How Michigan Small Businesses Can Use MIOSHA Safety Grants to Improve Heat Stress Monitoring

Protecting your workforce is always the right thing to do-but in Michigan, it may also come with financial support. Through the MIOSHA Consultation, Education, and Training (CET) Division, small employers with 250 or fewer employees can apply for a matching grant of up to $5,000 to fund safety and health improvements. These grants can cover equipment that helps prevent injuries and illnesses, making them an excellent opportunity for businesses to proactively invest in worker heat safety.

Why Heat Safety Matters for Michigan Workplaces

Extreme heat doesn't just impact southern states-Michigan's summers bring rising temperatures and humidity that put outdoor workers at risk. Whether it's construction crews, landscaping teams, agricultural operations, or manufacturing shops without adequate cooling, heat illness is a real hazard.

OSHA has identified heat illness prevention as a national priority through its National Emphasis Program (NEP) on Outdoor and Indoor Heat-Related Hazards. Meanwhile, MIOSHA encourages employers to implement proactive monitoring and training to reduce risks. The good news: Michigan's grant program can help fund the very tools businesses need to stay compliant and keep workers safe.

Products Eligible for Grant Funding

Kestrel® Instruments provides a range of monitoring solutions designed to support safety professionals and managers in protecting workers from heat stress. These tools make it easier to follow OSHA and MIOSHA recommendations by continuously tracking environmental conditions, documenting data for compliance records, and giving supervisors timely information to act before conditions become dangerous.

Kestrel 5400 Heat Stress Tracker

• Measures Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), the gold standard for assessing heat stress.
• Provides real-time readings to guide decisions on work/rest cycles and hydration.
• Logs data for compliance records-important if inspections or audits occur.
• Ideal for outdoor and indoor worksites, confined spaces, and any industrial setting.

Kestrel Heat Stress Monitoring System

• Ensure worker safety and regulatory compliance with a complete heat stress monitoring setup.
• Includes the Kestrel 5400 Heat Stress Tracker with LiNK, which wirelessly connects via Bluetooth to a wall-mounted tablet showing current data.
• The Kestrel LiNK app makes it easy to log conditions, view graphs, and create shareable reports.
• Remote monitoring through the Ambient Weather Network (AWN) provides 24/7 visibility, a custom dashboard for tracking weather data, and alerts for changing conditions-even when you're offsite.

Kestrel 7000 Environmental Meter

• Measures heat index, temperature, and humidity with a replaceable humidity sensor for long-term accuracy.
• Compact, rugged, and portable-perfect for small businesses that need a simple tool to monitor conditions.
• Logs conditions for review and documentation.
• Great choice for businesses that want a cost-effective solution for multiple job sites.

KestrelMet 6400 WBGT Weather Station

• The OH&S award-winning KestrelMet 6400 WBGT Weather Station provides real-time heat stress monitoring to enhance safety in high-risk environments.
• Fully wireless and solar-powered, delivering accurate WBGT readings and instant alerts for changing conditions.
• Available in Wi-Fi (range up to 1,000 ft line of sight) with Cellular connectivity coming soon.
• Includes 3 months of free AWN SMS Alerts for proactive notifications.
• Features a waterless WBGT sensor for hassle-free maintenance.
• Quick setup in under 20 minutes makes it easy to deploy on construction sites, agricultural operations, athletic fields, or industrial facilities.

How to Apply for the MIOSHA Grant

1. Review eligibility: You must have 250 or fewer employees and a current workers' compensation policy.
2. Identify your safety need: In this case, monitoring and managing heat stress is a qualifying project.
3. Submit your application: MIOSHA CET accepts applications until funds are exhausted, so apply early.
4. Match requirement: Employers are required to provide matching funds equal to the grant amount.

You can learn more about the program and access the application on the MIOSHA CET website.

Take Advantage of This Opportunity

Worker safety is non-negotiable-and with MIOSHA grant funding available, it's also more affordable than ever to equip your business with the right tools. By investing in solutions like the Kestrel 5400, Kestrel 7000, or the KestrelMet 6400 WBGT Weather Station, you'll gain reliable data, protect your employees from heat illness, and strengthen compliance with state and federal safety standards.

Don't wait until the summer heat wave hits-apply now, secure funding, and put a plan in place to safeguard your workers.

If you have questions about using MIOSHA grant funds to prevent heat stress incidents with Kestrel Heat Stress Trackers, contact Sales Manager Jun Jeong at jjeong@nkhome.com.