Md. Code Regs. 26.06.01.06

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 20, October 4, 2024

Section 26.06.01.06 - Types of Certificates and Certification Requirements

A. The Board shall issue a certificate only for a class of works at which the applicant is employed or is awaiting specific employment. If the applicant is not employed or awaiting specific employment in the class of works under review, the Board may not issue a certificate.

B. Temporary Certificates and Certification.

(1) The Board shall issue a temporary certificate to an applicant who:

(a) Is employed by a waterworks, wastewater works, or industrial wastewater works in Maryland, and is awaiting specific assignment to duties in the job functions defined in Regulation .05 of this chapter;

(b) Applies for certification; and

(c) Pays a certification fee in accordance with Regulation .07 of this chapter.

(2) The temporary certificate holder shall work only under the direction of a holder of a superintendent or operator certificate.

(3) The Board may not issue a temporary certificate to an applicant if the certificate applied for would replace a temporary certificate that could be renewed.

(4) A temporary certificate holder will be identified as an Operator-in-Training.

C. Operator Certificates and Certification.

(1) The Board shall issue an operator certificate to an applicant who:

(a) Is employed or is awaiting specific employment, in the job functions defined in Regulation .05B of this chapter, at a waterworks, wastewater works, or industrial wastewater works that is regulated under Environment Article, Annotated Code of Maryland;

(b) Meets the education and experience requirements established in Regulations .04 and .16 of this chapter;

(c) Passes an appropriate examination given by the Board; and

(d) Pays a certification fee in accordance with Regulation .07 of this chapter.

(2) Experience as an operator in Maryland that was obtained in the certification class for which operator certification has been requested is fully creditable toward the experience requirements established in Regulations .04 and .16 of this chapter if the experience:

(a) Was obtained under a valid certificate from the Board; or

(b) Occurred before March 29, 1991.

(3) The following experience may be credited toward the experience requirements established in Regulations .04 and .16 of this chapter, as determined by the Board:

(a) Experience as an operator in Maryland that was obtained in a certification class other than the one for which operator certification has been requested, if the experience:

(i) Was obtained under a valid certificate from the Board, or

(ii) Occurred before March 29, 1991;

(b) Experience as an operator that was obtained in another state, in the armed forces of the United States, or at other federal facilities; or

(c) Related experience that was not as an operator.

(4) The approval by the Board of experience credit under §C(3)(b) or (c) of this regulation is based upon the following information in writing from the applicant:

(a) A description of the unit processes for which the applicant seeks experience credit;

(b) A description of the applicant's specific job duties for which the applicant seeks experience credit; and

(c) Verification from the applicant's present employer or previous employer, or both, of the information provided in §C(4)(a) and (b) of this regulation.

(5) The approval of experience credit under §C(3)(a)(i) of this regulation for a person who holds multiple certificates will be determined by the Board. The following information will be considered:

(a) Experience as a water, wastewater, or industrial wastewater operator that is earned under a valid certificate may be credited hour-for-hour toward the experience requirement for an operator certificate;

(b) Whether the applicant has passed the appropriate examination for the certification that is under review; and

(c) Whether a minimum of 1,800 hours or 1 year of experience was earned in the highest class of each certificate category for which a temporary certificate is held.

(6) The minimum experience requirements for operator certification for individuals whose applications for temporary or operator certification were received by the Board before the effective date of this regulation shall be:

(a) For wastewater collection class 1, 1 year or 1,800 hours, whichever occurs first;

(b) For wastewater collection class 2 and industrial class 6, 2 years or 3,600 hours, whichever occurs first;

(c) For industrial class 5, wastewater classes 4, 5, S, and A, and water class 4, 3 years or 5,400 hours, whichever occurs first; and

(d) For all other classes, the requirements set forth in Regulation .16 of this chapter.

(7) Except as provided in §C(3)(a)-(c) of this regulation, the minimum requirements for operator certification shall be as set forth in Regulations .04 and .16 of this chapter.

(8) As set forth in Tables 4, 5, and 7 of Regulation .16 of this chapter, the holder of a valid operator certificate may be authorized to operate more than one class of works or system.

D. Grandparented Certificates and Certification.

(1) The Board shall issue a grandparented certificate to any applicant who:

(a) Meets the education and experience requirements in accordance with Regulation .04 of this chapter;

(b) Is employed as an operator in the waterworks for a public water system:

(i) As defined in COMAR 26.04.01; and

(ii) Not covered by this chapter before February 5, 2001, as determined by the Approving Authority;

(c) Applies for certification; and

(d) Pays a certification fee in accordance with Regulation .07 of this chapter.

(2) A grandparented certificate shall be site-specific, and expire immediately upon termination of employment at the waterworks identified in the certificate.

(3) If the classification of the plant or distribution system changes to a higher level, the grandparented certificate is no longer valid.

(4) All grandparented certificates shall be applied for by February 5, 2003.

E. Superintendent Certificates and Certification.

(1) The Board shall issue a superintendent certificate for a specific works to an applicant who:

(a) Has a valid operator certificate from the Board for the classification in which the applicant is employed as set out in Regulations .04 and .16 this chapter;

(b) Meets the education requirements set out in Regulations .04 and .16 of this chapter;

(c) Meets the experience requirements set out in Regulations .04 and .16 of this chapter and §E(2) of this regulation;

(d) Is appointed by the employing or appointing person, county, municipality, sanitary district, or this State; and

(e) Pays a certification fee in accordance with Regulation .07 of this chapter.

(2) The following experience may be credited toward the experience requirements for superintendent certification:

(a) Experience gained with an operator certificate from the Board in the class of facility for which superintendent certification has been requested; and

(b) Other experience as determined by the Board, including:

(i) Experience in responsible charge of a facility as defined in Regulation .01B(12) of this chapter, and

(ii) Other management experience acceptable to the Board.

(3) Requests for crediting of experience under §E(2)(b) of this regulation shall include:

(a) A written description of the applicant's specific job duties and responsibilities; and

(b) Written verification from the applicant's present employer or previous employer, or both, of the information provided in §E(3)(a) of this regulation.

F. Education Substituted for Experience.

(1) Education may be substituted for a portion of the experience requirements set out in Regulations .04 and .16 of this chapter.

(2) The following are eligible for education substitution:

(a) College course work in science or engineering at the rate of 30 semester credit hours of course work for a year of experience; and

(b) Other job-related courses or training as determined by the Board.

(3) The substitution of education for experience is limited as follows:

(a) Only education completed beyond the minimum educational requirements specified in Regulations .04 and .16 of this chapter may be substituted for experience;

(b) The substitution of college course work in science or engineering for experience is specified in Regulation .16 of this chapter;

(c) The substitution of education for experience may not exceed a total of 1 year; and

(d) Each request to substitute education for experience shall be supported by an official transcript sent directly to the Board from the applicant's college or university, or by other documentation acceptable to the Board.

G. Experience Substituted for Education. When applicable, experience may be substituted for the education requirements set out in Regulations .04 and .16 of this chapter. Substitution of experience for education shall be limited as follows:

(1) One year of experience may be substituted for 1 year of college;

(2) One year of experience beyond the minimum experience requirement may be substituted for education.

H. Certificate. Each certificate shall:

(1) Indicate the classification the operator or temporary certificate holder is authorized to operate as set out in Tables 4-7 of Regulation .16 of this chapter;

(2) Indicate the works that the superintendent certificate holder is authorized to superintend;

(3) Indicate the certification number and the date of issuance;

(4) Bear the seal of the Board; and

(5) In the case of superintendent and operator certificates, be signed by the chairman and the secretary of the Board.

Md. Code Regs. 26.06.01.06

Regulations .06 repealed effective May 7, 1984 (11:9 Md. R. 795)
Regulations .06 adopted effective May 7, 1984 (11:9 Md. R. 795)
Regulation .06B amended effective October 6, 1986 (13:20 Md. R. 2211)
Regulation .06B amended effective October 16, 1989 (16:20 Md. R. 2184)
Regulation .06 amended effective August 25, 1997 (24:17 Md. R. 1218); February 1, 2001 (28:1 Md. R. 27);41:13 Md. R. 753, eff.10/1/2014