Inspection Procedures and Duties Flashcards

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?

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.

During a pre-construction meeting, what is a CESSWI's primary duty regarding the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP)?

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.

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?

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.

Which of the following situations would trigger a mandatory amendment to the site's SWPPP?

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.

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?

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.

Which of the following BEST describes the inspector's role when interacting with regulatory personnel visiting the site?

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.