OSHA consultation cooperative agreement to fund consultative workplace safety and health servicesto smaller employers with more hazardous operations

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) awarded $1.155 million in Block Grant funding to the State of Connecticut Labor Department, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026, under the Consultation Agreements program (CFDA 17.504). The awardee will deliver no-cost, confidential on-site occupational safety and health consultation services to small and medium-sized employers operating hazardous worksites within Connecticut. Consultation services include workplace hazard identification, guidance on Occupational Safety and Health standards compliance, and technical assistance in establishing or enhancing workplace safety and health programs. These consultation activities operate independently from OSHA enforcement operations and do not result in citations or penalties.

The Connecticut Labor Department's consultation program serves as an extension of OSHA's national On-Site Consultation Program, which operates across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories, with priority focus on smaller employers in high-hazard operations. The state agency is required to provide a minimum 10 percent matching contribution to the federal award. Grant funds are administered through the Department of Health and Human Services' Payment Management System, with the awardee maintaining records for three years following grant closeout or final audit, consistent with program requirements established by the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.