Calhoun County has no shortage of industrial centers. Whether it’s Formosa, the port or Dow, these plants help support the local economy and provide reliable sources of jobs. But when it comes to keeping the workers of Calhoun County safe, the Health and Safety Council (HASC) plays a huge role.
As a nonprofit organization, HASC is dedicated to protecting the health and safety of workers across the state of Texas and beyond. Offering a variety of training courses, medical services and certifications, HASC helps keep workers across the field safe. President and COO of HASC Russel Klinegardner, a former worker himself, spoke about the efforts of HASC to protect those workers who keep Calhoun County’s economy pumping.
“It is a pleasure working in Calhoun County, and the people are nothing but lovely in all our interactions. Whether it’s face-to-face contact with a local plant worker or a friendly exchange at a local restaurant, our experiences have all been positive,” Klinegardner said. “We would like to specifically mention how excellent it is working with HASC Mid-Coast staff. All of them are so inviting, and we could not have accomplished our great successes in health and safety without them
Featuring a long and rich history in Port Lavaca, HASC has been in operation within the county since 1993 when it opened on Hwy. 35 Bypass. Since then, HASC has moved and in 2022, opened its new 22,000-square-foot training facility featuring a variety of training areas, classrooms and medical facilities. In 2023, HASC delivered safety training to more than 13,000 distinct individuals in the county and has grown its available number of courses from 300 to more than 3,500.
“Those units of training could be a one-hour course or a 40-hour course. Our primary two businesses are training and medical, and we focus on onboarding contractors. We were founded by industry and created by industry,” Klinegardner said. “In years past, the oil, gas and chemical industries hadn’t always had the best reputation. Fast forward 30 years to what it is today, it’s one of the safest places to work at. When you go to these plants, they’re extremely safe in what they demand and require from their workers.”
The courses themselves feature programs that involve everything from computer modules featuring their proprietary Live Online Proctor tool to ensure accuracy and integrity to hands-on training in their facility. HASC even offers virtual reality training, as well as innovative twists on traditional classroom education.
“We’ve gotten away from what we like to call death by PowerPoints to more modern interactions that are more visually appealing and create an interactive learning engagement style,” Klinegardner said.
This training covers a wide range of topics including fire safety, tool safety, working in elevated spaces, heat stress, rigging skills, first aid CPR, confined space entry and more, most of which are developed by HASC themselves with help from subject matter experts and safety professionals. Also available is 24/7 injury care, respirator fit testing, pulmonary function tests, substance abuse tests, audiograms and telemedicine, done in-house at HASC by permanent medical staff.
“At different facilities, we have welding simulators, we have confined space simulators, forklift simulators, airlift simulators much like the ones used to train pilots. The technology has advanced to where it is today that it’s allowing us to help train and equip these amazing individuals that keep our plants running safely,” Klinegardner said. “At the end of the day, our mission is to keep families intact and provide all the necessary tools and services that workers need to be sustainable in their craft and businesses.”
Despite all of the innovations and years that have passed, HASC has remained committed to the safety of workers and the creation of healthy work environments and looks forward to serving Calhoun County for the foreseeable future.
