ten43-09acc.pdf

ETA Advisory File Text

EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR WASHINGTON D.C. 20210 NO. 43-09 TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT NOTICE DATE May 12 2010 TO STATE WORKFORCE AGENCIES STATE WORKFORCE LIAISONS ONE-STOP CAREER CENTER SYSTEM LEADS STATE AND LOCAL WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARDS FROM JANE OATES s Assistant Secretary SUBJECT Jobseeker and Employer Services for Marine Oil Spill Response 1. Purpose . The purpose of this Training and Employment Notice is to describe training required for workers involved in oil spill response and clean-up and to describe the relevant role of the workforce investment system. 2. References . Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA Oil Spill Response Webpage available at http www.osha.gov oilspills index.html OSHA Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard 29 CFR 1910.120 U.S. Department of Labor s Career One Stop website for the Deepwater Horizon Response available at http www.careeronestop.org DHR 3. Background . The recent crude oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has resulted in employers searching for and hiring workers to clean up and respond to the spill. The primary employer for such jobs is BP but also includes subcontractors. One-Stop Career Centers should be aware of the specific safety requirements associated with such jobs in order to assist interested jobseekers . 4. Required Training . Marine oil spill response and clean-up workers must receive specific health and safety training before they begin working. All workers involved in the on-shore clean up of weathered oil must complete a four-hour training program created by BP and approved by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. BP has contracted directly with firms to provide this training in Alabama Florida Louisiana and Mississippi. This training has started and BP has already published a schedule for training over the next few weeks. At present BP is providing this training at staging areas training centers and other designated sites throughout the Gulf Coast. BP is now taking names of those workers that are interested in going through this training. To sign up for the classes interested workers must contact BP either on their toll free phone number 866-448-5816 or by emailing Horizonresponse pecpremier.com . Workers who complete this site-specific four-hour program will be given a card indicating that they have completed the training and will be added to a list of trained workers. BP will then hire from this 2 list of trained workers when they start the actual on-site clean up. Ta king a course is not a guarantee of employment but provides credentials needed to be hired for spill cleanup. Supervisors and those workers involved in operations involving more contact with oil will need greater training than the four-hour class described above and must complete a 40-hour Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response HAZWOPER course. This type of course is provided by many different environmental and training consultants labor organizations and other education centers and locations across the coun try. 5. Personal Protective Equipment . Employers must provide marine oil spill response and clean-up workers the necessary personal protective equipment PPE ranging from work gloves and work boots to oil-resistant gloves personal floatation devices and respirators. The PPE required for each job will depend on the job duties and the associated h azards there is no standard PPE requirement for oil spill response and clean-up. Employers are required to evaluate the hazards of each job and determine what PPE is necessary to protect workers. BP or the contracted firm is responsible for performing this evaluation and then developing PPE requirements for each of the jobs associated with the oil spill response and cle an-up. Information about the PPE required for each job must be provided to workers during training. Most workers will need some type of PPE. Workers who are picking up uncontaminated debris along the beach may only need work gloves and work boots. Workers in vessels and those working near water will also need life jackets. Workers handling oil-contaminated debris or doing jobs that involve contact with oil and other chemicals will need additional PPE including oil- or chemical-resistant gloves boots and coveralls. 6. Role of Workforce System . The oil spill may impact employment opportunities in the Gulf Coast region. One-Stop Career Centers are well positioned to assist both employer and jobseeker customers in ensuring worker are available and able to respond to the oil spil l quickly effectively and safely. There may be several employers involved in the oil spill clean-up including firms subcontracting for related activities such as logistics and transportati on. One-Stop Career Centers can assist these employers with job matching services recruiting and screening. One- Stop Career Centers may also facilitate the training of potential workers including taking steps to ensure that training is provided in the language appropriate for those being trained and hosting training at the One-Stop Career Center if necessary to supplement BP s staging areas and training centers. The safety training described above is typically provided by the employer. Training required for oil spill response and clean-up may be provided with WIA funds to eligible jobseekers aiming to obtain oil spill related employment as the One-Stop determines. One-Stop Career Centers can assist jobseekers by identifying appropriate job openings and preparing workers for entry into such jobs by communicating the training and personal protective equipment required for such positions. WIA funds may be used to purchase relevant tools and equipment necessary for WIA-eligible jobseekers to complete training if they are not provided by the employer and if such training is part of the individual s employment plans as the One-Stop determines. Lastly the workforce investment system has a role in assisting communities to adjust to any changes in the regional economy as a result of the spill. Rapid Response services can assist 3 workers in the fishing and tourist industries and other affected industries apply for unemployment insurance and connect workers to One-Stop Career Centers which can assess transferable skills for new industries assist in job search provide training for new employment and help them access other benefits and services that might help them. 7. Action Requested . One-Stop Career Centers should identify job openings in their local ar ea related to oil spill response and clean-up and reach out to relevant em ployers to offer recruitment and training space as appropriate. One-Stop Career Centers should also inform jobseekers of the safety training and personal protective equipment required for oil spill response and clean-up positions. 8. Inquires . Please direct inquiries on workforce system services to the appropriate ETA Regional Office. Please direct inquiries on required training and personal protective equipment to OSHA Area Offices in the impacted states https www.osha.gov html RAmap.html or to 1- 800-321-OSHA.