Amendments to Chapter 173-180 WAC and Chapter 173-184 WAC
Amendments to Chapter 173-180 WAC, Facility oil handling standards and Chapter 173-184 WAC, Vessel oil transfer advance notice and containment requirements were adopted on June 6, 2023. This webpage will be updated with new requirement information on the effective date for the respective requirements.
Our rules require many oil-handling and marine-fueling facilities to develop training and certification programs for employees involved with oil-handling operations or equipment. These training and certification programs teach employees about the hazards of oil and oil spills, safe facility operations, and spill response and notification procedures.
Requirements for Class 1 and 2 facilities
We require Class 1 and 2 facilities to develop comprehensive training and certification programs. New Class 1 facilities must develop a training program 120 days before the first transfer operation and must certify all personnel before any oil transfer operations occurs at the facility. New Class 2 facilities must develop the program and certify all key supervisor and operations personnel within 90 days of the first transfer.
We conduct a formal review of the oil-handlers training and certification program at each Class 1 and Class 2 facility every five years.
We provide the following guidance and checklists to help facilities develop good training and certification programs:
Requirements for Class 3 and 4 facilities
Washington’s rule requires that Class 3 facilities meet the U.S. Coast Guard’s training requirements. We conduct routine inspections at these facilities to ensure compliance with state and federal rules.
Class 4 facilities must provide initial training for employees within the first 90 days on the job. After the initial training, owners and operators must provide annual training events for employees. We inspect facility training records annually to ensure proper education and training for staff at marinas and small fueling stations.