Tech Update – January 2012

 

Register for Free 6-CEU Opportunity – March 22, 2012

The Texas AgriLife Extension Service Passenger Safety Project is conducting a 6-CEU Technician Update Workshop on March 22, 2012, in Bryan, Texas. This update is also being video-conferenced statewide to selected TxDOT district offices as well as some Texas AgriLife Extension Service offices. If interested, please contact Fiona Santillan at fsantillan@ag.tamu.edu or 979-862-4658.

GM Introductes Industry’s First Front Center Air Bag

The front center air bag deploys from the right side of the driver’s seat and positions itself between the front row seats near the center of the vehicle. This tethered, tubular air bag is designed to provide restraint during passenger-side crashes when the driver is the only front occupant; it also acts as an energy-absorbing cushion between driver and front passenger in both driver—and passenger-side crashes. The air bag also is expected to provide benefit in rollovers. For more information, go to http://www.gm.com/content/gmcom/home/article.content_pages_news_us
_en_2011_sep_0929_airbag.gm.html.

New Technician Proxy Process

A Technician Proxy (Proxy) is a Certified Technician or Instructor Candidate who successfully applies to provide seat check reviews and sign offs for recertification. This person must adhere to the rigorous standards in place for seat check reviews in terms of seat check feedback on communication and technical skill. This is not associated in any way with being a Senior Checker. It is simply a way to fill a need in areas with few Certified Instructors.

Certified technicians who have been certified for at least six months are eligible to apply. They will see a new action item, “Apply to be a Technician Proxy,” in their CPS online profile. After paying the fee and submitting a complete application, they are approved as a Proxy until their CPS Certification expires. Their certification status does not change. They have no additional recertification requirements.

On-line CEU Opportunity

  • Provided by: The Texas AgriLife Extension Service Passenger Safety Project
    • The Texas AgriLife Extension Service Passenger Safety Project is offering three on-line tech update courses that will provide 2 CEUs each. It is the on-line version of the Tech Update Workshop offered by Passenger Safety on February 2, 2011, in Bryan and across the state via video conferencing. The course, titled Tech Update 2011, Parts 1–3, is available at: http://extensiononline.tamu.edu/courses/volunteers.php. Note that the maximum CEUs allowed in the on-line education category is five.

Other On-line CEU Opportunities

  • Provided by: Safe Kids Worldwide and NHTSA
    • Location: http://www.safekidswebinars.org/
    • Currently available: Vehicle Safety Part 1: Federal Regulations, Vehicle Safety Part 2: Consumer Testing, School Buses, A Tech’ s Guide to Recalls, and Transporting Children in Vehicles Other Than Cars. Technicians will register, log in, finish the webinar, and print a certificate of completion. This webinar requires participants to gather information from other sites (links provided) to have a quality learning experience. Again, note that the maximum CEUs allowed in the on-line education category is five.

Re-Certification Reminder

You may re-certify up to four months before your certification expiration date. Avoid problems – don’t delay!

Basic re-certification requirements and deadlines:

  • Five seat checks approved by a certified instructor (you may use the technician proxy option). You can do the checks at any time during your certification cycle as long as they are entered on-line and a certified instructor approves them before your re-certification date.
  • Community education (choose one):
    1. Participation in at least one two-hour checkup event with at least one other CPS technician using any standardized checklist to provide documentation, if needed.
    2. Provide at least four hours of community education. Examples include making presentations to parents, educators, kids, organizations (such as PTAs or law enforcement), or other stakeholders who are not technicians.
  • A minimum of six hours of CPS technical continuing education units earned and reported during a current two-year certification cycle.
    • You cannot carry over CEUs from one period to the next, even if you have accumulated more CEUs than are required.
    • You can record CEUs any time during your certification cycle, but they must fit into one of the five approved categories and meet content requirements.
  • Register and pay the re-certification fee before your certification expiration date.

To get to the payment screen, you must have:

  1. Completed all five seat checks (entered and CPSTI approved).
  2. Entered at least six CEUs.
  3. Entered your community event information.

Once all three are done, you will see a “Click Here to Continue” button that will take you to the payment screens.

Once your registration is complete, your re-certification will be processed in two to four days.

Remember to Update Your On-line Profile at the Safe Kids Website

Safe Kids Certification Website – http://cert.safekids.org

Techs can log in to update their profile and enter re-certification information. Please remember to change your bookmark to reflect this new address.

Sources: CPS Express October–December 2011

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Last updated: 2 February, 2012

Educational programs of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin.