What the hauler is responsible for
The hauler is responsible for the waste from the moment it is pumped to the moment it reaches a disposal site the hauler is entitled to use, under the rules that apply to that stage.
The duty starts at the tank. A hauler who pumps a unit takes responsibility for the load in the truck, and that responsibility continues until the load is delivered to a permitted site and the delivery is recorded. The site owner or the organiser is not the one who carries that duty.
Because the Maryland rules were not confirmed for this page, the duty is stated as a duty under whatever rules apply, and the hauler is expected to know those rules and to comply with them.
Questions to ask before a load is taken
Ask who pumps the unit, where the load goes, how the visit is recorded and who to call about a fault, and expect a clear answer to each before the booking is made.
A good answer names the disposal site and the operator who pumps the unit. It explains how the visit is recorded and what the record shows. It says who answers a call about a leak or a smell and how quickly a visit can be made.
Ask also for the hauler's own permits and registrations, where those apply to the work. A hauler should be able to show what it holds and what the office that issues them is, without argument.
- Who pumps the unit and carries the load
- Which disposal site the load goes to
- How each visit is recorded
- Who answers a fault call and how fast
Scheduling pump-outs for an event or a job
Pump-outs are planned by the number of users, the length of the event and the tank size, so the visit comes before the tank is full rather than after it.
A tank fills faster under a crowd than under a single user, and it fills faster on a hot day than on a cool one. The schedule is set for the busiest days, with a visit planned before the tank reaches the level where it becomes a problem.
For a long job the schedule is fixed for the length of the job, and it is reviewed when the crew size changes.
Records, fault reports and close-out
Each visit is recorded and each fault is reported, and the close-out pump leaves the tank empty when a unit is collected.
The record shows the unit, the date, the work done and the disposal site. A site owner who asks for the record can have it, and an organiser who needs it for a permit file can attach it.
A fault is reported to the office on the day. A leak is treated as urgent, and a blocked vent or a slow tank is planned for the next visit or sooner.
Keeping the service record for an organiser
An organiser who must show the pumping record to an office or a venue needs a copy of every visit, and the record is kept in a form that can be sent on request.
Visits are recorded against the unit, and the record is kept in the form the organiser needs for the file. A venue may ask for it at the end of the event, and an office may ask for it when it reviews the next application.
The record also protects the organiser. A visit that is documented is one that can be shown to have happened, which matters when a question is raised about a smell or a full unit.
Full tanks, slow drains and what to do first
A unit that is full or slow to drain needs a visit before its use gets worse, and the first step is to call the office and not to try to clear it by hand.
A slow or full tank shows up as a rising smell, a sticking door or a level that does not drop. The guest or crew member who notices should tell the supervisor, who calls the office for an early visit. Nobody should try to clear a blockage with tools brought from home.
The early visit is usually the cheapest for the organiser, because a full tank that is left overnight is harder to pump and more likely to leak onto the ground.
