BP should officially acknowledge the value of Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) training standards, according to Hazwoper 24 Hour Training.

The specialist training firm claimed that the spill in the Gulf of Mexico has brought home the importance of emergency response training, particularly in a deepwater environment where it can be difficult to stem the flow oil quickly.

"And in an environment and economy crisis like this, it is always better to be prepared and avoid any further losses," the company claimed.

The HAZWOPER training standards are set down by the US Department of Labor's Occupational Safety & Health Administration and cover regulations for both paid and voluntary response workers.

The organisation requires that all trainees undertake refresher training courses on a 12-monthly basis.

Oil and gas training firms in US Gulf states have trained thousands of workers since the sinking of the Deepwater Horizon rig on April 22nd.

BP has today announced that the latest efforts to limit the flow of oil escaping into Gulf waters have been successful.

Oil and Gas Directory: Training and Development