New York UST Operator Training | Class A/B & C

UST operator training in New York is required by federal law and is intended to ensure that those who own and operate underground storage tanks understand how to operate and maintain UST systems properly.

As required by the EPA, all UST operators must be trained by October 13, 2018. After this date:

  • New Class A and B operators must be trained within 30 days of assuming duties.
  • New Class C operators must be trained before assuming duties.

If you work at a facility in New York with an underground storage tank (UST), you will need to complete UST operator training based on your job responsibilities:

  • Class A training is required for person(s) having primary responsibility for on-site operation and maintenance of UST systems (owner or operator of a UST facility).
  • Class B training is required for persons involved with daily on-site operation and maintenance of UST systems.
  • Class C training is required for daily on-site employees having primary responsibility for addressing emergencies presented by a spill or release from a UST system.

 

New York UST Operator Training

  • UST Class A/B
  • UST Class C
  • State Agency/Regulations

New York UST Operator Class A/B Training

New York Class A operators have primary responsibility for on-site operation and maintenance of a UST facility. This individual is generally the owner of the station or the designee. For large corporations, this person is the manager or designee responsible for tank operations.

New York Class B operators have responsibility for the day-to-day aspects of operating, maintaining, and record keeping of a UST facility. This individual (or individuals) is generally the owner or the person/company contracted by the owner to maintain the tanks. For large corporations, this person is the employee, or person/company contracted by the corporation to maintain the tanks.

Description

Class A operators have primary responsibility for on-site operation and maintenance of a UST facility.  Class B operators have responsibility for the daily operation and maintenance of a UST facility.

The UST Class A/B operator training course is presented in chapters. Each chapter utilizes multimedia to enrich the learning experience. Each chapter is followed by a quiz. If the student answers a quiz question incorrectly, the quiz feedback redirects the student to the correct course information.

In addition to the quizzes, the UST Class A/B operator training course includes a final exam of 100 questions, 80% of which must be answered correctly in order to print a certificate.

There is not any time restriction to access the course, so students can complete the entire course in a single session (approximately 4 hours plus exam time) or take the course in segments.

Duration: 4 hours

Purpose & Objective

The purpose of the Underground Storage Tank (UST) Training Program is to protect human health and the environment by preventing future petroleum underground storage tank releases and remediating existing petroleum underground storage tank contamination.

Class A operators must be trained how to manage resources and personnel; maintain compliance with federal, state, and local regulations; ensure that required records are kept; and that operators at the facility are trained to respond to releases, spills, and other emergencies.

Class B operators must be trained how to meet recordkeeping and reporting requirements; ensure that equipment complies with industry standards; and train personnel to properly respond to emergencies caused by releases or spills.

By combining Class A and Class B operator training into a single test, important employee cross-training is achieved.

Course Outline

  • Chapter 1:  Operator Overview
    This chapter describes the primary responsibilities of the Class A, Class B, and Class C operator. It also includes the training requirements for each class of operator.
  • Chapter 2:  System and Components
    This chapter seeks to raise environmental awareness as well as clearly communicate a fundamental comprehension of UST systems. Components covered include secondary containment, emergency shut-off valves, vapor recovery, tank materials, and piping materials. A download of UST terminology is available here.
  • Chapter 3:  Release Detection
    This chapter emphasizes release detection methods. Equipment testing, the analysis of test results, as well as monitoring of the UST system are addressed in this chapter. Release detection methods covered include automatic tank gauging (ATG), inventory control, secondary containment with interstitial monitoring, statistical inventory reconciliation (SIR), manual tank gauging, vacuum monitoring, soil vapor monitoring, groundwater monitoring, and tank tightness testing. Release detection methods for piping, such as electronic and manual line leak detectors, are also discussed.
  • Chapter 4:  Release Prevention
    This chapter prompts the trainee to be proactive in preventing spills and releases. It covers the system components that are designed to prevent corrosion, spills, and overfills. These include spill buckets and sumps as well as sacrificial anode and impressed current cathodic systems, overfill protection valves, overfill alarms, and ball float valves. Secondary containment as well as alarms and warnings are covered in this chapter. An EPA Correct Filling Checklist is available for download.
  • Chapter 5:  Planning and Response
    The focus of this chapter is preparation for a release and initial response actions. Topics include recognizing warning signs of a leak, maintaining spill kits, knowing the location of the Emergency Stop button, and posting emergency contact information. Critical attention is given to clean-up and release reporting requirements, including sensitive receptor protection and state notification requirements.
  • Chapter 6:  Financial Responsibility/Financial Documents
    Owners and operators of petroleum USTs must demonstrate financial responsibility for bodily injury and property damage caused by spill and releases. This chapter covers financial responsibility statutes and financial assurance mechanisms as well as recordkeeping and reporting requirements.
  • Chapter 7:  Registration and Installation
    This chapter discusses required documentation and reporting. Topics include tank permits, registration and administrative documents, and UST installation requirements.
  • Chapter 8:  Inspection and Closure
    UST testing and inspection requirements are covered in this chapter. Delivery prohibition and temporary and permanent tank closures are also addressed.

End of Course Instructions

Print a copy of your completion certificate for your employer and records. You may also login and reprint your certificate at any time.

New York UST Operator Class C Training

New York Class C Operators are the first responders to emergency situations at a UST facility – like a gas station or convenience store. These individuals are usually the clerks of a facility.

Class C Operators monitor fuel deliveries to the tanks; control and/or monitor the dispensing or sale of regulated substances; and respond to alarms, releases, and other emergency situations.

Course Description

The UST Class C operator training course consists of seven chapters. Each chapter is followed by a short quiz. Once a student has completed all chapters and quizzes, the learner will be directed to print out a course checklist.

The course is instructed through a student orientation tour of a mock facility, where a manager (or Class B Operator) will identify and explain each topic and then mark them off a checklist when completed.  When the checklist has been completed, the student can then print the UST Class C operator certificate.

There is not any time restriction to access the course, so students may take as much time as needed to complete their training

Duration: 1 hour

Purpose & Objective

The purpose of the Underground Storage Tank (UST) Training Program is to protect human health and the environment by preventing future petroleum underground storage tank releases and remediating existing petroleum underground storage tank contamination.

Class C operators must be trained how to respond to emergencies (such as situations posing an immediate danger or threat to the public or to the environment and that require immediate action) and alarms caused by spills or releases from an underground storage tank system.

Course Outline

  • Chapter 1:  Facility Overview
    This chapter provides a basic overview of the primary components of a typical UST facility. These components include the USTs, manways, spill buckets, fuel dispensers, and dispenser nozzles.
  • Chapter 2:  Monitoring
    This chapter emphasizes the components used to monitor a UST facility. Students will learn what an Automatic Tank Gauge (ATG) is and does, how to interpret its alarms and warnings, and what to do in case of an alarm. The role of line leak detectors is also discussed.
  • Chapter 3:  Environmental
    In this chapter, students learn about sensitive receptors, or places where a fuel spill may leave the facility and enter the environment. The chapter also introduces students to the spill kit and its contents, and how to use spill kit components to contain spills threatening sensitive receptors like curb breaks and drains.
  • Chapter 4:  Fueling Rules
    The focus of this chapter is fuel delivery safety. Students will watch a short video on proper fueling procedures. Students also learn about hazards at the fueling point, including smoking, static electricity, leaving a vehicle unattended while fueling, and leaving a vehicle running while fueling.
  • Chapter 5:  Delivery Procedures
    This chapter teaches the student how to supervise a fuel delivery and monitor for problems during a fuel delivery. Additional emphasis is placed on the ATG and on overfill prevention devices like overfill prevention valves and ball float valves. Delivery prohibitions are also addressed.
  • Chapter 6:  Safety
    This chapter covers safety information every Class C Operator needs to respond to emergencies. Included here is a video explaining when and how to use a fire extinguisher. The Emergency Stop and All Stop buttons are identified and discussed.
  • Chapter 7:  Emergency Situations
    This chapter discusses common emergency situations and proper responses to them, including what to do if a vehicle leaves the facility with the nozzle still in the vehicle’s fuel spout. Managing customer traffic in the event of a spill is also covered. Correct fire extinguisher operation is reviewed.
  • Chapter 8:  Final Checklist
    Review and complete the checklist to complete your training

End of Course Instructions

Print a copy of your completion certificate for your employer and records. You may also login and reprint your certificate at any time.

New York UST State Agency & Regulations

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) – Division of Environmental Remediation – Underground Storage Tank (UST) Program has been designated to protect public health and the environment through oversight, investigation and cleanup of soil and groundwater contamination caused by releases from USTs. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has developed programs to establish requirements for the safe storage and handling of these materials, inspection programs to verify that these requirements are being met, and enforcement procedures to require that violations be corrected and deter future non-compliance.

Agency Link:  http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/102202.html

UST Training in New York
In 2008,  New York state law required that tank operators be trained to properly operate, maintain, and document their systems. The law also gave New York State the authority to prohibit deliveries to tanks that are in serious noncompliance with regulatory requirements.

The New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has prepared regulations to implement the requirements for PBS and CBS UST operator training. New York regulatory requirements for operator training at petroleum bulk storage (PBS) facilities and chemical bulk storage (CBS) facilities are set forth in 6 NYCRR 613-2.5 and in 6 NYCRR 598.12.

New York persons who meet the definition of “Class A Operator” or “Class B Operator” must pass an exam administered by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Alternatively, a Class A or Class B Operator may obtain a current and valid operator training credential issued by any other state government or a local government within NYS that administers an exam acceptable to DEC.

Authorized Class A or Class B operators are responsible for:

  • ensuring that Class C Operators are trained in emergency response procedures specific to their facility before assuming their duties;
  • maintaining evidence of the required training of all Class C Operators at a facility, as well as their subsequent assessment of knowledge; and
  • producing evidence of the training of all Class C Operators at a facility upon request.

New York has not yet been granted state program approval (SPA).

Retraining Requirements
A Class A, Class B, or combination Class A/B Operator is not required to be retested unless the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) finds significant non-compliance (SNC) at one or more facilities for which the operator has been designated.

Class C Operators are employees having primary responsibility for addressing emergencies presented by a spill or release from an UST system. Every designated Class C Operator must, before assuming their duties, be trained and tested under the direction of an authorized Class A or Class B Operator with respect to how to respond to emergencies and alarms caused by spills and releases. Voluntary refresher training is encouraged to ensure operator is up-to-date with current regulations and procedures.

References:

UST/LUST Program
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Division of Environmental Remediation
Chemical & Pollution Control
Chemical & Petroleum Storage
Spill Prevention & Bulk Storage Section
625 Broadway, 11th Floor
Albany, NY 12233-7020

Phone: 518-402-9543
Fax: 518-402-9577

UST Program: http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/287.html
LUST Program: http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8428.html

For more information on MTBE and related issues, see: http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8692.html

Fund Program
Office of State Comptroller
New York Environmental Protection & Spill Compensation Fund (Oil Spill Fund)
110 State Street
Albany, NY 12236

Phone: 518-474-6657
Fax: 518-474-9979

Fund Program: http://www.osc.state.ny.us/oilspill/index.htm