Iowa Electrical Examining Board Division of the State Fire Marshal s Office

Transcription

1 Iowa Electrical Examining Board Division of the State Fire Marshal s Office Licensing ~ Permitting ~ Inspection ~ Enforcement Iowa s Statewide Electrical Licensing Program

2 Do Iowans Really Need Licensed Electricians? Or Can We Live Without Them?

3 Let s Not Gamble with Iowan s Lives! All Electricians Need to be Educated and Licensed!

4 Administrative Rules Chapters: Electrician and Electrical Contractor Licensing Program Chapter 500: Organization and Administration Chapter 501: - Administrative Procedures Chapter 502: - Licensing Requirements, Procedures, & Fees Chapter 503: - Complaints and Discipline Chapter 504: - Standards for Electrical Work

5 Iowa Code 103 Electrician Licensing & Inspections Three Key Provisions Provides for a statewide system of licensure for electricians. Creates an 11 member Electrical Examining Board (EEB). Establishes a statewide electrical inspection program under the State Fire Marshal s Office

6 Iowa Code 103 Electrician Licensing & Inspections Licensure Classifications Class A Journeyman Electrician Class A Master Electrician Class B Journeyman Electrician Class B Master Electrician Apprentice Electrician Special Electrician 4 Endorsements Electrical Contractor Unclassified Persons

7 Electrician Licensing Board Make-up Two Journeyman Electricians. (1 union and 1 non-union) Two Master Electricians or Electrical Contractors. (1 union and 1 non-union) One Electrical Inspector. Two members, one union, one non-union, representing the general public.

8 Electrician Licensing Board Make-up (Continued) The State Fire Marshal or representative. Local building official with responsibility for local electrical inspections. Public utility representative. Licensed engineer with an Electrical Engineering background.

9 Board Members Chad Campion, Journeymen Electrician Union, Cedar Rapids, Chair Barb Mentzer, Electrical Inspector, Carlisle, Vice-Chair Randy Van Voorst, Journeymen Electrician Non Union, Sioux Center Skip Perley, Electrical Contractor Union, Sioux City Duane Quirk, Electrical Contractor Non Union, New Hampton VACANT, Public Member Union Lori Mease, Public Member Non Union, Des Moines Chad Layland, Licensed Electrical Engineer, Des Moines Rodrick Van Wart, Building Official, Des Moines Valynda Akin, Public Utility Representative, Dubuque Jim Kenkel, Iowa Fire Marshal, Waukee

10 Administrative Rules Chapters: & 559 Chapter: 550 ~ Organization and Administration Chapter: 551 ~ Definitions Chapter: 552 ~ Permits and Inspections Chapter: 553 ~ Civil Penalties Chapter: 559 ~ Utility Notifications & Responsibilities of Utilities

11 Iowa Code 103 Electrician Licensing & Inspections Security, Fire and Medical-call call Alarm Systems have been moved from Iowa code 103 to Iowa Code 100C. These systems will now be part of the Fire Extinguishing System Contractor Certification Program. (70 volt/amps or less)

12 Iowa Code 103 Electrician Licensing & Inspections The Electrical Examining Board has been referred to by a few different names i.e. Electrical Licensing Board, Electrical Licensing Bureau. And other titles but the Iowa Code 103 has named the Organization the Electrical Examining Board also you may hear or read it referred to as EEB a division of the State Fire Marshal s office

13 Electrician Licensing Board Duties Adopt Administrative Rules to govern the program. Rules shall adopt the latest edition of the National Electrical Code. The Board has adopted the 2008 NEC on beginning Jan 01, Revoke, suspend or refuse to renew any license granted under this program. Adopt Rules for continuing education requirements for licensees. Adopt Rules for the amount and collection of fees for licenses and inspections.

14 Electrician Licensing & Inspections The Board must establish a web-based based licensure verification database available to anyone wishing to verify the status of an electrician's license. Establishment of the Board becomes effective upon enactment. Licensure provisions effective 1/1/08. Inspection provisions effective 3/2/09.

15 Examples of State licenses

16 Class A License Requirement Class A License was obtained by written supervised examination Not subject to the restrictions of a Class B license Can be used anywhere across the state Will be eligible for reciprocity

17 Class A License Requirement The EEB now accepts city tests from the following cities: Ames Boone Burlington Carroll Cedar Falls Cedar Rapids Davenport Des Moines Dubuque Fort Dodge Fort Madison Iowa City Keokuk Marshalltown Mount Pleasant Muscatine Sioux City Waterloo

18 Class B License Requirement Class B License is granted by proven experience since ,000 hours of documented work experience. License is subject to restrictions by political subdivisions

19 Master Electrician Master Electrician A person having the necessary qualifications and technical knowledge to properly plan, lay out, and supervise the installation of electrical wiring and equipment for light, heat, and power.

20 Journeyman Journeyman Electrician Persons having the necessary qualifications to wire for or install electrical wiring and equipment.

21 Electrical Contractor Electrical Contractor A person affiliated with an electrical contracting firm or who owns a business (performing electrical functions and who is licensed by the board as either a Class A or Class B Master Electrician and who is also registered with the state of Iowa Workforce Development as a Contractor performing electrical work.

22 Special Electrician Special Electrician A person having the necessary qualifications to install special classes of electrical wiring, apparatus, equipment, or installations which shall include: Irrigation system wiring Disconnecting reconnecting of existing air conditioning refrigeration equipment Sign installations Residential electrician. The requirements and qualifications for a special electrician license are different than those qualifications for a Master or Journeyman electrician.

23 Special Electrician Endorsements Irrigation System Wiring - This endorsement requires passing a written supervised exam approved by the board or completion of two years, or 4,000 hours of documented experience in the wiring of irrigation systems

24 Special Electrician Endorsements Disconnecting/ Reconnecting of Existing Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Equipment - This endorsement requires the applicant to have 2 years of documented experience in the air conditioning and refrigeration trade or to have passed an examination approved by the Board.

25 Special Electrician Endorsements Sign Installation - This endorsement allows the applicant to connect signs to electrical systems. There are no examination or experience requirements for this endorsement. This endorsement does not authorize a licensee to connect power to a sign that has a voltage greater than 220 Volts and an ampere rating of greater than 20 amps. Initial installation and or upgrading of the branch circuits supplying power to the sign shall be installed by a licensed electrician

26 Special Electrician Endorsements Residential Electrician - This endorsement requires the passing of a supervised examination approved by the board or has completed 4 years of documented experience performing residential electrical work. Residential electrical work is considered electrical work in a residence in which there are no more than 4 living units within the same building

27 Apprentice Apprentice Electrician A person who is engaged in learning and assisting in the installation, alteration, and repair of electrical wiring, apparatus, and equipment as an employee of a person licensed by the board and is progressing toward the completion of an Apprenticeship program registered by the bureau of apprenticeship and training with the United States Department of Labor.

28 Unclassified Unclassified Person Any person other than an apprentice electrician or other person licensed under this licensing act, who, as such person s principal occupation, is engaged in learning and assisting in the installation, alteration, and repair of electrical wiring, apparatus, and equipment as an employee of a person licensed under this licensing act.

29 Electrician Licensing Fees Electrical Contractor - $ Master Electrician (A or B) - $ Journeyman Electrician (A or B) - $75.00 Special Electrician - $75.00 Above License valid for Three Years Apprentice Electrician-$20.00 Unclassified Person-$20.00 Above License valid for One Year

30 Electrician Licensing Fees Fees for examinations and licenses will be set by the Board but cannot exceed the maximum limits set in the law. All licensing and inspection fees are retained by the program and do not revert to the state general fund.

31 Licensure Examinations Examinations for licensure shall be given as often as deemed necessary by the Board. Prometric has been chosen as the Iowa Electrician testing agency Testing dates can be scheduled through Prometric s website at

32 Reciprocity With Other States The Board may grant a license without examination for individuals holding a similar licenses from another state for at least 1 year, after reciprocity is established Reciprocity agreements will take some time to establish with other states and Multi-State Group

33 Electrician Licensing & Inspections When Is a License Required? Section 18, no person shall, for another, plan, lay out, or supervise the installation of wiring, apparatus, or equipment for electrical light, heat, power and other purposes unless the person is licensed by the Board as an Electrical Contractor, a class A Master Electrician, or a class B Master Electrician.

34 Who Is Exempt from Licensing? Section Licensed engineers, registered architects or licensed landscape architects. Employees of municipal corporations, electric co-ops, ops, public utility corporations, rural water associations, railroads, telecommunications companies, cable television operators, commercial or industrial companies performing manufacturing, installation and repair work for such employer while acting within the scope of their employment.

35 Who Is Exempt from Licensing? Section (Continued) Persons holding local licenses approved by the Board, and if only working in local jurisdiction. Persons installing or maintaining elevators, moving walks, stagelifts, etc. Persons engaging electrical appliances where approved electrical supply is already installed.

36 Who Is Exempt from Licensing? Section (Continued) Property owners performing work on their own principal residence if residence is existing and not larger than a single family dwelling. Note: Other restrictions apply. Person who is qualified by other rules to install and maintain LP gas equipment. Person who is qualified by other rules as a well contractor, while performing such work. Person performing alarm system installations and other similar types of voice, video and data systems and cabling.

37 Maintenance Electricians The Electrical Examining Board has defined Routine Maintenance Routine Maintenance is the repair or replacement of existing electrical apparatus or equipment of the same size and type for which no changes in wiring are made. The performance of routine maintenance in itself does not require a person to obtain or hold a license as an electrician or electrical contractor

38 Continuing Education Requirements Class A and B Master Licenses and Class A and B Journeyman licenses require 18 contact hours of continuing education courses, approved by the Board, within each three year license period. At least six (6)( ) of the contact hours must be covering the National Electrical Code. The only groups that requires continuing education hours as set in Iowa code section are class A / B, Master /Journeyman

39 Insurance Requirements Any holder of an electrical contractor license Any holder of an electrician license, who is not employed by a licensed electrical contractor and who contracts to provide electrical work $1 million General and Complete Operations Liability Insurance must be provided and maintained Carrier shall notify Board 30 days prior to date of cancellation or reduction of coverage Licensee shall cease operation immediately if insurance coverage is no longer in force Bonding requirements have not yet been determined

40 State Inspection Program Program begins on Mar 02,2009. An inspection shall be made within three business days of the submission of the request. Where wiring is to be concealed, adequate notice must be given to complete rough-in inspections prior to concealment. Board will establish state inspection procedures and policies. Inspection fees to be set by the Board, but may not exceed limits stated in the law.

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42 Permits If a project is already underway on or before March 02, 2009 you will not be required to be inspected by the State of Iowa Inspectors.

43 What type of Electrical Work DOES NOT need a Electrical Permit Neither a state inspection nor a state electrical permit shall be required for any electrical installation which meets all of the following: 1. The installation is to be legally performed by a State of Iowa licensed Class A or B Journeyman or Master Electrician, or by a State of licensed apprentice electrician, who is under the direct supervision of a State of Iowa of Iowa licensed Class A or B Journeyman or Master Electrician. 2. The installation that is to be performed does not, in any way, involve work within a new panel or Switchboard or Panel-board. 3. The Installation to be performed does not involve and electrical line to ground circuit of more than 30 amps 4. The Installation to be performed does not involve and electrical line to ground circuit of more than 277 volts, single phase.

44 State Inspection Program What Will Be Inspected? All new electrical installations for commercial or industrial buildings, public use buildings and at the request of the owner. All new electrical installations for residential applications in excess of single-family residential applications. All new electrical installations for single-family residential applications requiring new electrical service equipment. Existing electrical installations observed during inspection which constitute an electrical hazard.

45 State Inspection Program Requests for inspections will be submitted to the State Fire Marshal s Office in a format(s) approved by the Board. Based upon the severity of a non-conforming installation, the electrical inspector may issue an order for correction by a certain date or in the case of energized equipment, may order the immediate disconnection for safety purposes. Management and supervision of inspectors are the responsibility of the State Fire Marshal.

46 Electrician Licensing & Inspections Local Jurisdictions Local jurisdictions who are performing electrical inspections prior to December 31, 2007, must continue performing them until December 12, The Board can approve a local petition to cease inspection program December 31, 2007 or may revoke the local authorities ability to perform inspections, for just cause.

47 Electrician Licensing & Inspections Local Jurisdictions Approved local jurisdictions may grant a variance or interpretation of the NEC for a one-time installation so long as the variance or interpretation does not present an electrical hazard or danger to life or property. Approved local jurisdictions may determine what work may be performed by a Class B Electrician.

48 Electrician Licensing & Inspections Local Jurisdictions Local jurisdictions performing electrical inspections prior to December 31, 2007, may maintain a different supervision ratio than the ratio of three (3) apprentice electricians and unclassified persons to one (1) licensee but may not exceed that ratio.

49 Electrician Licensing & Inspections Local Jurisdictions Approved local jurisdictions may set appropriate fees for inspections but may not charge a fee for exams or licensing if the electrician holds the appropriate State license. Approved local jurisdictions may adopt amendments to the National Electrical Code if not less than the minimum standards adopted by the Board and if the amendments are filed with the Board before enforcement.

50 License Application Type of License Personal Information Screening Questions Work Experience Signature Affidavits for Class B or Special Electrician endorsements

51 Contacts for Information Phone: Website: