Norridgewock awarded safety grant to upgrade traffic safety equipment

NORRIDGEWOCK — The town has received a Safety Enhancement Grant from the Maine Municipal Association that will help upgrade the town’s traffic safety equipment.

The $1,342.27 grant will pay for up to two thirds of the purchase price of reflective apparel signs, traffic cones and barricades, Town Manager Richard LaBelle said. The items are necessary for creating safe work environments for both Public Works and town emergency services, he said in a news release.

The Safety Enhancement Grant and Scholarship Grant programs offer financial incentives to members of the Maine Municipal Association Workers’ Compensation Fund, the release said. The grants are used to buy safety equipment or services that assist in reducing the frequency and severity of workplace injuries. Improving workplace safety for municipal employees saves taxpayers money by reducing lost hours at work, cost of insurance claims, and overtime expenses for employees who might have to fill in for injured co-workers.
The Maine Municipal Association has been awarding safety grants to members of their workers’ compensation fund since 1999. The grant program has assisted municipalities by funding 3,330 safety enhancement grants and 444 scholarship grants since the program began, the release said. According to the Loss Control Department for Maine Municipal Association, the program received 152 applications for this grant period and $154,655 was awarded. Grants are awarded in May and October each year.