RESPONSE QUALIFICATION SYSTEM: IS THE OIL SPILL RESPONSE INDUSTRY READY?

Abstract

ABSTRACT The oil spill response industry is continuously driven to elevate the level of readiness of response personnel. The industry challenges itself to maintain a roster of spill response personnel that are trained and ready to fulfill “specialty functions” and operate “specialty equipment” in the event of a major oil spill. It is easy to respond to questions like: “Who are your oil spill response vessel operators?” or “Who are your response barge crew members?” However, how should one react when presented with the next set of questions: “What are your vessel operators qualifications?” or “How do you determine what qualifies them to perform that function?” Since it provides emergency response, the oil spill response industry is now asked these questions and is required to provide definitive responses. To avoid becoming complacent, it is necessary to provide a training curriculum that goes beyond the basics. A basic training program that simply includes a 24- or 40-hour HAZWOPER course coupled with a course on booming and skimmers will not suffice. The spill response industry is brimming with individuals that possess basic training. Today, to maintain a high state of response readiness, an oil spill training program must offer more than the basic components. To be effective, response personnel must maintain the highest level of competency to ensure readiness when responding to an oil spill. The industry must be confident that it will succeed in its responsibility to operate response equipment efficiently and effectively. It is imperative that the oil spill response industry demonstrates to the governing agencies that it has the personnel with the necessary skills to operate special equipment and fulfill the specialty functions that arise during the course of an oil spill response. If not, the industry is putting the environment and itself at risk. Therefore, Alaska Clean Seas' latest efforts have been directed toward developing a highly competent oil spill Response Qualification System (RQS).