Decree of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health on skills in technical utility operations and water hygiene required of persons employed at an establishment supplying water intended for human consumption and on skills testing (No. 1351 of 2006)

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland Unofficial translation No. 1351/2006 Decree of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health on skills in technical utility operations and water hygiene required of persons employed at an establishment supplying water intended for human consumption and on skills testing Issued in Helsinki on 12 December 2006 Section 1 – Scope of application and aim This Decree lays down provisions on the knowledge and skills in technical utility operations and water hygiene required of persons carrying out measures that influence the quality of water intended for human consumption who are employed at an establishment supplying water intended for human consumption for the use of more than 50 people or amounting to more than 10 cubic metres a day. Furthermore, the Decree lays down provisions on the testing of skills, the test certificate and the qualification requirements for the tester. Section 2 – Skills in technical utility operations and water hygiene 1. Persons working at an establishment who carry out measures influencing the quality of water intended for human consumption must have sufficient basic knowledge of the acquisition of water, the microbiology and chemistry of water, technologies for purification of water intended for human consumption, the hygiene of water supply networks, personal hygiene, monitoring of the use of water intended for human consumption and legislation on the quality of that water. 2. The operator shall keep a record of the knowledge and skills of the persons employed at the establishment in technical utility operations and water hygiene and upon request present this information to the municipal health protection authority. Section 3 – Test certificate Persons who have passed the skills test are without delay granted a test certificate drawn up according to a model established by the National Product Control Agency for Welfare and Health. Section 4 – Skills test 1. The purpose of the skills test is to assess the tested person’s basic knowledge in technical utility operations and water hygiene in the following areas described in more detail in the Annex to this Decree: 1) acquisition of water; 2) water treatment; 3) water supply networks; 4) legislation and monitoring of the quality of water intended for human consumption; and 5) maintenance. 2. The National Product Control Agency for Welfare and Health draws up the questions for the skills test and is responsible for the maintenance and development of the testing system. 3. The competence test is a written test. Section 5 – Testers 1. The National Product Control Agency for Welfare and Health approves as testers, upon application, applicants fulfilling the qualification requirements under section 59a (1) of the Health Protection Act (763/1994) in regard to water intended for human consumption and keeps a record of the testers. 2. The name of the person accepted as a tester and the establishment at which the tester is employed are entered in the record. 3. It must be informed in the application how the person applying to be a tester intends to fulfil the obligations under sections 6 and 7. 4. The National Product Control Agency for Welfare and Health keeps a record of the testers to an extent that enables an equitable access to testers regionally and adequate supervision of the testers. 5. Otherwise, the use of personal data is subject to the provisions of the Personal Data Act (523/1999) and the provisions issued by virtue of it. Section 6 – Organising skills tests The testers shall have at their disposal the premises and equipment required for the appropriate organisation of tests and, for the supervision of a test, a sufficient number of persons acquainted with supervision functions. Section 7 – Responsibilities of the tester 1. The tester shall: 1) organise the tests and inform about them; 2) assess the test performance of the persons who took part in a test in accordance with the instructions issued by the National Product Control Agency for Welfare and Health; and 3) supply to the National Product Control Agency for Welfare and Health the information it needs on the persons who passed the test.2. For supervision of the organisation of a test the tester shall also: 1) inform the National Product Control Agency for Welfare and Health about any essential changes in the conditions referred to in section 6 and in the information referred to in section 5 (2); and 2) in case the National Product Control Agency for Welfare and Health or a tested person so demands, the test performance must be submitted to the National Product Control Agency for Welfare and Health for a reassessment. Section 8 – Entry into force 1. This Decree enters into force on 1 January 2007. 2. Measures necessary for the implementation of the Decree may be undertaken before its entry into force. Annex SKILLS IN TECHNICAL UTILITY OPERATIONS AND WATER HYGIENE REQUIRED OF PERSONS WORKING AT AN ESTABLISHMENT SUPPLYING WATER INTENDED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION 1. Acquisition of water The tested person shall know • the most common impurities in raw water and their significance for the need for water treatment • protection of the water intake area and protection plans for groundwater • functions contaminating raw water, such as discharge of waste water, agriculture, extraction of earth material, and industry • the most common water intake structures • the general principles for groundwater formation at groundwater works • the permit for water intake and monitoring the quality of raw water 2. Water treatment The tested person shall know • the most important water treatment chemicals and safety matters related to them, ways of feeding, ways of dissolution and dilution, and the purpose of feeding • the effect of overdosing and underdosing of chemicals and their prevention • the most important methods of water treatment and their impact on the quality of water • ways of action in case of failures (preparedness for special situations) • the impact of water treatment on the microbiology and chemistry of water intended for human consumption • the grounds for monitoring the use 3. Water supply networks The tested person shall know • the general principles for hygiene in laying the network and linking a service pipe to the network • the parts of the network and network material, and their durability and impact on the quality of water intended for human consumption • the unit processes for the maintenance of and installations in the network and reservoirs, such as cleansing, purification, release and disinfection • prevention of any backflow • any hygienic risks related to the safety of water reservoirs and their prevention 4. Legislation and monitoring of the quality of water intended for human consumption The tested person must know • the requirements under the relevant legislation for the quality of water intended for human consumption and its monitoring for establishments supplying water intended for human consumption • the content and significance of a monitoring analysis plan The tested person must know how • to take a sample for chemical and microbiological analysis • to choose the correct sampling place in accordance with the objectives defined for each sampling • to evaluate the quality of water intended for human consumption on the basis of both the measuring results and the appearance of water 5. Maintenance The tested person shall know • the purpose and main content of the maintenance manual • the significance of regular maintenance for the equipment