SENATE BILL REPORT

                            SB 5906

               AS PASSED SENATE, MARCH 15, 1993

Brief Description:  Modifying electrical inspection standards.

SPONSORS: Senators Moore, Newhouse, Wojahn, Amondson and Hochstatter

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR & COMMERCE

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5906 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means. 

     Signed by Senators Moore, Chairman; Prentice, Vice Chairman; Amondson, Barr, Cantu, Fraser, McAuliffe, Newhouse, Pelz, Prince, Vognild, and Wojahn.

Staff:  Traci Ratzliff (786‑7452)

Hearing Dates: March 1, 1993; March 3, 1993

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5906 as recommended by Committee on Labor & Commerce be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass. 

     Signed by Senators Rinehart, Chairman; Spanel, Vice Chairman; Bauer, Gaspard, Hochstatter, Jesernig, Niemi, Pelz, Snyder, Sutherland, Talmadge, Williams, and Wojahn.

Staff:  Tim Yowell (786-7715)

Hearing Dates: March 5, 1993; March 8, 1993

BACKGROUND:

Under current state law, all equipment, including industrial control panels, that uses, conducts or is operated by electrical current must conform to the state's electrical code and the rules developed by the Department of Labor & Industries to implement the code.  The State Electrical Code is based on the National Electrical Code developed by the National Fire Protection Association and applicable regulations and standards of the Underwriter's Laboratories, Inc. or other electrical product laboratories accredited by the department.

Currently, all industrial control panels that convey or are operated by electrical current are inspected by either the department or an approved independent product testing laboratory.

SUMMARY:

Industrial control panels, utilization equipment and their component parts do not need to be listed, labeled or otherwise meet approved electrical standards unless specifically required by the 1993 edition of the National Electrical Code.

The Department of Labor & Industries is directed to secure and review on an annual basis a copy of the latest revision of the National Electrical Code and a copy of any applicable regulations and standards of any electrical product testing laboratory which is accredited by the department, including modifications and changes that have been made in the last year.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  requested

TESTIMONY FOR (Labor & Commerce):

Currently, the Department of Labor and Industries requires industrial control panels to be listed and labeled by third party product testing laboratories.  Industrial panels are well-designed, sophisticated pieces of equipment that are built by manufacturers to comply with the National Electrical Code.  Therefore, they should not need to also be listed and labeled by testing laboratories.

TESTIMONY AGAINST (Labor & Commerce):

The National Electrical Code provides standards on how to install industrial control panels and other electrical equipment.  It does not provide standards for the components that make up these pieces of equipment.  Product testing laboratories provide such standards.  Passage of this bill would eliminate the need for these pieces of equipment to be inspected and approved as required by product testing laboratory standards.  Therefore, the safety of these pieces of equipment could be compromised.

TESTIFIED (Labor & Commerce):  Charlie Tranor, Boeing (pro); Don Peterson, Boeing (pro); Don Picatti, Picatti Brothers (con); Michael Glenn (pro); Joe Brewer, Department of Labor and Industries (neutral); Edward Raymond, IBEW

TESTIMONY FOR (Ways & Means):

Industrial control panels are designed to comply with the National Electric Code, so testing by an independent product testing agency is unnecessary.  The fiscal impact will be covered in full by the organizations inspected.

TESTIMONY AGAINST (Ways & Means):

If enacted, the state will need to develop a new standard for testing this equipment, which will be very expensive.  Additionally, the state will be assuming the liability which is currently borne by independent product testing laboratories of defending the standards it develops.

TESTIFIED (Ways & Means):  Don Peterson, Boeing (pro); Donald Picatti, U/L and ETL Manufacturing Facilities (con)