Environmental Contractors Association® Launches Critical Training Courses Through CERT Institute® to Provide Valuable New Standards for the Industry
ECA-certified training courses designed to foster professional development, increase situational awareness and improve response readiness relative to effective on-site hazard assessment and remediation required for a broad range of hazardous environmental and infectious organism public health emergencies.
NEW YORK, Nov. 01, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- In response to a void in education and training related to the changing world of infectious disease and environmental contamination, as well as the wide array of hazards that may present at any emergency site, the Environmental Contractors Association (ECA®) has developed the Certified Environmental Remediation Training (CERT®) program.
The mission of CERT Institute is to provide education through the development and delivery of ECA-certified training courses designed to foster professional development, increase situational awareness and improve response readiness relative to effective on-site hazard assessment and remediation required for a broad range of hazardous environmental and infectious organism public health emergencies.
Following consultation with agencies such as the U.S. Occupation Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), New York City Office of Emergency Management (NYC OEM), New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYC DEP), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) and professional organizations such as Restoration Industry Association (RIA), Professional Abatement Contractors of New York (PACNY) and Environmental Information Association (EIA), CERT Institute will offer two innovative and critical training courses. Delivered by highly-trained remediation experts, each program includes 24 hours of training as follows:
CERT General (Awareness Training for the Responsible Person): This course is open to individuals responsible for managing situations involving environmental contaminants or complaints. Building owners, property managers and operators, Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) directors, hospital and facility managers, and others will gain a general understanding of the types of threats that can occur, and how to recognize and respond to them. The course covers many of the basic environmental contaminants that are still present in many buildings and provides much-needed information on environmental contamination and infectious disease containment. Those completing the course will be well equipped to identify an environmental issue, assess the best course of action, and engage the appropriate licensed professionals to mitigate impact and bring about remediation.
CERT Professional (Enhanced Environmental Training for Licensed Supervisors): This upper-level training course is specifically designed for experienced environmental remediation professionals responding to man-made or natural disasters. Course attendees will gain advanced knowledge of pathogen containment and hazardous condition assessment and response, learning to apply their skills to increasingly complex projects. They will also gain the ability to identify and assess the broad range of hazards that often exist at an emergency site, understand how to prioritize those multiple hazards, employ best methods for workforce and public protection and provide leadership to mitigate even the worst conditions.
"There is an unmet training need in our industry for environmental remediation management professionals who are called upon to supervise the cleanup and decontamination of a site, and the managers of facilities vulnerable to environmental incidents," said Morris Napolitano, ECA Chairman. "These individuals are at a disadvantage without comprehensive knowledge of current processes and procedures that guarantee effective site decontamination and minimize impact to internal and external communities. This course curriculum will have an impact far beyond environmental contractors. It will contribute to the safety and well-being of workers, management and communities at large," concluded Napolitano.
General Awareness classes are scheduled for January 2019. For more information on CERT Institute, or to register, visit http://www.certinstituteny.com or contact Joyce Nastasi at jnastasi(at)ecanyc(dot)org.
CERT Institute and Training were developed by the Environmental Contractors Association (ECA). ECA was founded in 1996 and is committed to raising the industry standards. With more than 50 members, ECA works closely with legislators, industry experts and labor management to establish best practices, standards procedures and safety initiatives. For more on ECA, visit http://www.ecanyc.org.
SOURCE Environmental Contractors Association
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