Consider reducing the number of off-site new entry safety audits required for maintenance of certification from 18 to 9.

Montana is currently in the process of certifying enforcement officers in conducting off-site safety audits by completing 9 off-site safety audits as required by CVSA Ops Policy 4. These officers will not be certified to conduct on-site safety audits and will only conduct off-site. Once these officers are certified, current policy states that they must conduct 18 off-site safety audits per year to remain certified. There currently is not enough available New Entrants in Montana to sustain 7 officers at 18 off-site audits per year.

Recommend that the maintenance of certification of off-site new entrant safety audits be 9 off-site audits per year, the same number that is used for initial certification.