Extreme cold weather spill response is like no other response. This course looks at the fundamentals of spill response and applies it to the cold weather environment, taking a different approach to safety, environmental influences and unique response techniques.
Taught by our experts in cold weather response, alongside those in Eastern Canada Response Corporation (ECRC - SIMEC), and conducted in an extreme cold weather environment, this course will give you the tangible experience and skills to perform unique response techniques in a unique environment.
Course Facilitators
The course is delivered with the participation of ECRC, sharing their wealth of knowledge and 20 years experience working in cold climates. OSRL & ECRC are members of the Global Response Network (GRN) which exists to share information, improve spill response performance and provide centres of expertise in spill preparedness, response and recovery techniques.
Is this course for me?
This course is ideal for personnel required to work in extreme cold weather and require additional skills to safely and effectively respond in such environments.
- Managers and Supervisors fulfilling incident management team roles within operations, planning or logistics sections
- Response staff fulfilling tactical positions within the operations section
- Staff in positions of providing environmental support and waste management within the planning section
- Staff responsible for site safety
- All On-Scene Commanders
What will I learn?
You will gain knowledge about the behaviour of oil in different cold weather environments as well as the varying characteristics of ice and how this affects response selection. You’ll explore the different response techniques applicable for cold environments and the resources needed to conduct them. This accumulates in practical exercises throughout the course and a scenario-based exercise to conclude the course; giving you the opportunity to practice your skills.
This course will give you the knowledge and understanding in the following areas:
- The risks the cold weather environment presents, in conjunction with the safe working practices for response.
- Behaviour of oil in different cold weather environments as well as the varying characteristics of ice and how this affects response selection.
- Different response techniques applicable for cold environments and the resources needed to conduct them
- Practical exercises throughout the course and a scenario-based exercise to conclude the course; giving you the opportunity to practice your skills
Course Programme
Day 1
- Introduction
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and ice safety
- Ice rescue techniques
- Site entry procedures and site set-up
- Chainsaws, snow blowers and ice augers
- Practical Exercise – Equipment familiarisation; warehouse and marina
Day 2
- Ice characteristics
- Fates of oil in ice
- Tundra / Net Environmental Benefit Analysis (NEBA)
- Overview of response strategies
- Offshore response
- Containment of oil on ice and snow
- Practical Exercise – Oil on ice; containment and recovery
Day 3
- Tracking and detection of oil under ice
- Containment and recovery of oil under ice and snow
- Case study
- Practical Exercise – Oil under ice: containment and recovery
Day 4
- In-situ burning
- Waste management
- Management of cold weather oil spills
- Site assessment
- Practical Exercise – Oil under ice: rescue demonstration
Day 5
- Exercise scenario and brief
- Practical deployment of resources
- Rehabilitation of equipment