What Is the Role of an OSRO?

As a U.S. Coast Guard classified Oil Spill Removal Organization (OSRO), Environmental Works has the experts needed to remove hazardous and non-hazardous materials from a multitude of sites. But what is the role of an OSRO? Read on to find out about this unique qualification.

What Is the Role of an OSRO?

What Is an OSRO?

To qualify as an Oil Spill Removal Organization, or OSRO, organizations must have the equipment, experience, and expertise to respond effectively to an oil spill incident. OSROs often contract with organizations that handle oil, including those working with tank and non-tank vessels and those in coastal areas. OSROs may assist these organizations with emergency response; however, OSROs like Environmental Works can also aid facilities in creating their own spill response plans before an emergency strikes. Ultimately, OSROs offer a unique combination of equipment, trained personnel, and other resources to serve oil facilities in a variety of scenarios, including with ongoing Coast Guard compliance.

History of Oil Spill Removal Organizations

This unique designation is a relatively recent one, having just come about in the 1990s. In 1990, Section 311(j) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPCA) was amended by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2701-2761) to require the “preparation and submission of response plans by the owners or operators of certain oil-handling facilities and for all vessels defined as ‘tank and non-tank vessels.'” These response plans are understandably complex. To assist applicable facilities in preparing these in-depth plans, the United States Coast Guard created the Oil Spill Removal Organization (OSRO) classification program. This classification is meant to help organizations identify service providers for ongoing oil-handling support and emergency response.

What Is the Role of an OSRO?

You may think that Oil Spill Removal Organizations only have one job: to remove oil in an emergency situation. However, OSROs like Environmental Works offer several key services in addition to emergency spill response and recovery:

• Hazardous product transfer
• Chemical spill response
• Natural disaster recovery
• Truck and railroad incidents
• Pipeline and storage tank leaks
• Aerial imaging (photo and video) of hard-to-reach incident areas with drone support

Our Services

Since 1992, EWI’s Emergency Response team has responded to a wide variety of environmental emergencies across the central United States. These emergencies have ranged from small diesel fuel tank spills to potentially catastrophic spills involving thousands of gallons of hazardous materials. As a U.S. Coast Guard classified OSRO, our emergency spill response teams are experienced in oil boom deployment and trained in the proper design of boom containments. We also offer a wide variety of in-house equipment to aid in spill cleanup, including drones to capture aerial imagery of hard-to-reach incident areas.

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So, what is the role of an OSRO? As an OSRO classified by the U.S. Coast Guard, Environmental Works has the expertise to handle emergency spills. We also offer ongoing support to help organizations develop the required spill response plans. If your organization is located in the central United States within the range of our emergency response map, we can help.

Do you have questions about the role of an OSRO? Are you developing your organization’s response plan and feeling unsure of how to move forward? Give Environmental Works a call. Environmental Works is on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and can respond at a moment’s notice, no matter the situation. We have in-house experts ready to help walk you through the specifics of your organization’s planning and compliance needs. Additionally, we can explore the ways you can be prepared as oil management standards evolve. When you’re ready, you can contact EWI online or call 877-827-9500 for more information. In an emergency, call our emergency hotline at 877-827-9500 for fast and reliable help immediately.