BP BHEAD INT S

AN ACT Relating to electrical inspection standards; and amending RCW 19.28.005, 19.28.010, and 19.28.060.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 19.28.005 and 1988 c 81 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

(1) "Administrator" means a person designated by an electrical contractor to supervise electrical work and electricians in accordance with the rules adopted under this chapter.

(2) "Board" means the electrical board under RCW 19.28.065.

(3) "Chapter" means chapter 19.28 RCW.

(4) "Department" means the department of labor and industries.

(5) "Director" means the director of the department or the director's designee.

(6) "Electrical construction trade" includes but is not limited to installing or maintaining electrical wires and equipment that are used for light, heat, or power and installing and maintaining remote control, signaling, power limited, or communication circuits or systems.

(7) "Electrical contractor" means a person, firm, partnership, corporation, or other entity that offers to undertake, undertakes, submits a bid for, or does the work of installing or maintaining wires or equipment that convey electrical current.

(8) "Equipment" means any equipment or apparatus that directly uses, conducts, or is operated by electricity but does not mean plug-in household appliances.

(9) "Industrial control panel" means a factory-wired or user-wired assembly of industrial control equipment such as motor controllers, switches, relays, power supplies, computers, cathode ray tubes, transducers, and auxiliary devices. The panel may include disconnect means and motor branch circuit protective devices.

(10) "Journeyman electrician" means a person who has been issued a journeyman electrician certificate of competency by the department.

((~~(10)~~)) (11) "Specialty electrician" means a person who has been issued a specialty electrician certificate of competency by the department.

Sec. 2. RCW 19.28.010 and 1992 c 79 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) All wires and equipment, and installations thereof, that convey electric current and installations of equipment to be operated by electric current, in, on, or about buildings or structures, except for telephone, telegraph, radio, and television wires and equipment, and television antenna installations, signal strength amplifiers, and coaxial installations pertaining thereto shall be in strict conformity with this chapter, the statutes of the state of Washington, and the rules issued by the department, and shall be in conformity with approved methods of construction for safety to life and property. All wires and equipment that fall within section 90.2(b)(5) of the National Electrical Code, 1981 edition, are exempt from the requirements of this chapter. The regulations and articles in the National Electrical Code, ((~~as approved by the American Standards Association, and in~~)) the national electrical safety code, ((~~as approved by the American Standards Association,~~)) and other installation and safety regulations approved by the ((~~American Standards Association~~)) national fire protection association, as modified or supplemented by rules issued by the department in furtherance of safety to life and property under authority hereby granted, shall be prima facie evidence of the approved methods of construction. All materials, devices, appliances, and equipment used in such installations shall be of a type that conforms to applicable standards or be indicated as acceptable by the established standards of ((~~the Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc. or other~~)) any electrical product testing ((~~laboratories~~)) laboratory which ((~~are~~)) is accredited by the department. Industrial control panels, utilization equipment, and their components do not need to be listed, labeled, or otherwise indicated as acceptable by an accredited electrical product testing laboratory unless specifically required by the National Electrical Code, 1993 edition.

(2) Residential buildings or structures moved into or within a county, city, or town are not required to comply with all of the requirements of this chapter, if the original occupancy classification of the building or structure is not changed as a result of the move. This subsection shall not apply to residential buildings or structures that are substantially remodeled or rehabilitated.

(3) This chapter shall not limit the authority or power of any city or town to enact and enforce under authority given by law, any ordinance, rule, or regulation requiring an equal, higher, or better standard of construction and an equal, higher, or better standard of materials, devices, appliances, and equipment than that required by this chapter. A city or town shall require that its electrical inspectors meet the qualifications provided for state electrical inspectors in accordance with RCW 19.28.070. In a city or town having an equal, higher, or better standard the installations, materials, devices, appliances, and equipment shall be in accordance with the ordinance, rule, or regulation of the city or town. Electrical equipment associated with spas, hot tubs, swimming pools, and hydromassage bathtubs shall not be offered for sale or exchange unless the electrical equipment is certified as being in compliance with the applicable product safety standard by bearing the certification mark of an approved electrical products testing laboratory.

(4) Nothing in this chapter may be construed as permitting the connection of any conductor of any electric circuit with a pipe that is connected with or designed to be connected with a waterworks piping system, without the consent of the person or persons legally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the waterworks piping system.

Sec. 3. RCW 19.28.060 and 1988 c 81 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Prior to January 1st of each year, the director shall obtain an authentic copy of the national electrical code ((as approved by the American Standards Association, and an authentic copy of any applicable regulations and standards of the Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc., or other electrical product testing laboratory which is accredited by the department prescribing rules, regulations, and standards for electrical materials, devices, appliances, and equipment, including any modifications and changes that have been made during the previous year in the rules, regulations, and standards)), latest revision. The department, after consulting with the board and receiving the board's recommendations, shall adopt reasonable rules in furtherance of safety to life and property. All rules shall be kept on file by the department. Compliance with the rules shall be prima facie evidence of compliance with this chapter. The department upon request shall deliver to all persons, firms, partnerships, corporations, or other entities licensed under this chapter a copy of the rules.

(2) The department shall also obtain and keep on file an authentic copy of any applicable regulations and standards of any electrical product testing laboratory which is accredited by the department prescribing rules, regulations, and standards for electrical materials, devices, appliances, and equipment, including any modifications and changes that have been made during the previous year.