CETP & Non-Certified Training
OPGA is a recognized provider of CETP (Certified Employee Training Program) courses for those working in the propane field or looking to obtain propane training certification in the state of Ohio. Training season runs from April until October and we offer a wide-range of CETP classes, as well as important safety and training classes outside of the CETP curriculum. Classes are open to members and non-members in Ohio.
Training Schedule
New! Propane Manager Course
Classes are held from 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
This new course, developed by the Ohio Propane Gas Association, will provide methods and strategies for managers and owners to improve their
management and leadership skills. The course will provide content that will benefit interactions with employees and customers and will include:
- Compliance for all managers including DOT/PUCO inspections, Tier 123 reporting, security plans, protective equipment, OSHA, hazard communication and fire safety analysis.
- Company culture, successful communication and management styles, and workforce concerns will be addressed.
- Assistance with expectations evolving into reality including methods of providing evaluations, conflict resolution, and other difficult
conversations. - Specific workforce challenges of retention, recruiting, onboarding and termination will be presented.
- Discussion in areas of concern and success within the leadership position included.
- Methods of how to successfully handle price issues and communicate company value.
- Discuss contingency planning and management succession processes.
Attendees are asked to bring a laptop or tablet with them to view course materials online.
September 7-8 - New Albany
October 5-6 - Columbus
Refresher Course: Multiple Modules (1.0, 2.2, 4.1)
Classes are held 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
This one-day course will cover refresher training for multiple modules: 1.0 Basic Principles and Practices of Propane, 2.2 Bobtail Delivery Operations, and 4.1 Designing and Installing Exterior Vapor Distribution Systems. You may attend the training for all or a portion of the modules that will be covered. If you require certification for only a portion of the modules offered, please contact the OPGA Office at opga@kdafirm.com or 844-454-5338 for more information about when to attend the day of class.
June 13 - North Baltimore
Refresher Course: Multiple Modules (1.0, 2.2, 4.1, 4.2)
Classes are held 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
In addition to the courses listed above, this refresher course will also include: 4.2 Placing Vapor Distributions Systems and Appliances into Operations.
July 6-7 - Norwalk
August 24-25 - South Charleston
1.0 Basic Principles and Practices of Propane
Classes are held 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
This entry level course is a prerequisite to the more advanced classes. It provides instruction about propane’s physical combustion properties, and how propane is produced and transported. Other topics covered include the organizations that influence, publish or enforce codes and standards; how basic functions are performed in a bulk plant, including primary safety concerns and customer service; odorants and service interruptions; complete and incomplete combustion characteristics, and much more.
April 19-20 - Lucasville
April 25-26 - New Albany
July 13-14 - New Albany
August 22-23 - New Albany
October 9-10 - New Albany
2.2 Bobtail Delivery Operations
Classes are held 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
This course provides information for drivers who operate commercial motor vehicles to deliver propane. It also covers bobtail equipment and systems; explains a bobtail's basic equipment and systems, including the cargo tank, gauges, valves, pumps, meters, delivery hoses and emergency discharge control equipment; presents detailed procedures for safely loading a bobtail using the plant pump; discusses DOT requirements for bobtail inspections; and reviews the features and installation requirements of ASME tanks at customer locations.
July 18-20 - New Albany
September 19-21 - New Albany
3.5 Basic Plant Operations
Classes are held 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
The Basic Plant Operations course provides information, practices, and procedures to safely and efficiently perform bulk plant operations tasks, mainly cylinder inspection, filling and requalification, and plant and equipment maintenance. The topics covered are: main components of a bulk plant; propane liquid supply system; inspection and filling of DOT cylinders; inspection and filling of vehicle mounted ASME tanks; DOT cylinders visual inspection and requalification; maintaining cylinders and ASME tanks; and unloading cargo tank motor vehicles.
May 17-19 - Fremont
June 19-20 - Botkins
4.1 Designing and Installing Exterior Vapor Distribution Systems
Classes are held 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Focuses on designing and installing the exterior portions of a vapor distribution system for both residential and small commercial markets. It addresses how to select and install containers, prevent corrosion, size and install regulators and meters, and select and install outdoor piping and tubing. In addition, designing vapor systems (container and lines); designing vapor distribution systems (regulators and meters); preparing system components for transport; installing containers, lines, regulators and meters; system tests; and safety information.
May 11-12 - Lucasville
June 27-29 - New Albany
September 13-15 - Fremont
October 24-26 - New Albany
June 13 (Refresher) - North Baltimore
4.2 Placing Vapor Distribution Systems and Appliances into Operations
Classes are held 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Focuses primarily on the procedure of placing a vapor distribution system into operation. This course addresses the different system tests required for vapor distribution systems and appliances; validating the container, piping, and regulator; how and when to make the final connections; how to purge the system of air, appliance controls and safety devices; and how to adjust the burner.
July 25-27 - The Plains
August 29-31 - New Albany
Appliance Conversion
Classes are held 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
This course covers converting both standard and high efficiency equipment, including boilers, furnaces, space heaters, ranges, and dryers, as well as some commercial equipment (radiant systems, unit heaters, etc). We will look at venting requirements, and combustion air needs, to ensure that the systems are safely installed. We will review the need for flow, lock-up, and manifold testing to ensure proper appliance operation.
June 27 - Lucasville
June 28 - Hebron
June 29 - North Baltimore
CSR Training Seminar
Classes are held 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
This seminar covers many issues that the company CSR deals with routinely, and includes relevant topics such as telephone customer service, and basic and advanced CSR skills. Other topics will include a review of the physical properties and characteristics of propane and how these properties correlate with problems or issues raised by customer.
August 3 - New Albany
HAZMAT Training
Classes are held 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
This program was developed to assist companies in complying with the federal training requirements prescribed by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The program includes six modules in total. Modules one through five are based on DOT training requirements that apply to any hazmat employee. The sixth module covers the OSHA initial training requirements. The modules are as follows: DOT Hazardous Materials (Hazmat) Training: Introduction; DOT Hazardous Materials: General Awareness and Familiarization; DOT Hazardous Materials: Function-Specific Training; DOT Hazardous Materials: Safety Training; DOT Hazardous Materials: Security Awareness and OHSA Hazard Communication.
April 17 - Lucasville
April 18 - Lucasville
May 9 - New Albany - Cancelled
September 27 - Lucasville
October 12 - New Albany
Cylinder Refill
Classes are held from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Cylinder Refill Training is based upon the PERC developed training, Dispensing Propane Safely, and is an employee training program that details the many tasks associated with the safe and effective dispensing of propane into several types propane cylinders and tanks. The program is organized into modules that allow you to select what material is covered based on your job responsibilities.
August 10 - New Albany
Cylinder Requalification
Classes are held from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Cylinder Requalification is a PERC developed training that provides in depth procedures for requalifying DOT cylinders using the external visual inspection method. To ensure your safety and the safety of your customers, propane cylinders must be inspected, each time, before they are filled. This course provides you with current information, practices, and procedures to safely and efficiently perform DOT cylinder requalification by visual inspection.
August 10- New Albany
Mobile Crane Training
Classes are held 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
A training program designed to teach crane operators, field technicians, and managers the best practices and procedures for the safe operation of a mobile crane in the propane industry.
August 9 - New Albany
September 26 - Lucasville
Transport Operator Training
Classes are held from 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
This class will provide information, practices, and procedures that support general loading and unloading tasks for drivers who operate transports to deliver propane.
May 16 - Fremont
Registration Fee & Cancellation Policy
Ohio-Based Company - $100 (Waived upon completion of training.)
Registration fees for Ohio-based companies will be waived when the registrant attends the training. If registrant does not attend and does not cancel a minimum of 7 business days prior to the first date of the class, the registration fee will be charged to the credit card on file for this registration. You may send a substitute in place of the original registrant at no additional charge.
Company Outside of Ohio - $300
A refund less a $25 administrative fee will be granted for cancellations received a minimum of 7 business days prior to the first date of the class. You may send a substitute in place of the original registrant at no additional charge.
Class Locations
For hotel reservations, please call the hotel directly and indicate that you are with OPGA.
Columbus: Hilton Columbus/Polaris, 8700 Lyra Drive, Columbus, OH 43240
Botkins: Sunrise Cooperative, 400 W. Walnut Street, Botkins, OH 45306
Fremont: Beck Suppliers Inc., 1000 N. Front Street, Fremont, OH 43420
Hebron: The Energy Cooperative, 120 O’Neil Drive, Hebron, OH 43025
Lucasville: Arrick’s Propane, 10073-A US 23, Lucasville, OH 45648 (Tan building located behind Dollar General)
New Albany: Courtyard by Marriott, 5211 Forest Drive, New Albany, OH 43054
North Baltimore: Prism Propane, 2020 Prism Parkway, North Baltimore, OH 45872
Norwalk: Sunrise Cooperative, 3130 Greenwich-Milan Township Line Road, Norwalk, OH 44857
South Charleston: Sunrise Cooperative, 10844 Huntington Road, South Charleston, OH 45368
The Plains: Rutland Bottle Gas, 177 North Plains Road, The Plains, OH 45780
General Information
- Attendance at all training classes is by pre-registration only.
- The number of students is limited for each class. Register early to ensure your participation.
- OPGA reserves the right to cancel a class, if there is lack of participation.
- Class times vary. Please refer to the schedule for class times for each course.
- Registration includes course materials, continental breakfast and lunch.
- Attendees are responsible for lodging costs.
The NPGA's training is directed to assist in education service and delivery personnel in the LP gas industry. This training program is not intended to be an exhaustive treatment of the subject covered. It should not be interpreted as precluding the use of other procedures and/or compliance with more extensive federal, state, and local codes and/or regulations.
The NPGA, OPGA, and the training supervisor assume no liability for reliance on: (1) the material used; (2) the manner in which the training was conducted; or (3) the knowledge gained, or not gained, by the employee. Those courses are offered as assistance to help employers train personnel in their organizations.
