ROSEMONT, Ill. - The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has awarded the Susan Harwood Training Grant to the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) and the National Safety Council. The grant is designed to provide a safety-training program for roofing workers.

The grant, which is renewable for up to five years and could be worth about $800,000, will facilitate a tiered training program that will teach fall protection, material handling and burn prevention. Training sessions will focus on hazard identification, OSHA regulations, best practices and methods of hazard abatement.

Safety experts will train regional trainers, safety professionals and roofing contractors the first year of the program. Roofing workers will not be trained until the second or third year.