Standardized Inspection Process

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Last revised in 2022 primarily due to October 13, 2018, rule changes, the Standardized Inspection Manual (SIM) is a standard operating procedure and a helpful resource for not only Division inspectors who conduct operational compliance inspections throughout the state, but also written for tank owners, operators and service providers. More specifically, the SIM includes a step-by-step process to help inspectors understand what they should look for at each facility, standard policies for Division employees, the Tank Owner Quick Reference Guide, and the Tank Operator Reference Guide.

Technical Chapters of every release detection (RD) method and release prevention requirement provide detail on the types of equipment and related records as well as photographs illustrating what is routinely found at UST facilities. These chapters also discuss specific manufacturers’ requirements that are referenced in the Division regulations.  The manual also includes previously developed as well as new standardized fillable forms for several RD methods as well as required testing that include the minimum required information. The 2022 version of the SIM has been compiled as a single, searchable, hyperlinked, and indexed portable document file. Use Adobe Reader™ or other Adobe software products to take full advantage of these advanced features that allow needed information to be found more quickly and completely than ever before.

Since the early drafts of the original SIM in 2009, the SIM has been composed and revised in a collaborative effort with our regulated community and service providers. The Division has conducted a variety of outreach activities seeking feedback and input, mass postal mailings, email marketing, stakeholder meetings, webinars, web page postings of draft documents, forms, and webinar recordings. We are grateful to all who contributed to improve our final revised product.

The revision date of this manual is June 17, 2022.  This version is a “living document” being updated as needed in the future with guidance, feedback, and input from our staff and all our stakeholders. However, our staff and regulated community will be kept informed mainly through email marketing releases with special emphasis on revisions initiated due to rule or statutory requirement changes. While this manual provides consistent guidance to our inspectors and predictability to our regulated community and service providers, regulatory requirements are only those that are specified under the authority of rule or statute. Rule and/or statutory requirements are noted with footnotes and/or in the body of the text of each technical chapter.

The SIM includes:

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This Page Last Updated: June 14, 2023 at 9:29 AM