Possible Class A/B course in Eastern WA/OR

We’re getting requests for a Class A/B course in eastern Oregon or Washington, for between now and mid-March. Possible locations include Pendelton, Hermiston and Pasco/Kenniwick. Anyone need training near those cities? Let us know. If we get enough students we can set up the class. Possible dates: Jan. 25, 26, 27 or 28, Feb. 4 or 5, Mar. 3, 4, 5, 6.

If you need trained A/B operators call us at 866-301-8265 or email us today.

Recently I was going over some old newsletters from 2008-10, in a time where many of states were struggling to decide what to do about the UST operators rules. Some interesting observations from the pre-deadline world. Any of this ring a bell for you?

Training Tip. Designate Operators Before the Rules Kick In (January 2009)

One question we get repeatedly from UST operators is” Who needs training?” Even States with existing laws like Oregon and Kansas, as well as Federal EPA grant guidelines, provide general pointers but don’t exactly spell it out in black and white. The intent of defining Class A, B and C operators in general terms was and is to allow UST owners to determine how best to match their own organizations structure with the operator classification scheme. Hospitals, convenient stores, military installations, and fueling fleets all have very different organizational hierarchies. So don’t expect to see a one-size-fits-all approach. Think about it general terms. Think about how your group, company, tribe or division can be organized (or reorganized) to meet the letter and spirit of the training rules.

UST Training is proud to present the first national Class A/B UST operator training course. This general, non-state specific Class A/B UST operator training perfect for Indian tribe UST operators and others who want a solid education in UST system operations and maintenance. It’s also good for anyone wanting a general overview of UST regulations. Note the certificate of completion is not valid in states as this is a national training course based on federal UST rules 40 CFR 280.

Tribal Discount: Tribal UST operators and inspectors can received a 20% discount at checkout. Contact us to learn how to apply.

Reprinted from LUSTLine #66, December 2010, by Ben Thomas

As a trainer you want to think all your hard work pays off and that the folks you train are actually putting into practice what they’ve learned. And sometimes you get a small reward as a reminder that what you are doing matters. This story is about such a reminder.

What do you think?

Aloha Hawai’i Class A/B and C UST operators. Even though the training deadline of December 8, 2013 has passed, UST Training is still offering self-paced training for all Hawai’i UST operators. In case you missed the deadline, lost your certified UST operator, or simply want backup training, we offer two great classes: One for Class A/B and one for Class C. See what Hawai’i operators are saying about our training so far:

• Presenter was excellent.
• I could complete the course at my own pace, and go back to the areas for more study.
• Not intimidating. The test was challenging, but I learned a lot.
• Easy to understand.
• I was able to review a lesson if I didn’t understand it and/or review the previous slide for clarification on the subject matter.
• The study guide was easy to follow and understand. The explanation by the trainer enhances the material.

Click here for Class A/B.

Click here for Class C.

Attention Oregon UST owners and operators:  Opened a new site? Lost your certified A/B operator? Need a refresher?

UST Training is offering our first Oregon class of 2014 on February 6 in Portland. The course is approved by the Oregon DEC and is approved by reciprocity by the Washington DOE.

Sign up today. OPA members get a $75.00 discount when signing up.

Ben Thomas has trained the majority of Oregon UST operators since 2003. Since Ben started training, operational compliance has steadily risen since then, due in part to Ben’s efforts to improve UST operator awareness and his engaging training material.

Which will you do better in 2014? Let’s put that UST operator training to work!

True story. Driving home from Oregon on a family vacation yesterday I stopped to get a fill up at a convenience store. And from my driver’s seat I can see the Veeder Root tank monitor blinked red through the store window. Great. Not being able to help myself, I mention it to the supposed Class C UST operator filling up my car (Oregon is one of two mandatory full serve states):

Make sure you keep water out of your spill buckets so they don’t freeze this winter. Ice can expand and damage the hardware. And don’t remove the ice with anything sharp like a screwdriver. You can easily puncture the side walls, rendering your spill containment worthless.

Remember from your Class A/B UST operator training: clean and dry every day.

UST Training just launched our home-state Washington Class A/B UST Operator Training course in a self-paced version. Previously our training was delivered via live webinar. This is good news for UST operators that may not have a full day to dedicate to sitting in class all day. It’s the same great training only more convenient.

Buy now and get trained today!

A 2005 leaking UST site is still making headlines in the local paper. Another reason why operator training, which helps operators look for warning signs in advance, is a good idea.

from the South Whidbey Record, Posted December 5, 2013.

Drilling for answers on Main Street

Source: NACS Online,  Posted 11/28/13

America has just experienced its 100th anniversary of the modern fuel station. While fueling stations existed before 1913 – after all, Karl Benz is credited with inventing the first gasoline-powered automobile in 1885 – fueling was far from convenient a century ago. Read more

This just in: An astute UST contractor noticed this unusual display when he arrived to troubleshoot a dispenser today. Ever see this before?

UST Training is offering a live Class A/B UST Operator training course 9 AM to 3 PM, December 13, 2013 in Spokane, WA, at the Spokane Convention Center. The class is open to the public.

Sorry for the short notice. We don’t get out to Eastern Washington very often so if you need Class A/B training and prefer a live class, let us know ASAP. 866-301-8265 or [email protected].

Aloha Hawai’i UST operators. A gentle reminder every Class A, B and C operator must be trained by December 9, 2013. And once trained you must submit the verification form and our certificate of completion to the Department of Health. We offer Class A/B and C UST operator training online to help you meet this important deadline.

If you’re new to USTtraining.com you may not realize we offer –at no cost– access to the nation’s definitive UST technical assistance library: Our UST Resources page. Check it out!

If you’re an inspector or operator, we’ve gathered some of the best compliance assistance tools out there to help you do your job better.This includes:

Over the years we’ve heard some interesting ways UST operators have discovered underground leaks from UST systems. For example:

• A night watchman at a site happens to discover fuel coming out of the ground during a routine perimeter inspection.
• A bank calls the owner of a site to say they are way overdrawn on their account. The owner then recalls ordering many extra deliveries that month and didn’t put two and two together.
• A neighbors house catches fire when the basement fills up with gasoline from a nearby gas station.
• A neighbors drinking water well smells like gasoline. The nearby UST owner didn’t notice anything usual prior to the discovery.
• High groundwater forces an empty tank out of the ground, breaking concrete and piping. The tank was not properly anchored.

  Read More →

You may not be aware of it but UST Training offers free technical and regulatory advice to our customers and has done so since Ben Thomas trained the nation’s first state-approved UST Operator training course in Portland, Oregon in 2003. Graduates of our training courses have full access to top national experts who are not only happy to explain UST regulations but can help you determine what is best for you at your particular site. We try to make a difference in the world by preventing leaks and spills from USTs and one way to do that well is make it personal.

A number of states have pollution insurance funds to help UST owners and operators meet financial responsible requirements. Here’s a story of someone taking advantage of this effort in Missouri.

It turns out the contractor FINEenvironmental is not so fine after they got caught submitting and being paid for multiple false invoices. The total fraud was in excess of $1.3 million dollars.