Cal. Code Regs. tit. 19 § 2540

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 49, December 6, 2024

Section 2540 - Administrative Procedures

(a) Course Manager.

(1) A Course Manager is a California Certified Hazardous Materials Instructor responsible for monitoring, coordinating, and teaching at least 20% of the certified course, as referenced in section 2520.

(2) A Course Manager shall ensure that all instructors (both State certified and noncertified) that teach in a certified course adhere to all requirements designated in Sections 2520 and 2540 as specified for the course being taught.

(3) A Course Manager is responsible for completing, signing, and submitting all required administrative forms as designated in section 2540(c).

(4) A Course Manager is responsible for requesting, signing, paying for and distributing course certificates to students who successfully complete the course as designated in section 2520.

(b) Noncertified Instructors.

(1) A Noncertified Instructor is any instructor who has not received State Certification as referenced in section 2530.

(2) Noncertified Instructors are permitted to teach in certified courses, as referenced in section 2520, only under the supervision of a Course Manager.

(3) Noncertified Instructors, who teach in certified courses, are required to adhere to all requirements designated in Sections 2520 and 2540 for the course being taught.

(c) Course Notification and Certification

(1) All Course Managers who request State certification for any of the courses referenced in section 2520 shall complete and submit a Training Course Notification Form (HM 100), as designated in section 2550, to the California Specialized Training Institute Hazardous Materials Section no later than six weeks prior to the start of the course in which certification is being requested. If there are any changes in class location, date or time, the Course Manager is required to submit those changes to the CSTI Hazardous Materials Section within 48 hours that the change or changes were made. If any of the changes described above occur within 48 hours of the course's start time, then the Course Manager is required to notify the CSTI Hazardous Materials Section immediately by telephone.

(2) Course Managers are not permitted to request State certification for Haz Mat Specialist (1F) or (1G) courses, as referenced in Section 2520(p)-(q), until a Field Training Facility for use in said courses has been inspected, approved, and certified according to the procedures established in Section 2560(b).

(3) All Course Managers who request State certification for any of the courses referenced in section 2520 shall complete, sign and submit all of the following administrative forms, as designated in section 2550, to the California Specialized Training Institute Hazardous Materials section no later than six weeks following the last day of the course in which certification is being requested:

(A) Course Roster Form (HM 150);

(B) Student Course Evaluation Forms (HM 140), one per student; and

(C) Class Schedule Form (HM 130).

(4) Completion of the Course Manager Course Evaluation Form (HM 160) is optional.

(5) When a Course Manager completes, signs, and submits the required administrative forms designated in section 2540, he or she is certifying that he/she taught the course according to all of the requirements designated in Sections 2520, 2530 and 2540 for the course being certified and that he/she used the current course curriculum specified in Section 2540(t).

(6) All courses shall be completed, including submission of all forms as designated in Section 2540(c)(3) and payment of all certificate fees and course material costs, to the California Specialized Training Institute within one year of course start date or the course will be considered null and void, unless said course has been granted an extension by the Chief of the Hazardous Materials Section per Section 2540(j)(2). Null and void courses are not eligible for certification.

(d) Certified Course Curriculum

(1) Course Managers shall not delete any material from a certified curriculum as referenced in section 2520.

(2) This section does not prohibit Course Managers from adding material which exceeds the minimum requirements established for course curriculum in Section 2520 under the condition that said additions do not contradict established State standards and recognized procedures pursuant to this code.

(3) Course Managers shall ensure that all students receive a copy of the appropriate student notebook, as referenced in Section 2520 and 2540(t), for students to retain for the duration of the class.

(4) Course Managers shall ensure that certified classes include all of the requirements specified in the applicable portion of Section 2520.

(5) Course Managers will ensure that courses requiring hands-on or practical application of skills, have sufficient supplies and equipment. Sufficient supplies means that there are enough tools, monitors, suits and other items to allow each student to meet the performance objectives within the course timeframe.

(A) Course Managers will ensure that there is sufficient equipment present at any given class to meet the student to equipment ratio required by the objectives found in section 2520.

(B) Student to Instructor/Equipment/etc. Ratios are used to assure students receive an adequate level of experiential learning. Course Managers may use break-outs or sectional training to reduce the required numbers of equipment (thereby reducing costs without sacrificing instructional quality).

(i) Example: The course: Technician C - Week, requires 1 computer for each 3 students. Given a class of 30 students, ten computers would be required, unless this practical application session were broken into three groups or break-outs. Each group having 10 students and one instructor. One group does air monitoring, one group does technical reference and one group uses the computers. In the case of the computer group, with only 10 students, only 3 computers are needed.

(e) Certified Course Exams

(1) Certified written exams for the courses referenced in section 2520 shall only be developed and revised by the California Specialized Training Institute Hazardous Materials section.

(2) Certified written exams shall only be administered, corrected, and scored by a California State Certified Hazardous Materials Instructor as referenced in section 2530.

(3) No California State Certified Instructor or instructor/staff working with a Certified Instructor is permitted to reveal to any student any direct and verbatim answers derived directly from any certified exam prior to or during the administration of said exam.

(4) No California State Certified Instructor or instructor/staff working with a Certified Instructor is permitted to reveal to any student any direct and verbatim questions derived directly from any certified exam prior to the administration of said exam.

(5) All California State Certified Instructors shall use the most current revision of the certified written exam available from the California Specialized Training Institute at the time of administration of said exam.

(6) A student who fails to pass an exam on the first attempt may be permitted to retake the exam once, if either of the following cases occur:

(A) If, in the opinion of the certified instructor who administered the exam, it appears that the student failed the exam because of difficulty with the English language. In such a case, the certified instructor may give the exam orally to the student.

(B) If, in the opinion of the certified instructor who administered the exam, it appears that the student failed the exam because of lack of knowledge of course material, then the instructor may, at his or her discretion, retrain the student. In such a case, a certified instructor is required to administer the most current alternate version of the written exam, which the student has not taken. The alternate version of the exam shall be taken within 30 calendar days from the date that the student's first exam was administered.

(7) Any student who fails to pass an exam twice shall be required to retake the entire course in which the student seeks certification.

(8) Any student found to be cheating by a certified instructor during the administration of a certified exam shall not be permitted to pass the said exam. "Cheating" consists of, but is not limited to, acts by students such as consulting the Student Notebook, notes, Instructor Guide or other reference materials during the administration of a certified exam. Exceptions include item 14 below and the use of wall-mounted "Periodic Table of the Elements" as required in 2520(k)(2).

(9) Any student not permitted to pass a certified exam because of alleged cheating or any student who failed an exam and seeks to contest any exam questions, may appear in person, within 60 days of said exam, before the California Specialized Training Institute Hazardous Materials Section Chief or his/her representative to request to retake an alternative exam. The Hazardous Materials Section Chief or his/her representative shall approve or deny the request based on evidence presented during the said interview with the student and a follow-up interview with the certified instructor(s) involved.

(10) Students are not permitted to retain or copy any certified exam. Course Managers must adequately ensure that all certified exams distributed during administration of said exam are returned and accounted for.

(11) Course Managers are required to retain all student answer sheets on which students marked answers for a minimum of 5 years after date exam was administered. If requested at any time during the five year retention period, the original answer sheets shall be forwarded by the Course Manager to the California Specialized Training Institute Hazardous Materials Section Chief within 10 days.

(12) The maximum time allowed for students to complete a certified written exam may be specified on said exam. If no time limit is specified, it shall be designated as a maximum of one minute per question (i.e. A 20-question exam shall have a time limit of 20 minutes, unless otherwise specified on said exam). The Course Manager shall inform the students of the specified or designated maximum time limit for said written exam prior to its distribution to students.

(13) All certified course exams, unless otherwise specified on the cover of the exam, shall be a "closed student notebook/workbook" exam.

(14) The use of the current ERG is allowed on the following CSTI certified exams: First Responder Awareness, 2520(a), First Responder Operations, 2520(b) and Incident Commander, 2520 (c).

(f) Quality Control/Audit Process

(1) Any course taught by a California State Certified Hazardous Materials Instructor, in which he or she has requested to receive State certification, is subject to unannounced field audits conducted by a faculty member of the California Specialized Training Institute Hazardous Materials Section or any California Governor's Office of Emergency Services employee or authorized representative designated by the Chief of the California Specialized Training Institute Hazardous Materials Section. Field audits may consist of any of the following:

(A) Routine audits designed to determine if instructors are meeting the requirements established in Sections 2520 and 2540 for the course in which certification is being requested.

(B) Special audits investigating complaints of an instructor's misconduct or unprofessional conduct.

(C) Follow-up audits designed to ensure an instructor's compliance with required course changes and corrections of identified deficiencies.

(2) Any course taught by a California State Certified Hazardous Materials Instructor, in which he or she has requested to receive State certification, is subject to mail or telephone audits conducted by a faculty member of the California Specialized Training Institute Hazardous Materials Section or any California Governor's Office of Emergency Services employee or authorized representative designated by the Chief of the California Specialized Training Institute Hazardous Materials Section. Mail and telephone audits may consist of any of the following:

(A) Survey of student reactions/evaluations of presentations by an instructor(s) and course content of any certified course.

(B) Required submission to the California Specialized Training Institute of all instructors' lesson plans/guides, student notebooks, handouts, and any other written materials used in any certified course.

(3) The auditor shall complete a Course Audit Report (HM 180), as designated in section 2550, for each course audited and provide the California Specialized Training Institute Hazardous Materials Section Chief with a copy of said report for approval within 10 working days following completion of the audit. Upon receiving approval from the Section Chief, the Course Audit Report shall be forwarded to the Course Manager and/or Instructor within 10 working days of approval.

(4) If any deficiencies were identified in the audit, the auditor shall provide a written summary of deficiencies and recommendations for correcting the identified deficiencies to the California Specialized Training Institute Hazardous Materials Section Chief for approval within 10 working days following completion of the audit. Upon receiving approval from the Section Chief, the written summary of deficiencies and recommendations for correcting the identified deficiencies shall be forwarded to the Course Manager and/or Instructor within 10 working days of approval.

(A) If the deficiencies are major or willful violations of these regulations and the CSTI Hazardous Materials Section Chief determines that they cannot reasonably be rectified through remedial training, then he/she shall immediately recommend decertification of the instructor as specified in Section 2540(g)(4) of these regulations. Major violations include, but are not limited to, the following:

(i) Failure to teach a class as specified in the applicable portion of Section 2520.

(ii) Failure to cover all of the course objectives as specified in the applicable portion of Section 2520.

(iii) Failure to teach a class meeting the requirement for minimum hours as specified in the applicable portion of Section 2520.

(iv) Failure to use the curriculum material specified in the applicable portion of Section 2520 and Section 2540(t).

(v) Violation of Section 2540(e)(3)-(5).

(vi) Failure to follow the safety policy as specified in Section 2540(k)(1) and 2540(k)(3)-(5).

(vii) Failure to follow the "Professional Conduct" policy as specified in Section 2540(i).

(viii) Repeated or willful failure to follow administrative procedures as specified in Section 2540 after having been notified in writing of prior failure to follow those administrative procedures.

(5) A Course Manager and/or Instructor, who coordinated and/or taught a course that had been identified as being deficient, shall correct all identified deficiencies prior to coordinating or teaching in another certified course.

(6) Students who have attended a course that had been identified as being deficient shall not be issued certificates until said students have received remedial training in the areas identified as deficient. If the course was identified as being deficient after students have received certificates, the said students shall be notified by CSTI that their certificates are null and void until they receive remedial training in the areas identified as deficient.

(7) A follow-up audit, reported on a form HM 180 as designated in section 2550, shall be conducted by a faculty member of the California Specialized Training Institute Hazardous Materials Section or any California Governor's Office of Emergency Services employee or consultant designated by the Chief of the California Specialized Training Institute Hazardous Materials Section to ensure that deficiencies have been corrected.

(8) Follow-up audit reports shall be submitted to the California Specialized Training Institute Hazardous Materials Section Chief within 10 working days following completion of the follow-up audit.

(9) The Course Manager is responsible for ensuring that any auditor(s) conducting an audit of said Course Manager's course, in accordance to the procedures established in Section 2540(f), is permitted free and unhindered access to any course requesting State certification. If the Course Manager fails to provide said auditor(s) with free and unhindered access to said course, then said course may not receive State certification.

(g) Instructor Decertification

(1) A Certified Instructor can be decertified for failure to adhere to the policies, procedures or administrative requirements for delivering, documenting, or certifying a course through the California Hazardous Substances Incident Response Training and Education Program contained in Title 2 of the California Government Code, Division 1, Chapter 7, Sections 8574.19-8574.21 and Title 19 of the California Code of Regulations, Chapter 1, Subchapter 2, Sections 2510-2560.

(2) A Certified Instructor can be decertified for failure to correct all deficiencies identified in an audit as referenced in Section 2540(f).

(3) A Certified Instructor can be decertified for failure to teach a minimum of four hours of instruction in any certified course, or any course using certified curriculum, as referenced in Section 2520, during a calendar year. The calendar year in which an instructor received State Certification is exempt from the four-hour requirement. A Certified Instructor who wants credit for teaching hours only, must ensure that the Course Manager, of the course in which the Certified Instructor taught, includes his/her name and hours to be credited on Class Schedule Form (HM 130) that is submitted to the California Specialized Training Institute. If a Certified Instructor wants to notify CSTI of a course that he/she is teaching and does not want certification for the course, but wants credit for teaching hours only, then the Certified Instructor shall submit a Training Course Notification Form (HM 100) and a Class Schedule Form (HM 130) to CSTI.

(4) The CSTI Hazardous Materials Section Chief shall recommend decertification of an instructor to the Director of CSTI. The final decision to decertify an instructor is determined by the Director of the California Specialized Training Institute within 45 calendar days of the recommendation from the CSTI Hazardous Materials Section Chief.

(5) If the CSTI Hazardous Materials Section Chief recommends decertification of an instructor to the Director of CSTI, then the Section Chief shall, at the same time, cause the instructor being recommended for decertification to be notified by written correspondence outlining the reason(s) for his/her pending decertification. The instructor being recommended for decertification shall be given 30 calendar days (from the date the notification was mailed) to respond in writing to the Director of CSTI for consideration in retaining his/her certification. The Director of CSTI shall review any written correspondence received within the 30-day notification period described above prior to decertifying an instructor.

(6) During the 30-day notification period, designated in Section 2540(g)(5), the instructor pending decertification shall be permitted to appear before the CSTI Hazardous Materials Section Chief and/or the CSTI Hazardous Material Section Instructor Certification Program Coordinator for the purpose of requesting to retain his/her instructor certification. The instructor pending decertification shall be permitted, at the time of appearance, to present any evidence that would assist in a fair and impartial decision regarding the pending decertification. The CSTI Hazardous Materials Section Chief and/or the CSTI Hazardous Material Section Instructor Certification Program Coordinator shall prepare a written summary of the findings of the interview with the instructor pending decertification, including a recommendation to either maintain or withdraw the decertification request, within 10 days following the interview, to the Director of CSTI. The Director of CSTI shall review any written summary of an interview with an instructor pending decertification prepared by the CSTI Hazardous Materials Section Chief and/or the CSTI Hazardous Material Section Instructor Certification Program Coordinator prior to decertifying an instructor.

(7) Any instructor who has been notified that he/she is pending decertification, shall be designated as "under suspension" and shall not be permitted to manage, teach or assist in any course requesting State certification. An instructor suspension period shall not exceed 90 days.

(8) An instructor who has been decertified in accordance with Section 2540(g)(1) or (2) shall not be permitted to manage, assist, or teach in any course requesting State certification.

(h) Instructor Recertification

(1) An instructor who was decertified in accordance with Section 2540(g)(3) can be recertified by either of the following methods:

(A) Successful completion of the Hazardous Materials Instructor Recertification Course as referenced in Section 2520(j); or

(B) Successful recompletion of the Hazardous Materials Instructor Certification for Trainers Course as referenced in Section 2520(i).

(2) An instructor who was decertified in accordance with Section 2540(g)(1) or 2540(g)(2) is not eligible for recertification.

(i) Professional Conduct

(1) All instructors teaching, coordinating, or monitoring a hazardous materials course as referenced in Section 2520 shall adhere to all of the following professional codes of conduct:

(A) Refrain from making sexist, racist, or obscene remarks during a certified course.

(B) Utilize class time for enhancing the learning of students and not for personal motives unrelated to teaching.

(C) Provide complete and accurate information to the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services when requested to do so pursuant to Sections 2510-2560.

(D) Teach only subjects in which the instructor is qualified based on training and experience.

(E) Provide an honest and accurate representation of instructor's educational background and work experience to students as it relates to the course of instruction.

(F) Provide an honest and accurate representation of instructor's employment status and instructor relationship with the State.

(2) Any certified instructor who changes his/her address or phone number shall notify CSTI Hazardous Materials Section of said change within 30 days of change.

(j) Class Size, Duration, and Attendance

(1) For any certified course referenced in Section 2520, the Course Manager shall ensure that the Student-to-Instructor ratio does not exceed 50-to-1 for classroom instruction and 15-to-1 for field/exercise instruction.

(2) No single certified course, as referenced in Section 2520, can be taught over any period exceeding 12 consecutive months without consent from the Chief of the Hazardous Materials Section of the California Specialized Training Institute.

(3) The Course Manager is required to document and verify student attendance on a daily basis. Verification of student attendance is subject to audit. Course Managers should retain such records for a period of not less than five years.

(4) 40 hour class policy. A 40 hour course may be presented in less than 40 hours, however, no less than 36 hours under the following circumstances:

(A) The course coordinator certifies that all practical and learning objectives have been met and completed: and,

(B) The course coordinator certifies that all participants in the course meet the same competency requirements as those taking the full 40 hour course: and,

(C) In situations where a 40 hour class is being presented and the number of students is low or the skill level is very high or other situations as deemed appropriate by the Course Coordinator, the minimum required attendance and certification hours can be changed to as low as 36 hours: and,

(D) The 40 hour duration is not required by any other agency; e.g., the 40 hour Site Worker course cannot be presented in 36 hours due to the OSHA mandate in Title 8 CCR 5192(e) requiring 40 hours.

(k) Safety Policy

(1) All Course Managers, certified and noncertified instructors who are conducting or participating in any State certified hazardous materials course, as referenced in Section 2520, shall adhere to all of the following safety procedures:

(A) The Course Manager shall provide advanced notice to prospective trainees regarding any anticipated physical demands and/or physical performance expectations; examples include an obstacle course, heavy lifting, and high heat and cold environments and will ensure each student complete and turn in the CSTI Statement of Physical or Medical Qualification Form (HM 280 (rev. 9/04) or HM 280C (rev. 9/06) which are incorporated by reference) to the course manager;

(B) The Course Manager shall provide all instructors participating in their course with a copy, or post a copy at training locations and notify instructors, of this safety policy;

(C) The Course Manager shall ensure that emergency communications (telephone or radio) are accessible at all training locations;

(D) The Course Manager shall ensure for chemical and outdoor practical "hands on" training/exercises that at least one member of the training staff or class, either directly involved in the training event or immediately (within 3 minutes) available at the training location, shall be certified as an EMT-1 or greater. Local EMS may be utilized it they meet response time criteria.

(E) The Course Manager shall ensure that student emergency notification information, including name and phone number of student's emergency contact, be maintained and easily accessible for the duration of training;

(F) The Course Manager shall ensure that all instructors participating in the training event are provided with the location and phone number of the nearest medical facility or are provided communication access to the Emergency Medical System (911). Additionally, this information shall be conspicuously posted at all training sites;

(G) The Course Manager shall be responsible for appointing a Safety Officer from staff or students for chemical and outdoor practical hands-on exercises and conducting a safety inspection of all training locations prior to student arrival, reasonably ensuring that no unsafe conditions exist;

(H) The Course Manager shall be aware of environmental factors such as weather or air quality prior to any outdoor instruction, and shall adjust instruction as necessary; to insure student safety;

(I) The Course Manager shall verbally review specific safety rules with all students and ensure that specific safety rules are conspicuously posted;

(J) The Course Manager shall advise students of their responsibility to stop and report any unsafe action during training immediately upon discovery;

(K) The Course Manager and all instructors participating in training shall display an attitude of safety and professional demeanor at all times; and

(L) All instructors shall adhere to this safety policy, and all other specific site safety procedures pertaining to equipment, facilities, and manipulative skills as deemed appropriate by the Course Manager.

(2) All students who are participating in any State certified hazardous materials course, as referenced in Section 2520, shall adhere to all of the following safety procedures:

(A) Students shall notify the Course Manager prior to class of any existing medical condition or illness which may create a safety hazard, health risk, be aggravated or affect performance during training;

(B) In training that requires students to wear an encapsulated suit and/or a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and/or an Air Purifying Respirator (APR) and/or an Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR), students shall submit written documentation: CSTI Statement of Physical or Medical Qualification Form (HM 280 or HM 280C), to the Course Manager prior to class.

(C) All students shall be required to provide evidence of medical or physical fitness for training, if the Course Manager questions their ability to perform safely students may be required to show additional proof of fitness:

(D) Students shall immediately notify a member of the training staff of any injury, however slight, sustained during training;

(E) Students shall be responsible for stopping and reporting any unsafe action during training immediately upon discovery; and

(F) Students shall adhere to this safety policy, and all other specific site safety procedures pertaining to equipment, facilities, and manipulative skills as deemed appropriate by the Course Manager.

(3) All Course Managers, certified and noncertified instructors, and students who are conducting or participating in any State certified hazardous materials course, as referenced in Section 2520, shall adhere to the following Response-To-Injury procedures:

(A) In the event of an injury, the following actions shall be taken:

(i) Obtain appropriate medical assistance. In all cases where a student loses consciousness, an evaluation shall be sought from a medical doctor before the student is allowed to return to training;

(ii) Render first aid as necessary by the designated EMT-I, EMT-P, staff members, students trained in first aid, or local EMS System

(iii) Immediate notification (24 hours) by the Course Manager to the CSTI Hazardous Materials Section Chief, using the CSTI Injury and Accident Form (HM 290 (rev. 3/04) incorporated by reference), shall be made if any serious/major injury, life-threatening injury or illness, or death is sustained by a student or instructor during training;

(iv) Notification of lesser injuries not requiring treatment beyond first aid (e.g., minor lacerations, abrasions, strains, etc.) shall be made by the Course Manager using the CSTI Injury and Accident Form (HM 290 within 10 working days of the injury, to the CSTI Hazardous Materials Section Chief.

(v) Students who sustain any injury that requires treatment by a physician shall obtain a written medical release from a physician and submit it to the Course Manager before being permitted to resume training. An injured student is required to make notification to CSTI Hazardous Materials Section Chief if said student obtained medical treatment without Course Manager's knowledge;

(4) All Course Managers, certified and noncertified instructors, and students who are conducting or participating in any State certified hazardous materials course, as referenced in Section 2520, that involves chemical monitoring or analysis shall adhere to the following safety procedures:

(A) Student shall be a minimum of 20 feet away from all chemical demonstrations involving reactive chemical, explosive chemicals, or potentially vigorous reactions;

(B) Students shall be in a well ventilated room not to exceed 85 degrees F or outside not to exceed 100 degrees F;

(C) All instructors and students shall wear appropriate chemical protective clothing;

(D) During the handling of chemicals, students shall be monitored according to a student-to-instructor ratio that does not exceed 10-to-1;

(E) An EMT-I, or greater, shall be available on-site or through local EMS, at all times during the handling of chemicals (efforts should be made to have an EMT-P available); and

(F) Escape routes and warning signals should be identified by course manager and discussed with students.

(5) All Course Managers, certified and noncertified instructors, and students who are conducting or participating in any State certified hazardous materials course, as referenced in Section 2520, that involves an outdoor practical field exercise shall adhere to the following safety procedures:

(A) Student-to-Instructor ratio shall not exceed 15-to-1;

(B) Students shall work outdoors in a maximum of 50 minute increments with 10 minute breaks, (except training scenarios);

(C) Students shall not be permitted to remain in a Level A, B, and/or C suit (maximum suit time) for any period of time exceeding 45 consecutive minutes without a minimum of 30 minute break after doffing suit;

(D) If outdoor temperatures exceed 100 degrees F, student shall take breaks 10 minute minimum every 30 minutes. Above 100 degrees F, student time in chemical protective clothing shall be limited to 15 minutes including standby time and no in-suit training will be allowed when temperatures exceed 105 degrees F;

(E) Adequate drinking water shall be made available to all students and instructors during class hours;

(F) A covered resting/viewing area shall be made available for all students and instructors when environmental conditions dictate;

(G) When students are involved in donning Level A, B, and/or C protective clothing, a back-up student shall assist the student donning the clothing. If the back-up student discovers a problem, he or she shall assist the student in Level A, B, and/or C clothing to a safe position and then immediately notify an instructor;

(H) A demonstration on proper ladder safety shall be given to all students prior to any training involving ladders; and

(I) An EMT-I, or greater, will be available on site or through local EMS at all times during the use of Level A, B, and/or C Protective Clothing and Equipment and pre and post suit entry medical monitoring, (vital signs), shall be done each time students wear chemical protective clothing.

(l) Certified Course Publication/Marketing Policy

(1) Unless otherwise noted, all course student notebooks and handout materials issued by the California Specialized Training Institute for the State Certified Hazardous Materials Courses referenced in Section 2520 are public domain and, thereby, not subject to copyright.

(2) All materials making reference to the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services and/or California Specialized Training Institute that are to be used to market or seek attendance in a State Certified Hazardous Materials Course shall be forwarded to the California Specialized Training Institute Hazardous Materials Section Chief for approval prior to their use.

(m) Course Prerequisites

(1) Students shall complete a First Responder Operations Course meeting the minimum content requirements as referenced in Section 2520(b) or an Incident Commander Course meeting the minimum content requirements as referenced in Section 2520(c) prior to being permitted to attend any State Certified Hazardous Materials Technician/Specialist Course as referenced in Section 2520. The Course Manager shall forward a signed Hazardous Materials Proof of FRO Competencies Form (HM 170, (rev. 8/99) incorporated by reference) to CSTI with the completed Course Roster (HM 150), as referenced in Section 2550(a)(4).

(2) Students shall complete a First Responder Operations Course meeting the minimum content requirements as referenced in Section 2520(b) or an Incident Commander Course meeting the minimum content requirements as referenced in Section 2520(c) prior to being permitted to attend any State Certified Hazardous Materials Investigations Course as referenced in Section 2520(e). The Course Manager may adopt an equivalent course with prior permission from the CSTI Hazardous Materials Section. The Course Manager shall forward a signed Hazardous Materials Proof of FRO Competencies Form (HM 170) to CSTI with the completed Course Roster (HM 150), as referenced in Section 2550(a)(4).

(3) Applicants shall complete a State Certified Hazardous Materials Investigations Course or its equivalent, as specified in Section 2520(e) prior to attending a State Certified Hazardous Materials Advanced Environmental Crimes Investigations Course as specified in Section 2520(u).

(4) Any student seeking to attend a State Certified Hazardous Materials Advanced Environmental Crimes Investigations Course as specified in Section 2520(u) shall provide documentation to the Course Manager that verifies that said student is an active member of an environmental crimes investigations team/unit or works in the direct support of an environmental crimes investigation team or unit prior to being allowed to attend.

(5) Students shall complete a First Responder Operations Course meeting the minimum content requirements as referenced in Section 2520(b) or an Incident Commander Course meeting the minimum content requirements as referenced in Section 2520(c) prior to being permitted to attend a State Certified Hazardous Materials Emergency Response First Responder Operations -- Decontamination Course as referenced in Section 2520(x), or a State Certified Haz Mat Emergency Response-Incident Commander Course meeting the 24 hour minimum class duration requirement as referenced in Section 2520(c)(3), or a State Certified Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Technician--Private Industry Course meeting the 16 hour minimum class duration requirement as referenced in Section 2520(t)(3).

(6) Current Certification is defined by Section 2510(i) and is required when requesting equivalency for select CSTI courses or as a prerequisite for courses which permit equivalency.

(7) Requests for exceptions and waivers should be sent to the Chief of the CSTI HazMat Section.

(n) Required Course Materials and Training Aids

(1) Course Managers are required to use course materials, text books, reference books, videos, equipment and training aids that are designated in Section 2520 for specific State certified hazardous materials courses.

(2) Any Course Manager who seeks to substitute other materials, text books, reference books, videos, equipment or training aids in place of those specified in Section 2520, shall submit a written request with a copy of the material(s) to be considered, to the California Specialized Training Institute Hazardous Materials Section Chief for approval prior to use in any certified course.

(o) Technician and Specialist Designation

(1) Any student who has successfully completed all of the Hazardous Materials Technician/Specialist Courses as referenced in Section 2520(k)-(q) shall be recognized as having been trained as a certified Hazardous Materials Specialist by the State of California.

(2) Any student who has successfully completed all of the Hazardous Materials Technician/Specialist Courses as referenced in Section 2520(k)-(n) shall be recognized as having been trained as a certified hazardous Materials Technician by the State of California.

(3) Any Student who seeks to challenge the Technician/Specialist 1A Course, as referenced in Section 2520(k), shall be permitted to take the Technician/Specialist 1A Final Exam only once, as administered by a CSTI Hazardous Materials Section faculty member or designated certified instructor. If said student successfully passes said exam, the student shall be certified as completing the Technician/Specialist 1A Course, as referenced in Section 2520(k). The regular tuition fee may be charged to the student prior to administering the Technician/Specialist 1A Final Exam.

(p) California Code of Regulations Acknowledgment Receipt

(1) Prior to managing, instructing, or assisting in any course requesting State certification, all certified instructors are required to read, understand, and follow Title 19 CCR 2510-2560.

(2) All certified instructors are responsible for obtaining, reviewing, and complying with all published revisions to these regulations, as designated in Title 19 California Code of Regulations, Division 2, Chapter 1, Subchapter 2, Sections 2510-2560 entitled Hazardous Substances Emergency Response Training.

(q) Specialist Evaluation

(1) The Haz Mat Specialist Evaluation Record (HM 230), as referenced in Section 2550(a)(10), shall only be completed by the Specialist 1G Course Manager or instructor(s) assisting the Course Manager, under the director supervision of said Course Manager.

(2) Instructors who complete the Haz Mat Specialist Evaluation Record (HM 230) shall accurately and objectively evaluate the student's performance based on the certified curriculum as referenced in Section 2520.

(3) Instructors who complete the Haz Mat Specialist Evaluation Record (HM 230) shall complete the "comment section" whenever a student receives a performance grade of "3" (Outstanding) or "O" (Failure).

(4) The Specialist 1G Course Manager is responsible for reviewing and ensuring that the Haz Mat Specialist Evaluation Record (HM 230) is accurate, objective, and contains all required comments.

(5) The Specialist 1G Course Manager is responsible for assigning the final score for all students in his/her course.

(6) A student shall not receive certification in the Specialist 1G Course, as referenced in Section 2520(q), unless he or she receives a score of "1" (Average) or better in each of the five position categories.

(r) Condensed Courses

(1) The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services will not certify condensed courses after June 30, 1999.

(s) Refresher Courses

(1) The California Specialized Training Institute shall issue a student a Certificate of Completion in Refresher Training for any course referenced in section 2520, except 2520(s), as long as the four components of refresher training are completed, as verified by a qualified current CSTI outreach instructor:

(A) The CSTI outreach instructor shall conduct a review and assessment of the students competencies at the appropriate CSTI standardized course, as referenced in Section 2520, in order to identify what competencies are in need of refresher training; and,

(B) The CSTI outreach instructor shall provide refresher training for the identified competencies identified in (s)(1)(A), and shall provide any updates regarding the jurisdiction/employer hazardous materials plans, policies, and standard operating procedures; and,

(C) The CSTI outreach instructor shall ensure that the student participates in an exercise that includes the objectives to demonstrate the competencies at the appropriate CSTI standardized course, as referenced in Section 2520, and provide coaching that will enhance the achievement of those competencies; and,

(D) The CSTI outreach instructor shall provide a recap of the key points of the refresher training, administer the current CSTI certified refresher exam per the regulations under section 2520(e), and provide remediation as necessary for the commonly missed questions.

(6) The California Specialized Training Institute shall issue a student a Certificate of Completion in Refresher Training for the Hazardous Waste General Site Worker Course if all of the following conditions are met:

(A) Student presents to the Course Manager a valid certificate of completion issued by the California Specialized Training Institute for the Hazardous Waste General Site Worker Course meeting the content requirements referenced in Section 2520(s);

(B) Student actively participates in the 8 hour California Specialized Training Institute's refresher course for the Hazardous Waste General Site Worker Course.

(C) Student actively participates in a review of the training requirements for Hazardous Waste General Site Worker as specified in Title 8 California Code of Regulations Section 5192(e);

(D) Student actively participates in an activity requiring them to complete a practical exercise while wearing a level of chemical protective clothing appropriate to that worksite;

(E) Student demonstrates basic competency of Hazardous Waste General Site Worker level objectives, as referenced in Section 2520(s)(1), during the CSTI Hazardous Waste General Site Worker Refresher Course field training exercise or a Hazardous Waste General Site Worker level refresher exercise developed and approved by student's employer; and

(F) Student successfully completes the CSTI Hazardous Waste General Site Worker Refresher Course written examination with a score of 70% or better.

(7) All administrative procedures, as referenced in Section 2540, shall apply to all refresher courses.

(8) Course Managers seeking to teach any of the refresher courses referenced above shall indicate on the Training Notification Form (HM 100), as referenced in Section 2550, that said course will be in the refresher format.

(9) Course Managers who have completed teaching any of the refresher courses referenced above shall submit to CSTI with the Course Roster Form (HM 150), as referenced in Section 2550, a photocopy of the certificate of the prerequisite course for each student as designated in Section 2540(t)(1)(A) or Section 2540(t)(2)(A).

(10) The Course Manager for the First Responder Awareness Refresher Course shall be a certified First Responder Awareness or Operations Instructor as referenced in Section 2530(a).

(11) The Course Manager for the First Responder Operations Refresher Course shall be a certified First Responder Operations or Incident Commander Instructor as referenced in Section 2530(a).

(12) The Course Manager for the Emergency Response Incident Commander Refresher Course shall be a certified Incident Commander Instructor as referenced in Section 2530(a).

(13) The Course Manager for the Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Technician--Private Industry Refresher Course shall be a certified California State Certified Hazardous Materials Technician/Specialist 1C and 1D or 1F and 1G or Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Technician--Private Industry Instructor as referenced in Section 2530(b). The course manager for a Hazardous Waste General Site Worker Refresher Course shall be a certified California State Certified Hazardous Waste General Site Worker Instructor.

(t) Certified Curriculum

(1) Certified curriculum for the California Hazardous Substances Incident Response Training and Education Program shall consist of Instructor Guides and/or Student Notebooks, effective publication dates as of September 1, 2002 or thereafter, as listed below. Course managers shall ensure that certified classes use the current edition of the documents listed for the applicable course. These documents are incorporated by reference in their entirety into these regulations for the courses described in Section 2520.

Clandestine Methamphetamine Laboratories First Responder Awareness, Student Manual

Clandestine Methamphetamine Laboratories First Responder Awareness, Instructor Guide.

Clandestine Methamphetamine Laboratories First Responder Operations, Student Manual

Clandestine Methamphetamine Laboratories First Responder Operations, Instructor Guide.

Hazardous Materials - Assistant Safety Officer Student Manual

Hazardous Materials - Assistant Safety Officer, Instructor Guide

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response: First Responder Awareness Student Notebook

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response: First Responder Awareness Instructor Guide

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response: First Responder Operations Student Notebook

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response: First Responder Operations Instructor Guide

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response: Incident Commander Student Notebook

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response: Incident Commander Instructor Guide

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response: Executive Management Student Notebook.

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response: Principles of Environmental Crimes Investigations Student Notebook

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response: Environmental Monitoring Student Notebook

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response: Incident at Ports Student Notebook

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response: Instructor Certification Student Notebook

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response: Inst. Cert. for Trainers Student Notebook

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response: Instructor Recertification Student Notebook

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response: Tech/Specialist (1A): Basic Chemistry Student Notebook

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response: Tech/Specialist (1A): Basic Chemistry Instructor Guide

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response: Tech/Specialist (1B): Applied Chemistry Student Notebook

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response: Tech/Specialist (1B): Applied Chemistry Instructor Guide

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response: Tech/Specialist (1C): Incident Considerations Student Notebook

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response: Tech/Specialist (1C): Incident Considerations Instructor Guide

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response: Tech/Specialist (1D): Tactical Field Operations Student Notebook

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response: Tech/Specialist (1D): Tactical Field Operations Instructor Guide

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Specialist (1F): Specialized Mitigation Techniques Student Notebook

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Specialist (1F): Specialized Mitigation Techniques Instructor Guide

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Specialist (1G): Tactical Field Operations Instructor Guide

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Tech/Spec: Instructor Orientation Student Notebook

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Technician--Private Industry Student Notebook

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Technician--Private Industry Instructor Guide

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Technician--Private Industry (24 Hour) Student Notebook

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Technician--Private Industry (24 Hour) Instructor Guide

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Advanced Environmental Crimes Investigations Student Notebook

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Emergency Medical Response to Hazardous Materials Incidents Student Notebook

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Emergency Medical Response to Hazardous Materials Incidents Instructor Guide

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Guidelines for Hospitals and Emergency Departments: Managing the Victims of Hazardous Materials Incidents Student Notebook

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Guidelines for Hospitals and Emergency Departments: Managing the Victims of Hazardous Materials Incidents Instructor Guide

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response First Responder Operations - Decontamination Student Notebook

Hazardous Materials Emergency Response First Responder Operations - Decontamination Instructor Guide

Hazardous Materials -- Mass Casualty Decontamination, Student Manual

Hazardous Materials -- Mass Casualty Decontamination, Instructor Guide

Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Assistant Safety Officer Student Manual (rev.2007)

Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Assistant Safety Officer Plan of Instruction (rev. 1/2007)

Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Emergency Response, First Receiver Operations and Decontamination for Health Care Student Manual (rev. 6/2007)

Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Emergency Response, First Receiver Operations and Decontamination for Health Care Plan of Instruction (rev. 6/2007)

Hazardous Materials/Weapons Of Mass Destruction, First Responder Operations, Law Enforcement Field Support Course Student Manual (rev. 2/2007)

Hazardous Materials/Weapons Of Mass Destruction, First Responder Operations, Law Enforcement Field Support Course Plan of Instruction (rev. 2/2007)

Hazardous Materials, Weapons of Mass Destruction Terrorism for the Technician/ Specialist Course Student Manual (rev. 4/2007)

Hazardous Waste General Site Worker Student Notebook

Hazardous Waste General Site Worker Instructor Guide

HazMat Emergency Response, First Responder Awareness - Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Agents, Student Manual.

HazMat Emergency Response, First Responder Awareness - Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Agents, Instructor Guide.

First Responder Operations--Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Agents Student Notebook

Incident Commander: Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Agents (IC-NBC) Course Participant Workbook

Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 19, § 2540

1. New section filed 7-8-91; operative 8-7-91 (Register 91, No. 46).
2. New subsections (g), (h) and (i) filed 9-16-91; operative 10-16-91 (Register 92, No. 2).
3. Amendment filed 5-12-94; operative 6-13-94 (Register 94, No. 19).
4. Editorial correction (Register 96, No. 52).
5. Amendment of section and NOTE filed 12-23-96; operative 1-22-97 (Register 96, No. 52).
6. Amendment of section and new forms filed 10-15-98; operative 11-14-98 (Register 98, No. 42).
7. Amendment of subsection (t) filed 2-8-2000; operative 3-9-2000 (Register 2000, No. 6).
8. Amendment of section and NOTE filed 4-25-2003; operative 5-25-2003 (Register 2003, No. 17).
9. Amendment filed 12-18-2007; operative 1-17-2008 (Register 2007, No. 51).
10. Change without regulatory effect amending subsections (f)(1), (f)(2), (f)(7), (i)(1)(C), (l)(2), (m)(5) and (r)(1) and NOTE filed 5-12-2010 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2010, No. 20).
11. Change without regulatory effect amending subsections (f)(1), (f)(2), (f)(7), (i)(1)(C), (l)(2) and (r)(1) filed 5-5-2021 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2021, No. 19).

Note: Authority cited: Sections 8574.20(a) and 8585, Government Code. Reference: Sections 8574.20(b) and 8585, Government Code.

1. New section filed 7-8-91; operative 8-7-91 (Register 91, No. 46).
2. New subsections (g), (h) and (i) filed 9-16-91; operative 10-16-91 (Register 92, No. 2).
3. Amendment filed 5-12-94; operative 6-13-94 (Register 94, No. 19).
4. Editorial correction (Register 96, No. 52).
5. Amendment of section and Note filed 12-23-96; operative 1-22-97 (Register 96, No. 52).
6. Amendment of section and new forms filed 10-15-98; operative 11-14-98 (Register 98, No. 42).
7. Amendment of subsection (t) filed 2-8-2000; operative 3-9-2000 (Register 2000, No. 6).
8. Amendment of section and Note filed 4-25-2003; operative 5-25-2003 (Register 2003, No. 17).
9. Amendment filed 12-18-2007; operative 1-17-2008 (Register 2007, No. 51).
10. Change without regulatory effect amending subsections (f)(1), (f)(2), (f)(7), (i)(1)(C), (l)(2), (m)(5) and (r)(1) and Note filed 5-12-2010 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2010, No. 20).
11. Change without regulatory effect amending subsections (f)(1), (f)(2), (f)(7), (i)(1)(C), (l)(2) and (r)(1) filed 5-5-2021 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2021, No. 19).