1. Stack Testers Association
Personnel Certification Scheme
Quentin Hurt

2. Introduction Challenges facing emission testing industry
Standardisation of test methodology
Challenge of ISO accreditation
Personnel recognition and training

3. History of STASA Ambient air testing first accredited in 1998
SANAS Technical Committee (air) first started discussing emission testing in 2005
First initiatives for emission testing standardisation in 2008, under the NLA
Loose affiliation until 2015

4. Membership of STASA Participants: 90 Companies: 40 Represented: DEA
NLA
NMISA

5. Context
Minimum Emission Standards Regs (Nov 2015)

6. Reality

7. STASA: First tasks Personnel certification Technical support
Standardisation
Guidance to members
Assist Technical Assessors during Accreditation
Give credence for training in technical measurement field
Technical support
Member regulation

8. Personnel Certification Options
MCerts
MetCerts
Well-established, UK-based scheme
NLA-administered
Specific for emission testing
Designed for metrologists
Could start immediately
Need to design system
Cost: about R20k pp pa
Cost: TBD, probably less than R2k pp pa
SCerts

9. Scert Components Technical Competence Safety Training QA Logbook Legal
CPD

10. Scert Progression
Safe
Competent
Specialist

11. Competence Definitions
Level
Basic qualification A
Safe to work on site and train 1
Recognition as a Stack Tester (working under supervision) 2
Qualified to lead a team conducting emission testing on-site 3
Qualified to interpret data and write a test report

12. Assessment basis Level Basic qualification A Internal induction record1
Test & experience record 2 3
Assessment by experience and review of reports (STASA)

13. STASA Enabling Framework
Comprehensive training book
Chemistry and physics
Measurement methods basics
Test question bank

14. Finalisation Comment by all small working group members
Presentation to STASA (end August)
Agreement on process by STASA (end September)
Selection of initial Level 3 group
Application and assessment

15. Other challenges Member regulation Method regulation
DEA has limited control: distributed judgement
STASA members reluctant to act against member companies
Method regulation

16. Conclusions Framework for SCert broadly agreed
Tools established for SCert assessment
Agreement pending
Next step is broader accreditation regime