Health and Safety Council Louisiana to Exclusively Offer Safety Essentials® for PSM Required Contractor Safety Orientation Beginning January 1, 2025
Sulphur, LA – October 18, 2024 – The Health and Safety Council Louisiana (HASC LA) is proud to announce that beginning January 1, 2025, along with all HASC locations, we will exclusively offer Safety Essentials® as the industry-chosen Process Safety Management (PSM) required contractor orientation. To streamline and standardize reciprocal safety training, HASC and HASC LA will discontinue offering alternative compliance programs.
This decision reflects our unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality solutions that meet industry’s evolving needs. HASC developed Safety Essentials in response to the increasing demand for efficient and effective training solutions tailored to a diverse workforce, and HASC LA is proud to support this revolutionary training.
Within just two years, Safety Essentials has become the new standard for safety training excellence nationwide. Currently implemented at most chemical manufacturing facilities, and 90% of the top U.S. refineries, nearly 500 sites have adopted Safety Essentials as their preferred contractor orientation, with approximately 50% of these sites exclusively requiring the course for site access. This shift in industry standards has garnered support from key industry associations to our west, including the Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association (VPPPA), the Golden Triangle Business Roundtable (GTBR), the Industry Business Roundtable (IBR), the Southeast Texas Plant Manager’s Forum and the East Harris County Manufacturers Association (EHCMA), which represents the world’s largest concentration of refining and petrochemical companies. These associations have recognized Safety Essentials as the preferred solution for contractor orientation.
“The challenges faced by our contractors – managing multiple training requirements for the sites they support – led to inefficiencies, administrative burdens, and uneven workforce training, With Safety Essentials, HASC now offers a quality, unified solution. Our decision to support the exclusive offering of Safety Essentials ensures consistent, outstanding safety training standards across the nation,” said Sarita Scheufens, President of HASC LA. “This is industry’s chosen path forward.”
To further support the need for flexible training delivery, HASC has extended Safety Essentials to over 40 safety councils and training centers across the nation. Additionally, HASC developed Live Online Proctoring (LOP) to offer even greater accessibility and convenience. This innovative solution has broken down physical barriers, allowing learners to receive high-quality and timely training anywhere. LOP mirrors the in person proctoring experience that learners are familiar with while upholding the same high standards of integrity that industry leaders demand. Unlike AI monitoring solutions, LOP offers continuous oversight by trained professionals throughout the entire learning experience.
While harnessing the potential of emerging technologies, HASC LA recognizes that the greatest strength lies in people. HASC solutions are crafted by industry, for industry, recognizing the invaluable insights and expertise our workforce brings. This synergy between human connection and technological advancement positions us to meet evolving demands and establish new industry standards.
This transformation extends beyond Safety Essentials, it represents a pivotal step in shaping the future of effective workforce training. Many of the largest chemical, refining and petrochemical companies have recognized this shift and have embraced HASC’s approach at a corporate level, adopting the most efficient and effective model for workforce development across their sites nationwide.
HASC and HASC LA are dedicated to leading the industry through this pivotal transition, recognizing that embracing new standards demands strong partnerships and continuous collaboration. The future is not merely a distant goal; it is the reality HASC and industry partners are actively shaping today, with an unwavering commitment to building safe workplaces that protect and empower every worker.
About HASC LA
HASC LA, formerly the Safety Council of Southwest Louisiana, is a non-profit organization dedicated to cost-effective services for the region. Serving SWLA since 1955, HASC LA is expanding operations to meet employers’ needs for a more skilled and adaptable workforce. From site-specific plant safety orientations and employee onboarding services, we are committed to meeting the safety and training needs of our members and the region we serve.
Contact For more information on Safety Essentials and how to implement it for PSM-required Contractor Safety Orientation, contact [email protected].