Ohio Adopts Inspector Certification Requirement for Highway and Bridge Projects
In the proposed revisions of construction contract specifications, the Ohio department of transportation (ODOT) recognizes the Certified Erosion, Sediment, and Storm Water Inspector (CESSWI) credential as an acceptable qualification for inspecting BMPs on its construction projects.
The CESSWI certification identifies someone who is technically and ethically qualified to provide nationally consistent inspections of erosion, sediment, and storm water management practices for compliance with an approved site plan/stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) including compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
The CESSWI program, which was established in 2007, is one of two other certification programs-the Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control and the Certified Professional in Storm Water Quality-offered by EnviroCert International Inc.
To prepare contractor personnel and consultants to meet these requirements, the Ohio Contractors Association (OCA) and the Great Lakes Chapter of the International Erosion Control Association (IECA) have been sponsoring a series of classroom sessions.
A Regional Leader
These sessions feature a daylong course to review the material covered in the certification exam followed the next day by the exam itself. The OCA presented two sessions last year and scheduled at least five more for 2009 through June. Meanwhile, IECA’s Great Lakes Chapter is presenting three review and exam sessions this year. In addition, the review and exam will be also offered at the Ohio Storm Water Conference in Cincinnati from May 13-15, 2009.
As of early 2009, about 30 professionals in Ohio have become CESSWI-certified. That compares to no more than two CESSWI certificates issued in any of the neighboring states. “By the end of this year, we expect to have about 100 to 150 CESSWI-certified individuals in Ohio,” reports Dan Ross, urban conservationist with the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Ohio and a member of the CESSWI Executive Committee.
A Better Remedy
The efforts in Ohio to help candidates become CESSWI-certified trace back to 2005 when the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency required ODOT to establish more stringent standards for inspecting construction site BMPs under the NPDES stormwater permit. “It was no longer acceptable for the inspector to simply be “˜well-versed’ in the process,” explains Ron Trivisonno, construction hydraulic engineer with ODOT’s Office of Construction Administration. “We had to specify the type and amount of expertise required to perform these inspections. The purpose is to have someone who understands how BMPs can control erosion and limit sediment discharge offsite, and can effectively address any performance issues.”
In working with OCA officials, ODOT has agreed to the CESSWI certificate as an appropriate standard. “It gives us the assurance that the person is qualified to inspect erosion and sediment control practices,” he says. “You can remedy stormwater problems a lot more quickly when you have the right person on the job. The CESSWI credential helps us do that.”
Credibility is one of the strengths of the CESSWI credential, Ross notes. EnviroCert International established the CESSWI program 2007. “However, the organization has more than 25 years of experience administering the programs and addressing any ethical issues involving certification,” he says.
Also, as with the other EnviroCert International credentials, the CESSWI is recognized where ever the registrant might work in the future. In addition, EnviroCert International handles the daylong review course and certification exam. That eliminated the need for ODOT to establish its own program to prepare qualified inspectors.
Preparing Candidates
The OCA worked with ODOT in developing the CESSWI requirement. “We wanted to make sure that enough opportunities would be available for contractors to prepare for and take the CESSWI exam before July 1, 2009,” says Chris Engle, OCA’s director for Public Agencies. “Providing the classroom sessions is a service for our members as well as non-members. Most of our members work on ODOT projects, so we need quite a few CESSWI-certified people. This certification will also help contractors on local government projects, since most of these jobs follow ODOT contract specifications.”
Providing certification reviews and exams is nothing new to OCA. “Since 2006, when ODOT announced that a CPESC certification would be one of the requirements for designing stormwater pollution prevention plans, several hundred contractor personnel and designers have attended our CPESC sessions,” Engle says.
“The CESSWI sessions have been successful for us, and we look forward to offering them to the foreseeable future. The CESSWI continuing education requirements helps our members stay current on the latest techniques. Also, the CESSWI credential helps our relationship with the Ohio EPA and ODOT by increasing their confidence in the ability of our members to do a good job in controlling erosion and sediment.”
