NEWARK — Students in Delaware Technical Community College’s chemical process operator program will now be able to practice critical industry safety procedures at the Stanton Campus thanks to a donation from Croda, Inc.

Croda, a sustainable chemical manufacturer that creates high-performance ingredients and technologies for some of the most successful brands in the world, contributed $10,000 to fund the recent purchase of Delaware Tech’s new DAC Worldwide Lockout/Tagout Training System. This realistic, hands-on training equipment simulates standard lockout/tagout procedures vital to the safety of individuals working in industrial facilities, such as chemical refineries or energy utilities.

“We are thankful to Croda for supporting the purchase of this equipment,” said Dan Ehmann, vice president and campus director of Delaware Tech’s Stanton Campus. “Our campus continues to serve our community by producing well-trained and highly qualified graduates. Future industrial process operators coming out of Delaware Tech will have received hands-on knowledge and real-world training that will keep themselves and others safe while on the job.”

Lockout/tagout refers to procedures used to ensure that dangerous equipment is safely shut off and not able to be restarted prior to the completion of maintenance or repair work. These procedures are designed to protect the lives and safety of workers servicing or maintaining machines or equipment powered by hazardous energy sources. 

According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which establishes and regulates standards for the control of hazardous energy, compliance with the lockout/tagout standard prevents an estimated 120 fatalities and 50,000 injuries each year.

“Safety is not just something we consider as a priority, it is a value,” said Josh Dube, site director for the Croda Atlas Point facility in New Castle. “We want to make sure our employees go home each day the same way they arrived. That’s why technical training on devices like these is so important. The need for professionally trained and highly capable chemical operators will only grow in the future, and we're incredibly lucky to have such a well-regarded program right here in our backyard. We’re thrilled to support Delaware Tech’s chemical process operator program and its commitment to professionalism and safety.”

Delaware Tech’s chemical process operator program, based at the College’s Stanton Campus, prepares students for employment in the following industries—chemical, petroleum refining, polymer, power generation and alternative energy, water treatment, and pharmaceutical.

In addition to funding support for the training equipment, Croda Atlas Point also is a member of Delaware Tech’s Chemical Process Operator Advisory Committee, offers internships to students, and supports the College’s annual Science Fair.