NEWSLETTER Solutions for Today’s Global Workforce

October 2 0 1 8

Halloween Fire Safety Halloween should be spooky but safe, make this Halloween a fire-safe one with these tips

Fire Safety and Fire Prevention

Candle Safety It’s “Fall-scented Candle” season — prevent candle fires with these reminders

Pet Fire Safety Pet-Owners: Read these tips to reduce your risk of a pet-related home fire

Events in our Area Find out what’s going on in our area this month

Dates to remember

This month’s recipe

It's Turnaround season! As cooler temperatures head our way, we are expecting higher trainee counts in the next few months as facilities get ready to perform their yearly shutdowns.

What is a Turnaround?

If you’re new to ISTC or the petrochemical industry, a turnaround is a planned break in production where an entire process unit of an industrial plant (refinery, petrochemical plant, power plant, pulp and paper mill, etc.) is taken off line for an extended period for restoration. This maintenance, which can only be performed when equipment is not in use, plays an important role in maintaining consistent productive capacity.

What does that mean for ISTC?

While process units are shut down, production halts. To have this maintenance started and completed as quickly as possible it’s all hands on deck! The more workers tackling the shutdown, the sooner the process unit can get back up and running. As facilities prepare for these major projects, we see an increase in training given during this time, due to workers having to take or renew their site specifics for entry to those facilities.

Source: NFPA

October 7-13 is Fire Prevention Week!

Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware. Fire can happen anywhere. The goal of the National Fire Protection Association’s 2018 campaign is to educate people about three basic but essential steps to take to reduce the likelihood of having a fire––and how to escape safely in the event of one:

LOOK, LISTEN, and LEARN.

LOOK Look for places fire could start. Take a good look around your home. Identify potential fire hazards and take care of them.

COOKING is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S. The leading cause of home cooking fires is leaving cooking unattended.

HEATING is the second-leading cause of home fires in the U.S. The leading cause of home heating fires is failure to clean heating equipment

Other potential fire hazards:

Electrical distribution or lighting equipment — Equipment such as wiring, lighting, cords, and plugs are involved in the ignition of 34,000 U.S. home fires on average each year

Candles — There are an average of 24 candle fires reported to U.S. fire departments every day – over half of all candle fires start due the candle being placed too close to items that can burn

LISTEN Listen for the sound of the smoke alarm. You could have only minutes to escape safely once the smoke alarm sounds. Go to your outside meeting place, which should be a safe distance from the home and where everyone should know to meet.

The first line of defense in the event of a fire are smoke alarms – their purpose is to alert everyone of the threat of fire in time to get out safely. Having smoke alarms in your home lessens your risk of dying in a fire by half! Take the following steps to adequately equip your home with working smoke alarms:

• Every level of your home should have a smoke alarm installed, as well as each bedroom and near all sleeping areas.

• Monthly testing of smoke alarms helps to ensure that they’re in working condition. Smoke alarms that are more than 10 years old should be replaced!

• Consider interconnected smoke alarms – they give you the security that when one smoke alarm sounds, they all do.

Source: NFPA

Did You Know?

Today’s homes burn faster than ever! This is the result of several factors: • Newer homes are predominantly built

with unprotected lightweight wood construction, which fails faster when it’s exposed to high temperatures, and weakens and collapses faster than homes built with dimensional lumber.

• Newer homes tend to be designed with lots of open spaces and high ceilings, creating an ideal environment for fire to grow and spread quickly.

• The vast majority of modern home furnishings includes synthetic materials that burn very quickly and at higher temperatures, generating black, toxic smoke and gases that make it extremely difficult to see and breathe in a matter of moments.

The week of October 9th is designated as

Fire Prevention Week in commemoration of

the Great Chicago Fire which occurred in 1871.

It began on October 8, causing devastating damage.

The public observance of Fire Prevention Week has

been sponsored by the National Fire Protection

Association since 1922. Fire Prevention Week is the

longest-running public health observance in our

country! Fire Prevention Week is a time to educate

children AND adults on how to stay safe in the event

of a fire in an effort to radically reduce the number of

casualties caused by fires.

LEARNLearn two ways out of every room and make sure all doors and windows leading outside open easily and are free of clutter.

A home escape plan is essential to safety in the event of a fire. The NFPA encourages developing an escape plan with all members of your family, which includes:

• Two ways out of every room, usually a door and a window

• A path from each exit to the outside • An outside meeting place a safe distance in

front of your home where everyone will meet

Practice! Practice your plan with your family at least twice a year.

Find the Safety Words

and Phrases

Halloween is an exciting time full of festive decorations and fun costumes. Children hurry door to door to trick-or-treat, visiting front doors and porches adorned with decorations, sometimes sweet and sometimes spooky. But some of these classic symbols and activities of Halloween can present dangerous fire risks – plan ahead and prevent potential fire risks with these helpful Halloween Fire Safety Tips.

What’s Halloween without the perfect costume? When choosing costumes, avoid long sweeping fabric that can catch fire. Be sure your children know how to stop, drop, and roll if their clothing catches fire. Have them practice at home before heading out to trick-or-treat.

Prevent accidental candle fires by using battery-operated candles in jack-o-lanterns. Use Glow-sticks in jack-o-lanterns to customize with fun colors!

Hay and flowers are popular porch decorations but can catch fire easily. Porch decorations should be kept away from heat sources like open flames, lightbulbs, and heaters.

Throwing a Halloween party? Position decorations clear of all exits so escape routes are not blocked. Confirm that all smoke alarms in the home are in proper working condition.

Attending a Halloween party? Upon arrival, check your surroundings to identify potential fire hazards, and plan how you would get out in the case of an emergency. Cover this with your children if they will be attending Halloween parties at others’ homes!

Halloween by the numbers

• From 2009-2013, decorations were the item first

ignited in an estimated average of 860 reported

home structure fires per year.

• Nearly half of decoration fires in homes occurred

because the decorations were too close to a heat

source.

• These fires caused an estimated average of one

civilian death, 41 civilian injuries and $13 million in

direct property damage per year.

• Forty-one percent of these incidents were started

by candles; one-fifth began in the living room, family

room, or den.

Source: NFPA Fire Analysis & Research Division

Candles are one of the most popular ways we celebrate the arrival of the Fall Season. There’s nothing like the perfect scented candle to get us in the mood for cooler weather and family gatherings. As we welcome the scents and feelings of Fall into our homes with candles, it’s important to remember these essential tips to keep this Fall a fire-safe one.

Position candles at least 1 foot away from anything that can burn. Over half of all candle fires start due to candles being placed too close to items that can burn.

Avoid burning candles all the way down – put out the flame before the wick reaches the bottom of the container.

Place candles on a sturdy surface, out of the reach of children and pets.

Use a coaster under your candle! Not only do they protect the surface of your furniture from the heat, they also add a decorative touch to the space.

If you are using candles for decoration purposes, consider using flameless candles in your home. They look like real candles and are available at most stores that carry wax candles.

If Oxygen is used in your home NEVER use open-flame candles!

Source: National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

According to the NFPA, pets or wild animals have a part in starting

about 750 home fires per year. These involve cooking equipment,

fireplaces and chimneys, space heaters, lamps, bulbs, wiring, and

candles. We share our homes with our pets, but pets can cause fires.

Pet-owners need to be extra careful to reduce the chance of having a

fire in their home.

Pets are curious and can bump into, knock over, and even accidently turn on

cooking equipment. Keep pets off of countertops and away from stoves.

Position pet bedding away from candles, lamps, and space heaters.

Using a heat-tempered glass screen on fireplaces can prevent pets from

getting dangerously close to open fire. Keep pets at least 3 feet away from the

fireplace – and remember that fireplace doors and screens can remain

dangerously hot for several hours after the fire has gone out.

HURRICANE SEASON REMINDER:

Make sure your pets are included in your

family’s evacuation plan. Get an evacuation kit

together for each pet in your household,

ensuring each kit is a size and weight that can be

quickly and easily loaded into a vehicle when

packing to evacuate. Grab your pet’s safety

restraint, favorite toy, a portable water bowl,

and make sure your pet is wearing id tags!

4 Essential Tips for Safe Tailgating Football season is officially underway – and firing up the grill is one of the best ways to get pumped up for the big game! The pre-game tradition of tailgating can be tons of fun when handled responsibly. Celebrate safely by planning out a danger-free tailgate so that everyone wins!

Properly Pack Your Cooler Spoiled food can spoil your tailgate fun! Pack all perishable items in insulated bags or coolers. Add enough ice to maintain your food at a safe temperature. It’s also good practice to tightly seal all meat in order to prevent the juices cross-contaminating your other food.

Grill Safety Grills should be set up at least 6 feet away from any vehicles or other combustibles. Never leave your grill unattended. Pets and children should be kept at a safe distance. Always keep a fire extinguisher nearby.

Practice Food Safety to Prevent Illness Everyone arrives to a tailgate ready to eat, but make sure you don’t rush your food off of the grill. Make sure your meat is cooked fully by using a food thermometer to confirm you’ve reached the recommended temperature. Never reuse plates that have come into contact with raw meat – always use a clean plate when removing food from the grill. Are you serving snacks such as bowls of chips? Plates of fruits or vegetables? Finger sandwiches? Encourage your fellow football fans to wash their hands before handling food to reduce the chance of contamination (or keep hand sanitizer nearby). Remember that popular tailgating food such as sloppy joes, BBQ chicken, potato salad, and creamy desserts are considered foods that need Time and Temperature Control for Safety, or TCS foods. Foods like these can cause illness if not kept at the proper temperature for serving. When the tailgate fun is over, toss any food that has been left unrefrigerated for longer than 2 hours.

Designate a Driver Designating a driver at the beginning of the day helps to eliminate the chance of an impaired driver ruining the fun by making a bad decision. Before you kick-off your tailgate, cover all bases of your transportation so that everyone gets home safely after the game.

October 8

Columbus Day

Columbus Day is the official

celebration of the anniversary of

Christopher Columbus arriving in

the Americas in 1492.

October 16

Boss’s Day

Give your boss the appreciation

they deserve

October is National Breast

Cancer Awareness Month

Medical professionals along with many

others spend Pinktober educating the

public on early detection, warning signs,

tests and procedures relating to the

prevention and treatment of breast cancer

– some hospitals and medical facilities even

offer free mammograms during this time.

Breast cancer can affect women AND men,

touching the lives of all races and religions.

May we all take a moment to remember

those who've lost their fight with breast

cancer and those who are currently fighting

now.

In celebration of October 12 being National Gumbo Day, this month’s recipe is… Gumbo! Did you know Gumbo is the African word for Okra? So of course our gumbo will have Okra, as well as Chicken and Shrimp!

This recipe has a long ingredients list, but no worries, the

process is simple and straight forward – it’s just like making

a stew. The key to a great gumbo is the roux, which is equal

parts of oil and flour, stirred together to eliminate the floury

taste. Enjoy a little Louisiana Cajun cooking this October!

SDD

‒ ¼ cup canola oil ‒ 3-3 ½ pounds bone-

less skinless chicken thighs ‒ ½ cup flour ‒ ¼ cup unsalted butter ‒ 1 medium green bell pepper

diced ‒ 1 medium onion diced ‒ 1 cup chopped celery (about 3

sticks) ‒ 1 Tablespoon minced garlic ‒ 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes ‒ 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning

(adjust to preference) ‒ ½ tablespoon smoked paprika ‒ 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon

powder or cube ‒ 1 tablespoon thyme (fresh or

dried) ‒ 2 bay leaves ‒ 1-2 cups chopped okra ‒ 1 pound shrimp peeled and de-veined ‒ ¼ cup chopped parsley ‒ 2 green onions chopped ‒ 1 tablespoon gumbo file ‒ 6 cups chicken stock

Prep Time: 20 min Total Time: 20 min Makes 5-6 servings Ingredients List:

Heat oil over medium heat in a heavy bottomed Dutch Oven. Lightly season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook until browned on both sides. Remove and set aside.

STEP 1

Add butter, oil and flour – stir until smooth.

STEP 2

Cook on low heat, stirring continuously, for about 20 minutes or until it turns a rich dark chocolatey brown color. Don’t walk away from the stove during this process, it might burn.

STEP 3

When you have achieved the desired color add the onion, garlic, green pepper and celery, and cook for 8- 10 minutes – stir frequently.

STEP 4

Then add chicken, creole seasoning, chicken bouillon, paprika, thyme and let it cook for another 5 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes and about 6 cups of chicken stock. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for about 45 – 50 minutes.

STEP 5

Add the shrimp and okra, and simmer for 5 more minutes. STEP 6

Stir in file powder, green onions, and chopped parsley. Adjust thickness of soup and flavor with broth or water. Add salt to taste.

STEP 7

Nov 4

Daylight Savings

Time Ends – Set your

clocks back 1 hour

Nov 4

Extra Life 2018 Charity –

Play games, heal kids

Atlas 2.0

ISTC is excited to announce that we are launching a new scheduling tool upgrade (Atlas 2.0) in the upcoming months. Notifications of training opportunities will be forthcoming to all current Atlas users. In order to ensure a seamless transition, we encourage all users to attend these training sessions.

Companies now have the

option to receive updates

on upcoming Specialized

Training events at ISTC!

A “Sign Up” feature has been added to the Specialized Training section of the ISTC website. Want to be among the first to receive updates on upcoming Specialized Training? Visit our website or click here and enter your email address to stay up-to-date!

Hurricane Season 2018 is upon us.

Prepare now by signing up for your community’s

warning system and emergency alerts. Make plans for an evacuation route and shelter locations. Gather needed upplies for at least three days – keep in mind specific medical needs, ncluding medication, and the needs of pets. Gather important documents and create password-protected digital copies.

For more tips visit https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.

Serve our customers

and our communities

by providing excellence in

training and other services

in order to promote a

safe and secure work

environment.

Be the preferred source

for the training needs and

services of our customers.

Set the standards for

future training and services

with new applications and

methods, being the

benchmark by which

excellence is measured.

Maintain our commitment to

the petrochemical industry

while broadening our

services and markets.

Total commitment to

Quality, Teamwork, and

Customer Service.

Be a good corporate citizen,

helping to enhance the

quality of life in the

communities we serve.

Provide a quality

work environment for

our employees, helping our

people not only to become

better employees, but also

helping our employees

become better people.

Have a story or suggestion you would like to see in

the Newsletter? Email us at: Newsletter@istc.net

ISTC Baytown 3166 Decker Drive Baytown Tx, 77520

(281) 421-0459

ISTC Beaumont 3749 Hwy 69 N

Beaumont Tx, 77705 (409) 724-2565