Operator Safety Training for pellet manufacturers has officially risen to the next level. Working together with the BC Forest Safety Council (BCFSC), WPAC launched an industry-wide initiative to deliver a free, comprehensive, digital e-learning safety training program for plant operators and supervisors.
Designed to ensure the safe operation of pellet manufacturing facilities, the content for this state-of-the-art learning platform was developed with senior plant operators and subject matter experts from British Columbia and Nova Scotia, focusing on combustible dust, human factors, hazard analysis, process safety management, upset conditions and plant operation.
The collaboration resulted in the online platform, which includes videos, industry resources, and built-in knowledge assessments for plant operators and supervisors. Funding was provided by WorkSafeBC.
While the platform was designed for pellet plants, the training modules are available to the broader wood products sector and other industries that handle combustible dust, such as chemical products, and food and beverage processing.
Topics Include
- Human factors
- Process safety
- Combustible gas and dust management
- Ergonomics
- Personal health and safety
- Start-up and shut‐down procedures
- Human-machine interface (HMI) monitoring
- Quality control
- Handling upset conditions
- Legislation, regulations and standards
Sign-up: wpaclearning.com
Read the fact sheet to learn how to use the platform: Online Interactive Operator Safety Training
History of the Development of the Online Learning Platform
A Plant Operator’s primary job is to maintain steady operation of a pellet plant through the control room controls. This includes monitoring the plant operations to maximize performance and efficiency without risking safety or damaging equipment.
Plant operators must be able to :
- Recognize, evaluate, and control hazards
- Maintain quality control
- Respond to a range of upset conditions
- Understand and consistently apply industry practices and applicable regulations
Recognizing the critical nature of this role, WPAC and BCFSC partnered to develop a consistent set of standards and resources for industry to effectively assess operator competency and provide resources to facilitate both the assessment process and development of competencies.
WPAC was awarded funding by WorkSafeBC through a Small Initiatives Funding Program to support completion of the plant operator competency project. The online learning platform was made available to operations in early 2023.