Pacific Maritime Association

THE YEAR IN REVIEW Safety on the Waterfront ��� continued and Gangway Safety Talks prior to and during cargo handling. The results in this case have been significant: thanks to the introduction of this new equipment and set of protocols, holdman injuries in the region dropped from 36 in 2011 to 10 in 2012, the largest LTI drop in a single category in PMA history. Overall, the data collected by the PMA over the years demonstrates that the total injury rate has declined significantly, demonstrating that the waterfront is indeed a safer place for port workers today. General Safety Training For new workers, safety training is the first step to learning how to keep safe on the waterfront; for veterans, it is a way to stay sharp and stay vigilant. Now, workers will receive a new version of the waterfront���s flagship safety program, General Safety Training (GST)-VIII. Rollout of the new program begins in January 2013. that are based on the particular safety issues at each port. The core modules focus on standards and protocol for all West Coast port operations, such for all West Coast port operations, as working around hazardous matesuch as working around hazardous rials, as required by federal and state materials, as required by federal and safetysafety regulations.plug-and-play state regulations. The The plug-andmodules focus on the different types play modules focus on the different of cargo cargo handling operations types of handling operations at each port, allowing workersworkers to at each port, allowing to become better acquainted with the with the become better acquainted safety issues and protocol safety issues and protocol relevant to relevant to their tailoringBy tailoring their region. By region. sections of sections of the each port, GST-VIII the training to training to each port, GST-VIII entire the entire eight-hour packs the packs eight-hour program program with useful information, with useful information, encouraging encouraging interest in the program interest in the program and long-term and long-term retention of important retention of important material. material. Moreover, this safety training Moreover,athis safety training embodies significant partnership embodies a significant partnership between PMA member companies betweenILWU.memberthe aegis of the and the PMA Under companies and the ILWU. Under thethe parties Coast Safety Committee, aegis of the Coast Safety Committee, the parties partnered for more than 18 months in partnered for more thannewmonths in the development of the 18 program the development of theall relevant in order to ensure that new program in order to ensure that addressed safety issues would be all relevant safety most meaningful way. The in the issues would be addressed in the most meaningful way. The employers and the union worked employers and the unionfilming cargotogether writing scripts, worked together writing scripts, filming cargohandling operations and reviewing handling operations and reviewing of course content, investing hundreds courseworking in tandem hundreds of hours content, investing on content hours working in tandem on contant for all of the modules. Videos and for all training materials were proother of the modules. Videos and other training materials were produced using the latest technology, duced usinghigh-quality products. resulting in the latest technology, resulting in high-quality products. The The project was successfully project wason schedule. completed on completed successfully schedule. During the course of the coming year, During workers and roughly one-third all new the course of the coming year, all the existing 21,000-member workof new workers and roughly one-third of thewill receive the updated training. force existing 21,000-member workforce will receive the updated training. When they do, they���ll notice another When they do, they���ll notice another change: for the first time, both PMA change: for the first time, both PMA President Jim McKenna and ILWU President Jim McKenna andappear Robert McEllrath ILWU President Robert McEllrath appear in the training videos. The updated waterfront training program, GST VIII, includes new videos shot at West Coast ports. GST is of paramount importance to both the PMA and the ILWU, as it is the primary means to introduce new workers to critical safety procedures and to ensure that all workers are familiar with safety issues present on the waterfront. It is also designed to ensure that workers are apprised of the latest safety protocols and regulatory requirements. The Coast Safety Committee���s top-to-bottom review of GST led to a new format and new content for the program. Now, nine core modules are complemented by seven optional ���plug-and-play��� modules PACIFIC MARITIME ASSOCIATION PACIFIC MARITIME ASSOCIATION 23

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