According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Baby Boomers who once
dominated the workforce are retiring or soon will be, while Millennials are
gradually outnumbering Generation X in the workforce. As the next generation
replaces retiring experienced responders, how can spill response organizations
move forward without a disruption in the quality services they provide?
We are in an era of where oil spill prevention efforts are
working well, which results in fewer opportunities for the next generation to
learn on the job. By providing dynamic training for team members, organizations
can minimize safety risks and help them establish expertise.
When grooming the next generation of responders, managers need
to keep in mind that Millennials find value in training that cultivates
expertise so they can move up quickly in the ranks to become supervisors and
managers. Organizations need to provide them with career development that supports
their motivation to maintain and grow core areas of proficiency.
This starts with well-developed pre-requisites for the job,
defined skill sets, clear job descriptions and a roadmap for promotions. Career development should also include a
mentorship program where new employees are managed by experienced people who can
share best practices they have gained over the years of response operations.
Job skills are further enhanced through outside courses where employees can take
what they have learned during core expertise training and apply those skills to
specific projects.
For more than 20 years, Ohmsett in partnership with Texas
A&M University National Spill Control School (NSCS) has provided training
in which responders learn concepts and approaches to spill response. Both organizations were included in Section
2761 of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA’90) which directs the “long term use
of the National Spill Control School in Corpus Christi, Texas for research and
training to improve industry and government ability to quickly and effectively
remove an oil discharge”, and ensures the “long term use and operation of
Ohmsett for oil pollution technology testing and evaluations.”
“Through our partnership, we have developed a program that
provides classroom instruction along with hands-on exercises that give students
the technical qualifications needed to perform successful response operations,”
stated Ohmsett Facility Manager Leonard Zabilansky.
Like most career mentorship programs, participants learn from experts
knowledgeable in the competency requirements needed to make decisions in
real-time. Training is conducted by leading industry specialists in hazardous
material spill response who review oil spill fundamentals, introduce meaningful
response strategies and discuss lessons learned from past spill incidents. “The
goal is for the participants to gain an understanding of the behavior of an oil
release, recovery and containment methods, analytical procedures, and regulations,”
said Mr. Zabilansky.
Classroom discussions focus on recent developments in the science of
oil spills and operational developments in the response industry. These include topic such as: current guidance
on dispersants and surface cleaning agents; guidance on in-situ burning;
special considerations in fast water response; and remote sensing. The program
incorporates sufficient classroom instruction on safety topics related to oil
spill response to qualify for the OSHA required 8-Hour HAZWOPER Refresher
Training for oil spill response workers (OSHA 29 CFR 1910.120).
In the hands-on exercise component, the class participates
in recovering oil released into the Ohmsett tank. There they experience the
effectiveness of boom and skimming strategies while they operate the equipment
in various water conditions with and without waves. During an additional course session,
participants put into practice what they learned through a Shoreline Cleanup
and Assessment Technique (SCAT) field exercise.
“While working alongside responders from different parts of
the world, the participants have the chance to network and develop professional
relationships within the response community.” says Mr. Zabilansky. “Organizations
will have confidence in knowing their response personnel can handle just about
anything that happens during a spill because they personally experienced it with
a comprehensive hands-on training program.”
Ohmsett, maintained and operated by
the U.S. Department of Interior's Bureau of Safety and Environmental
Enforcement (BSEE), is a venue for private sector and government agencies to
train their personnel using their own curriculum and equipment. Hands-on
training sessions are available with or without classroom instruction. For
customized classes that meet your specific training needs, please call the
Ohmsett Training Coordinator at 732-866-7286 or visit our website at
www.ohmsett.com
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During hands-on training, participants are able to build
their confidence and competence while they practice recovery operations using
boom and skimmers to pick up oil.
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