March news round up

Welcome to the March news round up.

I promised myself i would write this news round up without mentioning the C-word, but I don’t think that’s going to be possible. Covid-19 has dominated March and looks set to have an impact on the wind sector for the next few months. We are lucky as a business to be able to continue, albeit on a reduced basis, training during this crisis. We’ve taken significant steps to mitigate risks for our trainers and course attendees during the outbreak. This has meant the closure of our training facilities and a move to 100% onsite training until we feel we it is 100% safe to reopen the centers.

March started so differently

At the very start of March we were packing up after attending the AWEA O&M conference in San Diego. It was a great conference, we met up with clients and connected with new potential clients across the week. The weather was great and we had a small opportunity to enjoy some of the Southern California coastline. What a difference 30 days make! We moved quickly to ensure we could react to our client needs but most importantly to ensure the safety of our people and our attendees.

Moving onsite

The big story of the last 30 days has been our transition to 100% GWO onsite training. We regularly run training courses for customers at their wind farms but we’ve never had to run 100% of our courses in this fashion. The safety advantages are obvious, less interaction between people and less travel for course attendees. As training centers have closed across the country demand has grown exponentially. A big thank you to all the STL USA team for stepping up as in many cases we’ve been the last resort for clients.

Looking ahead

One thing is for certain this outbreak won’t last forever. When we come out of the back of this there will be a number of challenges that we will have to cover. Firstly there’s going to be a major backlog of refresher training that will need to be completed, second it’s likely there will be a rush of new hires. These will likely have been postponed during the lockdown. It’s going to mean a lot of training is required in a short space of time. To tackle this we’re working with all our customers to create a schedule for refreshers starting in May, we’re committed to running these back to back for as long as required so nobody’s certs lapse. It’s important we do this as lapsed certs require the tech to complete a full training course, keeping them out of the field for a full 5 days. We are working on a way for you to log your techs and their expiry dates into a schedule so we can then provide you training options, more to follow…

 

Stay Safe Everyone.

 

In the meantime if you want to add technicians to our refresher schedule you can get in touch below.

 

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GWO training during the Covid-19 (coronavirus) outbreak

GWO training during the Covid-19 outbreak will be available as two options.

 

During the outbreak it’s vital that we continue to provide safety services to our clients in the renewable energy sector. STL USA are taking every step to ensure GWO safety training is conducted in a clean and secure environment that minimises the risk to our attendees and employees. We are continuing to offer two training options for wind technicians.

 

Update March 26th, 2020.

All training courses will be restricted to a maximum of 6 people, 5 trainees and 1 trainer.

 

Onsite training

STL USA are the only company accredited by the GWO to offer GWO onsite training in the USA. This means we can attend a customer site to perform the full GWO Basic Safety Training course. This requires the use of a turbine and a facility that can double as a classroom for a maximum of 10 people. Onsite training requires a ratio of 1 instructor to 4 technicians and during this time we are capping all courses at a max of 8 technicians plus 2 instructors. For a class of 4 the course will run as normal, for a class of 8 attendees will be split into 2 groups and the second group will run on a reverse schedule of the first to minimise contact.

We are able to service locations across North America however we will treat each enquiry on a case by case basis.

 

Training center

From March 31st our training centers are running a reduced timetable. Courses in Texas will start on April 20th and 27th for full GWO Basic Safety Training and in Iowa on April 27th. Courses may be cancelled or changed at short notice during this period we will endeavour to keep our customers informed of developments as we react to them in all cases.

 

Taking steps to stay safe

The safety of our customers and employees is always our primary concern. All steps in accordance with Federal Government and World Health Organisation guidelines have been implemented by STL USA. In addition modifications to GWO training courses have been applied which minimise the risks for everyone involved in a training course.

Anyone presenting with:

  • Flu like
  • Cough
  • Fever
  • Shortness of Breath

will not be allowed to join a training course and registration will be delayed until symptoms no longer exist and the person is medically passed fit to train.

In specific modules

  1. During First Aid and Enhanced First Aid (including refresher) modules for when practicing CPR on a resuscitation mannequin. Training staff will continue to demonstrate correct CPR, however course participants (delegates) shall not be required to perform mouth-to-mouth on a mannequin. However, delegates must still practice establishing an airway and verbally confirming delivery and the correct number of rescue breaths (without contact between course participants mouth and the mannequin’s mouth), and otherwise complete the exercise as described.
  2. During Working at Height initial and refresher training, all practical exercises will be performed using a rescue dummy as injured person (casualty), including the double evacuation and ladder rescues of a conscious person
  3. During Advanced Rescue Training (Initial and Refresher), when performing practical rescue exercises where the course participants (delegates) are required to work in teams, these exercises will be carried out as single rescuer, making sure to cover planning of rescue in teams and teams communication during rescue.

The whole team at STL USA encourage you to stay safe during this difficult time.

 

If you would like to discuss an onsite or training center course contact us.

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Latest GWO training dates

The latest GWO training dates are out. Dates for April and May below.

 

As ever we try to release GWO training dates with at least 3 months advance notice. Courses are available throughout March April and May.

Courses available cover the GWO Basic Safety training which includes the modules; First Aid, Fire Awareness, Manual Handling and Working at Height. Courses are run from some of the best facilities in the USA at centers in Iowa and Texas. Courses are led by our expert instructor team who have years of experience training around the world. If the GWO training dates don’t work for your schedule let us know, we can also organise onsite training at your facility.

As ever for more information just get in touch we’re happy to help.

 

Texas

March

Starting Monday 23rd, full GWO BST

Starting Tuesday 31st, GWO BST refresher

April

Starting Tuesday 7th, GWO BST refresher

Starting Monday 13th full GWO BST

Starting Monday 20th full GWO BST

Starting Monday 27th full GWO BST

May

Starting Monday 4th full GWO BST

Starting Tuesday 19th GWO BST refresher

 

Iowa

March

Starting Monday 23rd full GWO BST

April

Starting Monday 13th full GWO BST

May

Starting Monday 11th full GWO BST

Starting Monday 25th full GWO BST

 

Booking a course is simple and easy. Once you’ve picked a location and date we simply send you the joining instructions and sign-up form for you to fill in and return. When we have this your place is secure and then confirmed on payment of the course fees. Our friendly team are here to help, get in touch below.

 

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Live from AWEA OMS2020

We’re live at AWEA OMS2020, come and see us at booth 314.

We made it to OMS2020 from London to San Diego! We’re super proud to be exhibiting at this year’s American Wind Energy Association O&M safety conference. This year we are showcasing some brand new equipment alongside our GWO training courses in Iowa, Texas and soon to be Kansas City. It’s been a great opportunity for us to meet with our partners, customers and make new friends in the wind community.

 

OMS2020

 

This years attendees from STL USA are Ben Williams and Ben Dickens. As we’ve been told having two Ben’s makes it easy to remember! This year our agenda is super focused on the labour challenges faced by the wind sector. Discussions we’re having at OMS2020 will enable us to develeop a raft of course programmes that address these issues directly. As a long standing GWO member it’s vitally important that we work together to manage these challenges in a safe and sustainable manner.

 

Come and say hi, Booth 314.

 

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What we’re discussing at AWEA O&M safety conference.

As we get closer to heading to San Diego for this year’s AWEA O&M safety conference we thought we highlight the key areas of focus for STL USA.

This year’s AWEA O&M safety conference will be a great opportunity to connect with our friends and colleagues across the industry, discuss the topics that really matter and work out how we can collectively solve these issues together. STL USA will be exhibiting on booth 314 come and find us.

For STL USA our focus this year is on a number of key areas including; developing offshore capability, launching Basic Technical Training and working with the labour supply chain to ease the bottleneck of trained technicians entering wind.

 

Offshore safety training, GWO Sea Survival.

With significant developments taking place on both the East and West coast, including the Ocean Wind site, demand for offshore technicians has never been higher. This puts huge pressure on the need for GWO Sea Survival courses, located within a sensible travelling distance of the fields. Currently the market is very thin. Offshore facilities have historically been centred around the Oil and Gas sector, located around the Gulf of Mexico but this needs to change given winds development on the East and West coast. To this end STL USA are actively seeking out sites to ensure we can meet this demand from the growing sector.

 

Developing Technical training, GWO Basic Technical Training

We believe that 2020 will see increasing importance placed on the need for technical training in the wind sector. As demand continues to grow for trained individuals only so much can be serviced from techs moving across sectors, in-house training and labour movement. We believe that 2020 will be the year where BTT becomes a key access point for people wanted to work in wind, whether high school or college leavers or those transitioning from unrelated areas. Ensuring a consistent flow of manpower is going to be crucial and we’re lucky that this is also recognised by our partners at Texas State Technical College.

 

How can we move people into wind energy faster?

Recent conversations with partners and clients have led us to explore the manpower problem from all angles in recent months. We clearly have an issue in the sector, there’s not enough technicians and not really enough places to train them. These are classic teething problems of a fast growing sector and something we’re keen to address. Ideas we’ve explored include a credit based system for experienced workers at height to gain credits on GWO course for existing qualifications, a transition path covering technical course modules and safety. We haven’t got a definitive answer to this question, what we do know is that we will need to come together as a sector to address this issue. New course formats and markeing criteria will need to be developed, tested and rolled out. AWEA O&M safety conference is a perfect place to do this, we look forward to speaking with you there.

 

AWEA O&M safety conference will be busy, the best way to ensure a conversation with STL USA is to book a meeting slot. Just click the link below.

 

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Why get the STL USA newsletter

Apart from the wit and imaginative writing there’s a bunch of reasons to get the STL USA newsletter!

 

So why should you get the STL USA newsletter? We’ll we bring you the lowdown on some of the best news in wind energy safety, the latest developments at STL USA and so much more.

Be the first to hear about course dates and availability

GWO training is becoming increasingly popular in the USA and with limited providers it pays to know when and where you can train. After all taking technicians out of the field costs money, STL USA strive to make the process simple and painless to minimise the impact to your bottom line, ensuring your workforce is fully qualified to the GWO Basic Safety training standard.

Get updates on offers and funding opportunities for training courses

We regular run promotions on our courses and make available funding via our regional and state partners. Funding goes fast, grab the newsletter to be kept up to date on opportunities. For example a client recently had 90% of their course fee’s paid via a state funding program in Texas. Can you afford not to benefit from this?

 

Sign-Up and Don’t Miss Out

 

 

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GWO Safety courses Q1 2020

GWO Safety courses Q1 2020 are coming thick and fast, we have a large program of dates across our Iowa and Texas locations.

GWO Safety courses Q1 2020 cover both the full GWO Basic Safety Training and the refresher course. Each consists of the four onshore modules; fire awareness, first aid, manual handling and working at height. For the working at height module we use a variety of evacuation devices in order to train technicians on equipment they will be using. Let us know when you book what you use day to day and we will ensure we tailor the course appropriately.

 

The full list of GWO training courses can be found below for both venues.

 

Sweetwater, Texas:

January 14th to 16th: GWO BST Refresher

January 21st to 24th: GWO BST

January 27th to 31st GWO BST

February 3rd to 7th GWO BST

February 10th to 14th: GWO BST

February 18th to 20th : GWO BST Refresher

February 25th to 27th GWO BST Refresher

March 23rd to 27th: GWO BST

March 31st to April 4th GWO BST Refresher

 

 

Estherville, Iowa:

January 14th to 16th: GWO BST Refresher

February 10th to 14th: GWO BST

February 24th to 28th: GWO BST Refresher

March 9th to 13th: GWO BST

March 23rd to 25th: GWO BST Refresher

April 13th to 17th GWO BST

 

Booking a course is simple and easy. Once you’ve picked a location and date we simple send you the joining instructions and sign-up form for you to fill in and return. When we have this your place is secure and then confirmed on payment of the course fees. Our friendly team are here to help, get in touch below.

 

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New Year, New Year GWO courses.

New Year GWO courses will be coming along soon. The program starts mid-January in Iowa and Texas.

Next year’s New Year GWO courses start on January 14th in both Iowa and Texas. Both course are GWO Basic Safety Training Refreshers running over three days and starting the week on a Tuesday.

From this point the course schedule take in a full GWO BAsic Safety Training in Texas and then runs through February, March and the rest of the first half of the year with a minimum of 1 full course and 1 refresher per month at each site.

Whether you need to refresh your certificates or take the course for the first time you will study the following modules:

  • Fire Awareness
  • First Aid
  • Manual Handling
  • Working at Height

Courses generally start 8:00am daily at both of our training centers. Each has center has some of the best training facilities in the USA with simulated nacelles, climbing structures and classroom facilities.

The full program is:

 

Sweetwater, Texas:

January 14th to 16th: GWO BST Refresher

January 21st to 24th: GWO BST

January 27-31st GWO BST

February 10th to 14th: GWO BST

February 18th to 20th : GWO BST Refresher

March 9th to 13th: GWO BST

March 16th to 20th: GWO BST

 

Estherville, Iowa:

January 14th to 16th: GWO BST Refresher

February 10th to 14th: GWO BST

February 24th to 28th: GWO BST Refresher

March 9th to 13th: GWO BST

March 23rd to 25th: GWO BST Refresher

 

To book a course and for more information click below.

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GWO First Aid Course

The GWO First Aid course covers the key aspects of first aid in a rescue or injury scenario. The First aid course teaches trainees how to manage a first aid situation and apply first aid in the correct manner.

The GWO First Aid course forms a core component of GWO Basic Safety Training. Alongside Fire Awareness, Manual Handling and Working at Height most technicians choose to take the four core onshore modules in one chunk. The course comprises two days of GWO First Aid, two days of GWO Working at Height and then a half day each for Fire Awareness and Manual Handling.

Alongside the Working at Height First Aid is a vital component of the GWO Basic Safety Training course.

Once completed technicians will be able to demonstrate an understanding of:

  • the importance of carrying out first aid in a safe manner in accordance with the legislative requirements of their geographic location and according to ERC and AHA guidelines.
  • to identify and explain normal function, normal signs and symptoms of serious and minor injuries and illness related to the human body.
  • the correct order of management in an emergency in a WTG environment.
  • correct use of lifesaving First Aid using the Primary Survey A–B–C
  • correct use of an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED)
  • correct use of Ordinary First Aid, the Secondary survey
  • correct use of First Aid equipment in a First Aid scenario

Safety Technology USA emphasise the GWO First Aid element as a vital tool for technicians who encounter a rescue, injury or first aid scenario. We don’t underestimate the dangers that technicians face and as with all GWO memeber organisations and training providers safety is the beginning, middle and end of everything we do.

If you’d like to find out more about the GWO First Aid course as part of the wider GWO Basic Safety Training please get in touch via the link at the bottom of this blog.

Whilst most techs take first aid as part of the full course it can also be delivered as a stand alone module over 2 days for new trainees and 1 day for refreshers. STL USA are fully accredited to deliver GWO courses onsite as well as from our facilities in Texas and Iowa.

Get in touch with us now to discuss your requirements and book a course.

 

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GWO Basic Safety training in Iowa and Texas Latest Dates

GWO Basic Safety training in Iowa and Texas last minute availability.

Demand for GWO Basic Safety Training in Iowa and Texas has been unprecedented so we have scheduled two additional courses in December and January.

Texas course availability

Starting Tuesday December 3rd and Tuesday December 10th we have two weeks of GWO Basic Safety Training Refresher courses at our GWO training center Texas covering the four core Basic Safety Training modules.

Starting Monday December 16th 2019 at Texas State Technical College will be a full GWO Basic Safety Training course including all onshore modules. The course will cover;First Aid, Fire Awareness, Manual Handling and Working at Height. Running over 5 days the course will be led by STL USA’s highly experienced instructors.

12/3/19 GWO Basic Safety Training Refresher

12//10/19 GWO Basic Safety Training Refresher

Full course details:

GWO Basic Safety Training Refresher

Duration:

3 days starting December 10th 2019

Modules:

  • Fire Awareness
  • First Aid
  • Manual Handling
  • Working at Height

Training location:

Texas State Technical College, Sweetwater, Texas,

Places available

4 places currently available

GWO Basic Safety Training

Duration:

5 days starting December 16th 2019

Modules:

  • Fire Awareness
  • First Aid
  • Manual Handling
  • Working at Height

Training location:

Texas State Technical College, Sweetwater, Texas,

Places available

4 places currently available

GWO Basic Safety Training Refresher

Duration:

3 days starting January 14th 2020

Modules:

  • Fire Awareness
  • First Aid
  • Manual Handling
  • Working at Height

Training location:

Texas State Technical College, Sweetwater, Texas,

Places available

4 places currently available

GWO Basic Safety Training

Duration:

4 days starting January 21st 2020

Modules:

  • Fire Awareness
  • First Aid
  • Manual Handling
  • Working at Height

Training location:

Texas State Technical College, Sweetwater, Texas,

Places available

6 places currently available

GWO Basic Safety Training

Duration:

5 days starting February 10th 2020

Modules:

  • Fire Awareness
  • First Aid
  • Manual Handling
  • Working at Height

Training location:

Texas State Technical College, Sweetwater, Texas,

Places available

7 places currently available

Iowa course availability

The fourth course coming up will be scheduled in Iowa at Iowa Lakes Community College. Starting on Tuesday January 14th 2020 this will be a full GWO Basic Safety Training refresher course for any technicians that need to renew their accreditations. The course will cover all the onshore modules; First Aid, Fire Awareness, Manual Handling and Working at Height. Running over 3 days.

Full course details

GWO Basic Safety Training Refresher

Duration:

3 days starting January 14th 2020

Modules:

  • Fire Awareness
  • First Aid
  • Manual Handling
  • Working at Height

Training location:

Iowa Lakes Community College, Estherville, Iowa.

Places available

4 places currently available

GWO Basic Safety Training

Duration:

5 days starting February 10th 2020

Modules:

  • Fire Awareness
  • First Aid
  • Manual Handling
  • Working at Height

Training location:

Iowa Lakes Community College, Estherville, Iowa.

Places available

6 places currently available

STL USA’s GWO Basic Safety training in Iowa and Texas offers best in class GWO training. STL USA”s trainers are widely considered some of the most competent and experienced operating in the USA. STL USA’s years of global experience delivering GWO training ensures trainees leave every course 100% confident in what they have learnt.

Get in touch with us now to discuss your requirements and book a course.

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