nice policy, with plenty of loop holes-
the liabilities are just as I said- nonqualified, qualified, qualified competent- no matter what years you have. You do not let someone with three years of mopping the cavity handle a 40,000 psi hydro laser. Deconners should be hired for documented experience and training cards not time in service. This will lessen any liability the utility will assume because of co-employer responsibilities.
Some one may have all equipment quals signed off and a year experience-this would be the so called "Sr" vs. someone who may have mopped his way to success.
SAT
The assumption with HPs and operators is that they are qualified competent after a certain time- no such standard exists for the decon industry-either you are qualified/competent or you are not, which is a shame-nothing more dangerous than a deconner with a HEPA vac from the cavity!!!
Every time i contracted in deconners they had to be as qualified as plant personnel with documentation and testing or specifically qualified on the equipment they were using. Otherwise, mop the floor.
Not my policy, or the companies - this "policy" was in place amongst the Utilities long before I started in this business and will probably be here long after I'm gone...
as far hiring based on documented experience and training cards that’s what we try to do - if a site requests that Decon techs have a certain type experience for a crew then that’s what we try to find - if they give us a blanket order for a crew then that’s what we give them, a blanket crew. From there the individuals should be getting placed by the supervisors where they'll do the best. Just like with HP's, the Deconners will get assigned to areas and work details that the experience detailed in their resumes would reflect. Yes, I'll admit that some times, as with HP's, deconners are put into areas and work crews that they have never worked and into situations that they've never dealt with prior. That’s all part of the job and most would call it gaining more experience and becoming qualified to handle more types of situations.
As far as handling any type of Hydro Laser, Bartlett, and I can only speak for Bartlett and no other company, has a its own training program that everyone that is assigned to a hydro lasing team must go thru, from the pump and hose techs to the one wielding the wand - no training, no go on the crew -
Lets face it the number of techs in this business has dwindled in the past 15 or so years, thereby weakening the ranks of what you consider "qualified Deconners" - the only way to get others qualified is to give them the training and the work, sometimes those come hand in hand, OJT -
well enough of my ranting - I'll admit not everyone out there is going to be satisfied with everyone we as vendors supply for whatever reason - all we as vendors can do is strive to put the best qualified technicians into the positions given to us by our clients to fill based upon our client's experience and contractual requirements.
Eric