Advanced training programs and strategic initiatives are crucial for providing workforces with the skills and knowledge required to navigate evolving challenges.
At the forefront of these efforts, the Health and Safety Council™ (HASC™) redefines workforce preparedness through innovative practices built on the foundation of trust and accountability, setting new standards for industries nationwide.
In an effort to elevate industry safety standards even more, HASC recently joined the newly established Petrochemical, Refining and Energy Safety Council Association (PRESCA™) as a premium accredited provider. Being a part of this groundbreaking initiative emphasizes HASC's ongoing dedication to advancing safety excellence and fostering collaboration and reciprocity across the energy sector.
Expanding and collaborating to bring the best in safety innovation
PRESCA unites safety councils and industry representatives to uphold reciprocity, integrity and collaboration in safety training. By bringing together key stakeholders, PRESCA addresses the complex challenges facing the petrochemical, refining and energy industries while driving meaningful progress toward a safer, more resilient future.
"HASC is proud to join PRESCA," said Russell Klinegardner, president and CEO of HASC. "PRESCA's pillars of reciprocity, integrity and collaboration align with our mission of building safe workplaces. By prioritizing these principles, we are strengthening safety cultures across the industry — ensuring every worker is prepared, protected and able to perform at the highest level."
HASC is committed to innovation that enhances, rather than compromises, the integrity of its processes. In industries where safety is paramount, technology must serve as a tool for accountability, not a substitute for human oversight.
"PRESCA's formation marks a significant milestone in our industry's journey towards safety excellence. By uniting safety councils across the nation, we are fostering a synergy that transcends regional boundaries and strengthens our commitment to safety in Louisiana," said Sarita Scheufens, president of HASC Louisiana.
Made up of the nation's top providers of contractor safety training nationwide, HASC joins the Industrial Safety Training Council and industry advisors, including the Industry Business Roundtable and the Golden Triangle Business Roundtable, at PRESCA. Additional collaborators include the Safety Council of East Texas, Three Rivers Manufacturers' Association, West Texas Safety Training Center, Utah Safety Council, Montana Safety Services Council, Frank Phillips College and more. PRESCA aims to continue its growth by welcoming the addition of other like-minded safety councils.
Safety Essentials®: The industry benchmark
At the heart of HASC's training offerings is Safety Essentials [SE-SAFE], the most widely accepted process safety management course in the industry. Tailored to meet the diverse needs of today's industrial workforce, this premier training program seamlessly blends flexibility with rigor. Safety Essentials is accepted by over 150 companies at almost 550 sites nationwide, with nearly half of those site locations exclusively requiring the course for gate entry. Available in-person at safety councils and training centers nationwide and exclusively offered through Live Online Proctoring (LOP) seven days a week for remote learners, Safety Essentials ensures accessibility without compromising training integrity.
As part of a comprehensive reciprocal collection of leading-edge safety training, the Safety Essentials Suite includes over 30 general safety course elements, as well as Safety Essentials Enhancer [SE-SAFER], an annual reciprocal refresher course. This new dynamic learning solution is the most widely accepted program and is designed by industry for industry, updated each year to incorporate the most current safety topics and address the most pressing needs of industry. In addition to a general safety overview, the 2025 Safety Essentials Enhancer highlights critical topics such as Hazard Recognition, Dropped Objects and Line of Fire.
Live Online Proctoring redefines remote training
LOP sets a new benchmark for remote training. By mirroring the trusted in-person proctoring process, LOP ensures secure identity verification, continuous proctor oversight and access to real-time results on LINK® and the LINKMobile app for quicker site entry. With immediate digital badge access, Safety Essentials offers swift deployment of a trained and verified workforce.
Flexible delivery shouldn't mean compromising integrity.
LOP's human-first approach reflects HASC's dedication to responsibly leveraging technology. Flexible delivery shouldn't mean compromising integrity. This approach enhances access to a variety of courses, including the Safety Essentials Suite, while maintaining the highest standards of reliability, empowering organizations to meet their training and compliance needs without additional risk. With LOP, companies can have confidence in a legally sound, best-evidence recordkeeping process, as well as convenient access to data 24/7 through HASC's connected worker portal, LINK.
Expanding regional impact: Louisiana and beyond
HASC's strategic expansions highlight its commitment to serving industrial communities with comprehensive health and safety solutions. HASC Louisiana, in Sulphur, Louisiana, now delivers an even broader range of innovative solutions, expanded training services and advanced technologies. The 25,000-square-foot industrial multiplex facility — designed to meet the unique needs of the industrial sector — has already become a cornerstone for workforce readiness in Southwest Louisiana. HASC Louisiana is poised to elevate workforce health and safety to new heights.
Comprehensive occupational health solutions for industrial communities
Alongside training advancements, HASC introduced its first occupational health center in Louisiana to provide essential services such as drug testing, physicals and health screenings. The state-of-the-art, 8,800-square-foot permanent occupational health center will open in
2025. HASC is the only organization employing three board-certified occupational health physicians to best serve the industry.
At industry's request, HASC's footprint will soon extend to Port Arthur, Texas, with a new occupational health center opening in 2025. These service expansions underscore HASC's ongoing commitment to supporting workforce health and development, ensuring industrial employees have access to the critical resources needed to thrive.
Empowering today's workforce, building tomorrow's
As a nonprofit association, HASC's mission of building safe workplaces as an innovative leader goes beyond delivering solutions — it's about empowering industry to thrive with confidence and integrity. Through premier training programs such as Safety Essentials, custom course development and innovative platforms like LINK and LOP, HASC provides advanced solutions that can be trusted by industry.
When industry asks, HASC listens. Joining HASC's expansive occupational health offerings of TeleSTAT telemedicine, onsite services and medical directorship, HASC is proud to bring corporate medical solutions to customers. This new service is offered through an established network of health centers, providing a streamlined process for identifying clinics, scheduling health services and allowing for centralized medical record retention nationwide and beyond. Additionally, at the request of industry, HASC is now proud to offer Screening Essentials. This new service provides a cost-effective and customizable approach to workforce screening, including background checks and drug and alcohol testing.
With almost 35 years of history and proven quality, HASC continues to lead the industry in building safer, healthier and more efficient workforces and operations. Innovation without sacrificing integrity is at the foundation of everything HASC does. From cutting-edge training to ethical technology integration, expanded services, strategic growth and the highest quality health care, HASC is leading the way in creating a future where safety, health and excellence go hand in hand.
For more information, visit hasc.com.
