A maritime security and anti-piracy company has been appointed by EPC-UK plc 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 EOD Superintendent John Meekin (a former Royal Navy EOD specialist), is pictured examining a time expired pyrotechnic.
MAST (‘Maritime Asset Security and Training’) Ltd (www.mast-commercial.com) has designed, developed and is delivering the General Handler course, with the implementation of a Continuous Training syllabus and is looking at delivering training to support the MCA senior managers in collection and disposal of Time Expired Pyrotechnics, such as maritime sea safety flares.
Time Expired Pyrotechnics pose a significant danger to the public, the maritime firm says, 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 sector has to make its own provision for 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 plc leading on the contract to store, transport and dispose of these materials.
MAST says that its EOD services provide a commercial solution for the disposal of time expired pyrotechnics under its Miscellaneous Pyrotechnic for Disposal (MPFD) framework.
Richard Battrick, the EOD Technical Director at MAST said: “We are delighted to be working with EPC-Plc 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.”
The security firm adds that the safe handling of pyrotechnics is not just a Maritime Coastguard Agency problem and MAST can also deliver training to Police Authorities, Fire Services or any others that have to manage or deal directly with pyrotechnics in any capacity and their associated hazards.
Football fans have made the news of late with incidents involving smoke bombs and flares that have been smuggled into football grounds and set off in stadia. Though it is an offence for a person to enter or attempt to enter a football ground in the possession of any such items, the incorrect use of a projectile pyrotechnic may have fatal consequences, hence the severity of risking criminal charges.
