Q&A
Qualifications for conducting gas piping inspections
0:56:08
·
171 sec
Council Member Pierina Ana Sanchez inquires about the qualifications required for individuals conducting gas piping inspections, focusing on the roles of licensed master plumbers, journeymen, and other workers. DOB representatives explain the current requirements and express concerns about limiting inspections to specific titles.
- Licensed master plumbers must supervise inspections, but others can perform them under supervision
- Both journeymen and other workers require 5 years of experience
- The discussion highlights the debate over who should be qualified to conduct these critical safety inspections
Pierina Ana Sanchez
0:56:08
Thank you.
0:56:15
Okay.
0:56:15
So you you also raised concerns around requiring that around being opposed to the requirement that the individuals working under the supervision of the licensed master plumbers or journeymen, Can you would would a journeyman, a plumber, be qualified to conduct the conduct the inspection on their own without the licensed master plumber?
Constadino 'Gus' Sirakis
0:56:44
No.
0:56:45
I think the the inspection is required to be performed under the directing continuing supervision of the the licensed master plumber, but I think the concern is also limiting it to merely the to only those registered as journeymen and not just others who work for a licensed master plumber could be severely limiting as to who's available to do this.
Pierina Ana Sanchez
0:57:04
What are some of what are some of those titles or individuals that would be excluded by only allowing journey?
Constadino 'Gus' Sirakis
0:57:12
I don't know that they have titles, but specifically, but there are there are classes that are required to be taken for performing this inspection because it's it's it's not about actually doing the piping installation and the plumbing nation.
0:57:27
It's about identifying the the corrosion, the defects, and other maintenance issues that could could arise as well.
0:57:36
So it's its own separate class, but there are others who do plumbing work under a licensed master plumber that don't have the the journeyman title or any title.
0:57:45
I think that's right.
Pierina Ana Sanchez
0:57:48
How many what are the qualifications of a journeyman plumber?
Tarek Khalil
0:57:55
You require at least 5 years of experience.
0:57:58
So I I think that was kind of like the logic behind this proposal, but it's you require 5 years of experience.
0:58:04
And the rule also and the law requires 5 to experience 5 years of experience.
0:58:08
Okay?
Pierina Ana Sanchez
0:58:09
And so someone who is sort of walking in off the street but working with a master master licensed master plumber is is good to inspect these systems.
Tarek Khalil
0:58:21
They they have to have the years of experience working working under the master plumber themselves.
0:58:26
And then also when they conduct the inspection as well, that work needs to be reviewed by a licensed master plumber as well.
Pierina Ana Sanchez
0:58:33
The review is required.
0:58:34
And how many years of experience are required?
Tarek Khalil
0:58:38
The the folks working under the supplies mass diploma is 5 years.
Pierina Ana Sanchez
0:58:42
I thought you said that's the qualification of a journey person.
Tarek Khalil
0:58:44
Yeah.
0:58:45
They're they're both on-site.
0:58:46
Right.
0:58:46
They're both 5 years.
Pierina Ana Sanchez
0:58:47
They're both 5.
0:58:48
Okay.
Tarek Khalil
0:58:48
Yeah.
0:58:48
Yeah.
Pierina Ana Sanchez
0:58:49
I understand.
0:58:49
I understand.
0:58:51
Okay.
Constadino 'Gus' Sirakis
0:58:54
Those qualifications are actually published in our rule.
0:58:58
Okay.
