Rivers pose dangers to those working at barge terminals
Safety training focuses on swift water rescue efforts with local responders
By: Lucy Loftus, Environmental, Health, and Safety Specialist with GROWMARK
What would you do if you a coworker fell off a dock into a river at a barge terminal, or even worse, was knocked off the dock by a piece of heavy equipment and fell into the water unconscious?
Recent safety training facilitated by safety personnel at GROWMARK was held at barge terminals in Cincinnati, Ohio, on the Ohio River, Seneca, Illinois, on the Illinois River, and in Albany, Illinois, along the Mississippi River, to equip the staff and area first responders to help anyone that may accidentally end up in the river.
Along the Ohio River
The Cincinnati barge terminal is one of the busiest in the System with barges being unloaded year-round. In August, Darryl Moore, the terminal operations manager, hosted representatives from the Cincinnati Fire Department for a tabletop exercise where GROWMARK employees and the first responders shared capabilities and limitations for quick response to an accident involving the river. The exercise improved the employees’ and fire department’s understanding of their roles and capabilities to get a worker out of the river quickly, which can be the difference between life and death.
Along the Illinois River
In Seneca, IL, Jerry Anderson, the terminal operations manager hosted representatives from both the LaSalle and Grundy County Emergency Management offices and responders from Seneca Volunteer Fire Departments for a tabletop exercise where GROWMARK employees and the first responders shared capabilities and limitations for quick response. The results included an improved understanding of roles and capabilities and identification of training and PPE needs. The Crop Nutrients division at GROWMARK also donated funds to help equip the swift water rescue teams.
Along the Mississippi River
In Albany, IL, Rickey Geronzin, the terminal operations manager, hosted representatives from the Rock Island County Emergency Management office and emergency responders from both the Albany and Cordova Volunteer Fire Departments for a tabletop exercise where GROWMARK employees and the responders shared capabilities and limitations for quick response. Together, both groups gained a better understanding of their role during a water rescue emergency, the equipment needed for emergencies at the terminal, and a greater familiarity with the facility and its work.
To learn more about these training programs, reach out to Lucy Loftus at [email protected].