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.