Save thousands of dollars and keep your occupants safe by checking for these 3 important qualifications.
When it comes to hiring someone to remove oily water from your elevator pit, you may not be familiar with the laws of the process.
Say you hire someone to remove oily water from your elevator pit, they seem to be running a good business and even have some of the lowest prices in the local industry.
During the time of their service, they look like they know what they’re doing. They access your elevator pit, remove your oily water and you send them on their way.
To your surprise, you receive a call a few weeks later from the EPA.
They’re doing an investigation on a local company that has been illegally handling and dumping oily water into a nearby canal. They ask if you’ve hired this company to dispose of your oily water.
Shocked and confused you admit you hired them but “Didn’t know they weren’t properly certified to handle oily water and were illegally disposing of it.”
The EPA explains that since this oily water was sourced from your location, you may be found negligent and can be held criminally liable of which you could face paying fines of up to $50,000.
As a property manager or elevator company, it is your responsibility to hire properly qualified, trained, certified and licensed individuals to service your elevator pit and remove oily water or you risk facing serious consequences.
Not only can you be found liable, end up paying thousands of dollars in fines, but your business’s reputation is on the line and you risk putting people’s lives in danger.
This could directly impact your current and future business ventures.
How can you avoid criminal charges, paying thousands in fines and putting passengers at risk?
There are 3 important qualifications you should check for before you invest in a service to remove oily water from your elevator pit.
This can save you thousands of dollars, a terrible reputation, lower your business’s risk of liability and lower the chance of elevator malfunction, in turn, keeping your occupants safe.
When looking for a specialized elevator pit company to handle, remove and dispose of your elevator pit’s oily water this is what you need to know:
1. Make sure they are CC Certified
According to Florida Elevator Safety Code R. 61C-5.007, a certificate of competency must be obtained before working in an elevator pit, this tests their knowledge on the ASME A17.1 2013 Safety Code for Elevators, Escalators and Moving Walks.
Penalties include: Liability, equipment malfunction, serious injury, or death.
2. Check they are trained, licensed, and certified to manage oily water
If someone is providing a technical service, they should have their technical training, licenses, and certifications to prove it. Ask if they have their certification to transport oily water and used oil.
A “used oil transporter” means any person who transports used oil over public highways in shipments of greater than 55 gallons at one time. Refer to Rule 62-710.201(6), Florida Administrative Code (FAC).
Penalties include: Paying up to $27,000 to EPA depending on the extent of the violation according to the RCRA Civil Penalty Policy.
3. Confirm how your oily water will be disposed of
It’s important to find out where a company is disposing of oily substances. “I didn’t know” is not enough. According to statute: 33 U.S.C. 1319(c)(1) & (2) & 1321 (b)(3) negligence can be convicted as a crime.
Penalties include: Negligence, up to 2 years and/or $50,000 a day. Knowingly, up to 6 years and/or $100,000 a day.
Don’t feel bad asking for proof. Any qualified technician will be more than happy to show you their qualifications.
Remember: you are looking out for your business. It’s not worth compromising your assets and the quality service you deserve for an illegal shortcut with high consequences.
Did you know? You can report what appears as a violation of environmental laws and regulations. Go to https://echo.epa.gov/report-environmental-violations
Wait, is TG Oil certified, licensed and trained?
- Certified by Florida Department of Environmental Protection to transport used oil
- CC Certified (Elevator Certificate of Competency)
- Certified by OSHA in Safety and Health
- Certified to Handle Bloodborne Pathogens
- Certified and Trained to Safely Handle Medical Waste
- Licensed to Transport Hazardous Waste (used oil)
You shouldn’t have to worry about how to remove oily water from an elevator pit, leave that to the experienced professionals who are properly qualified to look out for you and your business.
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