Chapter 3

Personnel Qualifications and Training

It is the policy of NRMRL that all persons managing or directing NRMRL projects have appropriate training for their assigned work. Training needs may be identified by EPA regulation (e.g., requirements for project officer training), by those persons planning a technical activity (e.g., TLP), or by those managing persons performing a technical activity (e.g., branch chiefs or team leaders). Training programs are generally designed by the persons providing the training.

The process for specifying and documenting intramural training varies with the type of training:

• Technical Training - Documentation of technical training may be an appropriate degree in an area of study. Other documentation of technical training may include professional certifications (e.g., Professional Engineer or PE) or certification of specialized training (e.g., classes in computer applications or instrument operation as provided by technology vendors). ORD's QA policies have training and documentation requirements of the training that are included here by reference. Other specialized training requirements established by the TLP for a given NRMRL project may be described in the QAPP document or facilities manual. General technical training needs for branch, facility, or team members may also be identified by NRMRL managers. Each employee is responsible for submitting his/her training records to the Division's Human Resources Management representative who keeps a record of each NRMRL employee's formal technical training.
  
  
• Extramural Project Management Training - For extramural project management, NRMRL adheres to the Agency's requirements regarding initial and ongoing training, including requirements for training as Contract Officer Representatives (CORs), such as Project Officer, Work Assignment Manager, etc. The Human Resources Management Division keeps records of project management training for NRMRL personnel. A certification that the designated EPA extramural project manager or work assignment manager has the appropriate management training is also required as part of each funding package.
  
  
• Quality System Training - The NRMRL DQA and QAMs will discuss quality system training needs in the first quarter of the fiscal year during the regular monthly NRMRL QA teleconference. The goal of the discussion is to develop a consensus on the minimum quality system training to be required for all of NRMRL for that year and how it will be accomplished. Possible training methods are in-house by DQA or QAMs, contractor, agency presentations (e.g., IQGs), or computer-based courses. Each QAM will use Division-specific practices to determine the quality system training needs for the Division prior to this discussion. Division- specific quality system training may be performed in addition to NRMRL Laboratory-wide QA training.
  
  All new employees (management and technical) are required to take the computer-based training on the NRMRL QMP, which is available on NRMRL's Intranet site. Introduction of NRMRL's QA system and the need for QA training will be part of the new orientation procedure being developed by NRMRL (projected date October 2007). As part of the orientation procedure, the new employee will be introduced to the QAM (and others) by the employee's mentor/liaison. Once the QAM is aware of a new employee, the QAM will contact the employee to make sure the employee is aware of the required training. Once the employee completes the computer-based QMP training, the employee must provide the certificates to the QAM and notify the appropriate person in the Human Resources office to put this information into ORD Management Information System (OMIS). The certificates must be kept on file by the employee and the QAM.

All QA training will be tracked by OMIS.

• IQG Training - A PowerPoint^® training presentation on EPA's Information Quality Guidelines is available.
  
  
• Safety Training - EPA specifies that personnel involved in laboratory or field activities receive appropriate safety training. The type and amount (hours) of training depend on the specific assignment and the nature of the potential hazards. Training requirements are specified by line managers and compliance with training requirements is monitored by Division/locality Safety Officers and other health and safety office personnel.
  
  
• Records Management Training - Every EPA employee has responsibility for records management. Each employee is responsible for creating records necessary to document their activities and actions, filing records for safe and efficient retrieval, and disposing of records only in accordance with agency directives and Federal regulations.

To assist employees and contractors with their records management responsibilities, each location/division has a Records Management Liaison (RML) who will assist personnel with the implementation of the agency’s National Records Management Program (NRMP). Further training and assistance are available online.