Current through Bulletin 2024-06, March 15, 2024
(1) No
person shall engage in the inspecting and testing of automatic fire sprinkler
systems without first receiving a certificate of registration issued by the SFM
as required in Section
53-7-225.5.
(2) The following groups are exempted from
the requirements of this part:
(a) the AHJ
that is performing the initial installation acceptance testing of the automatic
fire sprinkler system or ongoing inspections to verify compliance with the
adopted NFPA standards and these rules; or
(b) the building owner or designee that
performs additional periodic inspections beyond the annual inspection required
in Section
R710-5-7(2),
to satisfy requirements set by company policy, insurance, or risk
management.
(3)
Application for a certificate of registration to inspect and test automatic
fire sprinkler systems shall be made in writing to the SFM on forms provided
the SFM and signed by the applicant.
(a) The
SFM or his deputies may request picture identification of the applicant for a
certificate of registration.
(b)
The applicant shall indicate on the application which of the four technician
levels the applicant will apply for:
(i)
Technician I;
(ii) Technician
II
(iii) Technician III;
or
(iv) Master
Technician.
(c) The
application for a certificate of registration shall be accompanied with proof
of public liability insurance from the certificate holder or employing concern.
(i) A public liability insurance carrier
showing coverage of at least $100,000 for each incident, and $300,000 in total
coverage shall issue the public liability insurance.
(ii) The certificate of registration holder
shall notify the SFM within 30 days after the public liability insurance
coverage required is no longer in effect for any reason.
(4) The SFM shall require all
applicants for a certificate of registration as a technician to complete the
following:
(a) Technician I shall:
(i) pass a written examination on wet pipe
sprinkler systems, antifreeze sprinkler systems, and standpipes; and
(ii) complete the manipulative skills task
book;
(b) Technician II
shall:
(i) pass all the requirements listed
for Technician I;
(ii) pass a
written examination on dry pipe sprinkler systems, deluge sprinkler systems,
preaction sprinkler systems, combined dry pipe-preaction systems, fire pumps,
and water storage tanks; and
(iii)
complete the manipulative skills task book;
(c) Technician III shall:
(i) pass all the requirements listed for
Technician I and II;
(ii) pass a
written examination on water spray fixed systems, foam-water sprinkler systems,
and foam-water spray systems; and
(iii) complete the manipulative skills task
book; and
(d) Master
Technician shall:
(i) have successfully
completed and be certified as NICET III in Inspection and Testing of
Water-based Systems; and
(ii)
complete the manipulative skills task book.
(5) Examinations will be given according to
the following requirements:
(a) all
certification examinations given are open book examinations, the applicant is
allowed to use the statute, the administrative rule, and the NFPA standard that
applies to the certification examination. Any other materials to include
cellular telephones are prohibited in the examination room;
(b) completion of the certification
examination will not be allowed if it appears to the test administrator that
the applicant has not prepared to take the examination;
(c) each certification examination taken has
a time limit of two hours to completion;
(d) to successfully pass the written
examination, the applicant must obtain a minimum grade of 70%;
(e) leaving the office or testing location
before the completion of the examination voids the examination and will require
the examination to be retaken by the applicant;
(f) if there are different levels of
proficiency in the subject matter, the lower proficiency level will be fully
completed before the next higher proficiency will be administered;
and
(g) to successfully complete
the manipulative skills task book, all required skill tasks shall be signed as
completed by a person duly qualified or certified in that skill.
(6) As required in Subsection
R710-5-4(4)(d), those applicants that have successfully completed the
requirements of NICET III, in Inspection and Testing of Water-based Systems,
and that corresponds to the work to be performed by the applicant, shall have
the requirement for initial written examination waived, after appropriate
documentation is provided to the SFM by the applicant.
(7) Following receipt of the properly
completed application and successful completion of required testing, the SFM
shall issue a certificate of registration.
(8) Original certificates of registration
shall be valid for one year from the date of application. Thereafter, each
certificate of registration shall be renewed annually and renewals shall be
valid for one year from issuance.
(9) Application for renewal shall be made as
directed by the SFM.
(10) Every
holder of a valid certificate of registration shall take a re-examination every
three years, from date of original certificate, to comply with the provisions
of Section R710-5-4 as follows:
(a) the
re-examination to comply with the provisions of Section 3.3 of these rules
shall consist of an open book examination for each level of certification, to
be mailed to the certificate holder at least 60 days before the renewal
date;
(b) the re-examination will
consist of questions that focus on changes in the last three years to the
adopted NFPA standards, the statute, and the adopted administrative rules. The
re-examination may also consist of questions that focus on practices of concern
as noted by the board or the SFM;
(c) the certificate holder is responsible to
complete the re-examination and return it to the SFM in sufficient time to
renew; and
(d) the certificate
holder is responsible to return to the SFM the correct renewal fees to complete
that certificate renewal.
(11) The SFM may refuse to renew any
certificate of registration pursuant to
R710-5-8(2).
The applicant shall, upon such refusal, have the same rights as are granted by
Section
R710-5-8.
(12) The holder of a certificate of
registration shall submit such certificate for inspection, upon request of the
AHJ.
(13) Every certificate of
registration shall indicate the type of act or acts to be performed and for
which the applicant has qualified as follows:
(a) Technician I: A person who is engaged in
the inspection and testing of wet pipe sprinkler systems, antifreeze sprinkler
systems, and standpipes;
(b)
Technician II: A person who is engaged in the inspection and testing of dry
pipe sprinkler systems, deluge sprinkler systems, preaction sprinkler systems,
combined dry pipe-preaction systems, fire pumps and water storage
tanks;
(c) Technician III: A person
who is engaged in the inspection and testing of foam-water sprinkler systems,
foam-water spray systems, and water spray fixed systems; and
(d) Master Technician: A person who has
obtained NICET III certification in Inspection and Testing of Water-based
Systems.
(14) Any change
in home address of any holder of a valid certificate of registration shall be
reported in writing, by the registered person to the SFM within 30 days of such
change.
(15) A duplicate
certificate of registration may be issued by the SFM to replace any previously
issued certificate, which has been lost or destroyed.
(16) No certificate of registration shall be
issued to any person who is under 18 years of age.
(17) Restrictive Use.
(a) A certificate of registration may be used
for identification purposes only as long as such certificate remains
valid.
(b) Regardless of the acts
authorized to be performed by a licensed concern, only those acts for which the
applicant for a certificate of registration has qualified shall be permissible
by such applicant.
(18)
Right to Contest.
(a) Every person who takes
an examination for a certificate of registration shall have the right to
contest the validity of individual questions of such examination.
(b) Every contention as to the validity of
individual questions of an examination shall be made within 48 hours after
taking said examination.
(c) The
decision as to the action to be taken on the submitted contention shall be made
by the SFM, and such decision shall be final.
(d) The decision made by the SFM, and the
action taken, shall be reflected in all future examinations, but shall not
affect the grades established in any past examination.
(19) Certificates of Registration shall not
be transferable. The person to whom issued shall carry individual certificates
of registration.
(20) Every
certificate shall be identified by a number, delineated as AFS-(number). Such
number shall not be transferred from one person to another.
(21) New or existing employees desiring to
attain a Certificate of Registration may perform the various acts required
while under the constant direct supervision of a person holding a valid
certificate of registration for a period not to exceed 60 days from the initial
date of employment or beginning service in the field.
