December 2001

An editorial by R. Ronald Sokol, CSP, General Manager, CSC/TC

Preparation Beginning for Busy 2002 . . .

As many of us prepare for this upcoming Holiday season, we try to plan our time wisely to prevent last minute hurrying which will allow us to truly enjoy what this season is really about. Some how though, I can't help but be reminded of the events of September 11 and grieve personally and as an American with those families who have lost loved ones in that terrible act of hatred. May we remember our fallen Americans and their families in our thoughts and prayers this year. This is a year we shall never forget.

As we move away from the year end events, we are making preparations for a busy 2002. We have been informed by both BP and Valero Refining to expect a heavy volume of contractors during the 1st quarter of 2002. Last year, we processed almost 5000 contract employees in January alone and are planning for the same number this year. In order to be more efficient in our operations, we will be installing a second badging station. This will allow us to process additional contract employees and hopefully eliminate one of the bottlenecks during periods of high volume. We also are planning to offer the Basic Orientation Plus Program (BOP) twice a day during our turnaround season. Once we begin this schedule, the BOP Program will be offered at 8 & 9:30 a.m.. The 9:30 BOP class session will proceed through the lunch hour, so eat before hand or snack during break time. We have planned to upgrade our CSC/TC badge to the " Common Badge" aka ARSC Badge being used at Safety Council's in Houston, Nederland, Baton Rouge and Port Lavaca but will not be able to complete this project prior to our upcoming turnaround season.

As we prepare, let me offer a few tips to our membership as you prepare to meet the needs of our petrochemical industry. #1) Verify that your membership is still active and all past due invoices have been paid. This will allow your employees to be process without delay. #2) Ensure that you have a current registration form to schedule training. CSC/TC has a policy that requires additional registration forms to be requested by your authorized company representative only when a written request is made on your company letterhead. This policy is to protect our membership and User Companies from unauthorized use of CSC/TC services. #3) Use on-line registration system whenever possible. CSC/TC Board approved the development of our own on-line registration and training verification system at our December Board Meeting. This system will replace the ISNetworld system currently in place. There will be no additional fees for members to utilize this system which will be available to all active members by year end. In the meantime, it is permissible to have contract employees hand carry registration forms to CSC/TC. This will ensure that the form will not be misplaced or the fax not received. Also, make sure that the registration form is completed correctly and for all services requested. We can not "Guess" what you need. #4) For contractors with large training volumes, we suggest having a company representative present at CSC/TC to assist in the registration process. This has worked very well for contractors in the past. #5) For contract employees with valid BOP training and needing only site specific training, schedule during off peak hours. Our busiest time is first thing in the morning and your wait time will be greatest during that portion of the day. #6) For Saturday classes, provide at least 24 hour notice to CSC/TC. The fee for opening CSC/TC on a Saturday is $200 plus cost of training. Please don't plan on scheduling a Sunday class since we allow our employees an opportunity to worship our Creator. #7) Visit our web site : www.csctc.org. This will provide you maps, course content and curriculum, and a practice test to access worker safety knowledge prior to visiting CSC/TC. All trainees must pass a 50 question exam on program content. This is a written English exam only. If your employees would need more than the 50 minutes allotted to finish the exam, please request additional time on their registration form. Employees who fail the exam twice, are subject to a 14 day waiting period before they can be rescheduled for the BOP. #8) You must produce a valid form of identification (i.e. Driver's license, passport, state I.D.card etc.) prior to us releasing your card. Per ARSC audit guidelines, your old Safety Council card is not a proper means of identification. #9) We will work with you if you work with us. Tempers during these turnaround times can get short and we will attempt to treat you the way we would want to be treated. Remember, our employees have guidelines that must be followed to ensure security, and maintain program integrity. #10) Patience is a virtue and may we all be virtuous people this turnaround season. From myself, and the Staff at CSC/TC, may you have a Joyful and Blessed Holiday Season.

Sincerely,

R. Ronald Sokol, General Manager

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