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LP gas board | comments & reviews
n April 3, 2017, the board are not intended to serve as educational tools
implemented a new examination qualifying one to perform a particular task
process for industry employees They are intended to serve as evaluations of
Oknown as Alabama Administrative the training and experience an employee has
Code 530-X-2- 11 Employee Competency received in an attempt to ensure a minimum
Requirements On that date, existing employees level of knowledge and skill is present in the
within the state that had completed all previous interest of safety Successful completion of
board requirements to work within the industry the various examinations is not the end of the
unsupervised were not required to meet the educational experience for industry employees
new testing guidelines “Approved” existing Their employers should remain vigilant in
employees were only required to obtain an promoting continual training and instruction
Employee Competency Card with “grandfather” Some employers have expressed
status by simply providing evidence of frustration that the board does not provide
having met the former testing requirements the questions and answers as study guides for
Applications to obtain cards for “grandfathered” the examinations Such information would
employees were requested to have been only prove literacy of examinees rather than
completed within one year, by April 3, 2018 a working understanding of the knowledge
As we began to process cards for and skills desired Instead, the board provides
existing industry employees, some employers specific topics in a study guide for each of
discovered that they had not met the previous the examinations. I agree it is difficult for a
board requirements for employees when first brand new employee to successfully pass
hired in the past Effective April 2017, these these examinations and evaluations without
“unapproved” employees were required to adequate training and experience in advance
complete the new examination program Quite frankly, I can’t justify anything to the
regardless of the amount of time they had contrary Common questions are “Do you
worked for the employer Worse still, some had know how long it takes to get a new employee
been working unsupervised which created trained?” “What if it is December when I hire a
potential liability exposure for employers as this new employee with no prior experience?” The
was in violation of board code Some employers amount of training and experience will vary with
have yet to obtain a “grandfathered” card for each employee as we all learn in different ways
their employees, and they assume that they and at different speeds, and the hiring of an
have letters in their files clearly demonstrating inexperienced employee in December will be of
that they completed all the board’s previous limited use regardless of exam grades with the
employee examination requirements If you board
have failed to apply with the board and obtain The passing rate on first attempt with
your employees’ competency cards, are our exams is approximately 66% While some
you sure that your employees are legal to be employees fail on the first try, we see them pass
performing their daily duties? on their second or sometimes third attempt
I hope I have adequately addressed The fact they eventually find success tells me
“grandfathered” employees and will now that they have increased in knowledge and
move on to new hires required to complete the exam preparation Failure is one of our greatest
board’s examination requirements First, I would teachers if used as motivation to learn Help
like to express the purpose of the exams The your employees prepare for the exams, and use
various examinations and practical evaluations the results as tools to focus training.■
7 Alabama Propane Gas Association | July / August 2018
