WAC 173-162-085   Continuing education.  Ecology, with the assistance of the technical advisory group created in RCW 18.104.190, shall develop and administer a program for continuing education for the purpose of ensuring continued professional growth and competency of licensed operators.

     (1) What is continuing education? Continuing education is your opportunity to gain additional knowledge into subjects that directly relate to the well drilling profession. It is designed to enhance your knowledge, drilling skills, and keep you informed on technological advances, as well as keeping you informed on current state and local regulations. The ultimate goal is to ensure the highest quality of professionalism in the well drilling industry. Continuing education is required of every person applying for an operator's license and for every licensed operator renewing their license. Continuing education units (CEUs) are earned by attending continuing education programs. Continuing education programs consist of approved training, classes, courses, workshops, offerings, correspondence instructions, or other means of providing instruction.

     (2) How do I obtain required continuing education units?

     (a) Except as provided for in this chapter, continuing education units will only be obtained from an approved continuing education provider (a continuing education provider is: Any person, organization, school or other entity involved in education and have received approval from the department for their continuing education plan and curriculum).

     (b) The department shall maintain a current list of all continuing education providers and programs. This list will be available on the department's web page and/or by request.

     (c) In order to receive continuing education units you must successfully complete continuing education programs. You must be present throughout the entire instructional period in order to be eligible to receive full credit.

     (3) How do I become an approved continuing education provider? Persons, organizations, schools, and other entities that provide training and education must submit a continuing education plan to the department for approval. Upon approval of the plan, the requestor becomes an approved continuing education provider. The department may waive the requirement to have a continuing education plan for colleges, universities, or other entities that have an accreditation requirement of their own.

     (a) What are the required elements of a continuing education plan? A continuing education plan must contain the following required elements:

     (i) Contact information. Name of the person, organizations, schools, and other entities applying to become an approved continuing education provider. Their mailing address, telephone number(s), and e-mail address. Names of a contact person(s), their mailing address, telephone number(s), and e-mail address.

     (ii) Statement of qualifications. A statement of qualifications consists of a summary of the provider's experience in providing education programs; references; and lists of any licenses they hold and/or membership in any professional organizations.

     (iii) Statement of resources. A statement of resources shall identify the location(s) of the continuing education program and the number of individuals required to put on the program.

     (iv) Statement of organization. A statement of organization consists of a summary of how the courses will be advertised; number and frequency of classes offered during the year; a description of the method to be used to evaluate courses; a description of how attendance will be verified and reported to the department; a description of the type of proof of completion to be awarded to each student; and a cancellation policy.

     (v) Statement of accountability. The statement of accountability shall justify the cost of the class and include a statement assuring delivery of courses by the provider.

     (b) As provided for in this chapter, the department in consultation with the technical advisory group created in RCW 18.104.190 may waive the requirement for a provider to have a continuing education plan consistent with the goals of this WAC.

     (4) How do I get credit for participating in a continuing education program and report units to the department?

     (a) A person is qualified to receive continuing education units after the program has been evaluated and upon showing proof of attendance and completion of an approved continuing education program. Each continuing education provider is required to provide their students with documentation, approved by the department, showing successful completion of the program.

     (b) All operators/trainees must report their continuing education units to the department prior to their license renewal date.

     (c) The department will keep a record of the licensees' continuing education units as they are submitted. You may access your record through the department's web site or request a copy of your record.

     (d) It is the individual's responsibility to track and maintain records of their continuing education units.

     (5) General information on continuing education:

     (a) Continuing education units received during a renewal period that are in excess of the requirements cannot be used for any succeeding years.

     Example: A driller earning twenty continuing education units during their two-year renewal period cannot apply the six extra units towards any future renewal.

     (b) New applicants may have continuing education units assigned for courses, workshops, classes, or seminars attended no more than five years prior to their application date.

     (c) An individual licensed for both water well and resource protection well construction need only obtain fourteen continuing education units per renewal period.

     (d) An individual applying for a new license for both a water well and resource protection well operator's license need only meet the continuing education unit requirements for one license.

     (e) For new applicants or currently licensed individuals, two continuing education units must cover Washington state department of ecology laws and regulations provided by the department or their designee. This section will take effect one year from the effective date of this rule.

     (6) What topics will be approved for continuing education programs? General topics include: Occupational health and safety; business and office skills; interpersonal skills; technical aspects associated with well design, construction, development, maintenance, and testing; geology and ground water sciences, safety, welding, HAZMAT training, first aid; and other topics relating directly to well construction and the ground water industry as approved by the department. The department may also request approved continuing education providers to cover certain topics in their continuing education plan based on trends or observations from department compliance officers.

     (7) How will continuing education units be assigned?

     (a) The following criteria shall be utilized when evaluating programs and assigning continuing education units.

     (i) The subjects' relevance to the business, technical, and/or regulatory aspects of well drilling;

     (ii) How well the subject will enhance the knowledge, skills, and abilities required in the well drilling profession;

     (iii) Length of program; and

     (iv) Final group selection.

     The program syllabus must be reviewed in order to address these criteria.

     (b) A program syllabus shall contain the following:

     (i) Course title.

     (ii) Instructor name(s).

     (iii) Instructor qualifications.

     (iv) Course length.

     (v) Course outline, detailing specific subject material to be taught and testing schedule.

     (vi) A statement regarding how the course pertains to the business, technical, regulatory, and safety aspects of well construction.

     (vii) A statement regarding the goals and objectives of each class.

     (viii) A statement that the class will be open to all who desire to attend.

     (ix) Admission cost.

     (x) A description of textbooks, supplemental readings, or materials such as safety equipment, calculators, or other items the attendee will need to provide.

     (xi) The date and time of the course and driving directions.

     (c) Based on the syllabus review, each continuing education program will be categorized into one of seven groups:

     (i) Group one - Subjects that directly relate to the business, technical, regulatory, and safety aspects of well construction; and subjects that enhance ground water protection and increased professionalism within the drilling community.

     (A) Washington well construction and licensing statutes and regulations.

     (B) Construction methodology, well design, development, maintenance, and testing.

     (C) Protection of the ground water resource.

     (D) Hydrogeology and ground water science.

     (E) Equipment operation and maintenance.

     (F) Computer skills.

     (G) Welding.

     (H) Business management and office skills.

     (I) Interpersonal skills.

     (J) Occupational health and safety.

     (K) Map reading skills.

     (L) Local and state health regulations.

     (M) DOT regulations.

     (ii) Group two - Subjects that will improve the industries' knowledge and understanding of subjects related to ground water.

     (iii) Group three - Subjects not covered under group one or two, but benefit the driller in their professional development.

     (A) Vendor specific product/sales courses.

     (B) Pumps.

     (iv) Group four - Miscellaneous courses.

     (A) College courses.

     (B) Correspondence courses.

     (C) Trade school courses that do not fall into another group.

     (v) Group five - Attending conventions (trade show).

     (A) Washington Ground Water Association.

     (B) National Ground Water Association.

     (C) Pacific Northwest Expo.

     (D) Other state recognized conventions.

     (vi) Group six - Preapproved classes.

     (A) OSHA HAZWOPPER 40 hour basic course - 20 credits.

     (B) OSHA HAZWOPPER 8 hour refresher - 4 credits.

     (C) Red Cross 8 hour first aid/CPR - 4 credits.

     (D) Others as approved by the department.

     (vii) Group seven - Programs for which no credits are assigned.

     (d) A program will be assigned continuing education unit(s) based on the group that best describes the training session and the published length of the training session.

     The following is a unit value for each group:

     Group one - One unit per hour.

     Group two - One-half unit per hour.

     Group three - One-quarter unit per hour.

     Group four - Unit value equal to the education credit, not to exceed four continuing education units per license renewal period or trainee applicant. No more than eight for all other applicants.

     Group five - One unit per convention.

     Group six - As listed.

     Group seven - No unit value.

     (e) Operators/trainees who have attended continuing education programs that were not previously approved may receive continuing education units by providing an application to become a provider and class syllabus form to the department.

     (f) Individuals may receive continuing education units for preparing and presenting classes as follows:

     (i) No continuing education units will be assigned for class preparation/presentation to nondrilling audiences.

     (ii) One continuing education unit per hour of presentation and one CEU per hour of preparation time. Continuing education units allowed for preparation time are limited to no more than twice the time it took to present the course. Example - one hour class, no more than two hours preparation time allowed. Total three CEUs.

     (g) All continuing education programs must be open to anyone who wants to attend. This requirement does not preclude a provider from imposing reasonable requirements for attendees such as, but not limited to, fees, space limitations and providing their own safety equipment.

     (8) What is the department's role in providing continuing education?

     (a) The department shall approve all continuing education programs and assign continuing education units required by this chapter. The technical advisory group shall assist the department in their evaluation by reviewing continuing education programs and recommending assignment of continuing education units on classes referred to them by the department.

     (b) The department will provide technical support including those meeting the requirements in subsection (5)(e) of this section, in the form of speakers and materials for use in continuing education programs to approved continuing education providers upon request and at their sole discretion.



[Statutory Authority: Chapter 18.104 RCW. 06-23-121 (Order 06-08), § 173-162-085, filed 11/21/06, effective 12/22/06. Statutory Authority: Chapter 18.104 RCW and RCW 43.21A.080. 98-08-031 (Order 97-08), § 173-162-085, filed 3/23/98, effective 4/23/98.]