Subsidies to prevent occupational risk factors

Established in 2023, the Investment Fund for the prevention of occupational wear and tear aims to reduce employees’ exposure to three ergonomic risk factors, namely manual handling of loads, uncomfortable postures, and mechanical vibrations. To this end, the Fund provides grants to companies that implement actions to prevent these risks.

Who is affected?

Employers covered by the General Social Security scheme as well as self-employed workers who have taken out individual voluntary insurance against accidents at work, commuting accidents and occupational diseases are eligible for the “prevention of ergonomic risks” subsidy.

The following risks are covered:
- manual handling of loads, i.e., all operations of transporting or supporting a load (lifting, laying, pushing, pulling, carrying, moving, etc.), which require the physical effort of one or more workers.
- uncomfortable postures, i.e., positions damaging the joints.
- mechanical vibrations affecting the hands and arms or to the whole body.

Under what conditions?

To obtain this subsidy, employers and self-employed workers must be up to date with their social security contributions due to the URSSAF.

Eligible employers must show that they:
- have joined a prevention and occupational health service.
- have renewed their risk assessment certificate.
- are not benefiting from a current prevention contract.
- have not received “prevention of ergonomic risks” subsidy during the previous 2 years.
- are not subject to an injunction or an additional contribution.

What does the grant fund?

With the “prevention of ergonomic risks” subsidy, employers and self-employed workers can finance:
- prevention actions (ergonomic diagnostics and training) and actions to raise awareness of risk factors.
- equipment: transfer equipment (transfer rails in H-configuration, with motors, mobile gantries, mobile grippers associated with electric pallet trucks and goods lifts), rolling stock (electric pallet trucks, push tractors, electric drawbars and motorized wheels), height-adjustable worktops (motorized lifting tables, masonry platforms and material recipes) and trade-specific equipment (hooded wrapping machines, light vehicle lifts, automatic covering / uncovering systems for skips and scrubber-dryers).
- workstation adjustments proposed by the occupational physician as part of a process to prevent professional exclusion.
- personnel costs dedicated to the implementation of actions financed by the fund.