On 08 April 2020 the Marine Chemist Qualification Board (MCQB or Board) issued a memorandum to all Certificated Marine Chemists. The memo was issued following the postponement of the Marine Chemist Association (MCA) training seminar scheduled to occur on 28 March 2020 in Charlotte, NC. In that memorandum: 2020 MCA Mini Seminar and Annual Seminar Attendance During COVID-19 Response, the MCQB provided instructions for a small number of Marine Chemists who were unable to meet the seminar attendance requirement in Section VII.C.g of the Rules for the Certification and Recertification of Marine Chemists, as amended and effective 01 January 2019 (the Rules). That memo stated that the Board would provide additional instructions as needed and necessary. As you know, the effects of COVID-19 are widespread and have further impacted the MCA sponsored training seminars that were scheduled for the remainder of the 2020 calendar-year. Both the Annual Seminar and Meeting scheduled for 27-29 July 2020 in San Francisco, CA; and the Mini Seminar scheduled for Chicago, IL on 24 October 2020 have been postponed to the 2021 calendar-year.
The postponement of the MCA sponsored training seminars that were scheduled for 2020 means that there are some Marine Chemists who will not meet the seminar attendance requirement in Section VII.C.g of the Rules. According to records maintained by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the MCA there are seventeen (17) individuals who are potentially affected by the postponement of the 2020 training seminars:
- Four (4) individuals who have, or will seek recertification in 2020;
- Three (3) individuals who will seek recertification prior to 01 April 2021; and
- Ten (10) individuals who will seek recertification later in 2021.
Six of the individuals noted above need to attend an Annual Seminar; and either a Mini Seminar or another Annual Seminar to be eligible for recertification.
Due to the postponement of the MCA training program schedule for the 2020 calendar-year, the memorandum, 2020 MCA Mini Seminar and Annual Seminar Attendance During COVID-19 Response, is rescinded and replaced with the following instructions:
1. Marine Chemists who have not met the requirements of Rules, Section VII.C.g and been recertificated in 2020; or will apply for recertification in 2020.
A Marine Chemist who needs to attend an Annual Seminar and Meeting and/or a Mini Seminar to meet the requirements in Section VII.C.2.g of the Rules, shall attend additional training seminar(s) during his or her next Certification period. Affected individuals will have two (2) years to complete this requirement (01 January 2021 to 31 December 2022).
A Marine Chemist who needs to make-up one (1) seminar shall be required to attend a total of four (4) seminars during the next five-year certification period. A Marine Chemist who needs to make-up two (2) seminars shall be required to attend five (5) seminars during the next five-year certification period. Only after satisfying the past-due seminar attendance requirement will any seminar attendance from 01 January 2021 to 31 December 2022 be counted toward meeting the requirement for recertification in calendar-year 2025.
Exception: Alternative continuing education as presented in Instruction 3 of this memorandum may be used as equivalent credit for MCA sponsored seminar attendance.
2. Marine Chemists who have not met the requirements of Rules, Section VII.C.g and will apply for recertification in 2021.
A Marine Chemist who needs to attend an Annual Seminar and Meeting and/or a Mini Seminar to meet the requirements in Section VII.C.2.g of the Rules, shall attend additional training seminar(s) during his or her next Certification period. Affected individuals will have two (2) years to complete this requirement (01 January 2021 to 31 December 2023).
A Marine Chemist who needs to make-up one (1) seminar shall be required to attend a total of four (4) seminars during the next five-year certification period. A Marine Chemist who needs to make-up two (2) seminars shall be required to attend five (5) seminars during the next five-year certification period. Only after satisfying the past-due seminar attendance requirement will any seminar attendance from 01 January 2021 to 31 December 2023 be counted toward meeting the requirement for recertification in calendar-year 2026.
Exception: Alternative continuing education as presented in Instruction 3 of this memorandum may be used as equivalent credit for MCA sponsored seminar attendance.
3. Alternative Continuing Education Credit Option to Make-up a Seminar Missed during this Current Certification Period.
The MCQB recognizes that it may be difficult for a Marine Chemist to attend additional seminars during the next five-year certification period especially if two make-up seminars are needed. The Board has approved an alternative continuing education option for the 17 Marine Chemist affected by the cancellation of training seminars in the 2020 calendar-year.
The American Industrial Hygienist Association (AIHA) provides self-paced online courses for professionals who want to immerse themselves in a topic area of study to meet their professional development goals. The MCQB has approved the following two (2) online courses.
- Basic Principles of Occupational Hygiene (Online course, 8 Contact hours, $250 Member/$350 Non-Member)
- Welding: An Exercise in Applied Industrial Hygiene (Online course, 8 Contact Hours, $250 Member $350 Non-Member)
Additional details of these two courses are provided as an attachment to this memorandum.
Upon registration, the student has six (6) months to complete each course. To get credit for using one or both alternative continuing education courses a Marine Chemist will have to complete the course(s) and present documentation that the course was satisfactorily completed BEFORE 31 December 2021.
Credit for satisfactory completion of the AIHA online course(s) shall be awarded as follows:
A Marine Chemist who needs to attend an additional Mini Seminar can take one of the AIHA (8- hour) online courses to get credit for a Mini Seminar. That individual will then need to attend the three total seminars as required by the Rules, Section VII.C.2.g during the next 5-year certification period.
A Marine Chemist who needs an additional Annual Seminar and Meeting can take two of the AIHA (8-hour) online courses (16 hours total) to get credit for the Annual Seminar and Meeting. That individual will then need to attend the three total seminars as required by the Rules, Section VII.C.2.g during the next 5-year certification period.
A Marine Chemist who needs to complete both an Annual Seminar and a Mini Seminar (only applies to six individuals) can only make-up one missed seminar (Annual or Mini) with the completion of the AIHA online course(s). That individual will have to attend an additional MCA seminar (Annual or Mini) as required by Instruction 1 or Instruction 2 in this memorandum, as applicable.
A Marine Chemist who registers but fails to satisfactorily complete the online course or fails to provide documentation that the online course(s) were satisfactorily completed by 31 December 2021 shall be required to attend the additional Annual Seminar and/or Mini Seminar in accordance with Instruction 1 or Instruction 2 of this memorandum, as applicable.
The instructions outlined in this memorandum are not applicable to those Marine Chemists who are eligible for recertification in 2020 and 2021 calendar-years and have met the requirements of the Rules, Section VII.C.2.g. These individuals are not affected by the postponement of the 2020 MCA sponsored training seminars. Similarly, the instructions in this memorandum are not applicable for those Marine Chemists who will seek recertification after 31 December 2021.
The MCQB anticipates that MCA sponsored training seminars will resume as scheduled in the 2021 calendar-year. The MCA sponsored training seminars are the approved and preferred method for professional development of Marine Chemists. The alternative training option presented in this memorandum addresses an immediate training need that affects a small number of Marine Chemists. The MCQB will continue to monitor the impacts of the COVID-19 on Marine Chemists’ professional development training required by the Rules and will revise these instructions as needed and as necessary.
Please note attendance at MCA sponsored training seminars is a mandatory requirement for recertification. The instructions presented in this memorandum are directed at the 17 individuals who have either been recertificated in 2020 calendar-year, or will submit applications to be recertificated later in 2020 and in 2021 calendar years; and have not met the requirement for seminar attendance in the Rules, Section VII.C.2.g. Failure to comply with the requirements for recertification in the Rules, Section VII.C.2.g, including the instructions outlined in this memorandum for those affected individuals may result in disciplinary action by the Board in accordance with Section IX.B of the Rules.
See Attachment: Alternative Learning for Marine Chemists Affected by the Postponing of 2020 MCA Sponsored Training Seminars – AIHA Online Course Descriptions.
