[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of
the City of Monessen as indicated in article histories. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 11-24-1964 by Ord. No. 600]
The administration and enforcement of the National
Plumbing Code hereinafter adopted by reference shall be the duty of
the Plumbing Inspector who is hereby authorized to take such action
as may be reasonably necessary to enforce the purpose of this article.
Such persons may be appointed and authorized as assistants or agents
of such Administrative Authority by City Council, as may be necessary
to carry out the provisions of this article.
The provisions of this article shall apply to
and govern plumbing, as defined in this article, including the practice,
materials and fixtures used in the installation, maintenance, extension
and alteration of all piping, fixtures, appliances and appurtenances
in connection with any of the following: sanitary drainage or storm
drainage facilities, the venting system and the public or private
water supply systems, within or adjacent to any building or other
structure or conveyance; also, the practice and materials used in
the installation, maintenance, extension or alteration of the stormwater
or sewage system of any premises to their connection with any point
of public disposal or any other terminal.
It is recognized that certain facilities in
or adjacent to public streets are referred to in this article, only
a portion of which is under the ownership or the control of the owner
or occupant of the building or premises to which this article applies.
No individual shall engage in the business of
plumbing in the City of Monessen unless licensed as a master plumber
under the provisions of this article.
No individual, firm, partnership or corporation
shall engage in the business of installing, repairing or altering
plumbing unless the plumbing work performed in the course of such
business is under the direct supervision of a licensed master plumber.
There is hereby established a Plumbers' Examining
Board (hereinafter referred to as "the Board") to consist of four
members. One member shall be a Plumbing Inspector; one member shall
represent the Board of Health; two members shall be competent plumbers.
Each member of the Board who is a plumber shall have had at least
10 years' experience in his field. The members of the Board shall
be appointed by the Mayor. Each member shall receive the sum of $10
for each workday.
The Board shall hold its first meeting not later
than 30 days following the adoption of this article. Thereafter, the
Board shall meet at such intervals as may be necessary for the proper
performance of its duties; but in any case, not less than twice a
year.
The Board shall establish standards and procedures
for the qualification, examination and licensing of master plumbers
and journeyman plumbers and shall, upon payment of the required license
fee, issue an appropriate license to each person who meets the qualifications
therefor and successfully passes the examination given by the Board.
The Board shall keep an official record of all its transactions, standards
and procedures which will be open for public inspection.
Any person who fails to pass an examination
as prescribed by the Board may apply for re-examination after the
expiration of 30 days upon payment of the regular examination fee.
The Board may issue a temporary license pending
examination, provided that the applicant holds a similar license from
an equivalent Board. Such permit shall not be valid for more than
30 days.
A.
Any person desiring to be licensed as a master plumber
or as a journeyman plumber shall make written application to the Board.
Examination fees for master and journeyman licenses shall be as set
from time to time by resolution of the City Council, respectively,
payment of such fee to accompany the application. Examination fees
are not returnable.
B.
An annual fee for master plumbers and for journeyman
plumbers, as set from time to time by resolution of the City Council,
shall also be paid to the Department of Plumbing Inspection, upon
which payment a license shall be issued, such license to expire December
31 of the year in which issued.
A person who has been issued a master plumber's
license shall execute and deposit with the City Clerk a bond in the
sum of $1,000, such bond to be conditioned that all plumbing work
performed by the licensee, or under his supervision, shall be performed
in accordance with the provisions of this article, and that he will
pay all fines and penalties properly imposed upon him for violation
of the provisions of this article. A master plumber's license shall
not be valid unless a bond is executed and deposited as herein provided.
All licenses issued by the Board shall expire
on December 31 of year in which issued, but may be renewed on application
in December of the licensed year and upon payment of fees in an amount
as set from time to time by resolution of the City Council for the
master plumber and for the journeyman plumber.
The Board may revoke any license if obtained through nondisclosure, misstatement or misrepresentation of a material fact or if a penalty has been imposed on the licensee under § 285-26 of this article. Before a license may be revoked, the licensee shall have notice in writing, enumerating the charges against him, and be entitled to a hearing by the Board not sooner than five days from receipt of the notice. The licensee shall be given an opportunity to present testimony, oral or written, and shall have the right to cross-examination. All testimony shall be given under oath. The Board shall have power to administer oaths, issue subpoenas and compel the attendance of witnesses. The decision of the Board shall be based on the evidence produced at the hearing and made part of the record thereof. A person whose license has been revoked shall not be permitted to apply within one year from date of revocation.
No person who has obtained a plumber's license
shall allow his name to be used by another person either for the purpose
of obtaining permits or for doing business or work under the license.
Every person licensed shall notify the Board of the address of his
place of business, if any, and the name under which such business
is carried on and shall give immediate notice to the Board of any
change in either.
A.
The National Plumbing Code, as received and designated by the American Standards Association on January 25, 1955, and as amended by this article, and specifically amended as set forth in § 285-17 hereof, is hereby adopted, and all installations, repairs and alterations of plumbing shall, from the effective date of this article, be performed in accordance with its provisions, all of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto.
B.
In the case of discretionary actions and determinations
of the Plumbers' Examining Board, the relevant facts shall be considered
and determinations made in the exercise of reasonable discretion,
and all such determinations shall be final in the absence of abuse
of discretion.
The aforesaid National Plumbing Code is amended
as follows:
A.
Page 79, Section 10.12.7 - Shut off valve at meter.
Change end of sentence to "and shall be of the gate- or washer-type
valve."
B.
Page 90, 11.5.7, last sentence. Change to "shall be
less than three inches in diameter."
C.
Page 92, 11.8.5. Change to "Bell traps are prohibited
unless used in conjunction with "P" trap.
D.
Page 94, 12.4.1 - Roof Extension. Change to "Extensions
of vent pipes through a roof shall be terminated at least 12 inches
above it."
E.
Page 111, Paragraph 14.5.1 - Reinspection. Change
to "Reinspections of plumbing installations or any part thereof shall
be made when deemed necessary by the Administrative Authority for
an additional fee, as per schedule."
No plumbing work, unless excepted in this article, shall be undertaken prior to the issuance of a permit therefor by the Board of Health and Plumbing Inspector and Zoning Administrator. A permit shall be issued to a licensed master plumber except as provided in § 285-19.
A.
Any permit required by this article may be issued
to any person sufficiently qualified to do any work regulated by this
article in a family dwelling used exclusively for living purposes,
including the usual accessory buildings and quarters in connection
with such building, provided that the person is the bona fide owner
of such dwelling and that the same must be occupied by said owner
and that said owner shall personally purchase all material and perform
all labor in connection therewith in conformance with this article,
repairs, etc.
B.
Repairs involving only the working parts of a faucet
or valve, the clearance of stoppages, repairing of leaks or replacement
of defective faucets or valves may be made without a permit, provided
that no changes are made in the piping to the fixtures.
Application for permit shall be made on suitable
forms provided by the Department of Plumbing Inspection. The application
shall be accompanied by fees in accordance with the schedule of fees.
Fees for the following shall be as set from
time to time by resolution of the City Council:
A.
Filing fee.
B.
Each plumbing fixture and waste-discharging device.
C.
New or reconstructed sewer connection.
D.
Each water heater.
E.
Each water distribution system or service connection.
F.
Repair or alteration of any plumbing system.
G.
Any permit requiring inspection (minimum fee).
H.
Each septic tank.
No permit shall be issued until plans and specifications
showing the proposed work in necessary detail have been submitted
to the Plumbing Inspector and the Board has determined from examination
of such plans and specifications that they give assurance that the
work will conform to the provisions of this article. If a permit is
denied, the applicant may submit revised plans and specifications
without payment of additional fee. If in the course of the work it
is found necessary to make any change from the plans and specifications
on which a permit has been issued, amended plans and specifications
shall be submitted and a supplementary permit, subject to the same
conditions applicable to original application for permit, shall be
issued to cover the change. Said plans and specifications shall be
approved or disapproved within 48 hours after received.
The Plumbing Inspector, with the approval of
the Plumbing Board, shall make such rules and regulations in furtherance
of the purposes of this article and not inconsistent with the specific
provisions of this article for the installation, repair or alteration
of air-conditioning systems, water treatment equipment and water-operated
devices as may be deemed necessary to properly protect the water supply
system.
It shall be the duty of the Plumbing Inspector
to enforce the provisions of this article and to make the inspections
and tests required thereunder.
The Plumbing Inspector shall, after proper identification,
have the right to enter any premises for the purpose of inspecting
any plumbing system at such times as may be reasonably necessary to
protect the public health and safety.
A.
Any person or persons who shall fail to comply with
any of the provisions of this article regarding the procuring of a
license or certificate to engage in or work at the business of plumbing
house or building drainage shall, upon conviction thereof in a summary
proceeding before any District Justice having jurisdiction of such
offense, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 or to
undergo imprisonment not exceeding 90 days, or both, for each and
every day he or they shall engage in or work at said business without
first having obtained said certificate or license; and any person
or persons who shall violate any of the rules, regulations or requirements
set forth in this article regarding the construction, reconstruction
or testing of plumbing, house and building drainage or cesspools or
water connections to private or public fixtures or equipment shall
upon conviction thereof in a summary proceeding before any District
Justice having jurisdiction of such offense, be sentenced to pay a
fine of not more than $1,000 or to undergo imprisonment not exceeding
90 days, or both.
[Amended 12-18-2002 by Ord. No. 8-2002]
B.
All fines and penalties shall be paid to the treasurer
of the municipality to apply to the general fund or to the commonwealth
for the use of the Department of Health, as the case may be.[1]
[1]
Editor’s Note: Former Art. II, Adoption of Standards,
adopted 9-9-1981 by Ord. No. 11-1981, which immediately followed this
subsection, was repealed 9-15-2010 by Ord. No. 12-2010.
