The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA), the workplace safety authority of the U.S. state of Michigan, has opened a new round of its grant program for small businesses. MIOSHA operates under the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity and is the state agency that, under a state plan approved by the federal OSHA, oversees workplace safety in Michigan. Through its Workplace Improvement to Safety and Health program (MIWISH), employers with up to 250 employees can receive a dollar-for-dollar matching grant of up to $5,000 to purchase safety and health equipment and related training. The new cycle began on October 1 and will continue as long as funding remains available.
Matching grant of up to $5,000 per business
In the past fiscal year (2025-26), 129 employers in Michigan together received $500,000 in MIWISH grants, with the construction sector as the largest recipient. The money went mainly toward personal protective equipment such as safety helmets, high-visibility workwear, gloves, safety glasses and fall-protection harnesses. Sobie Company used the grant to buy safety helmets and full fall-protection harnesses for its outdoor crews. “Safety is a priority for us, and the MIWISH grant helped us make an investment that directly supports our employees,” said safety director Zachariah Tozer, according to ISHN.
Priorities and conditions
MIOSHA gives priority to applications from employers in high-risk sectors and to projects that align with the focus areas in the agency’s strategic plan and with ongoing state and national emphasis programs. Examples cited include amputations, cannabis, heat-related illness, and trenching and excavation work. To qualify, a business must fall under MIOSHA’s jurisdiction, have no more than 250 employees, carry out a site-specific risk assessment that supports the purchase, demonstrably reduce the risk of injury or illness, and have enough knowledge and experience to carry out the project itself. More information is available at Michigan.gov/MIOSHAGrants or by phone from MIOSHA’s grant administrator (517-647-3155).
Context
Michigan’s MIWISH grant does not stand alone: at the federal level, the U.S. Department of Labor this year released $12.7 million for the Susan Harwood Training Grants, administered by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). That program, however, targets nonprofit organizations, labor unions and training institutes that develop and deliver workplace safety training programs for workers and small businesses, with awards of up to $95,000 per project. Where the federal grant therefore flows through training organizations, Michigan’s state grant pays out directly to individual small employers for concrete safety equipment and on-the-job training.
Source: MIOSHA Announces $500,000 in Grants for Michigan Small Businesses for Enhanced Worker Protections, 15-10-2026
Also researched: OSHA Announces $12.7 Million in Susan Harwood Training Grants for Workplace Safety Education, Susan Harwood Training Grant Program (OSHA)
