Be sure to visit BLET Division 682 members Jose Villasenor (left) and Carl Fields at the Chicago regional meeting and sign up for a rail hazmat training class.
BLET members regularly operate freight trains carrying some of the most toxic and deadly substances known to man. Those looking for ways to stay safe on the job need look no further than their fellow BLET members who work as peer instructors for the Rail Workers Hazardous Materials Training Program (RWHMTP).
Two of these peer instructors will be hosting an educational booth at BLET’s regional meeting in Chicago next week (August 24-28). Carl Fields and Jose Villasenor, both of BLET Division 682, will be on hand to meet with BLET members and answer questions. Their booth will be located in the vendors’ area throughout the week, so please be sure to visit and sign up for a training class.
The RWHMTP holds four in-person rail hazmat/chemical emergency response courses each year while also presenting various virtual courses via Zoom. This vital training provides rail workers with the essential knowledge and skills needed in the event of an unintentional hazardous materials emergency while on duty.
“Our goal is to ensure every worker goes home safe and healthy every day,” said Brother Villasenor.
In addition to Fields and Villasenor, fellow BLET members working as peer instructors for the RWHMTP include Charles Jones (Division 326), Matthew Kuhns (Division 236), and Audra Smith (Division 94).
A major contributor to the success of the RWHMTP is the International Brotherhood of Teamsters’ Education Department, which works tirelessly to secure federal grants that fund this and other worker safety and health training programs. Please download and share this PDF flyer and help spread the word about the RWHMTP’s five-day training courses, scheduled for later this year and early 2027.