CESSWI - Certified Erosion, Sediment, and Storm Water Inspector Inspection Procedures and Duties Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An inspector is performing a routine weekly site inspection. According to the EPA's 2022 Construction General Permit (CGP), which of the following items is essential to document in the inspection report?
- The brand names of all BMPs currently installed on site.
- A summary of any conversations held with subcontractors during the inspection.
- The visual quality of any discharges, including color, odor, and oily sheen. (Correct answer)
- The projected cost of any required maintenance or corrective actions.
Correct answer: The visual quality of any discharges, including color, odor, and oily sheen.
Part 4.7 of the EPA's 2022 CGP explicitly requires that inspection reports document the visual quality of any stormwater discharges, noting characteristics like color, odor, floating or suspended solids, foam, and oily sheen. While other details are part of good site management, the visual assessment of discharges is a specific permit requirement for the report.
Question 2: During a pre-construction meeting, what is a CESSWI's primary duty regarding the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP)?
- To approve the final SWPPP design and sign off on all engineering calculations.
- To ensure key site personnel understand their specific roles and responsibilities for implementing and maintaining BMPs. (Correct answer)
- To negotiate the contract terms for the vendors who will supply the erosion control materials.
- To determine the final construction schedule and phasing for the entire project.
Correct answer: To ensure key site personnel understand their specific roles and responsibilities for implementing and maintaining BMPs.
A key role of the inspector during a pre-construction meeting is to facilitate clear communication and understanding of the SWPPP's requirements. This includes clarifying the responsibilities for BMP installation, maintenance, inspections, and documentation among the contractors and site personnel to ensure the plan is implemented effectively from day one.
Question 3: A CESSWI finds a failed silt fence during an inspection on a Tuesday morning. The failure has resulted in a sediment deposit onto a public road. According to the EPA CGP, when must corrective action be documented?
- Within 7 calendar days of discovering the failure.
- Within 24 hours of discovering the failure, and a summary of modifications within 7 days. (Correct answer)
- By the end of the next business day after the inspection.
- Within 14 calendar days, as long as the repair is completed in that time.
Correct answer: Within 24 hours of discovering the failure, and a summary of modifications within 7 days.
The EPA CGP Part 5.4 requires a two-part documentation timeline for corrective actions. Within 24 hours of discovery, the inspector must document the specific condition. Then, within 7 calendar days of discovery, a summary of the corrective actions taken or to be taken, including a schedule, must be documented.
Question 4: Which of the following situations would trigger a mandatory amendment to the site's SWPPP?
- A forecast for a large storm event expected next week.
- The replacement of a damaged silt fence with a new one of the same type in the same location.
- The project manager decides to re-route a primary haul road and create a new 2-acre staging area. (Correct answer)
- A routine weekly inspection identifies that a wattle needs minor maintenance.
Correct answer: The project manager decides to re-route a primary haul road and create a new 2-acre staging area.
SWPPPs are considered living documents and must be amended whenever there are changes in design, construction, operation, or maintenance that have a significant effect on the potential for the discharge of pollutants. Re-routing a haul road and adding a large new staging area fundamentally changes the site's drainage, potential pollutant sources, and necessary controls, thus requiring a SWPPP amendment.
Question 5: As an inspector, you are reviewing your duties for an active construction site. The site is required to conduct inspections once every 7 calendar days and within 24 hours of a storm event of 0.25 inches or greater. If a 0.5-inch storm ends at 8:00 AM on a Friday, and the last routine inspection was on Monday, what is the latest the post-storm inspection must be completed?
- By the end of the day on Friday.
- By 8:00 AM on Saturday. (Correct answer)
- By the end of the day on Monday, the next business day.
- By the time of the next scheduled weekly inspection.
Correct answer: By 8:00 AM on Saturday.
Most construction general permits require post-storm inspections to be conducted within a specific timeframe after the storm event concludes. A common requirement is within 24 hours of the end of a qualifying storm. Therefore, if the storm ends at 8:00 AM on Friday, the inspection must be completed by 8:00 AM on Saturday.
Question 6: Which of the following BEST describes the inspector's role when interacting with regulatory personnel visiting the site?
- To act as the sole spokesperson for the contractor and property owner.
- To provide factual records, explain site conditions, and accompany them during the inspection. (Correct answer)
- To prevent them from accessing certain areas of the site until deficiencies are corrected.
- To immediately halt all construction activities until the regulatory inspection is complete.
Correct answer: To provide factual records, explain site conditions, and accompany them during the inspection.
The CESSWI's professional duty is to be a fact-finder and record keeper. When a regulator is on site, the inspector should be professional, honest, and provide access to the SWPPP, inspection reports, and other required documentation. They should accompany the regulator to explain the BMPs in place and any ongoing corrective actions, acting as a knowledgeable guide to the site's compliance efforts.
CESSWI - Certified Erosion, Sediment, and Storm Water Inspector Inspection Procedures and Duties Questions and Answers
An inspector is performing a routine weekly site inspection.
According to the EPA's 2022 Construction General Permit (CGP), which of the following items is essential to document in the inspection report?