Onsite Sewage System Professionals Workgroup

Meeting:

Board for Waterworks and Wastewater Works Operators and Onsite Sewage System Professionals/ Onsite Sewage System Professionals Workgroup

Meeting Details
Date / Time	3/7/2013  9:30 am NOTICE - WWWOOSSP WORKGROUP RESCHEDULED FOR APRIL ...
Location	Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation 9960 Mayland Drive 2nd Floor Richmond, VA 23233
Board Website	http://www.dpor.virginia.gov
Agenda document	not available
Handicapped Accessible? Yes       Deaf interpreter available upon request? Yes
Purpose of the meeting To discuss issues related to onsite sewage system professionals and to conduct any other business as directed by the Waterworks and Wastewater Works Operators and Onsite Sewage System Professionals Board. The meeting is open to the public. Persons desiring to participate in the meeting and requiring special accommodations or interpretive services should contact the Department at 804-367-0362 at least ten days prior to this meeting so that suitable arrangements can be made for an appropriate accommodation. The Department fully complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Meeting Scope	X General business of the board   Discuss particular regulations / chapters   Public hearing to discuss a proposed change

Contact Information
Name / Title:	Trisha L. Henshaw  / Executive Director
Address:	9960 Mayland Drive Suite 400 Richmond, 23233
Email Address:	waterwasteoper@dpor.virginia.gov
Telephone:	(804)367-0362    FAX: (866)350-5354    TDD: ()-

AOSE required to stamp and sign every page

From the archives (2005), application of a stamp or a preprinted or electronic seal bearing the AOSE’s name and certification number was a VDH standard over seven years ago and outlined in the AOSE Implementation Manual, GMP #126.
 
Excerpted from the AOSE Advisory Committee
Meeting Notes from July 12, 2005 meeting (click here)
Page 5 of 9

The committee then discussed whether AOSEs should be required to stamp and sign every page of their work as outlined in the AOSE Implementation Manual, GMP #126. The policy states the
following:

Whenever an AOSE is required to sign or certify work according to the AOSE Regulations and/or this policy he must, in addition to his signature, apply a stamp or a preprinted or electronic seal bearing the AOSE’s name and certification number to original cover sheets of plans, drawings, plats, reports, and specifications and to each original sheet of plans, drawings, plats, reports, and specifications prepared by the AOSE or someone under his direct control and supervision. Application of the seal and signature indicates acceptance of responsibility for work shown thereon.

VDH staff mentioned the AOSE credential was transforming from a certification to a license in January 2006 by virtue of the health department only accepting work from an AOSE/PE. To assure that professionals were held to an equal standard as other licensed professionals (i.e., architects and professional engineers), VDH was trying to mimic the expectations that the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) require of its regulants in 18 VAC 10-20-760, which states in part:

A regulant shall apply a stamp or a preprinted or electronic seal to final and complete original cover sheets of plans, drawings, plats, technical reports and specifications and to each original sheet of plans, drawings or plats, prepared by the regulant or someone under his direct control and personal supervision.

By keeping one standard for all professionals, then VDH staff thought that there would be less confusion as to what the requirements were. Members discussed whether to recommend having a cover page with the AOSE’s stamp and signature. AOSEs would then be expected to stamp and sign the cover page and the certification page. By implementing this process, then only two signatures would be necessary. Others thought requiring a cover page, although very helpful to the septic contractor, would add unnecessary paperwork.
Some suggested that VDH require AOSEs to sign and stamp the first page and the last page of the package. Others thought this requirement would be unclear because the first page is usually an application submitted by the property owner. There was limited space to stamp and seal the health department’s application; plus, it might add confusion if the owner were to change something after the AOSE had already stamped it. Further, some AOSEs were not using the application as their Page #1. Some suggested that VDH might provide more guidance on how AOSE packages should look.
Some suggested that VDH simply follow the entire requirement expected of professional engineers. Engineers did not have to stamp “cut-sheets” or work that was not original. After further discussion, members wanted a change to health department’s policy for requiring a stamp and signature on every page but they could not agree on what that change should look like. They asked that VDH staff review DPOR’s requirement and offer a change in line with what was
accepted of their regulants.

ENGINEERS WEEK® (FEBRUARY 17-23, 2013)

Onsite Soil Evaluator Virginia (OSEVA) recognizes the multidisciplinary nature of designing Onsite Sewage Systems and the related professionals contributing to a successful Onsite Sewage System design. This February 17th marked the beginning of National Engineers Week:

ENGINEERS WEEK® (FEBRUARY 17-23, 2013)
The Foundation's signature program, Engineers Week celebrates the positive contributions engineers make to society and is a catalyst for outreach across the country to kids and adults alike. Engineers Week is part of many corporate and government cultures and is celebrated on every U.S. engineering college campus.

In addition, mark your calendars ahead in April for celebrations of the following:
National Public Health Week 2013 (April 1st – April 7th)
National Soil Conservation Week 2013 (Canada) (April 21st – April 27th)
Soil & Water Stewardship Week 2013 (April 28th – May 5th)

Does VDH have amnesia?

Virginia Department of Health
Office of Environmental Health Services, Division of Onsite Sewage and Water Services,
Environmental Engineering and Marina Programs
June 10, 2010

Talking points for the Emergency Regulations for Alternative Onsite Sewage Systems
(12VAC5-613, Effective April 7, 2010)

Practice of Engineering:
Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia addresses the practice of engineering and prescribes those
activities that require a license as a professional engineer. VDH does not have authority to
interpret that law or determine when engineering plans are required. 

According to the law, in order to design AOSSs in Virginia, a person must either be a licensed
professional engineer or a licensed onsite soil evaluator acting under an exemption from the
licensing requirement. VDH does not advise designers regarding their individual licensing
requirements. 

VDH will require that all plans and specifications for AOSSs show a PE seal or contain a
certification statement from a licensed onsite soil evaluator stating that the plans and
specifications were prepared under an exemption from the engineering licensing requirements of
Title 54.1. 

In these talking points the term “designer” is used generically to refer to either a licensed
professional engineer or a licensed onsite soil evaluator. The Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) is responsible, through its regulatory boards, for implementing these licensing requirements. Questions should be directed to the appropriate regulatory board at DPOR.

Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors Section Meeting

PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS and LAND SURVEYORS 

SECTION MEETING AGENDA 

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2013

9:30 a.m. – Board Room 3 – 2nd Floor

Department of Professional & Occupational Regulation 

9960 Mayland Drive

Richmond, Virginia 23233

(804) 367-8514

1. Call to Order
2. Emergency Evacuation Procedures
3. Recognition of National Engineers Week (February 17-23) and National Surveyors Week
(March 17-23)
4. Approval of Agenda
5. Public Comment Period*
6. Discussion on Application Review Process
7. Discussion on Fauquier County Requirement for Soil Evaluation by CPSS
 Please click the icon below to view VSPE position document as an online Flip Book: 

Fauquier - Summary and Exhibits.pdf

8. Onsite Sewage System Discussion

- Discussion on AOSE Public Comment Reviewed at December 13 APELSCIDLA Board Meeting

- Invitation from WWWOOSSP Board to Mr. Johnson, Onsite Sewage System Professionals Workgroup

- Fairfax County Health Department Open Forum Regarding PEs/LSBs Submitting Plans for Onsite Sewage Systems

- Discussion on AOSE/VDH Design Authority

 Please click the icon below to view VSPE position document as an online Flip Book:

VDH Issue - Summary and Exhibits.pdf

9. Discussion on Candidate Information Bulletin
10. Discussion on Computer-Based Testing for Virginia Specific Surveyor Exam
11. NCEES Update
12. Other Business
13. Adjourn
* Application review at conclusion of meeting if necessary.
NEXT MEETING SCHEDULED FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS - TUESDAY,
MAY 7, 2013, LAND SURVEYORS-WEDNESDAY MAY 8, 2013
*Five-minute public comment, per person, with the exception of any open disciplinary or application files. Persons desiring to participate in the meeting and requiring special accommodations or interpretative services should contact the Department at 804) 367-8514 at least ten days prior to the meeting so that suitable arrangements can be made for an appropriate accommodation. The Department fully complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act.