WAC 173-180-525   Class 1 facility -- Training and certification program approval.  (1) Existing Class 1 facilities:

     (a) Must modify their training and certification program to meet requirements in this chapter and must implement the program within ninety calendar days from the approved date of the operations manual.

     (b) Must train and certify all personnel under the facility's modified training and certification program within ninety calendar days of the approved date of the operations manual.

     (2) Class 1 facilities that begin operations after the effective date of this chapter:

     (a) Must develop or modify their training and certification program to meet the requirements of this chapter and must implement the program within one hundred twenty calendar days prior to oil transfer operations.

     (b) Must train and certify all personnel under the facility's training and certification program before any oil transfer operation occurs at the facility.

     (3) All new facility employees with oil transfer duties must be trained and certified within ninety calendar days from the date of hire.

     (4) Ecology must review the Class 1 facility's training and certification program after the date that facilities must meet rule criteria pursuant to subsection (1) or (2) of this section. This review must be accomplished by a general on-site inspection by ecology through evaluation of the Class 1 facility's training materials, testing records and certification records, and consultation with personnel.

     (5) Ecology will notify Class 1 facilities regarding approval status within thirty calendar days from completing inspections performed under subsection (4) of this section.

     (6) Class 1 facilities that do not receive approval will have ninety calendar days to address deficiencies in their training and certification program, with options for a time extension based on ecology's discretion. For those personnel that were trained or certified after the deadlines established in subsection (1) of this section but prior to program approval, retraining or recertification of such personnel due to changes required by ecology's approval process can be postponed until the next retraining or recertification cycle as established by the facility pursuant to this chapter.

     (7) Training and certification program approval is valid for five years. Significant changes to the Class 1 facility's program must be documented through an update of the facility's prevention plan pursuant to chapter 173-180 WAC Part F requirements. Minor upgrades in training and certification programs, such as expansion of training hours or updates to testing materials, are not required to be submitted to ecology through a prevention plan update.

     (8) Ecology may perform announced and unannounced inspections at facilities to verify compliance.

     (9) A training and certification program must be approved if, in addition to meeting criteria in this section and WAC 173-180-520, the Class 1 facility demonstrates that when implemented, the facility can, to the maximum extent practicable:

     (a) Provide protection from human factor oil spill risks identified in the risk analysis required by WAC 173-180-630;

     (b) Minimize the likelihood that facility oil spills will occur and minimize the size and impacts of those facility oil spills which do occur;

     (c) Provide effective oil transfer training to key supervisory, operations, maintenance, management, and indirect operations personnel;

     (d) Ensure proper evaluation of job competency; and

     (e) Provide an effective system to clearly document and track personnel training and certification.

     (10) When reviewing programs, ecology must, in addition to the above criteria, consider the following at a minimum:

     (a) The volume and type of oil(s) handled by the facility, and frequency of oil-handling operations;

     (b) Number of facility personnel;

     (c) The history and circumstances of prior spills by similar types of facilities, including spill reports by ecology on-scene coordinators;

     (d) Inspection reports;

     (e) The presence of hazards unique to the facility, such as seismic activity or production processes; and

     (f) The sensitivity and value of natural resources that could be affected by a spill from the facility.

     (11) Ecology may approve a program with an expedited review as set out in this section if that program has been approved by a federal agency or other state which ecology has deemed to apply approval criteria which equal or exceed those of ecology.

     (12) If the program receives approval, the facility owner or operator must receive a certificate of approval describing the terms of approval, including expiration dates pursuant to subsection (6) of this section.

     (a) Ecology may conditionally approve a program by requiring a facility owner or operator to operate with specific precautionary measures until unacceptable components of the program are resubmitted and approved.

     (b) Precautionary measures may include, but are not limited to:

     (i) Reducing oil transfer rates;

     (ii) Increasing personnel levels;

     (iii) Restricting operations to daylight hours or favorable weather conditions; or

     (iv) Additional requirements to ensure availability of response equipment.

     (c) A facility must have thirty calendar days after ecology gives notification of conditional status to make the required changes, with the option for an extension at ecology's discretion. Facilities which fail to meet conditional requirements or make required changes in the time allowed must lose conditional approval status.

     (i) If approval is denied or revoked, the facility owner or operator must receive an explanation of the factors for disapproval and a list of deficiencies. The facility may be subject to penalties identified in chapter 90.56 RCW.

     (ii) Ecology's decisions under this chapter are reviewable in superior court.

     (iii) Approval of a training and certification program by ecology does not constitute an express assurance regarding the adequacy of the program nor constitute a defense to liability imposed under state law.

     (13) Ecology may review a program following any spill, inspection, or drill at the facility.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 88.46.160, 88.46.165, and chapter 90.56 RCW. 06-20-034 (Order 06-02), § 173-180-525, filed 9/25/06, effective 10/26/06.]