CPR CLASSES are offered at Lewis River Safety Training in Battle Ground.
Kimberly Benke, owner and instructor at the recently opened Lewis River Safety Training in Battle Ground, said she made the decision to open her business in Battle Ground because of the demand for different safety training from all of the construction that takes place throughout the northwest.
“I am also one of the very few people who teach OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) classes within Clark County,” Benke said.
Lewis River Safety Training first opened at its location in Battle Ground, 706 NE 1st Ave., in March of this year. Prior to opening the business, Benke had been teaching OSHA, CPR, First Aid and AED classes for four years.
“We offer flagger certifications, OSHA 10 and 30 hour for construction industry, CPR, First Aid and AED,” Benke said of her business. “I am also a collection site for urine analysis, and can administer alcohol breathalyzers.”
When a person gets certified for flagging through Lewis River Safety, Benke said they will receive two certifications – one with the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA), which is good for all states except for Washington and Oregon. Secondly, the Washington Flaggers Certification will certify them for Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.
“So in essence, they will be nationally certified with these two certifications,” Benke said. “This is an all-inclusive cost for the flagging class.”
The OSHA is an agency of the United States Department of Labor. Benke said the department of labor has a set of standard safety rules and regulations that need to be followed, and the 10-hour class that she offers covers safety material for employees of the construction industry. The 30-hour one is mostly intended for for people that hold positions within the construction industry such as superintendents and supervisors.
“These regulations include limits on hazardous chemical exposure, employee access to hazard information, requirements for the use of personal protective equipment, and requirements to prevent falls and hazards from operating dangerous equipment,” Benke said. “This certification in OSHA is for the construction industry.”
Benke said she holds specific classes on specific days – First Aid, CPR and AED on Tuesdays at 9 a.m., and flagging certifications on Thursdays at 9 a.m. However, she said she does recommend scheduling a certification ahead of time because class sizes are limited. Benke said the most popular type of certifications they do are CPR and flagging. The CPR certification is through the National Safety Council, and she said CPR is something that anyone can perform and potentially save life.
“I have been teaching and certifying people for five years now and love it,” Benke said. “I have worked in the construction industry for 30 years in many different states. I have worked in Washington, Oregon, Montana, North Dakota and even Louisiana. I was raised in Battle Ground for most of my life. I then moved to Montana for 10 years. I then moved to North Dakota to work on the pipeline as a safety supervisor, and eventually made my way back here to Battle Ground.”
In order to get flaggers certification and OSHA, you must be the age of 18 or older. CPR certifications can be issued to anyone ages 10 and older. The CPR classes at Lewis River Safety are universal and are created to teach people of all ages. In order to accommodate all ranges and interests, Lewis River Safety can travel to jobsites to teach and certify these classes. They teach one on one or large groups. Group discounts are available.
Hours at Lewis River Safety Training are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and by appointment only on the weekends. Benke said they ask that people call ahead in order to ensure that they are not out of the office teaching classes on job sites. Contact Lewis River Safety Training at (360) 666-9151 or email lewisriversafetytrainingllc@htomail.com.
