On May 25, 2006, the California Air Resources Board (ARB) adopted regulations to control the emission of hydrocarbons (HC) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) from off-road large spark-ignition (LSI) engine powered equipment. Manufactures of the LSI engines must comply with new engine standards and test procedures and manufacturers of retrofit emission control systems intended for use on LSI engines must comply with new verification procedures.
What businesses need to be especially aware of is that the ARB also adopted fleet average provisions to reduce emissions from existing LSI fleets. The fleet average standards apply to LSI engine-powered forklifts, airport ground support equipment (GSE), sweepers/scrubbers, and industrial tugs (tow tractors). These standards become progressively more stringent over time, with compliance dates the first of January 2009, 2011, and 2013.
Businesses must first determine the size of their fleet. The fleet regulation applies if there is a total of four of more forklifts in the fleet or if there are four or more pieces of non-forklift LSI equipment. Then they need to determine what their fleet average emission level is. No tailpipe testing is required. Emissions are determined from new engine certification standards, retrofit verification standards, and a prescribed default emission rate for uncontrolled engines.
To meet the standards, businesses can phase out uncontrolled equipment or replace it with new or used controlled equipment. For 1990 and newer model year engines, retrofit devices are available to control emissions. Another option is to repower equipment with a complying engine.
Operators of agricultural crop preparation service fleets do not have to meet the fleet averages, but must address their uncontrolled 1990 and newer LSI forklifts through retrofit. Twenty percent of 1990 and newer uncontrolled forklifts must be retrofit or repowered by January 1, 2009. The rest must be retrofit or repowered by January 1, 2012. Agricultural crop preparation services include packinghouses, cotton gins, nut hullers and processors, dehydrators, feed and grain mills, and other related activities defined as postharvest crop activities. In-field agricultural forklifts are exempt from the LSI regulation.
Because these regulations are complex, businesses that may be impacted should visit the ARB website at http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/offroad/orspark/orspark.htm for detailed information and regulatory updates.
The above evaluations and/or recommendations are for general guidance only and should not be relied upon for legal compliance purposes. They are based solely on the information provided to us and relate only to those conditions specifically discussed. We do not make any warranty, expressed or implied, that your workplace is safe or healthful or that it complies with all laws, regulations or standards.
