SAFETY - Water Resources Division Policy for Safety Training Associated with Over-Water Activities
In Reply Refer To:
Branch of Operational Support
Mail Stop 405
Sunset Date: April 2005
April 12, 2000
WATER RESOURCES DIVISION POLICY MEMORANDUM NO. 2000.11
Subject: Water Resources Division Policy for Safety Training Associated
with Over-Water Activities
Many employees of the Water Resources Division (WRD) conduct fieldwork in,
over, and around water. WRD policy for safety associated with making
discharge measurements, taking water samples, and performing related
streamgaging activities was defined in WRD Memorandum
No. 99.32. An important component of the policy outlines the required use
of Personal Flotation Devices (PFD's). Successful implementation of the
policy requires management and employees to fully understand its
provisions, and for field employees, in particular, to know how to
properly use and care for PFD's.
To help ensure that employees safely conduct their fieldwork in, over, and
around water, it is WRD policy that all employees (permanent, temporary,
and contract) who perform duties in this environment, must receive safety
training. At a minimum, the training must include an overview of WRD
Memorandum No. 99.32, the use of Job Hazard Analyses (JHA's), the proper
care of PFD's, and in-the-water training to simulate the use of PFD's.
Training will be provided for these employees by December 1, 2000, and
refresher training will be repeated every 5 years. New employees are
required to receive the training within 6 months of their assignment to
over-water duties. The office responsible for the work of these employees
will conduct the training. The in-the-water training is to be conducted
in a controlled environment, and in the presence of a certified lifeguard.
Several district offices have already conducted water-safety training for
their employees. The South Dakota District developed a particularly
effective course. The outline is available on the WRD Safety Home Page
under "Generic Helps" at the following URL:
wwwhif.er.usgs.gov/uo/safety/Training/water_training_instr_guide.cov.html
The training should also make use of relevant videos such as "Swept Away,"
which are available on loan from Regional Safety Officers. Completion of
training should be documented on form SF182. Please contact your Regional
Safety Officer if you have questions, or
require assistance in conducting the training.
/signed/
Catherine L. Hill
Associate Chief Hydrologist
for Program Operations
This memorandum does not supersede any previous WRD Numbered Memorandum.
Email Distribution: A, B, S, FO, PO,
GS-W Safety Com,
GS-W SO,
GS-WRD Archive
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Catherine L. Hill
Associate Chief Hydrologist
for Program Operations clhill@usgs.gov
441 National Center 703-648-5031 (Phone)
U.S. Geological Survey 703-648-5295 (Fax)
Reston, Va 20192
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~