(1) The director is authorized to appoint or employ competent persons licensed under this article 155 as journeyman or master plumbers as state plumbing inspectors.
The inspectors may be employed either on a full-time or on a part-time basis as thecircumstances in each case warrant. State plumbing inspectors have the right of ingress and egress to and from all public and private premises during reasonable working hours where this article 155 applies for the purpose of making plumbing inspections or otherwise determining compliance with the provisions of this article 155.
(a) Beginning July 1, 2014, persons licensed under this article 155 or who are certified as residential plumbing inspectors by a nationally recognized model code organization are authorized to inspect residential plumbing. Any newly hired inspectors not licensed under this article 155 or certified by a nationally recognized model code organization have one year from the date of hire to acquire the necessary license or certification or meet the hiring requirements of the hiring authority, whichever is more stringent.
(b) Beginning July 1, 2014, persons licensed under this article 155 or who are certified as commercial plumbing inspectors by a nationally recognized model code organization are authorized to inspect commercial plumbing. Any newly hired inspectors not licensed under this article 155 or certified by a nationally recognized model code organization have one year from the date of hire to acquire the necessary license or certification or meet the hiring requirements of the hiring authority, whichever is more stringent.
(4) (a) Plumbing inspectors performing inspections who are employed by a qualified state institution of higher education shall be certified as commercial plumbing inspectors by a nationally recognized model code organization and possess a valid journeyman or master plumber license issued by the state. In addition, the plumbing inspectors shall possess the same qualifications required of state plumbing inspectors under this article 155, shall be registered with the board prior to the assumption of their duties, shall not inspect any plumbing work in which the inspector has any financial or other personal interest, and shall not be engaged in the plumbing business by contracting, supplying material, or performing plumbing work as defined in this article 155. In addition, a plumbing inspector inspecting a medical gas installation shall hold the national inspection certification ASSE 6020 or recognized equivalent.
(b) As part of their duties, plumbing inspectors performing inspections who are employed by a qualified state institution of higher education have the authority to verify the plumbing licenses or apprenticeship registration cards issued by the state for those people performing the plumbing work on a project.
Source: L. 2019: Entire title R&RE with relocations, (HB 19-1172), ch. 136, p. 1003, § 1, effective October 1.
Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 12-58-114.2 as it existed prior to 2019.