Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Site Suitability Assessments - worth getting trained?

  • 08-11-2011 8:40pm
    #1
    Groundhog1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6 ✭


    Hi all,

    Anyone out there trained in doing EPA site suitability assessments or have knowledge of them? Just looking for views on whether it is worth getting trained up, will there be a return on the investment? My background is civil engineering so it looks like a logical fit.


Comments

  • #2
    godtabh
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 23,243 Mod ✭✭✭✭godtabh


    Do you know if there is much demand out there for this type of work? I don't think there is at this stage


  • #3
    Groundhog1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6 ✭Groundhog1


    The demand isn't what it used to be but I'm keeping in mind that there will be a septic tank inspection regime coming up shortly also. I hope that this course can also feed into that.


  • #4
    Supertech
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 597 ✭✭✭Supertech


    Any scheme built around the septic tank inspection scheme won't necessarily be based on existing site suitability assessors. EPA had been targetting IEI and RIAI members (among others) on the basis of their professional qualification and the code of conduct of their respective organisations, along with the prerequisite for professional indemnity insurance. That said, I believe it will be some time before any scheme is off the ground.

    In answer to the OP, there were several hundred assessors trained every year since 2006. In order to make a decision on whether training is worthwhile pursuing or not, I'd check with the local authorities in your own and surrounding counties to see if they have established panels; if they have see how many assessors are listed in each of the counties, and then have a look at the number of new planning applications lodged.

    All in all its probably worth doing, but I wouldn't expect to be making a fortune out of it !


  • #5
    Groundhog1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6 ✭Groundhog1


    Supertech wrote: »
    Any scheme built around the septic tank inspection scheme won't necessarily be based on existing site suitability assessors. EPA had been targetting IEI and RIAI members (among others) on the basis of their professional qualification and the code of conduct of their respective organisations, along with the prerequisite for professional indemnity insurance. That said, I believe it will be some time before any scheme is off the ground.

    In answer to the OP, there were several hundred assessors trained every year since 2006. In order to make a decision on whether training is worthwhile pursuing or not, I'd check with the local authorities in your own and surrounding counties to see if they have established panels; if they have see how many assessors are listed in each of the counties, and then have a look at the number of new planning applications lodged.

    All in all its probably worth doing, but I wouldn't expect to be making a fortune out of it !

    Interesting, how do you know the EPA are targetting IEI/RIAI members?


  • #6
    Supertech
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 597 ✭✭✭Supertech


    Groundhog1 wrote: »
    Interesting, how do you know the EPA are targetting IEI/RIAI members?
    I was at a presentation last year where the guy from the EPA with responsibility for On Site Treatment Systems spoke about the issue. I'm sure other professionals will be included as well, but the only ones mentioned at the presentation were architects and engineers who were already members of a professional organisation with an existing Code of Conduct, and professional indemnity insurance etc.

    By all accounts the inspections scheme is still a long way off - last I heard the proposal was to have householders who had on site systems to declare them and pay a fee (similar to the NPPR Charge) Eventually this would fund the initial inspections. It will eventually come in to force on account of the ECJ Fines which are about to levied, but no one seems to have a timeline.


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    RockyTwoArms
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 43 ✭RockyTwoArms


    I've been considering doing the training but since FAS went bust I haven't been able to find courses.
    With regard to the amount of work out there; there is a good amount of work at the moment as more and more companies go bust and no re-training to get back on LA lists, also the LA are looking for PI so it narrows the lists further. That said looks like the government have found away to occupy useless council engineers for the next few years overseeing installing watermeters and looking into septic tanks, can't see them giving away much of the work.


Advertisement