Current through Reg. 50, No. 187; September 24, 2024
(1) Scope of Rule. The scope of this rule is
to provide the practical examination requirements for the voluntary
certification of swimming pool specialty contractors.
(2) Practical Examination Required. The
examination for licensure for any category of swimming pool specialty
contractor as specified in Rule
61G4-15.032, F.A.C., shall
consist of a practical examination.
(a) The
practical examination shall test the applicant's ability to perform the scope
of work for the category of swimming pool specialty contractor for which the
applicant applied.
(b) The
practical examination for any category of swimming pool specialty contractor
shall have a maximum time limit of 14 days.
(c) An applicant must be working under the
supervision and within the scope of work of a contractor licensed pursuant to
Sections 489.105(3)(j)-(k),
F.S, at the time of the examination.
(d) An applicant must make all arrangements
to secure an appropriate location at which to perform the practical
examination. These arrangements include all appropriate equipment and
permissions for the presence of the practical examiner.
(e) An applicant must arrange for a practical
examiner who meets the requirements in subsection (3) to administer the
practical examination. These arrangements include payment of the fee to the
proctor.
(3) Examiners
for Practical Examinations. The practical examination shall be given by an
examiner who is a contractor licensed pursuant to Sections
489.105(3)(j)-(k),
F.S., and whose scope of work includes the category of swimming pool specialty
contractor to be tested.
(a) The practical
examiner must register with the department by completing a prescribed form and
paying a fee of $50 biannually.
(b)
The practical examiner must take a two (2) hour orientation course addressing
protocols and techniques for administering practical examinations from a
provider approved by the board. Orientation course approval and provider
approval shall follow the processes provided for in Chapter 61G4-18,
F.A.C.
(c) The practical examiner
must agree to administer any and all practical examinations fairly and without
bias for or against an applicant.
(d) The practical examiner must acknowledge
that he or she will be subject to discipline for improper acts or
administration of any practical examination.
(e) The practical examiner may not charge any
more than $200 for administering, to completion, any practical examination. The
practical examiner may not allow any practical examination to go beyond the
maximum time limit of fourteen (14) days. The practical examiner may not accept
any additional monies related to the administration of the practical
examination.
(f) A practical
examiner may not employ or contract with an applicant or other contractor on
the site at which a practical examination is to be administered.
(g) A practical examiner may not administer
practical examinations for more than five (5) applicants at a time on any one
site. A practical examiner must, however, take all reasonable efforts to ensure
that only the work of the applicant is evaluated in the practical
examination.
(h) The practical
examiner shall have the responsibility of notifying the applicant of the scores
received on the practical examination, on form DBPRCILB4373 (July 10, 2006),
effective October 10, 2006, which is incorporated herein by reference. The form
may be obtained through
www.myflorida.com.
(i) The practical examiner must maintain all
records of the applicant's examination and scores for 2 years.
(j) The applicant shall provide the
Department with the written result of the examination with the application for
swimming pool specialty contractor's license.
(k) The practical examiner must agree to hold
the department harmless for any accident or injury resulting from the
administration of any practical examination.
(4) Requirements for All Practical
Examinations.
(a) Each practical examination
must test the following areas, which shall account for thirty (30) percent of
each examination:
1. 15% Reading,
understanding and interpreting scaled pool construction plans and
surveys.
2. 5% Understanding and
complying with job-site safety requirements.
3. 5% Handling and properly disposing of
hazardous materials.
4. 5%
Recognizing the tools required to do the job and exhibit the ability to
properly use those tools.
(b) The score necessary to achieve a passing
grade on any swimming pool specialty contractors practical examination shall be
no less than seventy (70) percent out of one hundred (100) percent of the total
possible points on the practical examination.
(5) Practical Examination for Swimming Pool
Layout Specialty Contractors. The practical examination for swimming pool
layout specialty contractors shall evaluate, through the use of a grading sheet
which includes spaces for grading and comments by the practical examiner, the
following areas:
(a) 8% Accurately locating
and staking out a base line or center line of the pool being built with
reference to fixed objects shown on the layout plan.
(b) 8% Laying a pool out ready to be formed,
including proper leveling techniques for the shell to plus or minus 1/4th inch
and verifying the calculations that illustrate how the layout elevations will
accommodate the coping or deck edge trim and how the finished deck elevation
will meet existing finished elevations on the project such as existing patios,
floors, and the surrounding landscape.
(c) 5% Verifying the calculations necessary
to show that the pool layout, including decks and retaining walls will
accommodate anticipated water runoff (drainage).
(d) 5% Understanding effective methods of
managing ground water (dewatering).
(e) 8% Supervising an excavation according to
the swimming pool plan(s) and/or specifications that insures that the walls and
floor are shaped according to plans, and demonstrate the skills required to
place backboard materials in the event of a cave in.
(f) 8% Properly placing and stabilizing
forms.
(g) 8% Installing the piping
and fittings required before installing the rough structure of a swimming pool,
displaying proper solvent weld procedures.
(h) 15% Cutting and bending steel reinforcing
bars, installing the structural steel in accordance with the pool plan,
verifying that ties and overlaps are in accordance with code requirements, and
showing that by proper blocking, the steel will have adequate and proper
concrete coverage.
(i) 5%
Maintaining the continuity of bond beam steel in cases where the beam is
modified, including skimmer openings and step-ups in the beam such as raised
beams and planters.
(6)
Practical Examination for Swimming Pool Structural Specialty Contractor. The
practical examination for swimming pool structural specialty contractors shall
evaluate, through the use of a grading sheet which includes spaces for grading
and comments by the practical examiner, in the following areas:
(a) 10% Set guide wires or piano wire to
insure that concrete walls are true and proper thickness.
(b) 5% Set up a concrete pump with an air
compressor for the proper installation of pneumatically applied
concrete.
(c) 10% Conduct an
inspection for proper placement of forms, wall fittings, drains, light niches,
steel placement, and the use of steel carrier chairs.
(d) 10% Demonstrate an understanding of the
properties of concrete, including slump and the importance of taking a batch
sample.
(e) 15% Demonstrate proper
gunite or shotcrete placement on pool walls and floors, including finishing
techniques.
(f) 10% Knowledge of
dimensional requirements for features such as steps and benches.
(g) 10% The ability to read and understand
manufacturer's installation instructions for fiberglass and/or vinyl liner pool
structures, if applicable.
(7) Practical Examination for Swimming Pool
Excavation Specialty Contractor. The practical examination for swimming pool
excavation specialty contractors shall evaluate, through the use of a grading
sheet which includes spaces for grading and comments by the practical examiner,
in the following areas:
(a) 5% Prepare a
swimming pool construction site by grubbing or removing sod.
(b) 10% Understand effective methods of
managing ground water (dewatering).
(c) 10% Operate an excavation machine such as
a backhoe, tracked backhoe, or tracked excavator.
(d) 20% Excavate for a swimming pool
according to the plan(s) and/or specifications. The walls and floor shall be
shaped according to the swimming pool plan and demonstrate an understanding of
the angle of repose and shoring requirements.
(e) 10% Understanding of different soil
conditions.
(f) 5% Proper placement
of excavated materials.
(g) 10%
Backfill a swimming pool structure and compact the fill
material.
(8) Practical
Examination for Swimming Pool Trim Specialty Contractor. The practical
examination for swimming pool trim specialty contractors shall evaluate,
through the use of a grading sheet which includes spaces for grading and
comments by the practical examiner, in the following areas:
(a) 5% Prepare a "brown coat" or "parge" mix.
Correct any misalignment in the swimming pool walls with a "brown
coat."
(b) 15% Set a vertical
waterline tile job with horizontal alignment of plus or minus 1/8
inch.
(c) 10% Demonstrate proper
installation procedures for tile and water features per manufacturer's
instructions, including step edge tile, to insure a watertight condition and
the ability to install a complete waterline with a fully bedded mud
bed.
(d) 15% Level the top of the
beam(s) to plus or minus 1/8 inch.
(e) 10% Set bullnose brick as the pool
coping, including miter joints in the coping.
(f) 5% Mix a custom grout color.
(g) 5% Properly clean tile and coping to
remove masonry stains.
(h) 5%
Understand effective methods of managing ground water
(dewatering).
(9)
Practical Examination for Swimming Pool Decking Specialty Contractor. The
practical examination for swimming pool decking specialty contractors shall
evaluate, through the use of a grading sheet which includes spaces for grading
and comments by the practical examiner, in the following areas:
(a) 5% Operate an under-pool dewatering
system.
(b) 5% Layout and form a
deck, including verification of angles and deck dimensions.
(c) 5% Perform the calculations to show that
the deck layout will accommodate anticipated water runoff (drainage). Install a
deck drainage system such as a deck drain.
(d) 5% Understanding of backfill and
compaction procedures for sub-deck materials.
(e) 5% Demonstrate an understanding of the
properties of concrete including time from batching, hydration, slump, and the
effects of weather conditions. Calculate the amount of concrete required for
the job.
(f) 5% Understand proper
elevation and pitch requirements to insure proper drainage.
(g) 5% Understand the geometry of how to
create accurate angles and locate pin points.
(h) 5% Understand reinforcement requirements
for concrete.
(i) 10% Demonstrate
proper placement and finishing procedures for concrete.
(j) 5% Understanding of thermal expansion and
contraction of concrete and methods to accommodate it.
(k) 5% Remove and dispose of concrete forms
and forming materials.
(l) 5% Set
anchors and/or ladders, handrails, etc. straight and true.
(m) 5% Be aware of pressurized piping
procedures and the requirement that they be maintained during the forming
process and placement of concrete decking.
(10) Practical Examination for Swimming Pool
Piping Specialty Contractor. The practical examination for swimming pool piping
specialty contractors shall evaluate, through the use of a grading sheet which
includes spaces for grading and comments by the practical examiner, in the
following areas:
(a) 10% Read, understand, and
interpret a swimming pool piping plan.
(b) 15% Install pool piping, including the
proper handling and solvent welding of PVC.
(c) 10% Understanding of the different
applications for different solvent weld cements.
(d) 10% Proper testing and pressurization
procedures for pool piping systems.
(e) 25% Proper installation procedures for
pool piping, circulation, sanitation, filtration, hydraulics and venting and
related equipment in accordance with manufacturer's
instructions.
(11)
Practical Examination for Swimming Pool Finishes Specialty Contractor. The
practical examination for swimming pool finishes specialty contractors shall
evaluate, through the use of a grading sheet which includes spaces for grading
and comments by the practical examiner, in the following areas:
(a) 10% Operate an under-pool dewatering
system.
(b) 10% Understand proper
shell preparation to insure a tight bond and a watertight application,
including the areas around all shell penetrations, and the neutralizing of all
cleaning agents.
(c) 5%
Install/repair step or underwater bench trim tile.
(d) 15% Mix plaster, including
admixtures.
(e) 20% Properly apply
plaster finish to a swimming pool structure in the correct thickness. Insure
that plaster was troweled sufficiently.
(f) 10% Demonstrate an understanding of
application and filling procedures per manufacturer's instructions to insure a
clean smooth finish and a watertight condition.
(12) Retaking a Practical Examination. An
applicant who fails to achieve a passing score on a practical examination must
wait two (2) weeks before attempting to retake the practical examination for
the category of specialty pool contractor which the applicant failed. The
applicant is required to repay the fees provided in paragraph (3)(e) of this
rule.
Specific Authority
255.217(1),
489.108,
489.133(6) FS.
Law Implemented 289.115,
455.217(1),
489.109,
489.113(6)
FS.
New 2-16-06, Amended
10-10-06.
