Several articles have been published over past years relating to spill response and the professional tower. Certification is paramount regarding performing the task properly and takes more than a shovel and a containment drum. The Federal Government tasked the EPA, OSHA, and DOT agencies with creating certification requirements which include training in spill response measures. These directives make up what is identified by the OSHA standards for spill response known as Title 29 CFR 1910.120 or HAZWOPER.
This training delves into rules and regulations required for individuals engaging in spill response and covers respiratory and personal protection as well as chemical identification. Decontamination measures, proper containment, and disposal of contaminated and hazardous materials are also required. Documentation describing the release as well as the disposal methods are also required. Tow and Recovery Professionals across the country are summoned to accident scenes only to stand by until leaks, spills, damaged saddle tanks, or releases in cargo holds are addressed. This wait time is usually lengthy if a spill response company has a long distance to travel or needs to assemble a team to respond.
Tow companies, while not deemed first responders, must be available to respond quickly to accident scenes to clear the roadway. However, spills must be addressed first to prevent cross contamination that could be the result of vehicle removal. Taking time away from business is generally the hurdle most tow operators encounter. Hazwoper training requires an initial 40 hours to achieve certification, followed by 8 hours of annual update refresher training. Hazmat Responder Network offers training that uses hands-on tools and props for real-life scenarios to aid participants in training and is not limited to roadside releases. Spill response and clean-ups are needed in industry, truck stops, fuel plazas, and freight terminal shipping and receiving docks.
Insurance companies and government authorities are keen on companies that have the necessary certified training to ensure that the task is performed properly with documentation. Insurance companies are especially strict on paying response companies and want verification of training through a Verified Trainer or Entity. Hazmat Responder Network offers 40 Hour HAZWOPER Certification and Annual refresher training which includes topics of Incident Commander, DOT HF 126, Annual Hazmat Technician, and Cargo Tank Awareness. These 8-hour updates keep the technician in compliance with the HAZWOPER rules.
Proper tools and equipment necessary for the tasks must be intrinsically safe for use in different atmospheres. Ground and bonding become necessary when transferring flammable and combustible fluids. Knowledge of containers in which to store, transport, and label are covered. The 9 different Hazard classifications are identified, and their dangerous potentials are discussed. Introduction and use of ERG info is also part of the learning process. Different entities such as OSHA, NFPA, NIOSH, and ACGIH all have a part in Technician training. Understanding their roles and enforcement of the rules and regulations can be confusing but easily understood through the proper explanation covered in class.
HRN’s Cargo Tank Awareness training employs simulators that show the design and function of DOT 406, DOT 407, and DOT 412 tanks with participants performing tasks necessary in the field for the transfer of fluids before the vehicle recovery. HRN trains participants, using defensive and offensive methods to demonstrate different techniques to arrest spills and for remediation. Measurement and detection equipment for airborne contaminates, soil, and water test systems are shown with interpretation of use. Equipment, supplies, sublet contractors, proper insurance coverage, labs for analytics, and disposal sources are included in the covered topics.
FlowStop Products, equipment, and supplies were developed to streamline the quick and ease of use for hazmat response tools needed for roadside spill response. Training, along with FlowStop products for spill response is tailored to the towing and recovery professional by a veteran of the industry who possesses knowledge from “hands-on in-field” experience and many years as a Certified Hazmat Instructor. Let Hazmat Responder Network be your source for Certified HAZWOPER Training. Contact us at www.HazmatRN.com or call 877 356 9767.
About the author: Perry Beaty’s upbringing was steeped in the towing industry in Charlotte, North Carolina. Following a two-year military service stint in the early 1970s, he assumed control of the family business, Beaty Towing & Recovery. Under his leadership, the towing service reached new heights. In 1980, Perry became actively involved with the Towing and Recovery Professionals of North Carolina (TRPNC).
From 1992 to 1995, he served as the organization’s President, introducing a scholarship program for its members in collaboration with Wreckmaster. Notably, Perry was honored with the title of “Towman of The Year” by TRPNC in January 1992 and was recognized as one of the “Top Ten Wreckmasters” in 1997. Perry achieved multiple levels of Wreckmaster certification, and in the early 1990s, obtained HAZWOPER certification after recognizing the need for more efficient clean-up responses to highway incidents in the Carolinas, benefiting Emergency Management, Law Enforcement, Fire departments, and his towing customers.
In 1995, Perry established the Piedmont Environmental Response Team (PERT) before eventually selling both of his towing companies. In 2004, Beaty founded Logos, Inc. intending to develop a lightweight, low-air pressure drainpipe plug featuring flow-through capabilities for HAZMAT operations. His innovative invention, known as the “Inflatable Flow Control Apparatus,” received a patent, and the name “FLOWSTOP” became a trademark.
In 2018, Perry furthered his expertise by completing the “HERS” Highway Emergency Response Specialist program through SERTC in Pueblo, Colorado, along with the HERS-Advanced, giving Beaty a total of 80 hours of cargo tank certification.
The Hazmat Responder Network expanded to offer Cargo Tank Awareness training, with a primary focus on transport tank trailers carrying Class 3, 6, and 8 materials.
So, unleash the Hazmat Hero within you!
