Two new training courses are underway in the Williston Basin to continue the mission of a safer and more efficient oil and gas training process. In the three years since the North Dakota Petroleum Council (NDPC) launched ONE BASIN – One Way!, a standardized oil and gas training, more than 40,000 workers have been trained.

ONE BASIN – One Way! (OBOW) has become a first-class model across the United States for safety training in the oil and gas industry.

“If we’ve saved one life or prevented one injury, this has been worth it,” says NDPC President Ron Ness.

H2S Certification and Respiratory Protection Training and OBOW Year 3 – Communication and Hazard Assessment are now being offered by training partners North Dakota Safety Council and TrainND Northwest. 1 in 5 ND workers is directly or indirectly employed by the oil and natural gas industry. Investing in safety means investing in people. These new courses are endorsed by the ND Petroleum Council with the knowledge they are a cut above other training.

“We knew now was the time to develop safety champions in the oil and gas industry. Our ONE BASIN – One Way! Year 3 course will create safety leaders on the well pad, in the truck and at their family table,” says NDPC President Ron Ness.

Having moved the needle in safety over the last several years, OBOW’s development of Year 3 -Communication and Hazard Assessment was essential for pushing forward with innovative ideas and a fresh concept to keep workers who have been through the program engaged. ONE BASIN – One Way! courses are consistently reviewed and audited by a third party, helping to ensure the integrity of the program.

With the new H2S course being added, companies can take just one day of training to bundle their ANSI-required H2S training with their OBOW Orientation or OBOW Year Three course.

“The ability to compound an employee’s training into one day creates a more focused educational opportunity. This new H2S course does not just meet industry standards, it exceeds them, creating a safer North Dakota,” says North Dakota Safety Council Executive Director and CEO Chuck Clairmont.

ND Petroleum Council President Ron Ness says the development of H2S Training came directly from listening to their customers who work in the Bakken. Hydrogen Sulfide is a dangerous gas found in petroleum and natural gas. The new course meets ANSI and OSHA requirements and was developed by high-quality trainers at the North Dakota Safety Council and TrainND Northwest.

“The risks associated with H2S are high, but this highest quality H2S training under the OBOW brand will help ensure our oil & gas workforce goes home safe at the end of the day,” says Kenley Nebeker, Executive Director of TrainND Northwest.

ONE BASIN – One Way! training is offered in person in six different North Dakota communities. Private classes are available upon request as well as options for distance learning. Safety First training providers are North Dakota Safety Council and TrainND Northwest.

Listen to NDSC Executive Director Chuck Clairmont and NDPC President Ron Ness discuss the new offerings during the Talk Safety to Me podcast