For many years, I have been instructing OSHA safety for Greenville Technical College (GvlTec). After attending the Hazardous Waste Operations Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) course sponsored by the National Partnership Environmental Technology Education (PETE) in Davenport, Iowa in 2019, GvlTec used me for HAZWOPER training as well.
Toward the end of 2019, our company earned distinction working with GvlTec in the development of a Fall Prevention/Protection training program through a Susan Harwood Grant. We also translated the entire training program into Spanish. Once developed, I spent 2020 delivering or instructing this grant-produced program in both English and Spanish.
I loved the experience but also regretted that it did not reach its potential because of the pandemic. One thing that I discovered about schools like GvlTec is that they benefit, survive, and flourish because of many of their grant-related programs. They make use of federal and state funding to offer free or reduced classes to the community at large.
Most of the students I instruct can take advantage of the Workforce Pathways state grant. They can attend OSHA courses at no charge. My company participated in the Fall Prevention/ Protection program thanks to the Susan Harwood Grant. My hope is to work with GvlTec again. I want to help develop another grant! Hopefully, the EHS director will grant me involvement in another endeavor. Perhaps we can then have a full year to really do it right and make a difference.
