Northern Illinois University Wins $116,644 U.S. Department of Labor Grant to Deliver Worker Safety and Health Training

NIU Recieves Safety Grant

DeKalb, IL, September 21, 2020 –Northern Illinois University received $116,644 in U.S. Department Labor funding for Machine Guarding and Amputation Protection training. Because of this grant, employers and employees working in new small businesses and employees with limited access to occupational safety and health training can receive free safety training. This includes young workers, minorities, limited-English proficiency workers and other underserved workers.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) Department of Labor announced the award in a press release last week, explaining that the Susan Harwood Federal Safety and Health Training Grant is awarded to 90 nonprofit organizations nationwide. These grants provide education and training to help workers and employers recognize serious workplace hazards, including the novel coronavirus, implement injury prevention measures and to understand their rights and responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. 

Learn more about the 2020 Susan Harwood Training Grant Program recipients.

Machine Guarding and Amputation Protection Training to be Offered through the Northern Illinois University Continuing and Professional Education Unit

This is the third year that NIU received the Susan Harwood Federal Safety and Health Training Grant and is offering free courses through its Continuing and Professional Education Unit.

NIU Continuing Education logo

Training topics include the following:

  • Operating stationary equipment
  • Guarding point of operation
  • Amputation prevention
  • Control circuit systems
  • Other general industry machine hazards

Learn more about the free, grant funded, machine guarding courses available here

NIU Alumna Brings Grant to Small Businesses in Need

Pettee Guerrero, alumna who earned her master’s degree in industrial management from the NIU College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, and Director of NIU Continuing and Professional Education Unit believes it is critical to assist the region’s small businesses during these times.  “We are committed to the safety of all workers in our region, but especially those who are underserved and may have limited opportunities for training. Now more than ever, it is imperative that NIU and the Continuing and Professional Education Unit be a true partner for small businesses in our region. This grant provides us a huge opportunity to do that. We will be reaching out to small businesses in the region to extend this training to their employees and I encourage them to contact us if they are in need,” explains Guerrero.  

Targeted training topics will be machine guarding and amputation prevention, including subjects related to punch presses, lathes, metal shears, circular saws, milling machines and other basic machines. Targeted audience for the training will be employers and employees working in new small businesses and employees with limited access to occupational safety and health training such as young workers, minorities, limited-English proficiency workers and other hard to reach workers.

The training will be two-hour to six-hour long sessions in a balanced blend of classroom-based instruction in the NIU CPE’s state-of-the-art classrooms, and will begin in December of 2020. Equipped with real machines, NIU CPE’s classrooms give students hand-on experience through machine guarding and amputation protection demonstrations. Virtual training will be available whenever face-to-face training is not permitted. Employees from all geographic areas will be welcome. Training will be delivered in English. 

About the National Safety Education Center

Northern Illinois University also offers occupational health and safety training through the National Safety Education Center (NSEC). NSEC is one of 26 OSHA Training Institute Education Centers in the nation. These education centers are a national network of non-profit organizations authorized by OSHA to deliver occupational safety and health training to public and private sector workers, supervisors and employers. This consortium, which consists of Northern Illinois University and the Construction Safety Council, offers training to OSHA’s Region V: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.

Learn more about the current free, grant funded, machine guarding courses available here.

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