| (a) Training. Individuals identified in §9.51(c)
of this title (relating to General Requirements for LP-Gas Training
and Continuing Education) shall complete training.
(1) Available training courses.
(A) The 2.1 Dispenser Operations course covers proper
filling and handling of ASME motor/mobile fuel containers, appurtenances,
DOT cylinders, and dispenser operations.
(B) The 2.3 Bobtail Operations course covers federal
and state regulations that apply to hazardous material transportation,
the operation of propane delivery vehicles, and the rules in this
chapter, including NFPA 54 and NFPA 58, which apply to LP-gas installations.
(C) The 3.2 Residential System Installation course
covers the requirements for proper installation and start-up of a
residential propane system, including correct appliance operation.
(D) The 3.3 Appliance Conversion, Installation and
Venting course covers the requirements for converting, installing,
and venting of propane gas appliances.
(E) The 3.8 Recreational Vehicle Gas Appliances course
covers servicing of recreational vehicles' LP-gas systems and appliances.
(F) The 16-hour Category F, G, I, and J course covers
ASME motor/mobile fuel containers, appurtenances, DOT cylinders, the
operations of a dispenser to fill tanks and cylinders, and applicable
LP-gas requirements for obtaining a Category F, G, I or J management-level
certificate.
(G) The 80-hour Category E course covers all the material
in courses 2.1, 2.3, 3.2, 3.3 and 3.8, and the Commission's rules
in this chapter, including NFPA 54 and NFPA 58.
(2) Training requirements.
(A) Category E management-level applicants shall attend
the 80-hour Category E course;
(B) Category F, G, I, and J management-level applicants
shall attend the 16-hour Category F, G, I and J course; and
(C) Category D, K and M management-level applicants
and all applicants for employee-level certifications that are subject
to training requirements shall complete an eight-hour course. A certificate
holder's training deadline shall not be extended if that individual
retakes and passes an examination for the current category and level
of certification. A training deadline shall be extended only after
a certificate holder successfully completes an applicable training
course.
(i) Category D management-level applicants shall complete
the 3.2 course.
(ii) Category K management-level applicants shall complete
the 3.2 course.
(iii) Category M management-level applicants complete
the 3.8 course.
(iv) DOT Cylinder Filler applicants shall complete
the 2.1 course unless the individual is issued a Dispenser Operations
certificate exemption.
(v) Motor and Mobile Fuel Filler applicants shall complete
the 2.1 course.
(vi) Bobtail Driver applicants shall complete the 2.3
course.
(vii) Service and Installation applicants shall complete
the 3.2 course.
(viii) Appliance Service and Installation applicants
may complete either the 3.2 or 3.3 course.
(ix) Recreational Vehicle Technician applicants shall
complete the 3.8 course.
(3) Individuals who pass an employee-level rules examination
between March 1 and May 31 of any year shall have until May 31 of
the next year to complete any required training. Individuals who pass
an employee-level rules examination at other times shall have until
the next May 31 to complete any required training.
(4) Applicants for company representative or operations
supervisor shall comply with the training requirements in this section
prior to the Commission issuing a certificate.
(b) Continuing education. A certificate holder shall
complete at least eight hours of continuing education every four years
as specified in this subsection. Continuing education courses are
specified in subsection (e) of this section.
(1) Upon fulfillment of the continuing education requirement,
the certificate holder's next continuing education deadline shall
be four years after the May 31 following the date of the most recent
course the certificate holder has completed, unless the course was
completed on May 31, in which case the deadline shall be four years
from that date.
(2) A certificate holder's continuing education deadline
shall not be extended if an examination for a current category and
level of certification is retaken and passed; a continuing education
deadline shall be updated only after a certificate holder successfully
completes an applicable continuing education course. An individual
who completes a continuing education course after the assigned deadline
shall have four years from the original deadline to complete the next
course.
(3) Certificate holders who are certified as recreational
vehicle technicians or appliance service and installation technicians
and are also certified to perform LP-gas activities covered by one
or more other certifications shall complete the initial continuing
education requirements for any one of the certifications held in order
to maintain active status. For each subsequent continuing education
requirement, such individuals shall be responsible for attending a
different continuing education course relevant to one of the other
certifications held.
(4) Certificate holders who attend a course offered
by an outside instructor shall not be entitled to a refund of the
annual renewal fee or any other fees or penalties required by the
Commission.
(5) Certificate holders who have not paid the annual
certificate renewal fee, including general installers and repairman
exemption holders or members of the general public may attend courses
at the charge specified in §9.51 of this title. A request to
attend a course shall be in writing, submitted to the AFS training
section, and granted at AFS' discretion on an individual basis and
if space is available.
(6) Any certificate holder who has timely paid the
annual certificate renewal fee but is not otherwise required to attend
a Commission continuing education course may voluntarily attend a
course, if space is available, by registering with the AFS training
section as specified in §9.51 of this title.
(c) Adding a new certification. A current certificate
holder who successfully completes an examination for an additional
certification that requires completion of a training course shall
be assigned a training deadline pursuant to subsection (a)(2) and
(3) of this section. Upon completion of the required training, the
certificate holder shall be assigned a continuing education date pursuant
to subsection (b) of this section.
(d) Train-the-Trainer courses. The Train-the-Trainer
courses shall not count as credit towards the training or continuing
education requirements.
(e) Certificate holders may complete their continuing
education requirement by attending a continuing education course for
their specific certificate as listed in this subsection or by attending
a CETP course listed in subsection (g) of this section:
(1) the 4.1 Employee-Level Dispenser Operations Continuing
Education course;
(2) the 4.2 Employee-Level Service and Installation
Continuing Education course;
(3) the 4.3 Employee-Level Bobtail Driver Continuing
Education course;
(4) the 4.4 Employee-Level Recreational Vehicle Technician
Continuing Education course; and
(5) the 6.1 Regulatory Compliance for Managers course.
(f) Continuing education credit for certificate holders.
(1) Individuals holding the following certificates
or exemption may receive continuing education credit for the 4.1 Employee-Level
Dispenser Operations Continuing Education course:
(A) a DOT Cylinder Filler certificate;
(B) a Motor/Mobile Fuel Filler certificate; and/or
(C) a Dispenser Operations certificate exemption.
(2) Individuals holding the following certificates
may receive continuing education credit for the 4.2 Employee-Level
Service and Installation Continuing Education course:
(A) a Service and Installation Technician certificate;
and/or
(B) an Appliance Service and Installation Technician
certificate.
(3) Individuals holding a Recreational Vehicle Technician
certificate may receive continuing education credit for the 4.4 Employee-Level
Recreational Vehicle Technician Continuing Education course.
(4) Individuals holding a Bobtail Driver certificate
may receive continuing education credit for the 4.3 Employee-Level
Bobtail Driver Continuing Education course.
(5) To meet continuing education requirements, all
management-level certificate holders shall complete one of the following
courses:
(A) the 6.1 Regulatory Compliance for Managers course;
or
(B) a course listed in paragraphs (1) - (4) of this
subsection.
(6) Any employee-level or management-level certificate
holder may also receive continuing education credit by completing
any training course listed in subsection (a)(1) of this section for
the certificate held by the individual.
(g) Credit for CETP courses. An employee-level certificate
holder who has successfully completed a CETP course, including any
applicable knowledge and skills assessments, may receive credit toward
the continuing education requirements specified in this section as
follows:
(1) Items on the table marked with an "x" indicate
CETP courses that meet continuing education requirements for employee-level
certificate holders in that category.
Attached Graphic
(2) The successful completion of a CETP course is determined
by a CETP course certificate, which is issued only after an individual
has completed the prescribed course of study, including any related
knowledge and skills assessments, for the applicable CETP job classification.
(3) To receive credit toward the Commission's continuing
education requirements, the certificate holder shall submit the following
information, clearly readable, to AFS:
(A) the individual's full name, address, and telephone
number;
(B) a copy of the certificate holder's certificate;
and
(C) a legible copy of the official CETP course certificate.
(4) AFS shall review the submitted material within
30 business days of receipt and shall notify the certificate holder
in writing that the request is approved, denied, or incomplete.
(A) If the request is approved, the certificate holder
will receive continuing education credit. AFS will send a new certificate
if the request is submitted as part of the renewal process in §9.9
of this title (relating to Requirements for Certificate Holder Renewal).
(B) If the request is denied, the certificate holder
may submit additional information for review.
(C) If the material is incomplete, AFS shall identify
the necessary additional information required.
(D) If the request is denied or incomplete, the certificate
holder shall file any additional information within 30 calendar days
of the date of the notice in order to receive credit for the CETP
course attendance.
(E) Certificate holders requesting credit for CETP
course attendance shall submit such requests to allow processing time
so that a request is finally approved by May 31 in order for the certificate
holder to receive credit toward that deadline.
(h) Credit for PERC-Based Course Attendance. Individuals
shall receive credit for attending a PERC-based course per §9.20(2)
of this title (relating to Dispenser Operations Certificate Exemption).
|
| Source Note: The provisions of this §9.52 adopted to be effective February 1, 2001, 26 TexReg 947; amended to be effective May 28, 2001, 26 TexReg 3742; amended to be effective August 25, 2003, 28 TexReg 6831; amended to be effective September 1, 2005, 30 TexReg 4810; amended to be effective May 1, 2006, 31 TexReg 3532; amended to be effective February 12, 2007, 32 TexReg 519; amended to be effective February 1, 2008, 33 TexReg 138; amended to be effective January 4, 2016, 41 TexReg 238; amended to be effective January 6, 2020, 45 TexReg 127; amended to be effective July 18, 2022, 47 TexReg 4119 |
