The Social Insurance Institution has announced a competition for projects aimed at improving and maintaining the ability to work by employees of companies – throughout their professional activity. Although these are activities (understood as minor investments) that the company will initiate and implement only in 2025, applications for funding should start this month. It is also better to submit an application sooner rather than later, so that it does not turn out that, for example, there is no money left.
What can the grant be spent on?
The ZUS competition committee will select those projects presented by entrepreneurs that – specifying the purpose of the funding – can lead to:
● reducing the risk of accidents at work or occupational diseases among employees,
● reducing the adverse impact of so-called risk factors on the company and its employees.
Activities in the company financed by the subsidy may include the following areas: safety of technical installations, machines, devices and workplaces; installation of devices protecting against noise, mechanical vibrations and electromagnetic radiation; more efficient and eye-friendly lighting of workplaces and positions; protection against optical radiation, electrical energy (in the harmful range of its impact) and so-called static electricity, as well as purchase and installation of air purification and conditioning devices and devices for mechanical air ventilation.
With the help of subsidies, an entrepreneur, e.g. in the construction and assembly industry, will be able to finance the purchase of equipment to improve work safety at heights, in depressions and other zones (e.g. purchase of forklifts, lifts, partitions, etc.), means of protecting employees against the effects of toxic chemical agents and harmful biological agents, and will also be able to purchase personal protective equipment.
It is worth asking the person responsible in the company (or cooperating with them in this respect) what exactly is included in the catalogue of protective equipment and measures improving occupational health and safety conditions that ZUS will want to refund.
Detailed conditions of participation in the competition
The competition is open to any payer of contributions (having legal personality) who meets all of the following conditions:
● is not in arrears with the payment of social security and health insurance contributions;
● is not in arrears with tax payments;
● is not bankrupt, under administration, in the process of liquidation, bankruptcy or arrangement proceedings with a creditor;
● does not apply for further funding before 3 years have passed since the date of payment of the last funding in full by ZUS;
● does not apply for further funding before 3 years have passed from the date of repayment of the funding to which he was obliged.
● the planned deadline for project implementation by the company cannot be longer than 6 months.
Applications for funding from ZUS can be submitted by entrepreneurs from 26 February to 27 March this year. The company’s support is non-refundable, unfortunately the amount is not specified – not even in “ranges”. Entrepreneurs can submit questions or doubts regarding the competition by sending them to the e-mail address: [email protected].