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Training | Methods & Rules | FAQ
FAQ's
What happens in the field session? FIELD TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION After the classroom session, the Field Training and Certification Program is held outdoors using a smoke generator that is capable of presenting black and white smoke plumes. A measuring device (opacity meter) is used to determine opacities from 0 to 100 percent. Because this session is conducted outdoors, it is important to wear clothing appropriate for the weather conditions. Suggested items to bring to the field session include:
If you wear glasses that change with the lighting, you should consider bringing some that do not change as they often make certification more difficult. If you frequently wear sunglasses outdoors, we suggest you use ones for your certification that you would likely use during official opacity readings at your place of work. The Field Certification process consists of five elements:
STANDARDS AND PRACTICE PLUMES On the first day of field certification, you will be issued a clipboard with a practice form, test data sheet, pen, and observation hints. First, the field instructor will demonstrate standard plume opacities of 20 percent, 40 percent, and 60 percent. This demonstration will help orient you with the scale used in the testing program. Four (or more) practice plumes will then be generated. You estimate the opacity of each plume, basing the estimate on the given standards. The estimate of opacity should be expressed in increments of 5 percent. The field instructor will then announce the correct answers to the four practice plumes. You will write down the correct answers beside the estimates and compare the answers. This procedure will be followed for black before the black certification runs, and white smoke before the white runs. After a significant segment of the group is successful certification testing will begin. TESTING REQUIREMENTS To certify as a qualified observer, you must be tested and demonstrate the ability to accurately assign opacity readings in 5 percent increments to 25 random black plumes and 25 random white plumes. Your error cannot exceed 15 percent opacity on any one reading. Your average error can not exceed 7.5 percent opacity for each smoke type. THE FIELD TEST After 25 plumes of one color smoke, students will hand in to the instructor (or assistant) either their pink or yellow carbon copy. The white top copy will then be marked as a group to determine if a student has passed or failed based on the certification criteria below. The process is then repeated for the other color. Completion of both sets constitutes a run (i.e., 50 plumes) in either order (black/white or white/black). Students must also meet the certification criteria of no error of 4 or greater anywhere on the page and a total error on each set of 37 or less. As many as 10 certification tests are given at a school. Usually, over 50% of students pass after the first day and over 95% pass by the second day. Once you complete the certification process, a certificate will be sent to the address on the registration form.
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