Effective 2/6/2022, the Northwest Laborers-Employers Training Trust located in Kingston, Washington will require a negative COVID-19 test for anyone who wishes to stay onsite in the dorms during their scheduled training.
We have temporarily updated the arrival times due to the additional tine needed for testing. The testing will be administered at the Kingston site by a third party testing company.
TESTING IS ONLY REQUIRED IF YOU PLAN TO STAY ONSITE DURING YOUR TRAINING.
SUNDAY TESTING TIME: 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
MONDAY TESTING TIME: 6:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.
What to do once you arrive onsite:
NEGATIVE TEST RESULT: Yay! You can stay.
POSITIVE TEST RESULT:
If you wish to decline the COVID-19 test, you can still attend class but will not be allows to stay onsite in the dorms. If you decide to stay offsite at a hotel, the accommodation cost is your responsibility.
Our goal is to do our very best to offer a safe environment while honoring our mission; thank you for your cooperation.
Construction workers face health and environmental hazards on a day-to-day basis. In larger cities like Seattle, there are probably numerous hazardous-waste removal sites that need to be handled delicately. Properties that contain asbestos, lead-based paint, and radioactive waste require skilled construction laborers who know how to decontaminate the area and dispose of the waste accordingly.
While asbestos is no longer commercially used, it can still be found in older buildings and homes. This mineral fiber is known to cause scarring of the lungs and even lung cancer. Employers who handle construction projects of this nature always check whether their employees have successfully passed an asbestos training course.
Contractors who possess this kind of knowledge will, in turn, help create and maintain a safe work environment. The question is — does all construction work require the same level of expertise? If not, how does one determine which level of information and training is necessary?
The answer is pretty straightforward — choose the right program that will fit best into what your current position requires. The appropriate training will help you recognize materials that contain asbestos, and you will find out how to act to protect yourself and your colleagues.
If you want to know the ins and outs of an asbestos course, continue reading to learn some of the basics.
Asbestos abatement is a highly complex process that calls for professionals who have successfully completed asbestos training. Although asbestos production has been illegal in the US for over 40 years, construction workers in larger places, like those in Seattle, may still come across this dangerous substance. The process of its removal or treatment is also known as asbestos abatement.
When intact, asbestos can often be left alone with minimal risk of exposure. However, only those workers with proper training will be able to determine if that is the case. On the other hand, if its removal is required, a trained contractor will have a plan in place. They will clear the area and then remove the material using special tools.
There are three basic scenarios when it comes to asbestos, and they are all based on the amount of actual interaction construction workers have with this volatile material. The completion of the selected course, along with skill consolidation and on-the-job practice,
will make you competent to handle all potential scenarios.
This type of training is meant for every employee who can potentially be exposed to asbestos. It aims to provide workers and their supervisors with the information they will need in case they have to complete tasks that can cause possible disturbance of ACM. Keep in mind that asbestos awareness training will not prepare you to actually work with materials that may contain it. This will require some additional training as well.
Topics covered in the course can be related to the actual properties of the material and the health hazard it poses, the types and uses asbestos had in the building industry, and the overall course of action if there is ever an uncontrolled release of asbestos.
Occupations that may require this type of training are:
Life is unpredictable and unprecedented situations happen all of the time. So what should one do if they happen to have no license, but they have to disturb a surface covered in this material? This is where non-licensable work comes into play.
Occasionally, construction workers may come in contact with asbestos when drilling holes, when removing tiles, decorative coatings, or insulation boards, or when working on any other materials that may potentially contain asbestos.
If this is the case, we are speaking of a high-risk situation that mandates safe work practices and control measures. The workers have to be familiar with the protective equipment, emergency procedures, appropriate ways to handle the waste, and possible legal ramifications. This can only be accomplished if their previous asbestos training was both detailed and well-structured.
If you are a professional who works with asbestos-containing materials regularly, you will need to pass the required training with flying colors to be able to obtain the necessary license.
Only those activities that imply prolonged exposure to asbestos will make you eligible to apply for one. The process itself consists of several stages — application, assessment, and decision. Those who procure a license are the only ones allowed to carry out licensable work.
After careful consideration, with much disappointment and an abundance of caution, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the Kingston building dedication in Mike’s honor scheduled at the Kingston training site on Friday, September 24.
We do not wish to risk anyone’s health and wellness given the outbreak of the COVID‐19 virus in our state and particularly Kitsap County.
We plan to reschedule this event once this health crisis has passed (most likely in the spring of 2022). You will receive another invitation at that time; please keep us updated on any address changes.
Thank you for your understanding and we apologize for the inconvenience. Be well.
Fraternally,
Tom Reed
Executive Director
TO: Pre-Apprentices, Apprentices, Journey-level Workers, Apprenticeship Coordinators, Business Representatives and Employers
FROM: Shana Peschek, Executive Director, Machinists Institute
Kairie Pierce, Workforce Development Director, Washington State Labor Council
DATE: April 6, 2021
SUBJECT: Child Care Task Force for the Trades Survey
We want to hear from workers in the trades that are dealing with childcare issues, have dealt with childcare issues and from those who are not impacted yet, but may be in the future. Now is the opportunity to identify the specific childcare barriers impacting workers in the trades industries. What is working? What needs to be fixed? What are your ideas that would be helpful for other workers to think about?
The link for the English-language survey is:
Here are the links for the translated versions of the surveys:
Please complete the survey by Friday, April 30, 2021. If you have questions, please feel free to contact Shana at [email protected] or Kairie at [email protected]
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