

Florida
Training Deadline: On July 15, 2015, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) published a Final Rule establishes the requirements for Operator Training at Underground Storage Tanks (UST) facilities. This final rule requires that all UST facilities must be in compliance with Operator Training requirements by October 15, 2018.
The Department will be updating Chapter 62-761 F.A.C. to conform to the federal regulations.
Regulating Agency: Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)
Agency Link: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/tanks/pages/op_train.htm
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Technical Inquiries Technical question or comments may be addressed by contacting help directly.Responses will be reviewed and an email response or phone call will be made to the Requester within 2 business days. Subject: Removal of Combustible Material for Hot Work The requirement for removal of combustible material in RP 1646 is for hot work that is being conducted within a 35 foot radius of the fueling system components and is intended to prevent fires anywhere near a fueling system. NFPA 51B is also incorporated by reference in 1646, and it requires either moving or shielding combustible materials. If combustible materials cannot be moved then shielding them can be used an alternate method. If your firm does hot work on a regular basis, I suggest you obtain a copy of NFPA standard 51B and become familiar with its requirements, for your information, this is the relevant section from NFPA 51B:
The intent is to prevent fires caused by hot work operations, and not to remove all of the goods in a convenience store. So, if it is not practical to move combustible materials (and in your example, it is clearly not practical) then it seems that shielding is an appropriate alternative. Subject: Requirements for Atmospheric Testing The requirement for atmospheric testing is to protect against the possibility of igniting a hazardous atmosphere that may exist at a petroleum/convenience facility. It does not seem reasonable to believe that an explosive atmosphere could exist inside of a convenience store building during normal operations. Therefore, it is not necessary to require atmospheric testing under these conditions. However, many buildings in the petroleum/convenience buildings have vent stacks from the gasoline storage tanks that run up the sides of the structure, and vent above the roof level. During normal operation these vents may emit gasoline vapors. When performing hot work on the roof of a building where vent stacks are within 35 feet, testing the explosive properties of the atmosphere is a requirement. What is API WorkSafe? / How to start? API WorkSafe is an online safety awareness qualification program (replacing the BP WorkSafe safety awareness program). The program consists of two optional parts (Recommended Practice Document (RP 1646) and on-line training), and one mandatory part - the on-line test itself. Taking and passing the test will result in an individual obtaining a Safety Key/Certificate. Safety Key/Certificates are issued for one year. Many service station owners now require their contractors to pass the online exam and obtain a Safety Key/Certificate prior to performing any work at their stations. For general information, please use the following link http://www.api.org/certifications/worksafe/index.cfm WorkSafe is an individual qualification program. Each contractor who is interested in acquiring a Safety Key/Certificate must register through the WorkSafe site and set up an individual on line account. Employees of a company are tied together through the company name. Login instructions can be found at: APIWorkSafeLogInInstructions.pdf Additional information can be found within this FAQ. Other questions, contact API at: 202-682-8469 or APIWorkSafe@api.org. The following table lists the training fees for Operator Training
Other Courses There are three items available for purchase through the WorkSafe system: Item #1 - Recommended Practice (workbook), Item #2 - On-line Training, and Item #3 WorkSafe Exam. Each individual purchase is $15; unless the exam is purchased at the same time as another item (On-line Training or Recommended Practice Document - RP); at such time the price is: $25 for all three items; $20 for any 2 items; or $15 for any one item. Renewing this qualification must be done annually. Technical Problems (Computer or Internet Connection) API WorkSafe requires an internet connection and a basic computer. If you experience technical problems, first contact your help desk or technical person, to make sure your internet connection is functioning correctly and your computer is compatible with API WorkSafe. If the problem continues, please contact API at: 202-682-8469 or APIWorkSafe@api.org. Credit Card, Payment Problems, Receipts or Refunds Please contact API at: 202-682-8469 or APIWorkSafe@api.org. Please note that the API WorkSafe system does not accept the Discovery Card. How much time can I take and how many attempts can I make to pass the exam? Operator Training Course There is a 30 day time limit to complete the Operator Training course.Users can take the exam up to two times before they must re-register for the course. Depending upon the user, the operator training can take anywhere from 15 minutes (Class C) to up 5 hours (Class A+B) to complete. If the Online Training was purchased, the user can also access the online training at any time and as often as desired to obtain handout materials and certificatesOther Courses There is no time limit and users can take as many attempts to pass the exam as they wish. Depending upon the user, the on-line exam can take anywhere from 1 to 4 hours to complete. If the Online Training was purchased, the user can also access the online training at any time and as often as desired.How long is the Safety Key/Certification valid? Operator Training Course Each state has different regulations on the term that Operator Training Certifications are valid. Please refer to each state specific summary for more information Other Courses API Safety Keys are valid for 1 year from the date awarded. When can I renew my Safety Key/Certificate? Users may renew their Safety Key/Certificate up to 1 month before and up to 1 month after it expires. To renew your Safety Key/Certificate, you will need to purchase and pass the exam (Item #3) at https://worksafe.api.org/. Some employee's qualifications are due to expire over the next couple of months. They are trying to take the exam now, but the system won't let them. Do they have to wait until their respective Safety Key/Certificates expire or can they renew them early? As it stands now the policy allows users to renew their Safety Key/Certificate one month prior and up to one month after expiration as long as they log in to their existing account. If for some reason you need to have your users renew before this window they can create a new account and pay the full price. I took the test and received a new number. I could not find out how to keep my original number, which would have been better. When Safety Key/Certificates are renewed a new number is assigned. This action is based on a committee decision intended to reduce fraudulent activity. If I'm in the middle of the exam and my internet connection is lost, or I logged off, will I have to start the exam over? Operator Training Course
The current API WorkSafe course consists of up to 18 modules. The modules are passed separately. Once a module is passed, the information is saved in the database and the user will not need to take that module over again. If a user is in the middle of a module and the computer disconnects from the internet, or the user logs off the website, they will have to take the incomplete module over again. Any modules already passed, will remain credited to the user. Other Courses The current API WorkSafe exam consists of 13 exam modules (there are 14 training modules because the first training module is an "Introduction" and there is no exam module associated with it). The 13 exam modules are passed separately. Once an exam module is passed, the information is saved in the database and the user will not need to take that exam module over again. If a user is in the middle of an exam module and the computer disconnects from the internet, or the user logs off the website, they will have to take the incomplete exam module over again. Any exam modules already passed, will remain credited to the user. How do I reprint my Safety Key/Certificate? API WorkSafe allows you to reprint your Safety Key/Certificate as many times as you wish. To do so, please log into the system, at which point you should see the following screen; circled in red is the place to click. When a user registers with the system and creates an account, they must provide a valid e-mail address, a username and password (the last two items may be changed at any time). When a user account is created, API WorkSafe will automatically send a confirmation e-mail (including the username and password) to the e-mail address that the user entered in their account. Please keep this information secure and accessible, in case you forget your username or password. User passwords are encrypted and can not be decrypted. However, there is a button on the login form (https://www.apiworksafe.org) called "Recover Password", which can be used to reset your password. When the button is clicked, the system will ask a series of questions which will ultimately allow the user to change their password. Users must at a minimum know the company name they provided at the time of registration. The user must first answer whether or not they have a Safety Key/Certificate. If not, the system will ask for the user's first name, last name and company name:The system will next ask you to provide the answer to your secret question: Once that question has been answered correctly, the system will allow you to reset your password: To change your password, log into the API WorkSafe website and click the "My Account" link, then click "Change my password" (see screenshot below). How to update User Information? After logging in, click the "My Account" link, then click "Change my details" (see screenshot below). How do I change the Language Setting? The language setting can be changed by logging in and clicking the "My Account" link, then click "Change my details" (see screenshot below). The Recommended Practice Document, the sole source of the necessary information for this program (RP 1646) is presented as an Acrobat PDF file which can be printed and saved to the user's computer. The current version of RP1646 is the First Edition dated August 2006. Q: What if I forgot to save the file; or can't find it on my computer?
Correct Answers to Missed Question Operator Training Course Since API WorkSafe is an Operator Training system, correct answers to missed questions will only be displayed if a user passes the exam module (for example, if the user answers 9 out of 10 questions, the answer to the missed question will be displayed). If the user does not pass the module, the whole module will be presented again, possibly with different questions, until such time that the user passes the said module. Other Courses Since API WorkSafe is a safety awareness system, correct answers to missed questions will only be displayed if a user passes the exam module (for example, if the user answers 9 out of 10 questions, the answer to the missed question will be displayed). If the user does not pass the module, the whole module will be presented again, possibly with different questions, until such time that the user passes the said module. Suggestion or Question about the safety information presented in the online training, exam or RP 1646. For questions involving the material content or subject matter, please contact API at APIWorkSafe@api.org or 202-682-8469: Company Administrator Accounts Each company in the WorkSafe system must assign at least one individual as the company administrator to manage their user's accounts. Company administrators have the ability to make a bulk purchase for the company by acquiring a token; and at that time they will be given a token ID. The employees may then use the Token ID rather than pay for their purchases individually with a credit card, thus sparing the company the hassle of having to reimburse employees individually. In order to become a company administrator, it is not necessary for this person to take the test or obtain a Safety Key/Certificate. The designated company administrator simply needs to create an account and request company admin status. If an API WorkSafe user would like to be the "Company Administrator" for their company, please click here for more information. Companies with Multiple Locations Our company has multiple offices. Can we have multiple administrators? Yes, you can have multiple locations, administered by different individuals. Keep in mind though, that when company tokens are used only the people who are registered with the company that the token was purchased for will be able to use the funds from that token. For instance if you have a company named ABC with several locations, you may want to set up the company names as follows: ABC-Houston, ABC-Washington. But, users listed under ABC-Washington will not be able to use the token assigned to ABC-Houston. When qualified individuals with a valid Safety Key/Certificate are not listed in the
directory it is because they opted out of being listed in the directory at the
time they registered in the WorkSafe system. To be included in the directory
please follow the steps below: Some employee's qualifications are due to expire over the next couple of months. They are trying to take the exam now, but the system won't let them. Do they have to wait until their respective Safety Key/Certificates expire or can they renew them early? As it stands now the policy allows users to renew their Safety Key/Certificate one month prior and up to one month after expiration as long as they log in to their existing account. If for some reason you need to have your users renew before this window they can create a new account and pay the full price I took the test and received a new number. I could not find out how to keep my original number, which would have been better When Safety Key/Certificates are renewed a new number is assigned. This action is based on a committee decision intended to reduce fraudulent activity |