Freddie’s impressive credentials include being a Bilingual Certified Safety and Health Official, a Bilingual Specialist in Safety and Health for both General Industry & Construction, and a Qualified Industrial Hygienist, all earned through the University of Texas-Arlington Training Institute.

With safety training and inspections as his key responsibilities, Freddie is committed to maintaining a safe environment wherever he goes.

And when he’s not busy safeguarding lives, Freddie is also a Life Coach, helping others reach their full potential in his “spare” time.

Freddie, your expertise, quick thinking, and dedication make a world of difference at R2M. We’re grateful to have you on our team! #EmployeeSpotlight #SafetyFirst #R2MTeam

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Who Should Attend the 24-Hour HAZWOPER Training?

This training is intended for workers who are unlikely to be exposed to high-risk hazards and will be onsite only occasionally for specific tasks or are onsite regularly who work in areas and who are unlikely to be exposed over permissible exposure limits and where respirators are not necessary*.

The 24-Hour HAZWOPER training is valid for 12 months. To maintain your HAZWOPER certification, you must complete and 8-Hour HAZWOPER refresher course annually. If you fail to complete the annual refresher by the expiration deadline, you may have to retake the 24-Hour training.

*Workers with 24 hours of training who are covered by the HAZWOPER regulation, and who become general site workers or who are required to wear respirators, shall have the additional 16 hours and two days of training necessary to total the training specified for the 40 Hour HAZWOPER training requirement.

Course Regulation

29 CFR 1910.120:

(e)(3)(ii) Workers on site only occasionally for a specific limited task (such as, but not limited to, ground water monitoring, land surveying, or geo-physical surveying) and who are unlikely to be exposed over permissible exposure limits and published exposure limits shall receive a minimum of 24 hours of instruction off the site, and the minimum of one day actual field experience under the direct supervision of a trained, experienced supervisor.

(e)(3)(iii) Workers regularly on site who work in areas which have been monitored and fully characterized indicating that exposures are under permissible exposure limits and published exposure limits where respirators are not necessary, and the characterization indicates that there are no health hazards or the possibility of an emergency developing, shall receive a minimum of 24 hours of instruction off the site and the minimum of one day actual field experience under the direct supervision of a trained, experienced supervisor.

(q)(6): Training. Training shall be based on the duties and function to be performed by each responder of an emergency response organization. The skill and knowledge levels required for all new responders, those hired after the effective date of this standard, shall be conveyed to them through training before they are permitted to take part in actual emergency operations on an incident. Employees who participate, or are expected to participate, in emergency response, shall be given training in accordance with the following paragraphs:

(q)(6)(iii): Hazardous materials technician. Hazardous materials technicians are individuals who respond to releases or potential releases for the purpose of stopping the release. They assume a more aggressive role than a first responder at the operations level in that they will approach the point of release in order to plug, patch or otherwise stop the release of a hazardous substance. Hazardous materials technicians shall have received at least 24 hours of training equal to the first responder operations level and in addition have competency in the following areas and the employer shall so certify.:

1. Know how to implement the employer’s emergency response plan;
2. Know the classification, identification, and verification of known and unknown materials by using field survey instruments and equipment;
3. Be able to function within an assigned role in the Incident Command System;
4. Know how to select and use proper specialized chemical personal protective equipment provided to the hazardous materials technician;
5. Understand hazard and risk assessment techniques;
6. Be able to perform advance control, containment, and/or confinement operations within the capabilities of the resources and personal protective equipment available with the unit;
7. Understand and implement decontamination procedures;
8. Understand termination procedures;
9. Understand basic chemical and toxicological terminology and behavior.

Please note: In addition to the required 24-Hour training, the regulation requires a minimum of one day actual field experience under the direct supervision of a trained, experienced supervisor to establish employee proficiency in the duties required by the regulation.

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Who Should Attend the 24-Hour HAZWOPER Training?

This training is intended for workers who are unlikely to exposed to high-risk hazards and will be onsite only occasionally for specific tasks, or are onsite regularly who work in areas and who are unlikely to be exposed over permissible exposure limits and where respirators are not necessary*.

The 24-Hour HAZWOPER training is valid for 12 months. To maintain your HAZWOPER certification, you must complete and 8-Hour HAZWOPER refresher course annually. If you fail to complete the annual refresher by the expiration deadline, you may have to retake the 24-Hour training.

*Workers with 24 hours of training who are covered by the HAZWOPER regulation, and who become general site workers or who are required to wear respirators, shall have the additional 16 hours and two days of training necessary to total the training specified for the 40 Hour HAZWOPER training requirement.

Course Regulation

29 CFR 1910.120:

(e)(3)(ii) Workers on site only occasionally for a specific limited task (such as, but not limited to, ground water monitoring, land surveying, or geo-physical surveying) and who are unlikely to be exposed over permissible exposure limits and published exposure limits shall receive a minimum of 24 hours of instruction off the site, and the minimum of one day actual field experience under the direct supervision of a trained, experienced supervisor.

(e)(3)(iii) Workers regularly on site who work in areas which have been monitored and fully characterized indicating that exposures are under permissible exposure limits and published exposure limits where respirators are not necessary, and the characterization indicates that there are no health hazards or the possibility of an emergency developing, shall receive a minimum of 24 hours of instruction off the site and the minimum of one day actual field experience under the direct supervision of a trained, experienced supervisor.

(q)(6): Training. Training shall be based on the duties and function to be performed by each responder of an emergency response organization. The skill and knowledge levels required for all new responders, those hired after the effective date of this standard, shall be conveyed to them through training before they are permitted to take part in actual emergency operations on an incident. Employees who participate, or are expected to participate, in emergency response, shall be given training in accordance with the following paragraphs:

(q)(6)(iii): Hazardous materials technician. Hazardous materials technicians are individuals who respond to releases or potential releases for the purpose of stopping the release. They assume a more aggressive role than a first responder at the operations level in that they will approach the point of release in order to plug, patch or otherwise stop the release of a hazardous substance. Hazardous materials technicians shall have received at least 24 hours of training equal to the first responder operations level and in addition have competency in the following areas and the employer shall so certify.:

1. Know how to implement the employer’s emergency response plan;
2. Know the classification, identification, and verification of known and unknown materials by using field survey instruments and equipment;
3. Be able to function within an assigned role in the Incident Command System;
4. Know how to select and use proper specialized chemical personal protective equipment provided to the hazardous materials technician;
5. Understand hazard and risk assessment techniques;
6. Be able to perform advance control, containment, and/or confinement operations within the capabilities of the resources and personal protective equipment available with the unit;
7. Understand and implement decontamination procedures;
8. Understand termination procedures;
9. Understand basic chemical and toxicological terminology and behavior.

Please note: In addition to the required 24-Hour training, the regulation requires a minimum of one day actual field experience under the direct supervision of a trained, experienced supervisor to establish employee proficiency in the duties required by the regulation.

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This is a Spanish language training; all materials, materials, lessons, and activities will be conducted in Spanish.

This course is designed for Spanish speaking construction workers, foremen, job supervisors, and anyone involved in the construction industry. OSHA recommends Outreach Training Program courses as an orientation to occupational safety and health for workers covered by OSHA 29 CFR 1926. Workers must receive additional training, when required by OSHA standards, on the specific hazards of the job. Upon successful completion of the course, participants will receive an OSHA 10-Hour Construction Outreach Department of Labor course completion card.

Key Topics

Introduction to OSHA

OSHA focus on four hazards

Personal Protective Equipment

Excavations

Scaffolds

Stairways and Ladders

Fall Protection

Health Hazards in Construction

Who should attend this training:

Construction Workers

Foremen

Job Supervisors

Anyone involved in the Construction Industry

Schedule: 

Wednesday-Thursday

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

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Topics in this course will include safe equipment operations, operator hands-on equipment evaluation, training techniques, certification procedures and processes, train-the-trainer overview and training manual, OSHA rules and guidelines, test and answers. Upon completion of this course students will have gained knowledge of mandatory requirements and will be capable of conducting a Mobile Elevating Work Platform training class. Each student will receive a card certifying the successful completion of the Mobile Work Platform Train-the-Trainer program. Participants will also receive an operator training kit consisting of:

• Reproducible training materials (presentation, handouts, quizzes)
• Videos
• Sample operator manuals
• Reproducible evaluation forms
• Certificate and operator card templates
• Applicable regulations++

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SafeLand training was developed as an oil and gas industry program that provides an awareness of safety requirements as they relate to oil and gas production, and has become a requirement of many companies in order to perform contracted work at their locations. The downturn in the oil industry has slowed down production and reduced available resources for many companies, which, in some cases, has led to some gaps in safety compliance. Since you may be wondering why you should be considering SafeLand training at this time, we have compiled the basics and commonly asked questions about the SafeLand Basic Orientation program.

What is SafeLandUSA?

SafelandUSA is a volunteer organization that consists of independent companies, associations, and educators whose intent is to develop standards and requirements for the US Onshore E&P Industry. It provides a basic awareness level of certain general safety information that an employee should know before entering a company facility and while performing their assigned work duties. The majority of the leading oil and gas operators accept this orientation as it meets their requirements. Upon successful completion of the course, each student is issued a picture ID with a unique barcode.

What is SafeLand Certification

SafeLand training is an 8-hour course that meets the requirements of API RP 75 & API RP T-1 and also provides a general coverage of other safety topics an employee should understand before entering the work area. This orientation has become the standard program for the industry and certifies a student at awareness level for the following:

• SafeLandUSA
• SafeGulf
• Alcohol and Substance Abuse Awareness
• Back Safety
• Confined Space
• Defensive Driving
• Electrical Safety
• Emergency Response
• Fall Protection
• Fire Protection
• Forklift Safety
• Hazardous Communications
• Hazmat (HM 126)
• Hazwoper (Operations)
• Hearing Conservation
• Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)
• Lockout/Tagout
• Medical Records
• Offshore Safety (Swing Ropes/Personnel Baskets, Water Safety, etc.)
• Offshore Transportation (Departure, Helicopter, Boat, Arrival, etc.)
• Personal Protective Equipment
• Process Safety Management
• Respiratory Protection
• Rigging
• Terrorism Response Awareness Program (TRAP)
• Welding Safety

Why is SafeLand training important?

By providing your employees SafeLand training, they will be receiving training that will make them aware of the potential hazards and safety requirements of an industry they may be unfamiliar with before they are exposed.

Who needs SafeLand training?

The SafeLand training is intended for individuals in the oil and gas industry; however, the field of requirement is expanding to the support industries that interact with the oil and gas industry. Many companies are expanding their business mix and vendor bases, and companies that have never serviced the oil and gas markets are suddenly finding themselves with new opportunities and client bases.

But I don’t work in the oil or gas industry.

The benefits of SafeLand training are not limited to the oil and gas industry that requires it. Even though SafeLand was developed with the oil and gas industry in mind, much of the information presented translates to other industries and provides a strong supplement to your safety program. Many of the topics presented cover some of the topics required by various regulatory agencies. If your company is considering expanding to service the oil and gas industry, the SafeLand Basic Orientation is an excellent starting point to introduce your employees to the unique hazards associated with the industry.

The time of the year for my company is slow.

Conducting SafeLand or any other training during an off-peak time provides a tremendous opportunity to take care of training needs without interfering with production demands. Many companies find that if they wait until ‘things pick up,’ they are unable to free up the employees without interfering with production. This means many times the training doesn’t take place, and the employees are exposed to hazards they may not aware of.

So SafeLand replaces my need for any other training?

Although SafeLand training covers many topics, some, such as H2S and Confined Space, have very specific regulatory training requirements and should not be confused with programs like SafeLand or vice versa. While the topics may be discussed during the SafeLand training, it is not to the level that may be required by the applicable regulations.

Does SafeLand training expire?

The SafeLand Basic Orientation does not expire, but some companies or employers may impose their own refresher requirements.

R2M Engineering is here to help you stay in compliance. Contact us today at (806) 783-9944 or visit our contact page www.R2Meng.com/contact if you have any questions or concerns.

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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is finally making a push to catch up with the fluctuating value of the dollar. In November, President Barack Obama signed into law a piece of legislation called the “Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015” which was a part of the “H.R. 1314 Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015.” This provision amended the “Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990,” and will allow the OSHA fines to be adjusted with the increase in inflation. In addition, OSHA has been given the authority to adjust fines in accordance with changes in the Consumer Price Index for future issues of inflation.

Are you prepared for the increase in OSHA fines? Contact Freddie (pictured above) today if you have an questions.

David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA, said in a statement made to the Committee on Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, the most serious obstacle to effective OSHA enforcement is the very low level of civil penalties allowed under our law, as well as our weak criminal sanctions.

“The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can impose a penalty of $270,000 for violations of the Clean Air Act, and a penalty of $1 million for attempting to tamper with a public water system,” Michaels said. “Yet, the maximum civil penalty OSHA may impose when a hard-working man or woman is killed on the job, even when the death is caused by a willful violation of an OSHA requirement, is $70,000.”

The amount of time for which violators may be incarcerated is also an argument given by him for the maximum increase in fines. Criminal provisions in the OSH Act are weaker than those in virtually every other safety, health, and environmental law.

“The Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act all provide for criminal prosecution for knowing violations of the law with penalties up to 15 years in jail,” Michaels said. “Under the OSH Act, criminal penalties are limited to those cases where a willful violation of an OSHA standard results in the death of a worker and to cases of false statements or misrepresentations.”

Michaels went on to say that the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Resource Conservation Acts can provide criminal prosecution for up to 15 years for knowingly endangering lives while the maximum incarceration penalty for a violation that costs a worker’s life is six months in jail, which is considered only a misdemeanor crime.

The next step in the process is implementation guidance from the Office of Management and Budget on carrying out the proposed fine increases. OSHA will then be required to publish an interim rule by July 1^st. The fines will then begin by the official deadline in August.

What this means

1. OSHA penalties will increase for the first time in 25 years.
2. The potential maximum in OSHA fines for “other-than-serious” and “serious” violations will increase to $12,471 from $7,000.
3. The potential maximum in OSHA fines for “willful” or “repeat” violations will increase to $124,709 from $70,000.
4. OSHA is granted the option to periodically increase penalties to match the cost of living in the future.
5. Fine structure will be set no later than August 1, 2016.

What this means to you

1. Companies can expect to see a nearly 80% monetary increase in OSHA fines this year.
2. The safety of your employees and compliance with safety standards are more important than ever.

R2M’s Take

“While nobody likes being fined or having a regulatory agency interfere with their business, we have to remember that OSHA’s goal is to ensure that employees are able to return home at night. If you view OSHA fines as representing the importance of human lives, how can you put a dollar amount on the life of someone’s son, daughter, husband, or wife? When you think about it this way, the fines are still relatively cheap. Especially when you consider that many times the cost of compliance is usually cheaper in the long run. How much does that safety meeting or Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) really cost you compared to medical expenses, increased insurance premiums, loss of business reputation, or civil lawsuits? I really don’t want to ever see a company get an OSHA fine; I would rather see that money and time spent on efforts to ensure a safe workplace.”

Sean Finkbone SSH, CSHO
Senior Safety Manager

R2M Engineering is here to help you stay in compliance and make sure these fine increases don’t affect your company. Contact us today at (806) 783-9944 or visit our contact page www.R2Meng.com/contact if you have any questions or concerns.

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