CESSWI flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Daily inspection report

A dated record of site conditions, weather, rainfall, BMPs inspected, deficiencies found, and corrective actions taken, signed by the inspector and kept with the SWPPP.

Photo scale reference

A ruler, coin, or measuring staff placed beside a feature in a photograph so its size and condition can be verified later; the image is also dated and located on the site map.

Notice of deficiency

A written record given to the party responsible for a failing or missing BMP, stating the problem, the required correction, and a deadline, then tracked until verified closed.

As-built drawing

A drawing updated after installation to show actual locations, dimensions, and elevations of BMPs, including deviations from the approved plan, used for later inspection and maintenance.

Chain of custody record

A form tracking a water sample from collection to the laboratory, listing collection time, sampler, seal number, and preservation method, so the analytical results remain legally defensible.

Rain gauge log

A record of measured precipitation, usually to 0.01 inch, kept on site to document whether a storm was large enough to trigger the required post-event inspection.

Pre-construction conference

A meeting held before earthwork where owner, contractor, and inspector agree on SWPPP responsibilities, inspection schedules, reporting lines, and emergency contacts.

Toolbox talk documentation

A short training record listing topic, date, presenter, and signed attendees, demonstrating that crews were instructed on erosion control and spill response requirements.

Written confirmation of direction

A verbal instruction about a stormwater deficiency is restated in writing or email within 24 hours, creating a dated, traceable record of who was told what.

Escalation sequence

The documented order for unresolved issues: site superintendent first, then contractor or owner, then the permitting authority, with each step recorded in the project file.

Stop-work authority

The documented right of an inspector or owner's representative to halt activity causing an unpermitted discharge, pending correction of the deficient control.

Single point of contact

One named person with a 24-hour telephone number who receives and relays stormwater notifications, preventing missed messages among owner, contractor, and regulator.

Permethrin-treated clothing

Factory-treated garments that kill ticks and mosquitoes on contact; the treatment survives many washings and supplements, but does not replace, repellent on exposed skin.

Poison ivy identification

Three leaflets per leaf in alternate arrangement and no thorns; the plant's urushiol oil causes a rash and can be spread by tools, boots, or pet fur.

Heat acclimatization

A gradual increase in workload over one to two weeks for new or returning workers, which lowers heat illness risk and is paired with water, rest, and shade.

SDS Section 8

The Safety Data Sheet section listing exposure limits and required personal protective equipment for a chemical; inspectors read it before handling fuels, solvents, or treatment chemicals.

Trench protective system threshold

At 5 feet deep or more, OSHA requires sloping, shoring, or a trench box; at 4 feet a competent person must evaluate the soil and may require protection.

Epinephrine auto-injector

A prescription device carried by people with severe insect-sting allergy, injected into the outer thigh at the first sign of anaphylaxis and followed by emergency medical care.

RUSLE equation

A = R x K x LS x C x P, an estimate of average annual soil loss; the cover factor C and practice factor P are the ones site practices can change.

Silt fence flow limit

Silt fence works only for sheet flow; concentrated flow overtops or bypasses it, so channels and swales need check dams, rock, or other measures instead.

Silt fence installation specs

Fabric buried at least 6 inches in a compacted trench, posts 6 to 8 feet on center on the downslope side, and the fence laid out on the contour.

Check dam spacing rule

In a swale, dams are spaced so the top of the downstream dam is level with the toe of the upstream dam, keeping pooled water shallow and velocity low.

Sediment basin sizing

A common rule provides 3,600 cubic feet of storage per acre drained, with a dewatering device such as a skimmer that draws water slowly from the surface.

Construction entrance length

At least 50 feet of coarse aggregate over a stable base, sized to shake mud from tires; wash racks are added where tracking onto public roads continues.

Stabilization deadline

Under the construction general permit, disturbed areas at final grade must be stabilized within 14 days; some states shorten this to 7 days, so check the permit.

Treatment train order

Sequence controls from the source outward: keep soil covered to prevent erosion, then trap moving sediment, then safely convey and manage runoff volume and velocity.

Secondary containment sizing

Containment around fuel or chemical storage must hold 110 percent of the largest container or 10 percent of total volume, whichever is greater, plus rainfall allowance.

Concrete washout

A lined, contained pit or bag for rinsing concrete equipment; the wash water is highly alkaline and must never reach a storm drain, ditch, or waterbody.

Final stabilization definition

All soil-disturbing activities are complete and disturbed areas carry uniform perennial vegetation or equivalent cover, commonly 70 percent, so erosion is effectively stopped.

Notice of Intent

The form submitted to the permitting authority to obtain NPDES construction stormwater coverage; it identifies the operator, the site, receiving waters, and the SWPPP.

Notice of Termination

The filing that ends permit coverage; it may be submitted only after final stabilization is achieved and temporary controls are removed or stabilized.

Illicit discharge indicator

Any dry-weather flow from an outfall, or stained or odorous water, suggests a non-stormwater connection and must be traced, documented, and reported.