By Andy Postishek, HSE Manager / Corp. SHEP Manager

Ahtna’s Corporate Safety, Health and Environmental Programs (SHEP) Director Drew Laughlin delivered a 24-hour HAZWOPER class at the Ahtna Corporate Office in Glennallen. In attendance were John Fillman, ADC Facility and Safety Manager; Albert Craig, ADC Maintenance Assistant; and ACPPC Baseline Oil Spill Responders Joe Alexander and Bjorn Beeter.

Drew developed and delivered this training on short notice to accommodate Alexander and Beeter being placed on the Incident Response Team for ACPPC’s client, Alyeska Pipeline Service Company. The 24-hour HAZWOPER training is intended for those who may be working at HAZWOPER sites for short durations and will not face an exposure that is at or over a Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL).

The training covered a variety of topics including:

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including why it’s needed and how to wear and remove it
• How to observe safety regulations
• Examination of site control
• Types of hazardous substances and their labeling requirements and standards
• Decontamination guidelines and methods
• Proper handling of various types of hazardous waste containers

The training was excellent, as demonstrated by the team’s exemplary performance in the final exercise. KUDOS to all involved.