Intensive training – warehousing, dangerous goods management
Caribbean Maritime Institute partners with PMAC and Barbados shipping sector
2015 October 1: A total of 38 participants from four Caribbean territories recently completed intensive training in warehouse logistics and the handling of hazardous goods and dangerous cargo. The training event, delivered by the Caribbean Maritime Institute – School of Advanced Skills was held over five days, August 31 to September 4 at the Blue Horizon Hotel in Rockley, Barbados.
The workshop was sponsored by the Port Management Association of the Caribbean(PMAC) in partnership with the Shipping Association of Barbados and Barbados Port Inc.
Participants included employees from Barbados Port Inc., St. Vincent and the Grenadines Port Authority, British Virgin Islands Port Authority, Antigua and Barbuda Port Authority, Anguilla Air and Sea Ports Authority, Barbados Industrial Development Corporation, Barbados National Oil Company Ltd., Goddards Shipping and Tours Ltd., and Massy Shipping Services Ltd. to staff at all levels and encouraged participants to make a connection to the whole ‘process’ involved in handling cargo and goods – from classification, to packaging, shipping and opening.
Successful participants will be awarded professional certification in Fundamentals of Warehouse Logistics and Inventory Management and Handling of Dangerous Goods & Hazardous Cargo. Both are benchmarked to international and industry standards (IMO & OSHA) and are supported by an ISO 9001 – 2008 Lloyd’s register quality assurance framework.
Programme Coordinator and facilitator Leslyne Johnson Morgan and Trainer and Lecturer Radcliffe Spence (both from the CMI), led participants through the two components of the training – Warehousing, Logistics and Inventory Management, and Handling of Dangerous Cargo and Hazardous Goods. Course content, in keeping with the guidelines from Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) and International Maritime Organizaton (IMO) standards for the occupational area. They addressed critical competencies and knowledge requirements including: warehouse organisation; preparing and identifying documentation and correct labelling; occupational health and safety regulations; and, emergency response planning and risk management.
Ms. Morgan said the purpose of the session was to “ensure (that) regional port workers and allied personnel are holistically trained to meet international requirements, as well as to encourage the integration of Caribbean countries in standard principles and practices governing safe and efficient cargo management”. She said that the Transportation, Warehousing, Distribution and Logistics industry currently operates with the same standards across all borders and therefore the quality of service, employee safety, efficient customer service and the management of goods and cargo cannot be compromised.
Elsa Hewitt from the Barbados National Oil Company Ltd. (BNOCL) said she found the training interesting and educational, especially from a port perspective. “I have learned a lot,” she said. “It has given me a good idea of how to ship anything potentially hazardous and how to minimise the risks involved. It’s great knowledge that I will definitely pass on to my co-workers.”
The next training session on Warehouse Logistics & Management was scheduled for August 22 – 26, 2016. However, companies can request the same or other customised training as according to their training needs. []
