The Bodine Centralized Training Facility

Bodine's Corporate Training Facility provides hands-on opportunities to build skills and learn safety protocols.

The great industrialist Henry Ford had a passion for learning and believed that one should continue to pursue knowledge regardless of age or any other factor. He is quoted as saying “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.” Bodine’s newly completed Central Training Facility embodies this statement from the Father of Mass Production.

Bodine Services of the Midwest's Centralized Training Facility is dubbed “Bodine U” and located at the company’s Decatur, IL headquarters. The new training center allows trainees a much greater degree of hands-on experience than was previously possible. David Yates, Bodine’s Corporate Safety Manager and leader in the effort to make this center a reality, said “The primary goal of this project was to ensure that we offer a training environment that does the best possible job of preparing newly hired team members for success in the field.” Yates went on to say that “additional benefits include the ability to have a live research and development center to test new equipment and techniques, as well as the opportunity to provide refresher and advanced training to our tenured work force.”

Confined space entry and fall-restraint training is enhanced at the Bodine Training Facility.

Providing a thorough training experience is nothing new to the Bodine program. For decades, training has played a key role in the growth and success of Bodine. Prior to their first day on the job, new hires have already passed a drug screen and hair follicle drug test. Hair testing “looks back” more than three times as far as the standard urinalysis commonly used in industry today. In addition, Bodine conducts a full OSHA HAZMAT physical exam and background check on each incoming field employee. Once on board, a Bodine trainer leads the new team member through a full 5-day class covering such topics as Confined Space Entry, Lock-Out Tag-Out, Water Blasting and Vacuum Truck Safety, First-Aid, CPR/AED and a host of other technical and safety related topics. At the conclusion, each employee is issued an OSHA 10 card along with First-Aid and CPR certifications.

Lock-out tag-out procedures are taught using this custom panel.

While providing “hands-on” experience has always been a part of the program, Bodine lacked the facility to conduct this phase of training. The training facility allows Bodine to do things right and includes a large tank or vessel where confined space entry, air monitoring, and emergency rescue procedures can be practiced. Additionally, horizontal and vertical tube bundles allow trainees to experience water blast lancing of tubes and a mechanical panel provides hands-on assistance in lock-out tag-out training.

Another Henry Ford quote says “Before everything else, getting ready is the secret of success.” With the dedication of the new Bodine Training Facility we are getting our crews ready to deliver effective solutions to our client’s toughest cleaning challenges. Our dedication and commitment to well trained technicians working safely, efficiently, and in the client’s best interest, is as strong as ever.