www.britishwater.co.uk
PAGE 37 PTP ACCREDITATION SCHEME
A SMALL SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT (Package Plant) ACCREDITATION SCHEME FOR SERVICE ENGINEERS
demonstrates a responsible attitude to the skill levels required to perform a service engineer’s function. The future Regulators’ ‘General Binding Rules’ included in their EPP2 plans are expected to require confirmation of servicing by a British Water accredited engineer.
Photo: Kee Services
Since the successful launch of the British Water ‘Accredited Service Engineer’ scheme in 2006, approximately 180 engineers from the industry have now attended the course, passed the exam and gained ‘Accredited’ status. Owners of packaged treatment plant (local authorities, caravan parks, golf courses, hotels, factories etc) can locate their nearest competent person via a searchable listing on British Water’s website:
www.britishwater.co.uk/ptp_engineers/ Accredited_Service_Engineers.aspx
The impetus for the course came from the quality regulators (Environment Agency, Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and Environment & Heritage Service NI) who revealed that they had serious concerns over the criteria being used to design package sewage treatment plants, which are commonly used by private facilities. In view of the very large number of package plants discharging to the environment, it was felt that they posed a serious pollution threat.
British Water therefore produced and published a Code of Practice dealing with flows and loads to be used in the design of package sewage treatment plant, which was adopted by all responsible manufacturers of package sewage treatment plant.
Following publication of the Code, it further became obvious that the environmental regulators also had concerns over the quality of operation and maintenance skills being applied to this sector of the market. Again, the large number of plants involved created a serious pollution threat to the environment.
In collaboration with the quality regulators, British Water devised the course content, which is based around the EA’s PPG4 (Prevention of Pollution Guidelines No4 – Treatment and disposal of sewage where no foul sewer is available) and our own Code of Practice on ‘Flows and Loads’ 2nd Edition. The course also covers basic bio-chemistry, the various types of package plants in common use, sampling and testing, fault finding, reporting and correction, and health and safety.
Despite some discussion with the Regulators, the course remains a voluntary accreditation, which
When the course was set up in 2006, it was felt that accreditation for a three-year period would be appropriate, after which, the changes in the industry would be reviewed to determine what additional knowledge a service engineer might require. The accreditation renewal process involves an additional handbook which will contain regulatory changes, changes to design standards, and technology advances. As part of the updating process, consideration is being given to requiring all maintenance companies with accredited staff to register or adopt the principles of good environmental management practices as detailed in current environmental management standards.
These developments will enhance the service engineer’s knowledge, and keep him up-to-date with developments in his field while also establishing good environmental management practices across the non-mains sewage treatment plant maintenance sector as a whole.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100