(a) Board of Examiners. The Norwood Board of Examiners of Plumbers is hereby established to examine or confirm the qualifications of all plumbers performing work in the City and for all applicants for journeyman plumbing license or apprentice registration.
(b) Membership. The Board shall consist of the Building Commissioner, Plumbing Inspector and three other members, two of whom shall be master plumbers and one a journeyman plumber. The Building Commissioner and the Plumbing Inspector shall be members ex-officio. The Mayor shall appoint the other members for terms as follows: one for one year; one for two years; and one for three years; and their successors for three years each. A member appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve for the unexpired term. All members shall serve without compensation. The Board shall elect its own chairman and shall adopt rules of procedure as it deems necessary.
(c) Secretary of Board. There is hereby established the office of Secretary of the Board, who shall be a resident and an elector of the City, shall be appointed by the Mayor and shall hold office co-extensive with the Mayor appointing the secretary.
(d) Meetings. The Board shall meet within thirty days after the filing of any request for examination or other action with the Secretary of the Board, and also periodically if the volume of its work so warrants.
(e) Decisions of the Board. All rules, regulations, license examinations or other decisions shall be passed by a concurring vote of three members. The Board shall provide the applicant for a license or apprenticeship registration with written notice of its determination within fifteen days after the vote.
(f) Appeal for examination review. Any person having failed to qualify in the examination for a license, as provided in this section may request an examination review by notifying the examining Board in writing within five days after receiving notification of their failure to qualify, and with the consent of at least one member of such Board, may have the record of questions and their answers certified to the Secretary of the Civil Service Commission. The Secretary of the Civil Service Commission shall review the examination and, if in his opinion the appeal has merit, he shall arrange for a hearing before the Civil Service Commission. If the Civil Service Commission finds that the applicant should have passed, they shall so certify to the examining Board, whereupon the applicant shall have the same rights, certificates and licenses as if they had been originally passed by the Board of Examiners.
(g) Records. The Secretary of the Board shall keep a record of each meeting so that the record shows clearly the basis for each decision made by the Board.
(h) Application for registration. Any person desiring to engage in the business of plumbing in the City or work as a journeyman plumber or a plumber's apprentice shall make application to the Board and shall, at such time and place as the Board may designate, undergo such examination as to their qualification and competency as the Board may direct. Persons serving an apprenticeship in the plumbing trade and doing work as such in the City shall be registered as a plumber apprentice with the Building Commissioner, shall be enrolled in an apprenticeship training program which conforms to the apprenticeship standards as approved and registered by the Ohio State Apprenticeship Council and recognized by the Federal Committee on Apprenticeship.
(i) License required. No person, other than a certified plumbing contractor or certified licensed journeyman plumber or registered plumber apprentice in the employ of or under the plumber, shall install, alter, repair or make any connection with any potable water supply or potable water distributing pipe, house or building sewer or building drain, soil, waste, drain or vent pipe, or with any plumbing system pipe or plumbing appurtenance connected or designated or intended to connect therewith or enter any waste pipe, soil pipe, house or building drain by dismantling or fracture for cleaning purposes, within or in connection within any building or structure in the City.
(j) Examination for journeyman plumber license. The Board shall allow any person to present themselves for examination for license as journeyman plumber who has paid the fees required by this section and who:
(1) Has successfully completed an apprenticeship training program which conforms to the apprenticeship standards as approved and registered by the Ohio State Apprenticeship Council and recognized by the Federal Committee on Apprenticeship and has actually been engaged for at least four years in work as a registered plumber's apprentice; or
(2) Holds and has held a certificate as a licensed journeyman plumber from some other jurisdiction, whose pre-qualifications for the examination for licensing as a journeyman plumber are similar to those of Norwood; or
(3) Has been certified by the U .S. Department of Labor as a plumber trainee enrolled in the Journeyman Employment Training Program (J.E.T.), has been registered with the City as a plumber J.E.T .trainee for the duration of his training, and has successfully completed plumbers apprenticeship training in a training program which conforms to the apprenticeship standards as approved and registered by the Ohio State Apprenticeship Council and recognized by the Federal Committee on Plumbing Code adopted by Council; the applicant's knowledge of construction and installation of plumbing as provided by such Code; and the interpretation of plans and blueprints of plumbing installations.
(k) Re-examination. Any person who has failed to pass an examination for a journeyman plumber may apply for re-examination after the expiration of thirty days. Applicants for re-examinations shall comply with the provisions prescribed in the case of original examination, including the payment of the examination fee. In case of failure to pass a second examination, an applicant shall not be permitted to apply for a further examination until after the expiration of six months from the date of the prior examination.
(l) Certificate of competency. If after examination the Board of Examiners of Plumbers shall be satisfied with the competency of an applicant, based upon the applicant receiving a passing grade of seventy percent (70%) or better in each of the separate parts of the examination, the Board shall certify to the Building Commissioner that such applicant has passed their examination for journeyman plumber.
(m) Issue of licenses. Upon presentation of a proper certificate from the Board and payment of the prescribed license fee, the Building Commissioner shall issue to an applicant a license in accordance with the certification, authorizing them to engage in the business of a journeyman plumber. All licenses shall expire on December 31 of each year.
(n) Renewals of licenses. Applications for renewal of a license as a journeyman plumber shall be made not later than thirty days after expiration of the license period. In case of failure to renew license within such time, examination and license fees shall be required as in the case of original application unless the applicant shall request a hearing before the Board and the Board shall waive the requirement for examination due to extenuating circumstances.
(o) Fees. Each application for examination as a journeyman plumber shall be accompanied by the examination fee specified in Section 1305.05(g) and Table 1305.05(g). Fees for original or annual renewal licenses are specified in Section 1305.05(g) and Table 1305.05(g). All licenses shall expire on December 31st of each year, and the fee shall apply to the year the license is issued with no reduction made for any part of the year elapsed.
(p) Registration. Every plumbing contractor, journeyman or plumber's apprentice shall register with the Secretary of the Board, upon such forms as the Board may direct, their name, place of business and home address. Every plumbing contractor, journeyman or plumber's apprentice desiring to engage in the business of plumbing shall cause to be filed with the Secretary of the Board a statement, subscribed and sworn to by the plumbing contractor, journeyman or plumber's apprentice, or a member of a partnership or an officer of the corporation, reciting the members of the company, or of the officers of such corporation and its place of business.
(q) Responsibility. In all water, drainage and plumbing construction, the plumbing contractor in charge shall be responsible for the performance of the plumbing operations in accordance with all applicable codes, State statutes and City ordinances. No plumbing contractor shall permit or allow the use of their name by any person, directly or indirectly, except as hereinbefore provided, for the purpose of obtaining a permit to do plumbing or drain laying work. No plumbing contractor's registration or journeyman's or plumber's apprentice's license shall be transferable or assignable.
(r) Revocation or suspension of license.
(1) Journeyman plumber or apprentice. Any license as a journeyman plumber and any permission to work as a registered plumber's apprentice may be revoked or suspended for any of the following causes:
A. Incompetency, careless workmanship or dereliction of duty;
B. Misrepresentation in obtaining a license, permit or registration;
C. Fraudulent use of license or registration;
D. Failure to obey any notice or order of any City department having jurisdiction;
E. Any other failure to comply with the plumbing provisions of the Norwood Building Code (NBC).
(s) Plumbing contractor. The registration of any plumbing contractor may be revoked or suspended in accordance with State law and for any of the causes in Section 1305.20(r) or for any of the following causes:
(1) Failure to make reasonable investigation as to the license or registration in employment of a person to perform plumbing operations in accordance with the provisions of this section;
(2) Failure to take out a required permit before work is started;
(3) Failure to notify proper City department or division for inspection of water, sewer or plumbing construction requiring inspection.
(t) Revocation or suspension procedure. No plumber's registration or license shall be suspended or revoked without a hearing or the opportunity to be heard before the Board of Examiners of Plumbers. Any person, company or corporation charged with a violation 1305.20(r) or (s) shall be given at least ten days notice of the date and place of hearing and shall have the privilege of being represented by counsel. When the Board certifies to the Building Commissioner that the charges as to one or more of the items set forth in Section 1305.20(r) or (s) have been sustained, the latter shall suspend or revoke the registration or license in accordance with such certification of the Board. The Board's decision shall state whether or not the person affected may apply for a new registration or license and, if so, the length of time, not to exceed one year, before the application may be made. Where permission is granted to apply for a new registration or license, the procedure shall be the same as for a new applicant. Any individual, whose plumbers registration or license has been suspended or revoked, may within Building Commissioner for a rehearing on the suspension or revocation of such registration or license. If the Building Commissioner on rehearing upholds the revocation or suspension, the individual whose registration or license has been suspended or revoked, may, within thirty days thereafter, appeal to the Court of Common Pleas.
(Ord. 15-2010. Passed 4-13-10.)