Current through Register Vol. 24-18, September 15, 2024
(1) Any fire protection sprinkler system
contractor must have at least one full-time certificate of competency holder,
consistent with the license level as provided by WAC
212-80-018,
employed to conduct business.
(2)
If a certificate of competency holder leaves the employment of the fire
protection sprinkler system contractor, the contractor must comply with the
following:
(a) From the date of separation of
the design-only certificate of competency holder, the contractor will have six
months or until the expiration of the current license, whichever occurs last,
to come into compliance. In order to be issued a new license, the contractor
must employ a new person (either as owner or full-time employee) with the
appropriate certificate level consistent with the contractor's license level as
provided by WAC
212-80-018.
(b) The licensed contractor must notify the
director of the loss of the primary design certificate of competency holder
within 30 calendar days. For the purposes of this subsection, 30 calendar days
commence on the certificate of competency holder's last day of employment for
compensation. The licensed contractor's failure to notify the director:
(i) Within 30 calendar days is a Level 1
violation.
(ii) Within 60 calendar
days is a Level 2 violation.
(iii)
After 180 calendar days is a Level 3 violation.
(c) A fire protection sprinkler system
contractor may renew a license without employing a design certificate of
competency holder if the six-month period crosses into a new license year and
all appropriate fees are paid at the time of renewal. During the period in
which the licensed contractor does not have a design certificate of competency
holder, the licensed contractor must limit work on fire protection sprinkler
systems to:
(i) Completing the active phase of
existing work in progress which has been approved by the authority having
jurisdiction, and may not receive new approvals from the authority having
jurisdiction without a design certificate of competency holder's number on the
documents; or
(ii) Continuing
installation on approved design plans, however, the contractor's material and
test certificate for the system must be stamped by a certificate of competency
holder in the full-time employ of the installing contractor.
(d) If a contractor fails to
employ a design certificate of competency holder as required in this chapter,
and the director has renewed the license, the director will suspend the
contractor's license pursuant to WAC
212-80-205.
The suspension will remain in effect until the contractor has a full-time
design certificate of competency holder or a hearings officer denies the
director's petition to suspend the license.
(e) When a licensed contractor no longer
employs a design certificate of competency holder, and the contractor has not
hired another design certificate of competency holder, the contractor may not
bid on the design, installation, or repair of a fire protection sprinkler
system, or any part of such system, that requires work inconsistent with the
previously employed design certificate of competency holder's level.
(f) Any contractor that uses a current or
former employee's certification stamp on any technical drawings not prepared by
the design certificate of competency holder is in violation of this
chapter.
(g) Failure to comply with
(c) through (f) of this subsection constitutes a Level 3
violation.
(3) If a
certificate of competency holder leaves the employment of a Level U or I &
T fire protection sprinkler system contractor, the contractor must comply with
the following:
(a) The licensed contractor is
prohibited from continuing the supervision of underground fire sprinkler pipe
installation and inspection, testing, and maintenance, of fire protection
sprinkler systems. Failure to comply with this subsection constitutes a Level 3
violation and the director may summarily revoke the contractor's
license.
(b) The contractor must
immediately cease bidding on or starting any sprinkler work without the
appropriate specialty certificate of competency holder.
(c) The contractor must notify the director
within 30 days after the specialty certificate of competency holder's last day
of employment for compensation. Failure to comply with this subsection
constitutes a Level 2 violation and the director may suspend the contractor's
license pursuant to WAC
212-80-205.
(4) The contractor is responsible for the
work and actions of its employees regardless of the contractor's knowledge of
any wrongdoing. The director may refuse to issue or renew a license to engage
in the fire protection sprinkler system business for any of the reasons listed
in WAC
212-80-205.
The director may suspend or revoke the license or the certificate of competency
holder's certificate to engage in the fire protection sprinkler system business
for any of the reasons listed in WAC
212-80-205.
Statutory Authority:
RCW
18.270.900. 09-01-114, § 212-80-063, filed
12/19/08, effective 1/19/09. Statutory Authority:
Chapters
43.43 and
18.160 RCW. 05-05-006, amended and
recodified as § 212-80-063, filed 2/4/05, effective 3/7/05. Statutory
Authority: Chapters 43.63A
and 18.160 RCW.
94-24-032, § 212-80-110, filed 12/1/94, effective 1/1/95; 91-14-086 (Order
91-06), § 212-80-110, filed 7/1/91, effective
8/1/91.
