A.P.S.S.C.A.101 Bremnar Drive Unit 5 , PO Box 37503 , Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada

The Alberta Storage System’s Contractor’s Association (A.P.S.S.C.A.) is currently an association consisting primarily of Active members who are contractors conducting business in the tank and piping industry. The Association also has Associate Members that are made up of interested and related business (examples are equipment suppliers and manufactures, consultants, and government representatives). See our Membership List for a list of our members and our Service Directory for lists of services they provide.  Primary mandate for the organization of A.P.S.S.C.A was to respond to the revised Fire Code in 1992. It stated that “only approved personnel are permitted to install, test, maintain, alter, upgrade, remove or dispose of storage tank systems identified in this part.” Our mandate from inception was to formulate a definition for “approved personnel.” The next logical step was to define and implement a training system that will assist an individual to become “approved.”

We have not strayed from these original mandates. We have successfully negotiated with the P.T.M.A.A. for a fair structure for approval, and subsequently for renewal. This has not come about easily, or without controversy. A continually updated training program is in place and is conducted on an as-needed basis. We publish newsletters to keep our members informed. We host annual seminars and trade shows to provide updates on new products, host guest speakers with topics of interest to our members, and to provide a forum of information exchange.

HISTORY

The United States EPA has conducted studies to determine to what extent installation  errors lead to underground storage tank leaks.  Their findings in a 1986 study showed  46% of tank and piping failures were either the fault of poor design or construction installation mistakes. An example of poor design is insufficient ground cover over a  product line.  An installation mistake may have been the use of wood blocking left under  buried piping in a trench.  This information led to many jurisdictions in North America  implementing training courses and certification programs for installers.  Training  included safety for the personnel performing the work, especially when working with tanks that have contained gasoline and are capable of explosion.  In the Spring of 1992, Alberta MUST sponsored a one (1) day training program for tank installers and removers.  This program was conducted in response to pending changes to the Alberta Fire Code which would make it mandatory for installers/removers to be  “approved”.  The installation course gave contractors a look at current industry standards and concentrated on the installation requirements dictated by the major fuel tank and piping manufacturers.  The removal course emphasized the importance of purging,  inerting and doing periodic monitoring of the tank atmosphere.  When the approval requirement came into effect on August 31,  1992, all individuals who successfully completed this program, and proved experience were granted temporary approval for installing and removing tanks and piping systems.  Since then, any  individuals seeking certification were granted licenses based on successful completion of an examination, and providing proof of applicable experience.  Reaction to the 1992 training program by attendees was mixed.  Prevailing opinions  concurred that a training program tailored more to Canada, and in particular Alberta,  would be more appropriate.  It was also felt that course content should include more  topics, and deal with topics in more depth, and with hands-on training.  These events inspired Alberta contractors to become more involved in what was happening in their industry, and have a say in the changes that were being proposed.  Thus A.P.S.S.C.A. was organized by concerned contractors.