An industrial pretreatment facility inspector training program

Abstract

The US federal pretreatment regulations have created a demand for qualified pretreatment facility inspectors. The objectives of the General Pretreatment Regulations are to protect publicly owned treatment works (POTWs), prevent pollutants from upsetting treatment processes, improve opportunities to reclaim or recycle wastewaters and sludges and reduce health and environmental risks from discharge of toxic pollutants to POTWs. Pretreatment inspectors have the responsibility of protecting municipal wastewater collection systems, treatment plants and the environment from the damage that may occur when industries discharge hazardous or toxic materials into a wastewater collection system. The inspectors must possess the knowledge and skills to perform their jobs safely and fairly. To meet this need, a training program using the independent-study (correspondence) format was developed and field tested. Experienced inspectors active in the field prepared the training material on the basis of what pretreatment facility inspectors “need to know” to do their job. The training program has been implemented and used by inspectors as home-study or self-paced instruction (correspondence) as well as by colleges and universities as a textbook in formal classes. Since 1988 over 1600 persons have successfully completed this training program and over 7000 copies of the training manual have been sold throughout the world. In areas where the training program has been used, the results of an effective pretreatment program using qualified inspectors is very impressive. An agency with a training program that produces competent inspectors can have an effective pretreatment program.