PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by George Bassolino, Member of Master Plumbers Council
1:54:46
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4 min
George Bassolino, representing the Master Plumbers Council, testified on various aspects of Intro 429, focusing on plumbing work regulations, gas safety inspections, and the reinstatement of the plumbing licensing board. He emphasized the importance of clarifying existing codes to protect public safety and increase compliance with gas inspection requirements.
- Supported the amendment clarifying ordinary plumbing work, which allows licensed plumbers to perform certain tasks without permits or inspections
- Addressed concerns about gas safety inspections, suggesting that compliance would increase if owners felt more comfortable with the process
- Clarified that the proposed changes to emergency work and fire suppression definitions were not expansions but rather clarifications of existing practices
- Advocated for the reinstatement of the plumbing licensing board, citing its advisory role and past effectiveness
George Bassolino
1:54:46
I think George Bastolini speaking on behalf of the mass diplomacy council.
1:54:50
From the mass deployments council, all heartfelt condolences to those parents.
1:54:55
I'm not familiar enough for an intro 9:25 to speak on it intelligently, but who could be against anything that provides public safety?
1:55:03
If it's effective.
1:55:04
And what I can't speak about today is the material that's an intro of 129, which includes cleaner provisions of existing codes and directly protects public safety.
1:55:13
What narrow plumbing work is an important tool available to tenants owners and licensed plumbers.
1:55:18
It saves you a consistent with its time and money by enabling licensed plumbers to safely perform ordinary plumbing work without permits or inspections.
1:55:25
This negates incentives for onus to utilize unqualified persons persons which poses a direct threat to public safety.
1:55:33
This amendment clarifies the approved work scopes that are completed safely by their licensed plumber.
1:55:39
The department the department receives reports for all work performed and they audit the work at their discretion.
1:55:44
We're quickly approaching the 10th anniversary of the preventable East Village explosion.
1:55:49
That crime was a driving force in 10 pieces of gas legislation.
1:55:54
The compliance rate for safety inspections alone because many owners fear that existing gas systems may be shut down or they can incur 1000 of dollars in repair costs.
1:56:03
Extensions outreach and the threat of fines have failed to increase compliance during the first cycle.
1:56:08
Fines are not a deterrent, and compliance will only increase when owners are comfortable with the process.
1:56:15
As gas is phased out over the coming decades, less attention is going to be paid to maintenance of systems and compliance will be essential to protect the public from a reoccurrence.
1:56:25
While this amendment is written in very technical terms, It simply clarifies the current inspection process and terminology.
1:56:33
There's nothing new.
1:56:34
A key clarification eliminates the misconception that the council intended to exempt the same type of commercial tenant space where the 2nd avenue crime occurred from being expected again.
1:56:46
Adoption of this amendment sends a clear message.
1:56:48
Guest is only shut down in the case of an emergency, repairs are limited, and everything else is just simply put on a report.
1:56:55
It's that simple.
1:56:57
Besides delaying the concerns of owners, this will reduce overall compliance costs, not increase them.
1:57:02
New York City is comprised of dense construction.
1:57:05
In the Second Avenue incident, one building exploded, but 3 were ultimately destroyed.
1:57:10
One person's greed and selfish to treat God for the law took innocent lives and displaced many others.
1:57:16
Since I have a little time, I'm going to discuss a couple of other things, emergency work.
1:57:21
This is not an expansion.
1:57:22
If you read the first line of emergency workers says, may include but shall not be limited to.
1:57:28
That means you isn't there's no limitation.
1:57:30
This is not an expansion.
1:57:32
What that procedure was done was to allow me as a licensed plumber to go into your building and make an emergency repair.
1:57:38
Now from the department's perspective, once the emergency is mitigated, okay, shut off the water, there's no leak.
1:57:42
How does that help you?
1:57:44
You need the water back on.
1:57:45
You're required under the administrative code to maintain your building in good working condition.
1:57:51
And that's basically what this says.
1:57:53
If I have another couple of seconds, as far as the fire suppression change, what it says, how can I do fire suppression work as a licensed plumber?
1:58:03
And it's defined as plumbing work.
1:58:05
And not be defined in in the fire suppression section.
1:58:08
That's all that is.
1:58:09
It can't be in 2 things.
1:58:11
As far as the gas same thing, there's 2 definitions of the code where gas stops.
1:58:17
Does it stop here?
1:58:18
What does it stop here?
1:58:19
Well, the code would go to the more restrictive one.
1:58:22
And as far as the department incurring additional inspection costs, anything gas related is inspected now.
1:58:29
So that's no extra burden.
1:58:30
For the license board, I served on a license board for many years.
1:58:33
It served the great purpose.
1:58:35
Its advisory.
1:58:36
If there's a problem, meetings were canceled.
1:58:38
There's a lot of different reasons going to go around.
1:58:41
Simply remove the quarrel.
1:58:42
You could have a meeting.
1:58:43
And if we're there, we're there, and if we're not, we're not, it was advisory only.
1:58:47
Thank you very much for your time.
