Oil Spill Cleanup Program

Upon completing this program, participants will be able to:

• Apply the regulatory framework for oil spill response: OSHA HAZWOPER (29 CFR 1910.120) training and safety requirements for response workers, OPA 90 (Oil Pollution Act) awareness (responsible party obligations, OSRO requirements, federal response authority), National Contingency Plan awareness, and NRC (National Response Center) notification requirements for reportable spills.
• Classify oil spills and understand oil behaviour: oil types (crude oil groups 1–4, refined products, non-petroleum oils), weathering processes (evaporation, emulsification, dissolution, photo-oxidation), spreading behaviour on water and land, and how oil characteristics determine containment and recovery strategy selection.
• Apply ICS (Incident Command System) to spill response: Incident Commander, Operations Section (containment, recovery, wildlife, decon), Planning Section, Logistics Section, Finance/Admin Section, and the Unified Command structure used when multiple agencies respond to significant spills.
• Deploy containment techniques: boom types (curtain, fence, inflatable, sorbent), boom deployment configurations (diversion, deflection, containment, exclusion), anchoring and tending, earthen berms and barriers for land spills, and the containment strategies for different environments (open water, river, marsh, land).
• Operate recovery equipment: skimmer types (weir, oleophilic, vacuum) and their effectiveness in different conditions, vacuum truck operations, sorbent materials (pads, booms, loose), mechanical collection (front-end loaders, backhoes for contaminated soil), and the recovery rate calculations that determine equipment needs.
• Apply shoreline and land cleanup methods: manual removal, pressure washing, vegetation cutting, soil excavation, landfarming, and the decision framework that determines when to clean aggressively versus when to allow natural recovery to avoid causing more environmental damage than the oil itself.
• Protect worker safety during spill response: chemical exposure assessment (VOC monitoring, benzene, H2S), heat stress management (PPE increases heat load significantly), fatigue management (extended operations, shift scheduling), slip/trip/fall hazards on oiled surfaces, marine safety (working near or on water), and the site safety plan required by HAZWOPER.
• Select and manage PPE for spill response: Level D (standard work clothing with upgrades), Level C (air-purifying respirators), Level B (supplied air for high-concentration environments), chemical-resistant suits, gloves, and boots, and the PPE upgrade/downgrade criteria based on air monitoring results.
• Implement decontamination: personnel decontamination (wash stations, PPE removal sequence), equipment decontamination (pressure washing, solvent cleaning), and the decontamination corridor setup that prevents contamination spread from the hot zone.
• Manage spill waste: waste characterisation (oily debris, contaminated soil, recovered oil, used sorbents, decontamination water), waste manifesting, transportation, and disposal at permitted facilities, and the environmental compliance that governs every waste stream generated during cleanup.

Core Curriculum Topics

• Regulatory Framework: HAZWOPER (1910.120), OPA 90, NCP, NRC notification
• Oil Classification and Behaviour: crude groups, refined products, weathering, spreading, environmental fate
• ICS for Spill Response: Unified Command, Operations, Planning, Logistics, Finance/Admin
• Containment: boom types, deployment configurations, berms, barriers, environment-specific strategies
• Recovery: skimmers, vacuum trucks, sorbents, mechanical collection, recovery rate planning
• Shoreline and Land Cleanup: manual removal, washing, excavation, landfarming, natural recovery
• Worker Safety: VOC/benzene/H2S monitoring, heat stress, fatigue, marine safety, site safety plan
• PPE Selection: Level D/C/B, chemical resistance, upgrade/downgrade criteria
• Decontamination: personnel, equipment, corridor setup, contamination control
• Wildlife Protection Awareness: oiled wildlife response, deterrence, rehabilitation coordination
• Waste Management: characterisation, manifesting, transport, permitted disposal
• SPCC Connection: how the SPCC plan’s response procedures activate during an actual spill

• No prior spill response training required
• HAZWOPER awareness helpful but not required
• No academic degree required
• All instruction in English; working proficiency required

Upon completion, graduates receive an American Institute of Safety Professionals certificate, wallet card, and transcript. Employer-verifiable at amiosp.com/student-verifications.

• Oil spill response workers and cleanup crew members
• Spill response supervisors and field coordinators
• HSE officers managing spill response programmes for oil and gas operators
• Environmental compliance officers responsible for SPCC and spill preparedness
• Emergency response team members designated for spill response duties
• Marine and coastal operations personnel who may respond to waterborne spills
• Facility managers at petroleum storage, refining, and distribution facilities

• Oil Spill Cleanup Program — YOU ARE HERE (spill response and cleanup)
• Oil and Gas Well Inspection (includes environmental compliance inspection)
• Well Site Preparation and Drilling Safety (includes environmental protection during site prep)
• International Diploma in Oil and Gas Safety Management (Unit 4: emergency response including spill response at diploma depth)
• International Diploma in Process Safety Management (process safety including containment and environmental)