MAST (Maritime Asset Security and Training), a maritime security and piracy protection specialist, has been appointed by EPC-UK to provide Pyrotechnic General Handler training for the delivery of its Time Expired Pyrotechnic (TEP) disposal contract with the UK Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA).
MAST has designed, developed and is delivering the General Handler course, along with the implementation of a Continuous Training syllabus and is currently looking at delivering a training solution to support the MCA Senior Management in the collection and disposal of Time Expired Pyrotechnics, such as maritime sea safety flares.
Time Expired Pyrotechnics pose a significant danger to the public, with the maritime community and other users legally obliged to dispose of marine flares and other pyrotechnics that have reached the end of their useable life.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) suspended pyrotechnic disposal operations in 2010, meaning the maritime community has to make its own provision for the safe disposal of flares and other pyrotechnics. The MCA, with the assistance of the Department of Transport, continues to accept Time Expired Pyrotechnics, with EPC-UK leading on the contract to store, transport and dispose of these materials.
MAST’s EOD services provide a comprehensive commercial solution for the disposal of time expired pyrotechnics under its Miscellaneous Pyrotechnic for Disposal (MPFD) framework. This framework, with approved UK HSE packaging, has been used as the foundation to help improve the MCA’s current safe system of work and subsequent planned training delivery over the next four years.
Richard Battrick, the EOD Technical Director at MAST stated: “We are delighted to be working with EPC-UK to provide specialist pyrotechnic General Handler training. MAST has extensive experience in safely handling and disposing of explosives and ordnance, working with commercial organisations, governments and the armed services to provide specialist support, training and the design of UXO disposal programmes.
“Since the MOD suspended time-expired pyrotechnic disposal operations the maritime community has relied on the UK Maritime Coastguard Agency, some local authorities and emergency services UXO operations to collect and safely dispose of this material. Ensuring that staff are able to handle and manage this process is clearly critical and we are delighted to work with EPC to help them achieve this on the MCA contract.”
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