HOUSE BILL ANALYSIS

                     HB 2799

Brief Description:  Providing for certificates of competency as a pipefitter and as a fuel gas                                         piping installer.

Sponsors:  Cairnes, O'Brien, Conway, Cooper, DeBolt, Hatfield, Radcliff, Cody, Ballasiotes and                      Mitchell.

                  Hearing:  January 26, 1998

BACKGROUND:

Under current law, a person may not engage in the trade of plumbing unless he or she has a

journeyman certificate, a specialty certificate, a temporary permit, or a training certificate.  A contractor may not employ a person to engage in the plumbing trade unless the person holds the appropriate certificate or permit. Plumbing means the craft of installing, altering, repairing and renovating potable water systems, liquid waste systems, and medical gas piping in a building. 

The Department of Labor and Industries administers the certification programs for plumbers.  Individuals needing to obtain certification must meet certain experience or educational requirements.  In addition, individuals must pass an examination that tests general knowledge and practical procedures of the trade, familiarity with applicable plumbing codes, and administrative rules of the department.

A plumbing apprentice may work in the trade if directly supervised by a certified journeyman or certified specialty plumber.  An apprentice and all individuals learning the plumbing trade are required to obtain a training certificate from the department.  Established are ratio requirements of apprentices to certified journeyman plumbers or certified specialty plumbers.

Currently, journeyman or specialty plumbers may install fuel gas piping and engage in pipefitting.

SUMMARY OF BILL:

Requires a certificate of competency as a journeyman pipefitter before an individual engages in the trade of pipefitting. Requires a certificate of competency as a journeyman plumber, journeyman pipefitter, or fuel gas piping installer before an individual engages in the installation of fuel gas piping.

A contractor may not employ an individual to engage in pipefitting unless the individual has a certificate of competency as a journeyman pipefitter.  A contractor may not employ an individual to install fuel gas piping unless the individual has a certificate of competency as a journeyman plumber, journeyman pipefitter, or fuel gas piping installer.

An individual wishing to obtain a certificate of competency as a journeyman pipefitter, or a certificate of competency as a fuel gas piping installer must meet the requirements established by the department, must pass an examination that contains written and practical elements related to pipefitting, and the installation of fuel gas piping, and pay the required examination fee.

An individual who holds a training certificate and has successfully completed or is enrolled in an approved pipefitting training course may engage in pipefitting if he or she is under the direct supervision of a journeyman pipefitter. An individual who holds a training certificate and has successfully completed or is enrolled in an approved fuel gas piping installer training course may work on installing fuel gas piping if he or she is under the direct supervision of a fuel gas piping installer,  journeyman pipefitter, or journeyman plumber. The ratio of pipefitter apprentices to journeyman pipefitters  is one to one, and the ratio of fuel gas piping installer apprentices to fuel gas piping installers, journeyman pipefitters or journeyman plumbers is one to one.

The Department of Labor and Industries is authorized to issue temporary permits to journeyman pipefitters, and fuel gas piping installers from another state who wish to engage in pipefitting, or fuel gas piping installation in Washington.

RULES AUTHORITY:  The bill does contain provisions addressing the rule-making powers of an agency.

FISCAL NOTE: Not requested.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  January 1, 1999