Washington On-Site Sewage Association

Washington On-Site Sewage Association (Wossa) is a non-profit organization that provides training and educational programs for at-risk and hard-to-reach workers to recognize, avoid, and prevent occupational safety and health hazards. Through Susan Harwood federal training grants from the Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Wossa has conducted free safety and health training for underserved workers who may not otherwise have access.

The training provided by Wossa under its Susan Harwood grants focuses on informing workers of on-the-job hazards and their rights, while also informing employers of their health and safety responsibilities. Specific activities include developing training materials and delivering in-person classes to workers from multiple employers. The intended beneficiaries are vulnerable populations such as young, temporary, minority, low literacy, and non-English speaking workers. Wossa received Susan Harwood grants of $148,799 in 2020, $186,502 in 2021, and $298,478 in 2022 from the Department of Labor to carry out this training. As the prime recipient, Wossa develops and provides the training itself rather than subawarding funds. Through the training, Wossa aims to increase hazard awareness and avoidance techniques in order to protect targeted workers from dangers on the job.