User’s guide for online federal identification registry for storage tank systems: chapter 3

3. Administration (users with administrative permission)

• 3.1. Forgotten Password (NEW)
• 3.2. Entering Information in Federal Identification Registry for Storage Tank Systems
• 3.3. Organization Structure
• 3.4. Manage Users
• 3.5. Statistics (NEW)
• 3.6. Export to Excel (NEW)

Only one account is issued by Environment Canada per organization. However, FIRSTS allows primary account administrators to provide access to other users. The primary account administrator can allow another with full administration access, read and write access or read-only access. Account administrators can also add structure to enable the organization to arrange its storage tank systems inventory according to the organization’s structure.

Users can be given one of three levels of access permission:

Administrative

Access allows the user to modify account structure, add other users, identify storage tank systems and view/modify information.

Read-write

Access allows the user to identify storage tank systems and view/modify information.

Read-only

Access allows the user to view storage tank system information.

3.1. Forgotten Password (NEW)

If you have forgotten your password, click “Forgot password” on the login page, and then enter your email address. Your password will be reset, and a new activation code will be sent to the email address provided for your account.

3.2. Entering Information in Federal Identification Registry for Storage Tank Systems

Mandatory versus optional

Information is either mandatory or optional. Optional information is indicated with “(Optional field)” after the field description. All other information is mandatory. FIRSTS only allows the submission of a storage tank system identification when all mandatory information is provided.Therefore, no Environment Canada number is provided if there is mandatory information missing.

How to enter information

There are a number of ways that information can be entered in FIRSTS:

Text field

Allows the user to enter a string of text with a maximum of characters.

Check box

Allows the user to select multiple options. The user should select all options that apply.

Drop-down menu

Allows the user to select one option among a set of options. Click on the box to display the list.

Bulleted list

Allows the user to select one option among a list.

Selecting “Other”

When the option you wish to specify is not listed, select “other” and specify what “other” means in the accompanying text box.

Selecting “Unknown”

Effort should be made to submit information that is as complete and precise as possible. In some instances, it may be difficult to gather certain information about a storage tank system. In these cases, “Unknown” can be chosen for select fields. “Unknown” cannot be selected for any tank and piping components for systems installed on or after June 13, 2008.

Identifying collapsible fuel storage systems (bladders)

For the purpose of the Regulations, collapsible fuel storage systems (bladders) are considered to be aboveground tanks. Suggestions are provided throughout this guide on how to identify bladders.

Tanks containing more than one product (“compartment tanks”)

For tanks that contain more than one product (“split tanks” or “compartment tanks”), register each compartment as a separate storage tank system. If the compartment is interconnected with another tank, identify both tanks as part of the same system. Use the “system description” and “tank description” boxes in FIRSTS to specify that it is a split tank and which compartment of the system it is.

3.3. Organization Structure

As an account administrator, this section enables you to manage your groups. The Groups section shows the structure of your organization including all subgroups. The default setting puts an organization’s entire tank system inventory under one group. Creating additional sub-accounts may be useful when many storage tank systems are to be identified by different sections of the organization. Creating structure also helps account administrators manage which users have access to specific storage tank systems within the sub-account. Users can only access information within their subgroup and below.

To add a group, click on the group that will be the parent group (the group in which the new group will be created) and click on “Add new group”. To display user accounts for a group, click on the appropriate group in the Groups section.

3.4. Manage Users

Account administrators can grant access to FIRSTS to other users to manage an organization’s storage tank system information. This page lists all user accounts created in your groups and subgroups. Administrators can modify users’ status, access level and group. Users can access information within their subgroup and below. To create new accounts, click “New User” at the bottom of the page.

A user with administrative access at the appropriate structural level or a primary administrator can disable another user’s access to FIRSTS when this account is no longer needed.To disable a user, change the individual’s status to “Closed”. Administrators cannot revoke their own permissions by indicating their status as “Closed”; another administrator must do it for them.

Individuals with inactive accounts are not able to view FIRSTS until they activate their accounts by following the instructions in the email sent to them by FIRSTS. If the activation email has been misplaced or accidentally deleted, the administrator may select “Resend activation code”. To confirm changes to any account, click on “Update Status” at the bottom of the page.

Having two users with administrative access to the entire account is recommended. It provides continuity in instances where one of the individuals leaves the organization. It also provides users at the subgroup levels with an additional information source in cases where one of the primary administrators is unavailable.

To add an additional account, the master’s account holder must follow these steps:

• Sign into FIRSTS using the Master Account.
• On the left-hand side, click on “Administrative Tools”.
• Click on “Manage User Accounts”.
• Click on “New User” button.
• Fill out all the required information and click “Next”.
• Review the information and click “Save”.

3.5. Statistics (NEW)

This page generates statistical reports of information under your group and subgroups by selecting different criteria such as product stored, standard number, tank/piping construction materials, tank/piping secondary containment, tank/piping corrosion protection and others.

3.6. Export to Excel (NEW)

This page allows an administrator or a user with read and write access to export into Microsoft Office Excel 2007 or higher all information from the storage tank systems under the main (highest level) group. This feature allows easy manipulation of FIRSTS data for a variety of organizational uses, such as generating reports.