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TITLE 16ECONOMIC REGULATION
PART 1RAILROAD COMMISSION OF TEXAS
CHAPTER 9LP-GAS SAFETY RULES
SUBCHAPTER AGENERAL REQUIREMENTS
RULE §9.52Training and Continuing Education

(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

Cont'd...

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