COLUMBUS — The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) is seeking entries for the 2017 Safety Innovations Program.

This annual program awards cash prizes from $1,000 to $6,000 to employers who develop innovative solutions to reduce the risk of workplace injuries and illnesses to their employees.

“We look forward each year to recognizing the unique innovations developed by Ohio employers that are reducing the risk of injury in their workplaces,” said BWC Administrator/CEO Sarah Morrison. “Preventing workplace accidents and illnesses benefits both workers and employers and showcases the outstanding effort many Ohio employers put into protecting their workforces each day.”

Last year’s winners included a Mercer County company that designed and built a one-of-a-kind hog loader that guides hogs into trailers; a Portage County company that modified its pickup trucks with bed liners that facilitate smoother, safer on- and off-loading of equipment, and a Summit County public employer that purchased an underground cable puller machine to protect its linemen from the threat of potential injury while pulling heavy gauge cable.

Ohio public and private employers may apply online at bwc.ohio.gov by Sept. 30.

The top five finalists will attend BWC’s Safety Congress & Expo in Columbus from March 8 to 10, 2017, to present their innovations to a three-judge panel and the public.

Winners will be selected by a panel of independent judges that evaluates and scores the innovations based on a number of criteria, including risk reduction, innovation and return on investment, potential for the innovation to be utilized by other employers and presentation quality. Conference attendees determine the recipient of a People’s Choice award.

Awards will be presented during a ceremony at Safety Congress.

Submit questions to [email protected] or call 800-644-6292.