Big Weekend Planned by Whale Museum: Gear Up Workshop, Hazwoper Training

“Gear Up” Workshop for Marine Naturalists on March 15, 2019 and a 2-Day (24 hour) Hazwoper Training on March 16 and 17, 2019

— from The Whale Museum —

You are invited to join The Whale Museum for two special events in March: the “Gear Up” Workshop for marine naturalists on March 15 followed by a 2-Day (24 hour) Hazwoper Training on March 16 and 17.  On Friday, March 15, the “Gear Up” Workshop will be held at the San Juan Island Grange Hall in Friday Harbor from 10 am to 4 pm.  Doors open at 9:30 a.m. for registration.  The theme will be on oil spill response and the Southern Resident Killer Whales. Invited presenters include: Donald Noviello (WDFW Oil Spill Team) on wildlife oil spill response and threat to Southern Resident Killer Whales; Lovel Pratt (Friends of the San Juans) on actions individuals can take and opportunities to advocate for safe shipping and oil spill prevention; Marla Steinhoff and Jason Lehto (NOAA’s Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program [DARRP]) on assessing and restoring natural resources after oil spills, ship groundings, and hazardous releases; Representatives from IOSA(Islands Oil Spill Association) on IOSA and the current status of this organization. Other presenters TBD. A no-hostreception will follow the workshop on Friday evening at Mike’s Café & Wine Bar.

On Saturday and Sunday, March 16 and 17, Shawn Larson (The Whale Museum) will lead a 2-Day (24 hour) HazwoperCertification Training at the San Juan Island Grange Hall, starting at 8 am each day. Hazwoper stands for Hazardous Waste Operationsand Emergency Response. Hazwoper Training is covered under OSHA standard 29 CFR Part 1910.120. The 24 hour Hazwoper course is primarily for individuals who will occasionally come in contact with hazardous materials and not be involved in the cleanup operations. This class will have a focus on oiled wildlife response for those interested in participating in oiled wildlife rehabilitation. This type of training covers broad issues regarding cleanup and identification of hazardous materials. At the conclusion of this training, participants will understand how hazardous materials (including oil) are handled, identified, and human responses to exposure; learn the importance of a Health and Safety Plan; incorporate the knowledge of what to do in case of emergencies; use appropriate safety methods and controls; and recognize signs and labels that are used to alert ofdangerinvolving hazardous material. This training is limited to 20 participants. If you are interested in participating in the Hazwoper Training, 8 hours of online course work is required to be completed prior to March 16. Additionally, you must register for this training by February 15. Lunches during the Hazwoper Training will be working lunches so pre-ordered or packed lunches are strongly recommended.  

For the Gear Up Workshop, the registration fee is $35 for non-members; $25 for PWWA employees/members, TWM or SSAMN members.  For the Hazwoper Training, the registration fee is $70 for non-members, $50 for PWWA employees/members, TWM or SSAMN members. Lunch can be pre-ordered for either program at $10 per day. We greatly want to thank the Pacific Whale Watch Association (PWWA) for their generous sponsorship and support of the Hazwoper Training. For more information or to register for either or both these events, visit this web page:  https://whalemuseum.org/products/gear-up or call (360) 378-4710 ext. 30.