The WaterJet Technology Association (WJTA) Conference & Expo returns to New Orleans Nov. 11-13, and excitement is high for this year's event. Among the new opportunities at the 2019 conference is a significantly expanded educational program.
As the industry continues to progress toward safer technologies, more uniformly trained operators and higher productivity, WJTA is launching a new asset owner education track to offer plant personnel a focused opportunity to understand the current and future state of industrial cleaning safety.
The interactive nature of the educational program allows participants to network at a high level and stay informed and engaged with WJTA's evolving best practices guidelines, which cover hydroblasting and vacuum loading in North America and other parts of the world.
"Being involved in global initiatives to eliminate manual confined space entry and reduce line-of-fire hazards, I was excited by the opportunity to contribute to the 2019 WJTA conference," said Organizing Committee Chair Giao Lam of The Dow Chemical Company. "The conference is a unique event globally, and a major goal for 2019 is to ensure asset owners have a resource they can immediately implement within their organizations."
Mounting data demonstrates the importance of industrial cleaning to overall operations cost for facilities. For all contractors and facilities, safety should be a primary consideration, but gains in cleaning efficiency and outcomes translate to lower operations costs and emissions, which can easily offset the upfront costs of engaging with cleaning contractors.
"Some of the largest chemical and refining companies have been on the leading edge of requiring safe work practices and hands-free technology, but we're seeing a lot of interest now from smaller facilities," said Education Committee Chair and WJTA Board Vice President Kerry Siggins. "Being able to come to a single source to immediately learn about evolving safety guidelines, current technology on the market and the industry outlook is a major resource for smaller organizations looking to quickly increase their knowledge in this space."
With input from experienced asset owners, contractors and OEMs, Lam has introduced the new track of educational sessions geared directly toward owner safety personnel, permit writers, maintenance/turnaround planners and operations. The sessions, which take place Nov. 12, include topics on:
- Understanding the need for global hydroblasting principles.
- Why asset owners need to know cleaning basics.
- Case study on the use of automated equipment to reduce confined-space entry and line-of-fire hazards.
- Bottom-line success stories on cost savings.
Finally, a panel discussion on collaboration between asset owners, contractors and OEMs rounds out the program. The panel will offer insight into how WJTA members are working together to drive safety and technology.
Previous attendees report seeing the newest available technology on the market and being able to ask questions face-to-face as major benefits in understanding what cleaning tasks can be automated or improved. WJTA is viewed as the go-to progressive organization for industrial cleaning safety and technology, so engaging with the association's best practices is important for all stakeholders.
For more information, visit www. wjta.org or call (314) 241-1445.
