Chapter 392 Oregon Laws 2001
AN ACT
SB 932
Relating to licensing of
electrical trades; creating new provisions; and amending ORS 479.630.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1.
ORS 479.630 is amended to read:
479.630. Upon payment of applicable examination and license
fees required under ORS 479.840, the Department of Consumer and Business
Services shall issue:
(1) An electrical contractor’s license to a person engaging
in or carrying on a business of making electrical installations who has
complied with ORS 479.510 to 479.945 and the rules issued thereunder.
(2) A general supervising electrician’s license to a person
who:
(a) Has complied with ORS 479.510 to 479.945 and the rules
issued thereunder;
(b) Passes a written examination prepared by the Electrical
and Elevator Board and administered by the department; and
(c) Submits proof satisfactory to the Electrical and
Elevator Board that the person has had at least four years of experience as a
general journeyman electrician or its equivalent, as determined by the board by
rule, in installing, maintaining and repairing electrical wires and equipment.
(3) A limited supervising electrician’s license to a person
who qualifies under this subsection. A person licensed under this subsection is
authorized to supervise the class of electrical work included in the branch of
the electrical trade and for which the person has passed the examination
administered by the department. A person qualifies under this subsection if the
person:
(a) Has complied with ORS 479.510 to 479.945 and the rules
issued thereunder;
(b) Passes a written examination prepared by the Electrical
and Elevator Board and administered by the department; and
(c) Submits proof satisfactory to the board that the person
has had at least four years of specialized experience in a recognized branch of
the electrical trade on the journeyman level.
(4) A general journeyman electrician’s license to a person
who:
(a) Has complied with ORS 479.510 to 479.945 and the rules
issued thereunder;
(b) Passes a written examination prepared by the Electrical
and Elevator Board and administered by the department; and
(c) Submits proof satisfactory to the board that:
(A) The person has had at least four years of general
experience as an apprentice or its equivalent, as determined by the board by
rule, in installing, maintaining and repairing electrical wires and equipment,
including not fewer than 1,000 hours in wiring on single or multifamily
dwelling units; or
(B) If the person is licensed as a limited residential
electrician under subsection (14) of this section, subsequent to receiving that
license, the person has worked for at least two years as a limited residential
electrician and subsequent to those two years has completed an additional two
years’ experience as an apprentice or its equivalent, as determined by the
board by rule, for that period of apprenticeship time worked exclusively in
installing, maintaining and repairing electrical wires and equipment in the
commercial and industrial branches of the electrical trade under the
supervision of a licensed electrical contractor.
(5) A limited journeyman electrician’s license to a person
who qualifies under this subsection. A person licensed under this subsection is
authorized to perform the class of electrical work included in the branch of
the electrical trade for which the person has passed the examination
administered by the department. A person qualifies under this subsection if the
person:
(a) Has complied with ORS 479.510 to 479.945 and the rules
issued thereunder;
(b) Passes a written examination prepared by the Electrical
and Elevator Board and administered by the department; and
(c) Submits proof satisfactory to the board that the person
has had at least four years of specialized experience as an apprentice or its
equivalent, as determined by the board by rule, in a recognized branch of the
electrical trade.
(6) A limited elevator journeyman license to a person who
qualifies under this subsection. A person licensed under this subsection is
authorized to install, maintain and repair elevators, including all electrical
and mechanical systems. A person qualifies under this subsection if the person
has completed an elevator apprenticeship program, including both electrical and
mechanical training components, approved by the Electrical and Elevator Board
by rule and the person submits an application for licensure to the board in
writing. A license issued under this subsection is exempt from continuing
education requirements established under ORS 479.650 and 479.680.
(7) An electrical apprentice’s license to a person who:
(a) Has complied with ORS chapter 660 as an electrical
apprentice; and
(b) Has complied with ORS 479.510 to 479.945 and the rules
issued thereunder.
(8) An electrical apprentice’s license to a trainee toward
a limited residential electrician’s license who:
(a) Has complied with ORS chapter 660 as an electrical
apprentice; and
(b) Has complied with ORS 479.510 to 479.945 and the rules
issued thereunder.
(9) An electrical apprentice’s license to a trainee toward
a limited journeyman’s license in a recognized branch of the electrical trade
who is employed by an employer who also:
(a) Employs a holder of either a general journeyman
electrician’s license or a limited journeyman electrician’s license; and
(b) Conducts an electrical training program in [such] a recognized branch of the
electrical trade approved by the Electrical and Elevator Board as being a
training program [which] that will adequately prepare the
trainee for [such] the limited journeyman’s license
providing that [such] the trainee has complied with ORS
479.510 to 479.860 and the rules issued thereunder.
(10) A limited maintenance electrician’s license to a
person who qualifies under this subsection. A person licensed under this
subsection is authorized to maintain, repair and replace electrical
installations, including electrical components, required on the premises of
industrial plants, commercial office buildings, buildings occupied by the state
or a local government entity or facilities designated by the Electrical and
Elevator Board. The following apply to this subsection:
(a) A person qualifies under this subsection if the person:
(A) Has complied with ORS 479.510 to 479.945 and the rules
issued thereunder;
(B) Passes a written examination prepared by the Electrical
and Elevator Board and administered by the department on repair, replacement
and maintenance of equipment of the type and nature normally used in an
industrial plant, commercial office building or government building and on the
use of testing equipment; and
(C)(i) Completes a two-year training program approved by
the board that provides for training and supervision of the trainee or
apprentice; or
(ii) Submits proof satisfactory to the board that the
person has had sufficient experience and related educational training in the
repair, replacement and maintenance of electrical wiring and equipment of the
type and nature used in an industrial plant, commercial office building or
government building, as determined by the board or by an appropriate local
apprenticeship committee recognized by the State Apprenticeship and Training
Council.
(b) [No] A worker or applicant for license
under this subsection [shall be deemed] is not in violation of this chapter by
reason of electrical maintenance, replacement and repair work performed during
the period of required experience whenever required prior to August 9, 1961. An
annual inspection of the premises upon which electrical work is performed by
persons licensed under this subsection shall be made by the electrical
inspector for an annual fee determined by the board by rule, based upon the
time required for the inspection, payable to the department.
(c) A person licensed under this subsection may be employed
directly by the owner, or owner’s agent, of any government building or
commercial office building. A building owner or owner’s agent need not be
licensed under this section to supervise a limited maintenance electrician.
(d) The Department of Consumer and Business Services, in
consultation with the appropriate board, shall adopt rules defining government
buildings and commercial office buildings subject to this subsection.
(11) A limited building maintenance electrician’s license
to a person who qualifies under this subsection. The following apply to this
subsection:
(a) A person licensed under this subsection is authorized
to maintain, repair and replace the following electrical installations required
on the premises of commercial office buildings, buildings occupied by the state
or a local government entity or facilities designated by the board in
electrical systems not exceeding 300 volts to ground:
(A) Electrical appliances;
(B) Light switches;
(C) Light fixtures;
(D) Fans;
(E) Receptacles; and
(F) Fluorescent ballasts.
(b) A person qualifies under this subsection if the person:
(A) Has complied with ORS 479.510 to 479.945 and the rules
issued thereunder;
(B) Passes a written examination prepared by the Electrical
and Elevator Board and administered by the department on maintenance, repair
and replacement of equipment of the type and nature normally used in a
commercial office building or government building and on the use of testing
equipment; and
(C) Submits proof satisfactory to the board that the person
has:
(i) Had sufficient experience in the maintenance, repair
and replacement of electrical wiring and equipment of the type and nature
normally used in a commercial office building or government building; or
(ii) Completed a one-year training course, with classroom
and on-the-job training components approved by the board, on the maintenance,
repair and replacement of electrical wiring and equipment of the type and
nature normally used in a commercial office building or government building.
(c) An annual inspection of the premises upon which
electrical work is performed by persons licensed under this subsection shall be
made by the electrical inspector for an annual fee determined by the board by
rule, based upon the time required for the inspection, payable to the
department, or the inspection shall be performed under an electrical master
permit program.
(d) Building owners may perform work regulated by this
subsection and for which a license is required under this subsection without
obtaining a license.
(e) A person who owns more than 50 percent of a corporation
that controls a building is a building owner.
(f) A person licensed under this subsection may be employed
by the owner of a commercial office building or the owner’s agent. A building
owner or owner’s agent need not be licensed under this section to supervise a
limited building maintenance electrician.
(12) A limited maintenance specialty contractor license to
a person who qualifies under this subsection. A person licensed under this
subsection is authorized to engage in the electrical work related to the
repair, service, maintenance, installation or replacement of existing, built-in
or permanently connected appliances, fluorescent ballasts or similar equipment
and to employ individuals to engage in [such] that work. Nothing in this subsection
allows the installation of appliances, ballasts or other equipment if there is
no existing installation of similar equipment. A person qualifies under this
subsection if the person submits:
(a) Proof satisfactory to the board that the person has had
sufficient experience in the type of work permitted under the license issued
under this subsection; and
(b) Maintains with the board a current list of all
individuals employed by the person to engage in work permitted under this
subsection.
(13) A limited pump installation specialty contractor
license to a person who qualifies under this subsection. A person licensed
under this subsection is authorized to engage in electrical work related to the
testing, repair, service, maintenance, installation or replacement of new or
existing pump equipment for potable or irrigation water systems, sump pumps,
effluent pumps and ground water pumps on residential and agricultural property,
to employ individuals to engage in such work. A person qualifies under this
subsection if the person submits:
(a) Proof satisfactory to the board that the person has had
sufficient experience in the type of work permitted under the license issued
under this subsection; and
(b) Maintains with the board a current list of all
individuals employed by the person to engage in work permitted under this
subsection.
(14) A limited residential electrician’s license to a
person who qualifies under this subsection. A person licensed under this
subsection is authorized to perform the class of electrical work included in
the branch of the electrical trade for which the person has passed the
examination administered by the department and approved by the board. However, a
person licensed under this subsection shall perform the electrical work allowed
by the license only on single and multifamily dwelling units not exceeding
three floors above grade. For purposes of this subsection, the first floor of a
building [shall be that] is the floor [which] that is designed
for human habitation and [which] that has 50 percent or more of its
perimeter level with or above finished grade of the exterior wall line. A
person qualifies under this subsection if the person:
(a) Has complied with ORS 479.510 to 479.945 and rules
issued under those sections;
(b) Has received the same number of hours of electrical
safety training as required by rule for an electrical apprentice or its
equivalent and who has received training in electrical theory;
(c) Submits documented proof to the board of at least two
years of apprenticeship or trainee experience in residential wiring of single
and multifamily dwelling units or its equivalent, as determined by the board by
rule; and
(d) Passes a written examination prepared by the Electrical
and Elevator Board and administered by the department.
(15) A Class I or Class II oil module electrician’s license
to a person who:
(a) Has complied with ORS 479.510 to 479.945 and the rules
adopted pursuant thereto; and
(b) Passes a written examination prepared by the Electrical
and Elevator Board and administered by the department.
(16) A limited
renewable energy contractor license to a person who:
(a) Employs at least one
full-time renewable energy technician; and
(b) Does not engage in
electrical work other than work that may be performed by a limited renewable
energy technician. A limited renewable energy contractor may not make, direct,
supervise or control the making of an electrical installation unless the contractor
is licensed for that activity.
(17) A limited renewable
energy technician license to a person who qualifies under this subsection. A
person qualifies for licensing as a limited renewable energy technician if the
person completes a two-year apprenticeship program and passes an examination
approved by the board. A person licensed under this subsection may, while in
the employ of a licensed electrical contractor or a limited renewable energy
contractor:
(a) Install, maintain,
replace or repair electrical wiring and electrical products that convey or
operate on renewable electrical energy not exceeding 25 kilowatts AC; and
(b) Make electrical
installations not exceeding 25 kilowatts AC:
(A) On devices using
renewable energy involving wind, solar energy systems, micro-hydroelectricity,
photovoltaic systems or fuel cells.
(B) Up to the load side
of an inverter.
(C) To connect
generators that are sized to facilitate the inverter in an off-grid system.
[(16)] (18) Notwithstanding any other
provision of this chapter, the board [shall] may not administer an examination nor
shall the department issue any license to a person whose practical experience
qualification for the license is based upon training or experience in another
state if the board determines that [such]
the training or experience is not
equivalent to the standards for electrical training programs prescribed in this
state.
SECTION 2.
Notwithstanding ORS 479.630 (17), the
Electrical and Elevator Board may grant a limited renewable energy technician
license to a person who:
(1) Has at least 4,000
hours of on-the-job training or experience and has completed at least 40 hours
of electrical specialty code training; and
(2) Passes an
examination approved by the board.
SECTION 3.
(1) Section 2 of this 2001 Act is
repealed January 1, 2004.
(2) The repeal of
section 2 of this 2001 Act does not invalidate a license issued pursuant to
section 2 of this 2001 Act.
Approved by the Governor
June 15, 2001
Filed in the office of
Secretary of State June 15, 2001
Effective date January 1,
2002
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