PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
LABOR AND INDUSTRIES
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Chapter 296-46B WAC, Electrical safety standards, administration, and installation.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: Chapter 19.28 RCW, Electricians and electrical installations.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The electrical rule states some specialty electricians may maintain, repair, or replace (like-in-kind) existing water heating equipment; however, the plumbing statute does not allow electricians to make plumbing connections to hot water tanks unless they have an additional certification as a plumber. This rule making will correct the inconsistency in WAC 296-46B-920.
Incorporate new low voltage thermostats into the Class B, random inspection work better aligning safety concerns with department practice, in WAC 296-46B-110 and 296-46B-905.
Clarify that school and institution shops are similar to an industrial environment and that shop equipment may be approved by the department review process for industrial equipment, in WAC 296-46B-030.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.
Process for Developing New Rule: The Electrical Board will be used to review these rules.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Sally Elliott, Department of Labor and Industries, Specialty Compliance Services Division, P.O. Box 44400, Olympia, WA 98504-4400, phone (360) 902-6411, fax (360) 902-5292, e-mail yous235@lni.wa.gov.
July 5, 2005
Gary Weeks
Director