CESSWI Certification Questions and Answers A+ Graded (2025)
1. CESSWI .Certification: .Identifies .Professional .with .a .comprehensive .knowledge
.and .understanding .of .erosion, .sediment .and .stormwater .regulations.
2. Certified .inspectors: .Recognized .by .state .and .federal .regulators .as .qualified
.professionals .in .their .fields
3. NPDES: .National .Pollutant .Discharge .Elimination .System
4. Regulations .Governing .Erosion .and .Sediment .Control .and .Stormwater: .The
.Clean .Water .Act .(CWA)
National .Pollutant .Discharge .Elimination .System .State
.and .Local .Regulations
5. CESSWI .Onsite .Roles: .1. .Being .the .Official .representative .onsite
2. A .Fact .Finder .and .Record .keeper
3. An .Enforcement .Case .Developer
4. A .Technical .Instructor
6. CESSWI .Inspector .Duties: .Must .understand .the .measure .necessary .to .prepare
.for, .conduct .and .report .on .an .inspection .and .ensure .the .presence .documentation
.and .exercise .good .professional .judgement.
7. Safety .Communication: .Talk .to .onsite .supervisor .before .doing .Inspection
8. Safety: .First .Consideration .before .going .on .any .inspection .site.
- Safety .Plan .and .Current .Site .Hazards
- Hazardous .Materials
9. Confined .Space .Inspections: .May .be .necessary .when .inspecting .industrial .or
.post .construction .BMPs .for .stormwater .collection .and .treatment .or .underground
.vault .systems
Never .perform .these .inspection .alone .and .always .follow .confied-space .entry .proce-
.dures .with .Qualified .Personnel
10. Who,.What,.Why,.Where .and .How: .-.Who .do .you .contact .before .starting .inspec-
.tion?
- What .hazards .do .you .need .to .be .aware .of .for .the .site .you .are .inspecting?
- Why .is .safety .important?
- Where .do .you .need .to .go .to .if .there .is .an .onsite .emergency?
- How .do .you .learn .more .about .safety?
11. Communication: .Understanding .how .to .properly .communicate .with .people .will
,.determine .your .degrees .of .success .as .an .inspector
12. Good .Communications: .Professional, .Courteous, .Impartial, .and .Consistent,
.Honest, .and .Accurate
13. Arrival .Introductions .(First.Time): .- .Credentials .and .ID
- Purpose .of .your .Visit
, - Expectations, .Compliance .and .Personal
- Follow .Up .Schedule
14. Preconstruction .Meetings: .Clarify .issues .related .to .compliance .and .demon-
.strating .how .each .individual .plays .a .role .in .maintaining .site .compliance .is .important.
15. Precon .Meeting .Objectives: .-Clarify .Stormwater .Objectives
-Designate .a .Contact .Person
-Determine .if .SWPPP .will .work .for .Schedule, .and .Work .Activities
- Ensure .Everyone .reviews .the .SWPPP
-Remind .Everyone .that .BMP .are .performance .based .and .could .require .change
-Conduct .Meeting .Onsite
-Verify .Schedules
-Discuss .Maintenance .Requirements .for .controls .identified .in .SWPPP
-Discuss .Containment, .Storage .and .Spill .Procedures .of .on-site .Pollutants,
-Establish .Open .Communication
16. Inspector .Duties .(Communication): .-Be .Fair .and .Consistent
-Use .Good .Visual .Observations
-Use .Good .Written .Documentation
-Use .Verbal .Communication
-Follow .up .with .Findings .(Written/Verbal)
17. Communication .Issues: .-Investigate .Issues .(Never .assume)
-Written .Communication .(Record .Facts)
-Document .- .Maintain .Written .Communications .by .Law
-Control .the .inspection
-document .all .observations
- .Do .not .be .descriptive
-Provide .Completion .Dates .for .Corrective .Actions
-Follow .up .Expectations
18. Difficult .People: .-Act .like .a .Professional
-Clarify .the .issue
-Handle .the .problem .immediately
-Allow .the .person .to .be .part .of .the .solution
-Agree .on .a .solution
19. Why .is .Documentation .Important?: .Because .of .possibility .of .legal .action
.related .to .erosion .and .sediment .control .and .stormwater .activity, .it's .critical .to .have
.accurate .and .thorough .records..Your .only .proof .of .site .Conditions .are .pictures .and
.written .records.
20. Inspection .Report .Objectives: .-Formalize .inspection .criteria
-Be .Fair, .accurate .and .Consistent .in .assessments
-Follow .up .and .expect .results
1. CESSWI .Certification: .Identifies .Professional .with .a .comprehensive .knowledge
.and .understanding .of .erosion, .sediment .and .stormwater .regulations.
2. Certified .inspectors: .Recognized .by .state .and .federal .regulators .as .qualified
.professionals .in .their .fields
3. NPDES: .National .Pollutant .Discharge .Elimination .System
4. Regulations .Governing .Erosion .and .Sediment .Control .and .Stormwater: .The
.Clean .Water .Act .(CWA)
National .Pollutant .Discharge .Elimination .System .State
.and .Local .Regulations
5. CESSWI .Onsite .Roles: .1. .Being .the .Official .representative .onsite
2. A .Fact .Finder .and .Record .keeper
3. An .Enforcement .Case .Developer
4. A .Technical .Instructor
6. CESSWI .Inspector .Duties: .Must .understand .the .measure .necessary .to .prepare
.for, .conduct .and .report .on .an .inspection .and .ensure .the .presence .documentation
.and .exercise .good .professional .judgement.
7. Safety .Communication: .Talk .to .onsite .supervisor .before .doing .Inspection
8. Safety: .First .Consideration .before .going .on .any .inspection .site.
- Safety .Plan .and .Current .Site .Hazards
- Hazardous .Materials
9. Confined .Space .Inspections: .May .be .necessary .when .inspecting .industrial .or
.post .construction .BMPs .for .stormwater .collection .and .treatment .or .underground
.vault .systems
Never .perform .these .inspection .alone .and .always .follow .confied-space .entry .proce-
.dures .with .Qualified .Personnel
10. Who,.What,.Why,.Where .and .How: .-.Who .do .you .contact .before .starting .inspec-
.tion?
- What .hazards .do .you .need .to .be .aware .of .for .the .site .you .are .inspecting?
- Why .is .safety .important?
- Where .do .you .need .to .go .to .if .there .is .an .onsite .emergency?
- How .do .you .learn .more .about .safety?
11. Communication: .Understanding .how .to .properly .communicate .with .people .will
,.determine .your .degrees .of .success .as .an .inspector
12. Good .Communications: .Professional, .Courteous, .Impartial, .and .Consistent,
.Honest, .and .Accurate
13. Arrival .Introductions .(First.Time): .- .Credentials .and .ID
- Purpose .of .your .Visit
, - Expectations, .Compliance .and .Personal
- Follow .Up .Schedule
14. Preconstruction .Meetings: .Clarify .issues .related .to .compliance .and .demon-
.strating .how .each .individual .plays .a .role .in .maintaining .site .compliance .is .important.
15. Precon .Meeting .Objectives: .-Clarify .Stormwater .Objectives
-Designate .a .Contact .Person
-Determine .if .SWPPP .will .work .for .Schedule, .and .Work .Activities
- Ensure .Everyone .reviews .the .SWPPP
-Remind .Everyone .that .BMP .are .performance .based .and .could .require .change
-Conduct .Meeting .Onsite
-Verify .Schedules
-Discuss .Maintenance .Requirements .for .controls .identified .in .SWPPP
-Discuss .Containment, .Storage .and .Spill .Procedures .of .on-site .Pollutants,
-Establish .Open .Communication
16. Inspector .Duties .(Communication): .-Be .Fair .and .Consistent
-Use .Good .Visual .Observations
-Use .Good .Written .Documentation
-Use .Verbal .Communication
-Follow .up .with .Findings .(Written/Verbal)
17. Communication .Issues: .-Investigate .Issues .(Never .assume)
-Written .Communication .(Record .Facts)
-Document .- .Maintain .Written .Communications .by .Law
-Control .the .inspection
-document .all .observations
- .Do .not .be .descriptive
-Provide .Completion .Dates .for .Corrective .Actions
-Follow .up .Expectations
18. Difficult .People: .-Act .like .a .Professional
-Clarify .the .issue
-Handle .the .problem .immediately
-Allow .the .person .to .be .part .of .the .solution
-Agree .on .a .solution
19. Why .is .Documentation .Important?: .Because .of .possibility .of .legal .action
.related .to .erosion .and .sediment .control .and .stormwater .activity, .it's .critical .to .have
.accurate .and .thorough .records..Your .only .proof .of .site .Conditions .are .pictures .and
.written .records.
20. Inspection .Report .Objectives: .-Formalize .inspection .criteria
-Be .Fair, .accurate .and .Consistent .in .assessments
-Follow .up .and .expect .results
