Section 855.120  Training Course Approval and Accreditation

 

In accordance with Section 10a of the Asbestos Abatement Act and Section 35 of the Commercial and Public Building Asbestos Abatement Act, the following are minimum standards of course curricula  for approval of training course providers to conduct worker, contractor/supervisor, inspector, management planner and project designer accredited courses.

 

a)         The Department shall develop a list of all Illinois approved training course providers and the courses they are accredited to teach and make this list available upon request.

 

b)         Any educational institution or other person may apply for accreditation of an initial or refresher training course by submitting the following for each type of training course for which accreditation by the Department is sought.

 

1)         A completed application form provided by the Department.

 

2)         A $500 application fee per each type of course for which the provider is seeking accreditation.  A check or money order must be made payable to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

 

3)         A list of other states that currently approve the training course, if any.

 

4)         A copy of USEPA or state approval letter(s).  (Required for training courses previously approved by USEPA or other states.)

 

5)         A description of the course.

 

6)         A detailed outline of the course curriculum and the amount of time allotted to each topic.

 

7)         A description of the teaching methods to be used to present each topic (i.e., lectures, discussions, demonstrations and audio-visual materials).

 

8)         A copy of course materials, student manuals, instructor manuals, and any handouts that cover the information specified in subsection (c).

 

9)         A copy of the examination and answer key as required in subsection (g).

 

10)       A list of instructors and a completed instructor's application for each instructor as required in subsection (j).

 

11)       A copy of the course certificate as required in subsection (f).

 

12)       A statement of the length of training, in days.

 

13)       A description of the type of hands-on training and an inventory of the facilities and equipment used in the hands-on training.

 

c)         Training requirements for each of the licensed disciplines are outlined below:

 

1)         Worker Course.  The four-day worker training course shall include lectures, demonstrations, at least 14 hours of hands-on training, individual respirator fit testing, course review, and a closed-book written examination. Hands-on training must permit workers to have actual experience performing tasks associated with asbestos abatement.  The asbestos worker training course shall adequately address the following topics:

 

A)        Physical characteristics of asbestos.  Identification of asbestos, aerodynamic characteristics, typical uses, physical appearance, and a summary of abatement control options.

 

B)        Potential health effects related to asbestos exposure.  The nature of asbestos-related diseases; routes of exposure; dose-response relationships and the lack of a safe exposure level; the synergistic effect between cigarette smoking and asbestos exposure; the latency periods for asbestos-related diseases; a discussion of the relationship of asbestos exposure to asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma, and cancers of other organs.

 

C)        Employee personal protective equipment.  Classes and characteristics of respirator types; limitations of respirators; proper selection, inspection, donning, use, maintenance, and storage procedures for respirators; methods for field testing of the facepiece-to-face seal (positive and negative pressure fit checks); qualitative and quantitative fit testing procedures; variability between field and laboratory protection factors that alter respiratory fit (e.g., facial hair); the components of a proper respiratory protection program; selection and use of personal protective clothing; use, storage, and handling of non-disposable clothing; and regulations covering personal protective equipment.

 

D)        State-of-the-art work practices.  Proper work practices for asbestos abatement activities, including descriptions of proper construction; maintenance of barriers and decontamination enclosure systems; positioning of warning signs; lock-out of electrical and ventilation systems; proper working techniques for minimizing fiber release; use of wet methods; use of negative pressure exhaust ventilation equipment; use of high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) vacuums; proper clean-up and disposal procedures; work practices for removal, encapsulation, enclosure, and repair of ACBM; emergency procedures for sudden releases; potential exposure situations; transport and disposal procedures; and recommended and prohibited work practices.

 

E)        Personal hygiene.  Entry and exit procedures for the work area; use of showers; avoidance of eating, drinking, smoking, and chewing (gum or tobacco) in the work area; and potential exposures, such as family exposure.

 

F)         Additional safety hazards.  Hazards encountered during abatement activities and how to deal with them, including electrical hazards, heat stress, air contaminants other than asbestos, fire and explosion hazards, scaffold and ladder hazards, slips, trips, and falls, and confined spaces.

 

G)        Medical monitoring.  OSHA Worker Protection Rule requirements for physical examinations, including a pulmonary function test, chest X-rays, and a medical history for each employee, in accordance with OSHA respiratory protection regulations at 29 CFR 1910.134.

 

H)        Air monitoring.  Procedures to determine airborne concentrations of asbestos fibers, focusing on how personal air sampling is performed and the reasons for it.

 

I)         Relevant federal, State, and local regulatory requirements, procedures, and standards, with particular attention directed at relevant USEPA, OSHA, and State regulations concerning asbestos abatement workers.

 

J)         Establishment of respiratory protection programs.

 

K)        Course review.  A review of key aspects of the training course.

 

2)         Contractor/Supervisor Course. The five-day contractor/supervisor training course shall include lectures, demonstrations, at least 14 hours of hands-on training, individual respirator fit testing, course review, and a closed-book written examination.  Hands-on training shall permit supervisors to have actual experience performing tasks associated with asbestos abatement. The contractor/supervisor training course shall adequately address the following topics:

 

A)        Physical characteristics of asbestos and ACBM.  Identification of asbestos, aerodynamic characteristics, typical uses, physical appearance, a review of hazard assessment considerations, and a summary of abatement control options.

 

B)        Potential health effects related to asbestos exposure.  The nature of asbestos-related diseases; routes of exposure; dose-response relationships and the lack of a safe exposure level; the synergism between cigarette smoking and asbestos exposure; and latency periods for diseases.

 

C)        Employee personal protective equipment. Classes and characteristics of respirator types; limitations of respirators; proper selection, inspection, donning, use, maintenance, and storage procedures for respirators; methods for field testing of the facepiece-to-face seal (positive and negative pressure fit checks); qualitative and quantitative fit testing procedures; variability between field and laboratory protection factors that alter respiratory fit (e.g., facial hair); the components of a proper respiratory protection program; selection and use of personal protective clothing; use, storage, and handling of non-disposable clothing; and regulations covering personal protective equipment.

 

D)        State-of-the-art work practices. Proper work practices for asbestos abatement activities, including descriptions of proper construction and maintenance of barriers and decontamination enclosure systems; positioning of warning signs; lock-out of electrical and ventilation systems; proper working techniques for minimizing fiber release; use of wet methods; use of negative pressure exhaust ventilation equipment; use of HEPA vacuums; and proper clean-up and disposal procedures, work practices for removal, encapsulation, enclosure, and repair of ACBM; emergency procedures for unplanned releases; potential exposure situations; transport and disposal procedures; and recommended and prohibited work practices.  New abatement-related techniques and methodologies may be discussed.

 

E)        Personal hygiene.  Entry and exit procedures for the work area; use of showers; avoidance of eating, drinking, smoking, and chewing (gum or tobacco) in the work area.  Potential exposures, such as family exposure, shall also be included.

 

F)         Additional safety hazards.  Hazards encountered during abatement activities and how to deal with them, including electrical hazards, heat stress, air contaminants other than asbestos, fire and explosion hazards, scaffold and ladder hazards, slips, trips, and falls, and confined spaces.

 

G)        Medical monitoring.  OSHA Worker Protection Rule requirements for physical examinations, including a pulmonary function test, chest X-rays, and a medical history for each employee, in accordance with OSHA respiratory protection regulations at 29 CFR 1910.134.

 

H)        Air monitoring.  Procedures to determine airborne concentrations of asbestos fibers, including descriptions of aggressive air sampling, sampling equipment and methods, reasons for air monitoring, types of samples and interpretation of results.

 

I)         Relevant federal, State, and local regulatory requirements, procedures, and standards, including this Part and the following:

 

i)          Requirements of Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) Title II.

 

ii)         National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (40 CFR 61), Subparts A (General Provisions) and M (National Emission Standards for Asbestos).

 

iii)        Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards for permissible exposure to airborne concentrations of asbestos fibers and respiratory protection (29 CFR 1910.134).

 

iv)        OSHA Asbestos Construction Standard (29 CFR 1926.1101).

 

v)         USEPA Worker Protection Rule (40 CFR 763, Subpart G).

 

vi)        Illinois Asbestos Abatement Act.

 

vii)       Illinois Commercial and Public Building Asbestos Abatement Act.

 

viii)      40 CFR 763, Appendix C to Subpart E, revised April 4, 1994.

 

J)         Respiratory protection programs and medical monitoring programs.

 

K)        Insurance and liability issues.  Contractor issues; worker's compensation coverage and exclusions; third-party liabilities and defenses; insurance coverage and exclusions.

 

L)        Recordkeeping for asbestos abatement projects.  Records required by federal, State, and local regulations; records recommended for legal and insurance purposes.

 

M)       Supervisory techniques for asbestos abatement activities.  Supervisory practices to enforce and reinforce the required work practices and discourage unsafe work practices.

 

N)        Contract specifications.  Discussions of key elements that are included in contract specifications.

 

O)        Course review.  A review of key aspects of the training course.

 

3)         Inspector Course. The three-day inspector training course shall include lectures, demonstrations, four hours of hands-on training, individual respirator fit testing, course review, and a closed-book written examination. Hands-on training shall include conducting a simulated building walk-through inspection and respirator fit testing. The inspector training course shall adequately address the following topics:

 

A)        Background information on asbestos.  Identification of asbestos and examples and discussion of the uses and locations of asbestos in buildings; physical appearance of asbestos.

 

B)        Potential health effects related to asbestos exposure.  The nature of asbestos-related diseases; routes of exposure; dose-response relationships and the lack of a safe exposure level; the synergistic effect between cigarette smoking and asbestos exposure; the latency periods for asbestos-related diseases; a discussion of the relationship of asbestos exposure to asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma, and cancers of other organs.

 

C)        Functions/qualifications and role of inspectors.  Discussions of prior experience and qualifications for inspectors and management planners; discussions of the functions of an accredited inspector as compared to those of an accredited management planner; discussion of the inspection process including inventory of ACBM and physical assessment.

 

D)        Legal liabilities and defenses.  Responsibilities of the inspector and management planner; a discussion of comprehensive general liability policies, claims-made, and occurrence policies; environmental and pollution liability policy clauses; State liability insurance requirements; bonding and the relationship of insurance availability to bond availability.

 

E)        Understanding building systems.  The interrelationship between building systems, including: an overview of common building physical plant layout; heat, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system types, physical organization, and where asbestos is found on HVAC components; building mechanical systems, their types and organization, and where to look for asbestos on such systems; inspecting electrical systems, including appropriate safety precautions; reading blueprints and as-built drawings.

 

F)         Public/employee/building occupant relations.  Notifying employee organizations about the inspection; signs to warn building occupants; tact in dealing with occupants and the press; scheduling of inspections to minimize disruptions; and education of building occupants about actions being taken.

 

G)        Pre-inspection planning and review of previous inspection records. Scheduling the inspection and obtaining access; building record review; identification of probable homogeneous areas from blueprints or as-built drawings; consultation with maintenance or building personnel; review of previous inspection, sampling, and abatement records of a building; the role of the inspector in exclusions for previously performed inspections.

 

H)        Inspecting for friable and nonfriable ACBM and assessing the condition of friable ACBM.  Procedures to follow in conducting visual inspections for friable and nonfriable ACBM; types of building materials that may contain asbestos; touching materials to determine friability; open return air plenums and their importance in HVAC systems; assessing damage, significant damage, potential damage, and potential significant damage; amount of suspected ACBM, both in total quantity and as a percentage of the total area; type of damage; accessibility; potential for disturbance; known or suspected causes of damage or significant damage; and deterioration as assessment factors.

 

I)         Bulk sampling/documentation of asbestos.  Detailed discussion of the "Simplified Sampling Scheme for Friable Surfacing Materials (EPA 560/5-85-030a October 1985)"; techniques to ensure sampling in a randomly distributed manner for other than friable surfacing materials; sampling of nonfriable materials; techniques for bulk sampling; inspector's sampling and repair of equipment; patching or repair of damage from sampling; discussion of polarized light microscopy; choosing an accredited laboratory to analyze bulk samples; quality control and quality assurance procedures.

 

J)         Inspector respiratory protection and personal protective equipment. Classes and characteristics of respirator types; limitations of respirators; proper selection, inspection, donning, use, maintenance, and storage procedures for respirators; methods for field testing of the facepiece-to-face seal (positive and negative pressure fit checks); qualitative and quantitative fit testing procedures; variability between field and laboratory protection factors that alter respiratory fit (e.g., facial hair); the components of a proper respiratory protection program; selection and use of personal protective clothing; use, storage, and handling of non-disposable clothing.

 

K)        Recordkeeping and writing the inspection report. Labeling of samples and keying sample identification to sampling location; recommendations on sample labeling; detailing of ACBM inventory; photographs of selected sampling areas and examples of ACBM condition; information required for inclusion in the management plan required for school buildings under TSCA Title II, Section 203(i)(l).

 

L)        Regulatory review.  This Part and the following topics should be covered:

 

i)          National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP; 40 CFR 61, Subparts A and M);

 

ii)         USEPA Worker Protection Rule (40 CFR 763, Subpart G);

 

iii)        OSHA Asbestos Construction Standard (29 CFR 1926.1101);

 

iv)        OSHA Respirator Requirements (29 CFR 1910.134);

 

v)         The Friable Asbestos in Schools Rule (40 CFR 763, Subpart F);

 

vi)        Illinois Asbestos Abatement Act;

 

vii)       Illinois Commercial and Public Building Asbestos Abatement Act;

 

viii)      USEPA, Asbestos Model Accreditation Plan, 40 CFR 763, Appendix C to Subpart E, effective April 4, 1994.

 

M)       Field trip.  This includes a field exercise, including a walk-through inspection; on-site discussion about information gathering and the determination of sampling locations; on-site practice in physical assessment; classroom discussion of field exercise.

 

N)        Course review.  A review of key aspects of the training course.

 

4)         Management Planner Course. The two-day management planner training course shall include lectures, demonstrations, course review, and a closed-book written examination. The management planner training course shall adequately address the following topics:

 

A)        Course overview.  The role and responsibilities of the management planner; operations and maintenance programs; setting work priorities; protection of building occupants, key elements of a management plan.

 

B)        Evaluation/interpretation of survey results.  Review of TSCA Title II requirements for inspection and management plans for school buildings as given in Section 203 (i)(l) of TSCA Title II; interpretation of field data and laboratory results; comparison of field inspector's data sheet with laboratory results and site survey.

 

C)        Hazard assessment.  Amplification of the difference between physical assessment and hazard assessment; the role of the management planner in hazard assessment; explanation of significant damage, damage, potential damage, and potential significant damage; use of a description (or decision tree) code for assessment of ACBM; assessment of friable ACBM; relationship of accessibility, vibration sources, use of adjoining space, and air plenums and other factors to hazard assessment.

 

D)        Legal implications.  Liability; insurance issues specific to planners; liabilities associated with interim control measures, in-house maintenance, repair and removal; use of results from previously performed inspections.

 

E)        Evaluation and selection of control options.  Overview of encapsulation, enclosure, interim operations and maintenance, and removal; advantages and disadvantages of each method; response actions described via a decision tree or other appropriate method; work practices for each response action; staging and prioritizing of work in both vacant and occupied buildings; the need for containment barriers and decontamination in response actions.

 

F)         Role of other professionals.  Use of industrial hygienists, engineers, and architects in developing technical specifications for response actions; any requirements that may exist for architect sign-off of plans; team approach to design of high-quality job specifications.

 

G)        Developing an operations and maintenance (O & M) plan.  Purpose of the plan; discussion of applicable USEPA guidance documents; what actions should be taken by custodial staff; proper cleaning procedures; steam cleaning and HEPA vacuuming; reducing disturbance of ACBM; scheduling O & M for off-hours; rescheduling or canceling renovation in areas with ACBM; boiler room maintenance; disposal of ACBM; in-house procedures for ACBM-bridging and penetrating encapsulants; pipe fittings; metal sleeves; polyvinyl chloride (PVC), canvas, and wet wraps; muslin with straps, fiber mesh cloth; ACBM floor tile and mastic, mineral wool, and insulating cement; discussion of employee protection programs and staff training; case study in developing an  O & M plan (development, implementation process, and problems that have been experienced).

 

H)        Regulatory review.  The following topics should be covered:

 

i)          OSHA Asbestos Construction Standard found at 29 CFR 1926.1101;

 

ii)         National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) found at 40 CFR 61, Subparts A (General Provisions) and M (National Emission Standard for Asbestos);

 

iii)        USEPA Worker Protection Rule found at 40 CFR 763, Subpart G; TSCA Title II.

 

I)         Recordkeeping for the management planner.  Use of field inspector's data sheet along with laboratory results; on-going recordkeeping as a means to track asbestos disturbance; procedures for recordkeeping.

 

J)         Assembling and submitting the management plan.  Plan requirements for schools in TSCA Title II Section 203(i)(l); the management plan as a planning tool.

 

K)        Financing abatement actions.  Economic analysis and cost estimates; the development of cost estimates; present costs of abatement versus future operation and maintenance costs; Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Act grants and loans.

 

L)        Course review.  A review of key aspects of the training course.

 

5)         Project Designer Course. The project designer three-day training course shall include lectures, demonstrations, a field trip, course review and a closed-book written examination. The abatement project designer training course shall address the following topics:

 

A)        Background information on asbestos.  Identification of asbestos; examples and discussion of the uses and locations of asbestos in buildings; physical appearance of asbestos.

 

B)        Potential health effects related to asbestos exposure.  Nature of asbestos-related diseases; routes of exposure; dose-response relationships and the lack of a safe exposure level; the synergistic effect between cigarette smoking and asbestos exposure; the latency period of asbestos-related diseases; a discussion of the relationship between asbestos exposure and asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma, and cancers of other organs.

 

C)        Overview of abatement construction projects.  Abatement as a portion of a renovation project; OSHA requirements for notification of other contractors on a multi-employer site (29 CFR 1926.1101).

 

D)        Safety system design specifications.  Design, construction, and maintenance of containment barriers and decontamination enclosure systems; positioning of warning signs; electrical and ventilation system lock-out; proper working techniques for minimizing fiber release; entry and exit procedures for the work area; use of wet methods; proper techniques for initial cleaning; use of negative pressure exhaust ventilation equipment; use of HEPA vacuums; proper clean-up and disposal of asbestos; work practices as they apply to encapsulation, enclosure, and repair; use of glove bags and a demonstration of glove bag use.

 

E)        Field trip.  A visit to an abatement site or other suitable building site, including on-site discussions of abatement design, building walk-through inspection and a discussion of rationale for the concept of functional spaces during the walk-through.

 

F)         Employee personal protective equipment.  Classes and characteristics of respirator types; limitations of respirators; proper selection, inspection, donning, use, maintenance, and storage procedures for respirators; methods for field testing of the facepiece-to-face seal (positive and negative pressure fit checks); qualitative and quantitative fit testing procedures; variability between field and laboratory protection factors that alter respirator fit (e.g., facial hair); the components of a proper respiratory protection program; selection and use of personal protective clothing; use, storage, and handling of non-disposable clothing.

 

G)        Additional safety hazards.  Hazards encountered during abatement activities and how to deal with them, including electrical hazards, heat stress, air contaminants other than asbestos, fire, and explosion hazards.

 

H)        Fiber aerodynamics and control.  Aerodynamic characteristics of asbestos fibers; importance of proper containment barriers; settling time for asbestos fibers; wet methods in abatement; aggressive air monitoring following abatement; aggressive air movement and negative pressure exhaust ventilation as a clean-up method.

 

I)         Designing abatement solutions.  Discussions of removal, enclosure, and encapsulation, operation and maintenance and repair methods; asbestos waste disposal.

 

J)         Final clearance process.  Discussion of the need for a written sampling rationale for aggressive final air clearance; requirements of a complete visual inspection; and the relationship of the visual inspection to final air clearance.

 

K)        Budgeting/cost estimating.  Development of cost estimates; present costs of abatement versus future operation and maintenance costs; setting priorities for abatement jobs to reduce costs.

 

L)        Writing abatement specifications.  Preparation of and need for a written project design; means and methods specifications versus performance specifications; design of abatement in occupied buildings; modification of guide specifications for a particular building; worker and building occupant health/medical considerations; replacement of ACBM with non-asbestos substitutes.

 

M)       Preparing abatement drawings.  Significance and need for drawings, use of as-built drawings as base drawings; use of inspection photographs and on-site reports; methods of preparing abatement drawings; diagramming containment barriers; relationship of drawings to design specifications; particular problems related to abatement drawings.

 

N)        Contract preparation and administration.

 

O)        Legal liabilities/defenses.  Insurance considerations; bonding; hold-harmless clauses; use of abatement contractor's liability insurance; claims made versus occurrence policies.

 

P)         Replacement.  Replacement of asbestos with asbestos-free substitutes.

 

Q)        Role of other consultants.  Development of technical specification sections by industrial hygienists or engineers; the multi-disciplinary team approach to abatement design.

 

R)        Occupied buildings.  Special design procedures required in occupied buildings; education of occupants; extra monitoring recommendations; staging of work to minimize occupant exposure; scheduling of renovation to minimize exposure.

 

S)         Relevant federal, State, and local regulatory requirements, procedures and standards, including but not limited to this Part and the following:

 

i)          Requirements of TSCA, Title II.

 

ii)         National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (40 CFR 61), Subparts A (General Provisions) and M (National Emission Standard for Asbestos).

 

iii)        OSHA Respirator Standard found at 29 CFR 1910.134.

 

iv)        USEPA Worker Protection Rule found at 40 CFR 763, Subpart G.

 

v)         OSHA Asbestos Construction Standard found at 29 CFR 1926.1101.

 

vi)        OSHA Hazard Communication Standard found at 29 CFR 1926.59.

 

vii)       Illinois Asbestos Abatement Act.

 

viii)      Illinois Commercial and Public Building Asbestos Abatement Act.

 

ix)        40 CFR 763, Appendix C to Subpart E, revised April 4, 1994.

 

T)         Course review.  A review of key aspects of the training course.

 

d)         Any proposed alterations to an approved training course, such as course materials, instructors, or examinations shall be submitted to the Department for review and approval prior to implementation.

 

e)         Each accredited discipline and training curriculum is separate and distinct from the others.  A person may not attend two or more courses concurrently.

 

f)         Each person who successfully completes an accredited training course shall be issued a certificate containing the following required information:

 

1)         A unique certificate number.

 

2)         Name of accredited person.

 

3)         The type of training course (worker, contractor/supervisor, inspector, management planner, project designer) and whether the course is initial or refresher.

 

4)         The complete name, address, and telephone number of the training course provider that issued the certificate.

 

5)         The dates of the training course.

 

6)         The expiration date of one year after the date upon which the person successfully completed the course and examination.

 

7)         The examination date.

 

8)         A statement that the training course is accredited by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

 

9)         A statement that the person receiving the certificate has completed the requisite training for asbestos accreditation under TSCA Title II.

 

10)       The location of the course if different from the training course provider's address.

 

11)       The language in which the course was taught, if other than English.

 

g)         Examinations.

 

1)         A closed-book examination shall be given at the completion of an initial or refresher training course.  The examination shall cover the topics included in the training course for that discipline.

 

2)         A person shall pass the examination with a score of at least 70% in order to receive accreditation.

 

3)         Students shall be allowed to retake the examination twice in a two week time period following the date of the initial failure.  After three successive failures, the student shall retake the full course before being allowed to retest.

 

4)         The following are the minimum requirements for the number of examination questions in each discipline (all questions shall be multiple-choice):

 

A)        Worker Initial - 50

 

B)        Worker Refresher - 25

 

C)        Contractor/Supervisor Initial - 100

 

D)        Contractor/Supervisor Refresher - 50

 

E)        Inspector - 50

 

F)         Inspector Refresher - 25

 

G)        Management Planner - 50

 

H)        Management Planner Refresher - 25

 

I)         Project Designer - 100

 

J)         Project Designer Refresher - 50

 

h)         Continuing Education.

 

1)         Annual refresher training is required for all disciplines as indicated below:

 

A)        Workers: One full day of refresher training.

 

B)        Contractor/Supervisors: One full day of refresher training.

 

C)        Inspectors: One half-day of refresher training.

 

D)        Management Planners: One half-day of inspector refresher training and one half-day of refresher training for management planners.

 

E)        Project Designers: One full day of refresher training.

 

2)         The refresher courses shall be specific to each discipline.  Refresher courses shall be conducted as separate and distinct courses and not be combined with any other training during the period of the refresher course.

 

3)         For each discipline, the refresher course shall review and discuss changes in federal, State, and local regulations, developments in state-of-the-art procedures, and a review of key aspects of the initial training course.  After successfully completing the annual refresher course, persons shall have their accreditation extended for an additional year from the date of the refresher course.  An annual refresher exam is required (see subsection (g) of this Section).

 

4)         A 12-month grace period shall be allowed to enable formerly accredited persons with expired certificates to complete refresher training and have their accreditation status reinstated without being required to retake the initial training course.  The 12-month grace period shall begin on the expiration date of the certificate (see Section 855.100 (j)).

 

5)         The training provider shall verify that each student possesses valid accreditation before granting admission to the refresher course and that the refresher course is for the same discipline as the initial course.  Valid accreditation means that the student's most recent accreditation has not been expired for a period more than 12 months from the expiration date.

 

i)          Training Length.

 

1)         One day of training shall equal eight hours, including two 15-minute breaks and one hour for lunch.  One half-day of training shall equal four hours including one 15-minute break.

 

2)         Course providers may segment courses subject to the following restrictions:

 

A)        The total hours required for each discipline shall be completed within a single two-week timeframe.

 

B)        No more than eight hours of training shall be given per day.

 

C)        Evening instruction shall not exceed a maximum of four hours in any single session.

 

j)          Instructors.

 

1)         All individuals desiring to become training course instructors for those disciplines regulated under this Part must receive approval from the Department prior to teaching.  The Department shall issue a "Letter of Approval" to qualified applicants.  In order to qualify as an approved training course instructor, the applicant shall submit the following to the Department.

 

A)        A completed training course instructor application form provided by the Department.

 

B)        A certificate of successful completion of a USEPA or State approved course specific to the discipline for which he/she is applying to teach.

 

C)        Written verification of a minimum of six months (1,040 hours) of experience (occupational and/or educational) related to the discipline of the course for which he/she is applying.

 

2)         Training course providers shall submit to the Department all changes to their list of approved instructors and the courses which they teach.

 

3)         An instructor shall not be permitted to submit a certificate of successful completion from a course he/she has instructed.  In order for the certificate of accreditation to be valid and acceptable for licensure or approval as an instructor, the instructor shall successfully complete a course conducted by a company for which he/she is not employed.

 

k)         All training providers shall comply with the following minimum recordkeeping requirements:

 

1)         Training course materials.  A training provider must retain copies of all instructional materials used in the delivery of the classroom training such as student manuals, instructor notebooks and handouts.

 

2)         Instructor qualifications.  A training provider must retain copies of all instructors' resumes, and the documents approving each instructor issued by the Department.  Records must accurately identify the instructors that taught each particular course for each date that a course is offered.

 

3)         Examinations.  A training provider must document that each person who receives an accreditation certificate for an initial or refresher training course has achieved a passing score on the examination.  These records must indicate the date the exam was administered, the training course and discipline for which the exam was given, the name of the person who proctored the exam, a copy of the exam, and the name and test score of each person taking the exam. The topic and dates of the training course must correspond to those listed on that person's accreditation certificate.

 

4)         Accreditation certificates.  A training provider shall maintain records that document the names of all persons who have been awarded certificates, their certificate numbers, the disciplines for which accreditation was conferred, training and expiration dates, and the training location.  The training provider shall maintain the records in a manner that allows verification of the required information by telephone.

 

5)         Records retention and access.

 

A)        The training provider shall maintain all required records for a minimum of six years.

 

B)        The training provider shall, upon request, allow reasonable access by the Department to all of the records.

 

C)        If a training provider ceases to conduct training, the training provider shall notify the Department and provide the Department the opportunity to take possession of that provider's asbestos training records.

 

l)          Training course providers shall permit representatives of the Department to attend, evaluate, and monitor any training course without charge.  The Department's compliance inspection staff are not required to give advance notice of their inspections.

 

m)        The notification form provided by the Department shall be completed and submitted to the Department by the training course provider for each offering of an accredited training course.  Notifications shall be received by the Department at least 10 working days prior to commencement of training.  Any changes in the notification or instructors shall be submitted at least 48 hours before the course commencement.

 

n)         The provider of an accredited training course shall submit to the Department a list of students who passed the exam using the class list form provided by the Department no later than 10 days after the last day of the training course.  All requested information shall be provided and shall be legible.

 

o)         Accreditation of initial and refresher training courses shall expire one year from the date of accreditation.  For accreditation to be renewed, a renewal fee of $500 must be received by the Department prior to the expiration of course accreditation.  If a renewal fee is received after the expiration date, the provider shall pay in addition a late fee of $100.  Accreditation of a training course which has been expired for more than one year may only be restored by reapplying.

 

p)         A training course may be offered in a language other than English.  For courses to be presented in a language other than English, the following requirements shall be submitted:

 

1)         All course materials shall be both in English and in the non-English language.

 

2)         The training course provider shall provide written assurance that the translation is technically representative of the English version of the course materials submitted.

 

3)         The course certificate shall be in English and specify the language in which the course was conducted.

 

4)         Instructors shall be fluent in the language of the course being presented. The use of interpreters is not permitted.

 

q)         If the Department finds that a training course provider or instructor is not in compliance with this Part, the Department may suspend, revoke, or deny accreditation of a course.  The Department shall provide written notice of its decision.  The training course provider shall have 15 days to make a written request for an administrative hearing to contest the Department's decision.  In addition, the  Department may deny or revoke course accreditation or instructor approval for the following or similar reasons:

 

1)         Misrepresentation of a training course's approval by the Department.

 

2)         Falsification of accreditation records, instructor qualifications, or other accreditation information.

 

3)         Conviction of a violation of the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practice Act [815 ILCS 505].

 

4)         Conviction of a violation of any provisions of training course laws in any other state, or any laws or rules relating to asbestos training courses.

 

5)         Fraudulent advertising or solicitations relating to asbestos training courses.

 

6)         Failure to maintain approval of a course by USEPA or a state in accordance with 40 CFR 763, Appendix C to Subpart E, revised April 4, 1994.