Workers on environmental remediation and demolition jobs; health facility renovation; and water, sewer, tunneling and other excavation jobs face health and safety threats from known and unknown contaminants and hazards. Emerging industries (e.g. fracking) and evolving job conditions (e.g. impacts from climate change) pose new threats. Workers on these jobs need training to protect themselves, the community, and the environment. Under the proposed HWWTP, LIUNA Training and Education Fund (LIUNA Training) will provide training that helps workers identify job site hazards; protect themselves, the community and the environment; prepare for unanticipated job site incidents; and apply learned skills across jobs to improve personal and job safety. Targeted workers perform a variety of job tasks, such as waste containment, reduction, separation and removal; building demolition; sewer and pipeline maintenance and installation; pollution control; microbial remediation and water damage repair; reconstruction on contaminated structures; and construction in potentially contaminated areas (e.g. tunnels, roadways). Affiliated training sites will conduct the worker training. Other subject matter experts will assist with quality assurance, health and safety issues, scientific and technological advances, and promoting model programs to the workforce training community. Training will target Construction Craft Laborer apprentices and journey workers, and other construction trades, environmental contractors and government personnel when appropriate. Special outreach will target minority, disadvantaged and non- or limited-English speaking workers. Training will be provided by 26 partner training sites in 22 states. Emphasis will be placed on providing training to meet employer and worker needs in each program location. The program will provide 355 training weeks with approximately 9,516 trainees during the first program year and similar levels during the remaining four years. Training will focus on Hazardous Waste Worker and Refresher courses and provide other environmental remediation and health and safety training to meet site specific needs. In addition, the grant will provide and promote: instructor development and certification, worker competency-based credentials, employer and workforce training collaboration, and innovative and effective training models. Several initiatives will improve workers' abilities to identify hazards on the job and to their communities; perform pollution prevention measures; apply training to job sites where hazards are poorly documented; and respond to work site accidents.
