The purpose of the Training School is to produce qualified observers whose determination of Plume Opacity will be accurate and minimally effected by variable field conditions. Smoke School training is still the most economical, time-effective, and accurate way of determining your facility's compliance with Federal, State, Commonwealth, and Local Opacity Regulations. Our focus is to provide you the resources and training to develop the legally supportable documentation needed to assure continual compliance to the Visible Emission standards required by your facility's permit.
Lecture and Field Activities
The cost of services offered by Opaque Smoke School for Initial Certification and Re-certification are as follows:
Initial Certification -- includes both the Live Classroom Lecture Program and the Field Training Program.
Re-certification -- includes the Field Training Program only.
Lecture -- includes the Live Classroom Training Program only.
The Lecture Program is compliant with the requirements of 40 CFR Appendix A, Reference Method 9 and includes:
The Principles of Opacity Measurement
Opacity Standards in control of Particulate Emissions
Sources and Characteristics of Visible Emissions
Aspects of Method 9, including Field Observation Procedures and Documentation
Special Field Viewing Problems and Alternatives
Legal Aspects of Visible Emission Inspections Compliance Determination
The Field Program Activities include:
Presentation of Opacity Stanards (25, 50, 75%) to familiarize the student with those standards such that the student will be able to accurately determine the opacity of a stationary plume.
Practice Runs, using sets of four readings a series of practice runs and conducted to allow for feedback to the student. These are normally conducted prior to the first certification run, but with a large re-certification group may be conducted at the beginning of each run.
Qualification Runs: As time and conditions permit up to eight runs will be conducted to provide ample opportunity for students to pass the initial certification. Most complete in 1-2 sets, a few new students may need a fifth, thus we allow two-days. Each student must meet the following criteria:
A. Fifty readings, 25 black and 25 white smoke readings
B. Values will be randomly presented ranging from 0-100% Opacity.
C. The applicant/student will be required to pass on both Black and White sets on the same test.
D. An average error of 7.5% or less will be required on both Black and White readings.
E. No error in excess of 15% Opacity will be accepted on any one of the 50 readings.
Certifications will be awarded to those applicants who meet the requirements of 40 CFR Part 60, Appendix A, Reference Method 9
For more information on the EPA Test Method, see link below.
Opaque Smoke School provides timely, convenient, reasonably priced initial certification and recertification training and testing in accordance with EPA standards and guidance.
In addition, once the registration fee has been paid, an attendee may participate in as many training sessions as they like within the season paid for. Only one certificate will be issued per season, and is valid for 6 months. This is non transferable from one employee to another