Wastewater treatment training
Any worker who need to enter a confined space in wastewater treatment and sanitation sector has first to receive a specific training (CATEC® in France e. g.) State approved.
Many industrial accidents occur throughout the world every day during confined space entries. The main risk when entering these specific areas is the latent or permanent presence of toxic or flammable gas or poorly oxygenated atmosphere. It is thus clearly advised to train people who need to enter these specific areas in order to ensure their safety with an adapted training.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT TRAINING PURPOSE
With near 35,000 people working in wastewater treatment and sanitation in France, CATEC ® training is now required for safety at work. Other local and international training also exists. These trainings are made on common basis to improve safety levels and behaviors in field of sanitation.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT SPECIFICATIONS
Stagnant wastewaters stored in treatment basins are particularly filled in bacteria and decomposing organic materials that may produce uncontrolled biogas – a gaseous mixture of hydrogen sulphide, methane and other compounds (carbon dioxide, water vapor) – which is particularly hazardous for workers:
- Risk of asphyxia, anoxia or hypoxia: temporary or definitive absence of oxygen
- Risk of Intoxication: inhalation or absorption of a toxic gas like hydrogen sulphide or carbon monoxide
- Explosion and fire: presence of methane, a flammable gas that can ignite fire and explosion
CONFINED SPACE ENTRY: OPERATOR & SUPERVISOR
A wastewater treatment training is composed of two specific trainings in order to meet the best operators' needs. These two trainings have common basis but have specificities:
Operator's training
The operator's training certification enables to validate skills and knowledge of any confined space worker. This training main purposes are:
- Understand procedures upstream any confined space intervention
- Identify specific hazards related to confined space specifications
- Know how to use safety equipment - portable multi gas detector, SCSR - and how to check their proper operation
- Apply emergency escape procedures from confined spaces
Supervisor's training
The supervisor's training takes over the whole basis of operator's training. It enables to validate skills, knowledge and know-how of a supervisor:
- Ensure constant presence and maintaining intervention conditions up to worker's exit
- Apply alert and rescue processes
⇒ Go to confined space entry page