The U.S. Department of Labor's
Occupational Safety and Health Administration is distributing thousands
of safety guides and fact sheets to employees involved with the oil
spill cleanup along the Gulf Coast.
The materials supplement OSHA-required training workers must receive
before they can be hired to engage in the cleanup. In addition to
English, the safety guides and fact sheets initially will be printed in
Spanish and Vietnamese in recognition of the diverse population
inhabiting the Gulf Coast region. They will be made available by BP's
education contractor, PEC, and OSHA officials at cleanup staging areas.
Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis is urging BP to hire local workers
displaced by the oil spill, including fishermen and workers from the
hospitality industry, many of whom have limited English proficiency.
"I've directed OSHA to work closely with BP to ensure training of
cleanup employees is prompt, thorough and sufficient, and conducted in
languages that the workers understand," said Secretary Solis. "I also
have directed OSHA to prepare and distribute supplementary materials in
several languages so that cleanup workers can easily access the
information they need to protect themselves and stay safe on the job.
We want those looking for work to get jobs, but no job is good unless
it is safe."
Development of the safety guides and fact sheets has grown out of a
partnership between OSHA and the National Institute of Environmental
Health Sciences to promote protective measures for Gulf Coast oil spill
responders.
"We are pleased to join with our federal partners to assure that the
health of emergency responders is not forgotten in the rush to protect
the fragile Gulf Coast environment," said Dr. Linda Birnbaum, director
of NIEHS and the National Toxicology Program.
Training of cleanup employees is ongoing throughout the Gulf Coast
region. OSHA has officials monitoring the training and observing the
cleanup efforts that are already underway.
A one- to two-hour training course is required for employees who will
only engage in general beach cleanup, such as removing trash and clean
debris. For those employees coming into contact with "weathered oil"
and "tar balls" on the shoreline or in marine operations, a four-hour
training class is required. This training is provided for free. After
completing a class employees will receive a card as proof of their
training.
A more rigorous 40-hour course is required for those employees who will
supervise cleanup or be engaged in efforts involving a greater exposure
to oil. In order to meet the certifications of the 40-hour training, a
combination of classroom instruction and hands-on, applicable
experience is required. This preparation includes instruction on the
makeup and risks associated with the hazardous material(s) involved,
and experience with the equipment needed for the work, safety gear and
local environment.
"We have received reports that some are offering this training in
significantly fewer than 40 hours, showing video presentations and
offering only limited instruction," said Assistant Secretary of Labor
for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. "This training cannot be shortened to
anything less than 40 hours."
Oil spill cleanup safety guides and fact sheets are available on OSHA's website:
http://www.osha.gov/oilspills/index.html.
Also, information is available and continuously updated at the government's official Deepwater Horizon Response website:
http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com.