§ 60.54b - Standards for municipal waste combustor operator training and certification.

§ 60.54b Standards for municipal waste combustor operator training and certification.

(a) No later than the date 6 months after the date of startup of an affected facility or on December 19, 1996, whichever is later, each chief facility operator and shift supervisor shall obtain and maintain a current provisional operator certification from either the American Society of Mechanical Engineers [QRO-1-1994 (incorporated by reference - see § 60.17 of subpart A of this part)] or a State certification program.

(b) Not later than the date 6 months after the date of startup of an affected facility or on December 19, 1996, whichever is later, each chief facility operator and shift supervisor shall have completed full certification or shall have scheduled a full certification exam with either the American Society of Mechanical Engineers [QRO-1-1994 (incorporated by reference - see § 60.17 of subpart A of this part)] or a State certification program.

(c) No owner or operator of an affected facility shall allow the facility to be operated at any time unless one of the following persons is on duty and at the affected facility: A fully certified chief facility operator, a provisionally certified chief facility operator who is scheduled to take the full certification exam according to the schedule specified in paragraph (b) of this section, a fully certified shift supervisor, or a provisionally certified shift supervisor who is scheduled to take the full certification exam according to the schedule specified in paragraph (b) of this section.

(1) The requirement specified in paragraph (c) of this section shall take effect 6 months after the date of startup of the affected facility or on December 19, 1996, whichever is later.

(2) If both the certified chief facility operator and certified shift supervisor are unavailable, a provisionally certified control room operator on site 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 or operator of the affected facility must meet one of three criteria:

(i) When the certified chief facility operator and certified shift supervisor are both off site for 12 hours or less, and no other certified operator is on site, the provisionally certified control room operator may perform the duties of the certified chief facility operator or certified shift supervisor.

(ii) When the certified chief facility operator and certified shift supervisor are off site for more than 12 hours, but for two weeks or less, and no other certified operator is on site, the provisionally certified control room operator may perform the duties of the certified chief facility operator or certified shift supervisor without notice to, or approval by, the Administrator. However, the owner or operator of the affected facility must record the period when the certified chief facility operator and certified shift supervisor are off site and include that information in the annual report as specified under § 60.59b(g)(5).

(iii) When the certified chief facility operator and certified shift supervisor are off site for more than two weeks, and no other certified operator is on site, the provisionally certified control room operator may perform the duties of the certified chief facility operator or certified shift supervisor without approval by the Administrator. However, the owner or operator of the affected facility must take two actions:

(A) Notify the Administrator in writing. In the notice, state what caused the absence and what actions are being taken by the owner or operator of the facility to ensure that a certified chief facility operator or certified shift supervisor is on site as expeditiously as practicable.

(B) Submit a status report and corrective action summary to the Administrator every four weeks following the initial notification. If the Administrator provides notice that the status report or corrective action summary is disapproved, the municipal waste combustion unit may continue operation for 90 days, but then must cease operation. If corrective actions are taken in the 90-day period such that the Administrator withdraws the disapproval, municipal waste combustion unit operation may continue.

(3) A provisionally certified operator who is newly promoted or recently transferred to a shift supervisor position or a chief facility operator position at the municipal waste combustion unit may perform the duties of the certified chief facility operator or certified shift supervisor without notice to, or approval by, the Administrator for up to six months before taking the ASME QRO certification exam.

(d) All chief facility operators, shift supervisors, and control room operators at affected facilities must complete the EPA or State municipal waste combustor operator training course no later than the date 6 months after the date of startup of the affected facility or by December 19, 1996, whichever is later.

(e) The owner or operator of an affected facility shall develop and update on a yearly basis a site-specific operating manual that shall, at a minimum, address the elements of municipal waste combustor unit operation specified in paragraphs (e)(1) through (e)(11) of this section.

(1) A summary of the applicable standards under this subpart;

(2) A description of basic combustion theory applicable to a municipal waste combustor unit;

(3) Procedures for receiving, handling, and feeding municipal solid waste;

(4) Municipal waste combustor unit startup, shutdown, and malfunction procedures;

(5) Procedures for maintaining proper combustion air supply levels;

(6) Procedures for operating the municipal waste combustor unit within the standards established under this subpart;

(7) Procedures for responding to periodic upset or off-specification conditions;

(8) Procedures for minimizing particulate matter carryover;

(9) Procedures for handling ash;

(10) Procedures for monitoring municipal waste combustor unit emissions; and

(11) Reporting and recordkeeping procedures.

(f) The owner or operator of an affected facility shall establish a training program to review the operating manual according to the schedule specified in paragraphs (f)(1) and (f)(2) of this section with each person who has responsibilities affecting the operation of an affected facility including, but not limited to, chief facility operators, shift supervisors, control room operators, ash handlers, maintenance personnel, and crane/load handlers.

(1) Each person specified in paragraph (f) of this section shall undergo initial training no later than the date specified in paragraph (f)(1)(i), (f)(1)(ii), or (f)(1)(iii) of this section whichever is later.

(i) The date 6 months after the date of startup of the affected facility;

(ii) The date prior to the day the person assumes responsibilities affecting municipal waste combustor unit operation; or

(iii) December 19, 1996.

(2) Annually, following the initial review required by paragraph (f)(1) of this section.

(g) The operating manual required by paragraph (e) of this section shall be kept in a readily accessible location for all persons required to undergo training under paragraph (f) of this section. The operating manual and records of training shall be available for inspection by the EPA or its delegated enforcement agency upon request.

[60 FR 65419, Dec. 19, 1995, as amended at 62 FR 45126, Aug. 25, 1997; 71 FR 27337, May 10, 2006]