harnesses. Safety director Zachariah Tozer said the money paid for newer head protection and replacement harnesses for the company's field crews.
Application details are available at Michigan.gov/MIOSHAGrants, and employers with questions can call MIOSHA's grant administrator at 517-647-3155. MIOSHA is part of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity.
About the Author
Danielle Naidu is assistant editor for Security Today, Campus Security Today, Occupational Health & Safety and Environmental Protection Online.