JGRA to standardise safety training arising from deadly Mandeville gas station fire
Published:Friday | February 28, 2020 | 11:20 AM
The Jamaica Gasolene Retailers Association (JGRA) today announced that plans are being put in place to standardise training for service station workers in safety procedures in light of the recent major deadly fire at the Heaven's FESCO gas station in Mandeville, Manchester.
Seven persons were injured by the fire with one man succumbing from his injuries.
READ: Seven injured in major fire at Mandeville gas station
Three fire units are now trying to extinguish the blaze at the Heaven's FESCO gas station. Several cars have also been trapped on the property. pic.twitter.com/1UmYg23c1V
— Jamaica Gleaner (@JamaicaGleaner) February 21, 2020
At a press conference this morning, JGRA vice president, Derrick Thompson, said there were previous discussions with the HEART Trust / NTA to provide pump attendants with safety training.
Thompson said the organisation has renewed those talks to the aim of getting employees certified.
“There was a programme outline sometime ago about certifying all gas station workers. Gas stations have been around for more than one hundred years in Jamaica and training overtime has been successful. The wait has gone and now we are seeing a need to bump up the training and standardise these training,” Thompson said.
There are approximately 330 gas stations islandwide.
JGRA President Gregory Chung stated that dealers and petroleum marketing companies are responsible for training their staff in safety procedures.
He said the association wants the training to be standardised.
In an interview, a pump attendant at a popular gas station in Portmore, St Catherine, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Gleaner that she has never received safety training in her more than one year of employment.
“Them teach you how to pump the gas and run the card machine enuh, that’s about it,” the employee said.
-Danae Hyman, Staff Reporter
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