09/07/2026
Rep. Sykes Announces Over $1,000,000 Federal Grant Supporting Nuclear Weapons Complex Worker Safety Training
AKRON, OH — Today, U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes (OH-13) announced the continuation of a federal grant in the amount of $1,350,644 which was awarded to the International Chemical Workers Union Center (ICWUC) for Worker Health and Safety Education through the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Hazardous Waste Worker Health and Safety Training Program. The award, administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will continue to fund HAZMAT training for workers at Department of Energy (DOE) Nuclear Weapons Complexes.
The ICWUC Center operates the DOE Nuclear Worker Training Program, which is built on a worker-to-worker training model. Experienced workers from DOE facilities receive advanced train-the-trainer instruction and ongoing professional development, then return to their own sites and communities to train fellow workers facing similar hazards on the job.
“I'm proud to see this NIEHS grant continue supporting the ICWUC Center for Worker Health and Safety Education,” said Rep. Sykes. “The workers at our DOE Nuclear Weapons Complexes take on some of the most demanding and hazardous jobs in the country, and they deserve training that's grounded in real, on-the-job experience. This program's worker-to-worker model does exactly that, turning our most experienced workers into trainers and mentors who keep their colleagues safe. I'm grateful for the continued federal investment in this work and for everyone at the ICWUC Center who makes it possible.”
“Every worker-trainer represents a multiplier effect of public investment,” said Shari L. Glines-Allen, Director for the ICWUC Center for Worker Health and Safety Education. “Through the support of DOE and NIEHS, workers who manage hazards every day become trusted trainers and mentors, passing critical safety knowledge to hundreds of others. When workers train workers, safety is no longer just something taught in a classroom; it becomes a shared responsibility that strengthens workplaces, protects communities, and saves lives.”
Workers who manage hazardous materials, radiological concerns, contamination control issues, and other workplace hazards every day become the program's educators, mentors, and safety leaders. Because instruction comes from people with direct, hands-on experience, the training is described by the Center as practical, credible, and immediately relevant to the workplace. Beyond the classroom, the program aims to build a broader culture of safety across DOE sites, one in which lessons learned are passed forward and workers are equipped to recognize hazards, protect themselves and their coworkers, and contribute to continuous improvement. Through trainer exchanges, technical education, and ongoing collaboration, worker-trainers continue to strengthen their own skills while helping protect thousands of workers throughout the DOE complex.
The ICWUC Center for Worker Health and Safety Education administers the DOE Nuclear Worker Training Program with support from the U.S. Department of Energy and the NIEHS Worker Training Program. The Center trains experienced DOE workers to become trainers who deliver health and safety education to their peers at nuclear weapons complex sites nationwide.
