New CPWR Disaster Response Training
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| CPWR Field Services Coordinator Jack Gilchrist talks with a delegate following the Disaster Response workshop. |
As the toll from terrorist acts and catastrophic natural disasters increases, BAC members, along with other members of the Building Trades, need training in safe, effective disaster response, Jack Gilchrist, Field Services Coordinator for the Center to Protect Workers’ Rights (CPWR), told Convention delegates attending a Disaster Response workshop. Gilchrist cited the World Trade Center recovery and cleanup as a regrettable example, because workers were not given adequate training and were exposed to a host of health hazards.
In response, CPWR is offering an innovative training program, led by experienced instructors and utilizing an interactive DVD, to prepare building trades members to safely and effectively do their jobs in the event of a crisis.
The CPWR disaster response training covers the full range of issues workers should be aware of, including hazard recognition, the use of personal protective equipment, the need for decontamination to avoid exposing family members and others to toxins, and incident command systems so everyone is doing their part.
CPWR’s aim is to provide pre-incident training for as many construction workers as possible, and to have a national network of trainers in place to deliver essential information instantly whenever an emergency occurs.
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