Putting new life into Hazardous Material training

Louise Foster | Monday, September 07, 2009

Gloucestershire's Fire Service College has revitalized its hazardous materials training, plugging a skills gap that potentially posed a public safety threat.

Too many delegates were failing the college's hazardous materials and environmental protection (HMEP) course, which was seen as uninspiring and too theoretical. That risked the possibility that there would not be enough accredited hazardous materials (hazmat) officers to maintain 24/7 operational cover at the UK's fire services, who each face up to 250 incidents a year involving fuel spillages, chemical leaks and asbestos. Ultimately the growing skills gap could risk public safety and in late 2006 it was deemed necessary to act.

In September 2007 the Fire Service College (FSC) set about redesigning the HMEP course to improve attendance and learner satisfaction. The course designers increased time spent in interactive exercises by 126% and introduced pre-course learning supported by online tutors to bring all candidates to the same starting point.

The programme, fine tuned through a number of pilot courses starting in June 2008, was revised following evaluation and has now been ratified by the Chief Fire Officers Association, the Scottish Executive and the accreditation body and the University of Central Lancaster.

The new course trains officers to identify chemicals and other hazardous materials, evaluate the decontamination methods available and advise incident commanders on t he most appropriate course of action. The course is the first of its kind to use blended learning, where delegates access 60 hours of pre-course learning material before the course.

During a 3.5 week residential course, delegates learn through demonstrations and practical chemistry exercises, interactive case studies, practical exercises and assessments on the Incident ground.  The training must replicate the kinds of risks that Fire Officers regularly meet and so live explosions, burning chemical plant rigs and petro-chemical leaks are all simulated.  Delegates also learn through research, self-assessment and group and individual presentations.

Progress is monitored in one-to-one tutorials and remedial feedback. Instructors continually monitor performance, with assessment through written and practical exercises.

To date four new courses have been run, many fully booked with 28 delegates on each. All found it helpful and well-delivered while more than 90% rated it as good or excellent. Completion and pass rates are 100%, and 58% have scored more than 90%.

The nature of the training means that it is not cheap, although evaluation has shown that the cost of training is typically recovered after just one Hazardous Materials incident, and annually each Fire and Rescue attends an average of approximately 250 incidents.   Trainees were surveyed within six months of training, when 62.5% had already used their new skills and knowledge.

The new course has regained previously lost customers and only four out of 112 places are available for the next 12 months. Skills are maintained through a HAZMATS online forum and revalidated through a new HMEP Revalidation course (HMEPR).

John Mann, head of training delivery, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, says: "As a long-time customer of the FSC I was disappointed with the lack of development and progression with HAZMAT training, the delivery becoming uninspiring and dour.  I was consequently delighted that the FSC listened to the feedback of myself and colleagues.

"Our delegates are returning to work immediately able to apply their learnt skills and knowledge to the benefit of the general public, themselves and other fire fighters.  The FSC is training HAZMAT officers to a very high level, developing a very important resilience capability.  I am now a very satisfied customer."

The public service training provider FSC employs 240 people and is Investors in People accredited.

ENDS

Entry name: Fire Service College; Hazardous Materials and Environmental Protection Training

Entry no: 90807

Location: The Fire Service College, London Road, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 0RH.

Region: South West.

For further information contact:

Natalie.D'Angelo / Kate Moloughney 020 7612 9259

natalie.d'angelo@ukskills.org.uk      

kate.moloughney@ukskills.org.uk