montanastatefund.com:
Report an Injury Get Coverage Manage Policy Pay Bill
    • Safety Workshopssafety workshops icon Contact Uscontact phone icon
    scroll to top icon
    Helena.jpg
    November 14, 2019

    Growing Safety Awareness

    Montana State Fund’s (MSF) safety team was busy this fall traveling throughout the state handing out safety equipment to high school students.  Through MSF’s high school personal protective equipment (PPE) grants program, 25 construction trades and industry classrooms received the items.

    The selected classrooms were awarded up to $750 for the purchase of the PPE which could include safety eye protection, fall protection gear, gloves, and ear protection, suitable for the area of study. Instructors were further supported with safety materials and talking points to use in their classrooms.

    Beaverhead  County High School students show off their safety gear

    These grants are part of Montana State Fund’s Growing a Safer Montana initiative. The grants are a way for MSF to help improve Montana’s workplace safety culture. One way is to teach and reinforce positive safety in the classroom, before these young people enter Montana’s workforce. Since the program’s inception in 2017, $30,000 worth of safety gear has benefited more than 4,600 students.

    According to the National Young Worker Safety Resource Center individuals younger than 25 years old are two times more likely to be in an accident at work.

    “That is why it is important for them to learn at an early age how to be as safe as possible while at work, said Sophie Magnuson Montana State Fund Safety Management Consultant. “The goal is to reinforce safety habits for the next generation of Montana’s workforce.”

    Helena High School’s welding class receives grant

    Below is a list of the high schools, classrooms and teachers who received the safety equipment

    Anaconda High School Construction-Automotive
    Teacher: Brian Riley

    Anaconda High School Welding/Machining
    Teacher: Ryan Pesanti

    Arlee High School Woods & Welding
    Teacher: Michael Craig

    Beaverhead County High School (Dillon) Agriculture Education
    Teacher: Caleb Igo

    Belgrade High School Welding
    Teacher: Eric Kinnaman

    Belgrade High School Woodworking
    Teacher: Randy Radke

    Bozeman High School Welding Fabrication
    Teacher: Rick Hedlund

    Bozeman High School Woodworking
    Teacher: Daniel Brown

    Butte High School Welding
    Teacher: Denise Bordeleau

    Dawson County (Glendive) Welding Ag
    Teacher: Leanne Hoagland

    Drummond High School Carpentry & Welding
    Teacher: Alex Bolotsky

    Havre High School Automotive Tech
    Teacher: Tyler Kropf

    Havre High School Welding, Basic Metals
    Teacher: Christopher Comp

    Helena Capital High School Industrial Technology
    Teacher: Tom Kain

    Helena High School Welding
    Teacher: Cindy Galbavy

    Jefferson High School (Boulder) Welding
    Teacher: David Heimann

    Jefferson High School (Boulder) Woods
    Teacher: Mike Robbins

    Missoula Hellgate Building Trades, Math for the Trades
    Teacher: Charles Rinehart

    Missoula Hellgate High School Welding
    Teacher: Alan Pfister

    Missoula Sentinel High School Carpentry & Welding
    Teacher:Dave Burtch

    Park County High School (Livingston) Industrial Technology
    Teacher: Jamie Isaly

    Powell County (Deer Lodge) Cabinet & Carpentry
    Teacher: Clint Stevenson

    St. Regis High School Carpentry & Welding
    Teacher: George Cheesman

    Superior High School Construction/Drafting/Welding/Woods
    Teacher Jeff Schultz

    Whitehall High School Welding & Carpentry
    Teacher: Casey Harris

    The other part of the Growing a Safer initiative is academic scholarships for higher education students in the trades, such as welding, automotive and construction and those studying industrial hygiene or occupational safety and health. These scholarships will be distributed in January 2020. 

    For more information about the Growing a Safer Montana program contact Sophie Magnuson (406) 495-5397 or  Mark Rosenleaf (406) 495- 5334.