Section 6700. Operator training and certification

A. Each chief facility operator, shift supervisor, and control room operator shall complete a training course as follows.

1. The operator training course shall be completed by the later of (i) January 31, 2004, (ii) six months after the municipal waste combustion unit starts up, or (iii) the date before an employee assumes responsibilities that affect operation of the municipal waste combustion unit.

2. The requirement in subdivision A 1 of this section does not apply to chief facility operators, shift supervisors, and control room operators who have obtained full certification from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers on or before January 31, 2003.

3. The owner may request that the board waive the requirement in subdivision A 1 of this section for chief facility operators, shift supervisors, and control room operators who have obtained provisional certification from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers on or before January 31, 2003.

B. A plant-specific training course and operating manual shall be established as follows.

1. All employees with responsibilities that affect how a municipal waste combustion unit operates, including but not limited to, chief facility operators, shift supervisors, control room operators, ash handlers, maintenance personnel, and crane or load handlers, shall complete the plant-specific training course.

2. A plant-specific operating manual shall be developed by the later of (i) six months after the municipal waste combustor unit starts up, or (ii) January 31, 2004.

3. A program to review the plant-specific operating manual with people whose responsibilities affect the operation of the municipal waste combustion unit shall be established. Initial review of the program shall be completed by the later of (i) January 31, 2004, (ii) six months after the municipal waste combustor unit starts up, or (iii) the date before an employee assumes responsibilities that affect operation of the municipal waste combustion unit.

4. The manual shall be updated and reviewed with staff annually.

5. The following information shall be included in the plant-specific operating manual.

a. A summary of all applicable requirements in this article.

b. A description of the basic combustion principles that apply to municipal waste combustion units.

c. Procedures for receiving, handling, and feeding municipal solid waste.

d. Procedures to be followed during periods of startup, shutdown, and malfunction of the municipal waste combustion unit.

e. Procedures for maintaining a proper level of combustion air supply.

f. Procedures for operating the municipal waste combustion unit in compliance with the requirements contained in this article.

g. Procedures for responding to periodic upset or off-specification conditions.

h. Procedures for minimizing carryover of particulate matter.

i. Procedures for handling ash.

j. Procedures for monitoring emissions from the municipal waste combustion unit.

k. Procedures for recordkeeping and reporting.

6. The operating manual shall be maintained in an easily accessible location at the plant. It shall be available for review or inspection by all employees who are required to review it and by the board.

C. Each chief facility operator and shift supervisor shall obtain operator certification as follows.

1. Each chief facility operator and shift supervisor shall obtain and maintain one of the following:

a. A current provisional operator certification from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (QRO-1-1994); or

b. A current provisional operator certification approved by the board.

2. The certification and licensing required in subdivision 1 of this subsection shall be obtained by the later of the following:

a. For Class I units, January 31, 2004; for Class II units, July 31, 2004.

b. Six months after the municipal waste combustion unit starts up.

c. Six months after being transferred to the municipal waste combustion unit or six months after they are hired to work at the municipal waste combustion unit.

3. Each chief facility operator and shift supervisor shall take one of the following actions:

a. Obtain a full certification from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers or a certification approved by the board.

b. Schedule a full certification exam with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (QRO-1-1994).

c. Schedule a full certification exam to obtain a certification approval by the board.

4. The chief facility operator and shift supervisor shall obtain the full certification or be scheduled to take the certification exam as required in subdivision C 3 of this section by the later of the following dates.

a. For Class I units, January 31, 2004; for Class II units, July 31, 2004.

b. Six months after the municipal waste combustion unit starts up.

c. Six months after they transfer to the municipal waste combustion unit or 6 months after they are hired to work at the municipal waste combustion unit.

D. After the required date for full or provisional certification, no municipal waste combustion unit shall be operated unless one of the following employees is on duty:

1. A fully certified chief facility operator.

2. A provisionally certified chief facility operator who is scheduled to take the full certification exam.

3. A fully certified shift supervisor.

4. A provisionally certified shift supervisor who is scheduled to take the full certification exam.

E. No owner of an affected facility shall allow the facility to be operated at any time unless a person is on duty who is responsible for the proper operation of the facility and has a license from the Board for Waste Management Facility Operators in the correct classification. No provision of this article shall relieve any owner from the responsibility to comply in all respects with the requirements of Chapter 22.1 (§ 54.1-2209 et seq.) of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia and with 18VAC155 Chapter 20.

F. If the certified chief facility operator and certified shift supervisor both are unavailable, a provisionally certified control room operator at the municipal waste combustion unit may fulfill the certified operator requirement. Depending on the length of time that a certified chief facility operator and certified shift supervisor are away, the owner shall meet one of the following:

1. When the certified chief facility operator and certified shift supervisor are both offsite for 12 hours or less and no other certified operator is onsite, the provisionally certified control room operator may perform those duties without notice to, or approval by, the board.

2. When the certified chief facility operator and certified shift supervisor are offsite for more than 12 hours, but for two weeks or less, and no other certified operator is onsite, the provisionally certified control room operator may perform those duties without notice to, or approval by, the board. The periods when the certified chief facility operator and certified shift supervisor are offsite shall be recorded and included in the annual report as specified under 9VAC5-40-6770 B 2 l.

3. When the certified chief facility operator and certified shift supervisor are offsite for more than two weeks, and no other certified operator is onsite, the provisionally certified control room operator may perform those duties without notice to, or approval by, the board, and the owner shall:

a. Notify the board in writing what caused the absence and what is being done to ensure that a certified chief facility operator or certified shift supervisor is onsite; and

b. Submit a status report and corrective action summary to the board every four weeks following the initial notification. If the board notifies the owner that the status report or corrective action summary is disapproved, the municipal waste combustion unit shall cease operation after 90 days. If corrective actions are taken in the 90-day period such that the board withdraws the disapproval, municipal waste combustion unit operation may continue.

G. The requirements of this section with regard to scheduling and obtaining certification through a program approved by the board may be met by obtaining a license from the Board for Waste Management Facility Operators. All training and licensing shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter 22.1 (54.1-2209 et seq.) of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia and with 18VAC155 Chapter 20.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 19, Issue 24, eff. September 10, 2003.

Statutory Authority

§ 10.1-1308 of the Code of Virginia.