News & Events Spotlight

§ Registration is now open!    Go to the Forms Page to get your Registration Form!  Don't Delay - we are filling up fast!
ª Are you interested in being a Judge?  Contact Michelle
© We encourage all the teams to visit the Operations Challenge Team Resource page for latest information and FAQ about all events.  Team Resource
¨ New Laboratory & Safety Write-ups are posted on the Regs Page.
   

New Jersey Water Environment Association has once again decided to host an Operations Challenge Event.  The Spring Fling Challenge will take place during NJWEA's 97th Annual Conference and Exposition.

The Annual Conference is May 13 - May 18, 2012 at Bally's Atlantic City.

Date & Agenda  
     
Monday, May 14, 2012  

 

7:00 am

Coffee & Danish

 

8:00 am - 8:30 am

Team Check In

 

 

Judge Training (Process & Laboratory)

 

8:30 am - 9:00 am

Process Control Event

 

9:00 am - 9:30 am

Pre-Competition Meeting

 

 

   Laboratory

 

 

   Collections

 

 

   Safety

 

 

   Maintenance

 

9:30 am - 3:30 pm

Laboratory Event

 

12:00 - 1:00 pm

Lunch - Boxed

 

3:30 pm - 4:30 pm

SDR Shoot Out

 

6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Monday Hospitality Night

     
Tuesday, May 15, 2012  

 

7:00 am

Coffee & Danish

 

8:00 am

Judge Training (Collections, Safety & Maintenance)

 

8:30 am

Team Check-In

 

 

Final Instructions

 

9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Collections, Safety & Maintenance Events

 

12:00 - 1:00 pm

Lunch - Boxed

 

3:30 - 5:00 pm

Wine & Cheese in Exhibit Area (Bally's)

 

5:00 pm

Awards Ceremony (Foyer outside of Exhibit Area) Bally's

 

7:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Meet & Greet (No Kids) 6th Floor Bally's


Location

 

 

 

 

There are many hotel room choices available in Atlantic City.

     
     

 

Operations Challenge
Caesar's Atlantic City
2100 Pacific Avenue
Atlantic City, NJ  08401

800-345-7253

NJWEA Conference
Bally's Atlantic City
Park Place & Boardwalk
Atlantic City, NJ  08401

800-345-7253


 
Purpose
     
  To recognize excellence and professionalism in wastewater treatment, operations, maintenance, laboratory, safety and collection systems personnel.

     
Nature of the Competition  
     
  All teams will compete in all events.  Each event will be judged and scored separately against established criteria.  The scores of all events will be totaled to determine the champion team. 

Five separate competitive events will be held.
a. Pump Maintenance:  The pump and mixer shall be in adjacent simulated slide rail mounted installations; the O&M teams shall safely remove them from service, performance and document the required service to repair the units, and then place them back into service.
b. Collection System:  Teams will be required to cut out a section of an 8" PVC sewer pipe with water flowing through it, drill and install a 4" service saddle into the replacement pipe, cut and install the replacement section with couplings and take a written quiz. There may be some modifications to this event.
c. Safety:  Teams will be required to rescue a downed co-worker from a simulated manhole.  Team members will set up a retrieval system, fill out the required confined space entry permit, place retrieval harness on the downed co-worker and remove him from the manhole.  As you begin setting up the rescue effort another co-worker has a heart attack and must be revived using an AED.  There may be some modifications to this event.
d. Process Control:  The process control event consists of answering a number of multiple choice questions, some short math questions with multiple choice answers, and up to five operational type scenarios that have four to six questions each that may require considerable calculation.
e. Laboratory:  

   
Awards
   
  The following awards will be presented:
  DIVISION I 
  Overall - Trophy for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place
Each Event - Trophy for event winner and plaques for 2nd and 3rd Place
Each Team Member - 2012 Spring Fling T-Shirt
   
  DIVISION II 
 

Overall - Trophy for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place
Each Event - Trophy for event winner and plaques for 2nd and 3rd Place
Each Team Member - 2012 Spring Fling T-Shirt


   
Eligibility
a. A maximum of 12 teams will be accepted for the 2012 Competition.  $50.00 Registration
b. Entries will be accepted on a first come first served basis until the maximum is reached.
c. Teams must be composed of no less than four members.
d. Teams must be composed of the same four individuals for all five events.
e. Members of a team may come from the same employer or from multiple employers.
f. Individual team members must meet the qualifications described below.

   
Qualifications
   
 

Individual team members will be persons actively employed by a responsible operating wastewater entity or its agent, on a facility site on a day-to-day basis.  Furthermore, they must be actively employed in the operation and maintenance of the collection, treatment or laboratory facilities.

   
  The intent is that team members will be those actually involved in wastewater operations, laboratories, pretreatment, or maintenance functions.  Individual entrants will be checked for compliance with this intent.

   
Judging
   
a. Each event will be scored by the time required to perform the event, plus time for penalties for procedural and safety violations.  This will be the final time and will be reported to the official scorekeeper.
   
b. Judges will be trained volunteers for the NJWEA Membership, WEF Membership, CMCMUA and sponsors. 
   
c. Teams will complete concurrently in each event.  There will be two or more judges per team per event, with a separate head judge for each event.
   
d. The individual event coordinator will decide whether teams will be informed of infractions. If the event coordinator goes over the penalties then it will be with the team captain only.  The event coordinator also will decide whether the teams will be told their overall penalty time.  All final times will be posted on the final scoring sheets that will be given out at the awards ceremony.
   
e. Disagreements with the judges ruling will be handled as follows:
The team captain will speak with the event coordinator first.  The event coordinator will then speak with the judge.  At that point, the event coordinator, team captain, and judge will discuss the disagreement.  The remaining team members will leave the event area.  If the disagreement is not resolved with the event coordinator, the team may submit a written protest to the Spring Fling Coordinator, who will refer it to a protest team.  Attempts will be made to settle the protest as soon as practical.  Protests will not be accepted more than 15 minutes after the event being protested is completed.
   
  Courtesy and professionalism should be extended to all parties involved throughout this process.  Failure to render courtesy to judges and event staff can result in penalty of time being assessed to the offending team or disqualification.

   
Equipment and Supplies
   
  NJWEA and the Jersey Devils will supply all equipment required for the competition except the hole-saw needed for the Collections Event and small calculators, tape measures, and personal items such as safety shoes, gloves, safety glasses, and hard hats.  The contestants must supply these items.
   

Note:  Each team is asked to bring the hole-saw needed for the Collections Event!


   
Competition Timing
   
  Each team will be allowed 20 minutes for each event from the time that team is scheduled to start that event.  This includes a maximum of 5 minutes, prior to the competition of the event, for the team to make preparations for that event.

   

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Spring Fling Coordinator
Michelle Salfi
salfiml@cmcmua.com
(609) 398-8992 phone
(609) 398-0429 fax