vol. 15, issue 2 the voice april 2015 · master plumbers council of the city of new york, inc. fie...

Master Plumbers Council of the City of New York, Inc. * 240-21 Braddock Avenue, Bellerose, NY 11426 * (718) 793-6300

A NEWSLETTER PUBLICATION OF THE MASTER PLUMBERS COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK, INC.

VOICEThe

o f t h e L i c e n s e d M a s t e r P l u m b e r

Vol. 15, Issue 2April 2015

In this Edition:Pipe Wedling Requirements

Changes to Shcedule CAdministrative Sign Off for LAA

Code Changes: Water Distribution SystemsProblems with LAA Process

IMPORTANT CHANGES TO PIPE WELDING REQUIREMENTS(WORDS UNDERLINED REPRESENT CHANGES FROM THE 2008 CODE)

SECTION FGC 406 INSPECTION, TESTING AND PURGING

406.1.1.1 Welder’s qualifications.

3. Copies of the certified welder qualification reports shall be maintained by both the approved agency and the licensed master plumber employing the welder(s) for at least six years and shall be made available to the department upon request.

4. The approved agency shall submit certified welder qualification reports to the department upon successful qualification of a welder and when requested by the commissioner.

5. The licensed master plumber employing the welder(s) shall submit a statement to the department including who welded the gas piping along with a copy(s) of the certified welder qualification report(s) witnessed by a representative of the licensed master plumber, at the time of the first roughing inspection.

406.1.1.2 Welding requirements. All welded gas distribution and meter piping main and branch supplies to customer equipment operating in excess of 5 psig inside buildings shall be welded; and shall be subject to special inspection in accordance with Chapter 17 of the NYC City Building Code. All piping 2 ½ inches (63.5 mm) or greater in diameter shall be butt-welded, and piping less than 2 ½ (63.5 mm) inches in diameter may be socket-welded or butt-welded.

IMPORTANT NEW RECORD KEEPING REQUIREMENTS

406.1.1.3 Welding records. The licensed master plumber employing the welder(s) shall assign to each welder an identification symbol or number to identify the welds performed by that particular welder. The welder shall identify all welds with his or her symbol or number. The licensed master plumber shall maintain records identifying the weld(s) made by each welder for at least six years and shall make such records available to the department upon request.

Master Plumbers Council of the City of New York, Inc. The Voice of the Licensed Master Plumber 2

Master Plumbers Council of theCity of New York, Inc.

240-21 Braddock Avenue, Bellerose, NY 11426Phone: 718-793-6300 * Fax: 516-677-5374

www.nycmpc.org

The Voice of the Licensed Master Plumber,a membership publication of the NYCMPC.

All text for articles is due by the 1st day of themonth prior to publication.

We welcome your suggestions and contributions.

NYCMPC Board PresidentDarren Lundin

Executive DirectorJohn F. DeLillo, Jr.

[email protected]

EditorsGeorge Bassolino

Brittni Rhoads

GraphicsJanene Meyerowitz

JM Image Management, [email protected]

GENERAL DISCLAIMER STATEMENT:The information provided in this newsletter is to be used only

to educate businesses and the general public on plumbing and related construction issues that may affect their daily business

or personal lives. All opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors only and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the NYCMPC, its officers, Board of Directors,

the NYCMPC newsletter or its editors. The NYCMPC does not guarantee the accuracy or the correctness of advertising, articles

or references to information sources herein, nor does the NYCMPC intend to endorse, rate, or otherwise officially comment on

products available. Therefore, the readers are cautioned to rely on information contained herein at their own risk. All information

that is available to you through this newsletter is provided “as is” without warranty or condition of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties

of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. The information contained in the newsletter is believed to be correct

and accurate. However, the NYCMPC cannot and will not assume responsibility for the consequences of errors contained in the

articles or misapplication of any information provided. NYCMPC expressly disclaims any liability for any special, incidental, or

consequential damages, including without limitation, lost revenues, or lost profits, resulting from the use or misuse.

A Message from the ExecutiveDirector of the Master Plumbers Council

This edition of The Voice contains articles which address LAA issues that the industry is currently facing, as well as various updates. Our purpose as an

association is to promote the industry and provide clarity on any issues members are encountering. In my time here at the MPC, I have learned that this can be a very complicated industry to work in, with several levels of compliance to be met. Therefore, there is great benefit in being a part of an association that works tirelessly to provide members with essential industry information.

One of the most pressing issues facing the industry today is obtaining an approved LAA in a timely manner and having it signed off after all inspections are completed. Our association, along with other industry leaders, are working closely with the Department of Buildings to simplify this process.

Commissioner Rick Chandler recently announced his proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2016. His core mission is to advance public safety by enforcing the laws that govern the construction industry. There was a huge uptick in constructions permits in 2014. It is too early to know if this means the economy is picking up or if everyone was in a hurry to file new applications under the 2008 code. When the Commissioner took office in November 2014, we met with him to discuss matters that were a priority to the industry. One of the main priorities brought to his attention was addressing the perceived lack of enforcement of licensing laws. We are optimistic that the DOB may finally address this issue that threatens public safety and therefore disrupts the Department’s core mission. The DOB has also proposed that they will create an Existing Building Code to deal with the hardships of trying to apply a new construction code to work done in an existing building. This code is long overdue as nothing exacerbates this problem such as the difficulty plumbers have in trying to install “code compliant” gas piping in existing buildings.

The Commissioner also mentioned that the Department is moving toward final implementation of the new inspection HUB, Inspection Ready, which will allow for the electronic submission of inspection requests and construction documents. Over the past few months, both the Mayor and the Commissioner have delivered major policy speeches indicating that they would like everything to eventually be electronically filed. We are hopeful that appropriate action will be taken in regards to this matter because the industry cannot wait until 2017. In this newsletter issue, the entire LAA process is discussed, including flaws in the process and suggestions on how they can be improved. Best Regards,John F. DeLillo, Jr.Executive Director, NYCMPC


DOB COMMISSIONER PRESENTS FISCAL YEAR 2016 BUDGET

LEWSAN CONSULTANTSSERVICING THE PLUMBING INDUSTRY FOR OVER 30 YEARS!

BUILDING CONSULTANTS / EXPEDITING SERVICES SERVICING ALL 5 BOROUGHS DOB, ECB AND DEP.FULL ARCHITECTURAL & ENGINEERING SERVICES

PERMITS, LAAS, METER PERMITS, OP98S, CERTIFIED ASBESTOS INVESTIGATORS AND MUCH MORE!

158-01 CROSSBAY BLVD, 2ND FL, HOWARD BEACH, NY, 11414T: 718 848 1500 / F: 718 843 1237

[email protected] [email protected]@LEWSANCONSULTANTS.COM

Commissioner Rick Chandler recently presented his Fiscal Year 2016 Budget to the City Council. In his message he stated that the department’s core

mission is to advance public safety by enforcing the laws that govern the construction industry. Since construction activity appears to be on the rise, public safety will be more important than ever. His budget addresses this in several areas by allocating increased spending and responsibilities for the Office of the Building Marshall. This office will coordinate all external Department investigations. They will build cases against chronic code offenders and will also conduct proactive and covert inspections and investigations of illegal construction. A new Code of Conduct has been issued and should be released within the next few weeks. In addition to new Department guidelines, they will also list breaches that could lead to revocation of licenses.

The commissioner seems to be devoted to development, realizing that the sooner an application can be approved, the sooner work can commence. He has proposed leading the department towards the reduction of paper applications and amendments to save time. The timeline planned to achieve this is sometime in 2017. By the

end of this calendar year, the new inspection HUB, Inspection Ready, should be launched. This will put tablets in the hands of most inspectors and allow them to electronically submit inspection results from the field. We surely hope that HUB plumbing inspectors will be included in this group.

Of particular importance to our industry is the announcement that an Existing Building Code will be developed. This is an essential code because it is sometimes very difficult, if not impossible, to alter existing buildings when you have to follow a new construction code. The Department is determining how they can work with other agencies to recognize the Administration’s Small Business First initiative, which was set up to reduce the regulatory burdens on small businesses. In conclusion, Commissioner Chandler reiterated that the Department plays an important role in supporting the economic state of the city.

We appreciate the commissioner’s efforts to date and offer him our full support in carrying out his mission.


604.4 Maximum Flow and Water Consumption: The maximum water consumption flow rates and quantities for all plumbing fixtures and fixture fitting shall be in accordance with Table 604.4

Exceptions:

1. Blow Out Design Water Closets (3.5 gpf)

2. Vegetable Sprays

3. Clinical Sinks (4.5 gpf)

4. Service Sinks

5. Emergency Showers

IMPORTANT CODE CHANGES:DESIGN OF BUILDING WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS

EDITORS NOTES:

It is the plumber’s responsibility to install fixtures that meet the above listed criteria. For showers multiple heads may be installed as long as the total flow is limited to 3 gpm. This may be accomplished by use of diverting valves.


WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE LAA PROCESS?

The LAA “process” can be defined as the application for, obtaining of and the sign off of a LAA work permit. For the past year, and especially since the

Code changed, there has been some confusion on how to file certain types of applications. This, coupled with lengthy wait times for manual applications to be pro-cessed, has put a lot of stress on the industry. As men-tioned in a previous edition of The Voice, LAA Division staff members have been working hard to reduce the wait times. Due to the LAA Division’s efforts, if you apply in person, emergency permits now may be issued the same day. For non-emergency manual permits the wait time can be 4-6 weeks. PAA approvals can take up to 5 to 6 months. While this is much better than it was six months ago, it is still not conducive to operating a business that needs permits to start a project, make a repair or correct a violation.

The scope of work of jobs that can be e- filed has been substantially reduced. Unfortunately, the written code, published information and actual interpretations relating to E-Filing are sometimes at odds with each other. If an applicant files and obtains an electronic permit, it is possible that Hub inspectors may challenge the validity and/or wording of the permit. This can result in the need to file a PAA. There has been a case where the Enforcement Division’s interpretation has determined an LAA is invalid, and as a result, violations were issued to the applicant. We understand that some applicants may E-file projects incorrectly and those permits should be held up until they are corrected. Those corrections should be made without penalty and in an expeditious manner. There are some applicants that abuse the system and those persons should be prosecuted. We are concerned that the perception that it is “too hard”” to file for a permit or the wait time ‘too long” to obtain a permit may lead to a large amount of work going unfiled

WHAT IS REQUIRED TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE?

We are currently working closely with the LAA Division to clarify this process one issue at a time. This includes defining what verbiage should be included in the application in order to satisfy both the LAA Division and the Hub inspectors who must approve and sign off on the work. For this process to work smoothly, the LAA Division and the Enforcement and Inspection Division

of the Department must be in sync with each another. If those divisions had the full authority to make binding decisions most of the uncertainty that exists related to the LAA could be solved in a matter of weeks. In reality, they have to work within the frame work of the existing Code and any published rules. Major policy and procedure changes can only be made at much higher levels within the DOB.

It is clear that there is a need for at the minimum, a new rule that would clarify the LAA code. Clarification is critical as the Commissioner has stated that his goal is to eventually require most applications be electronically filed. It is crucial that applicants are aware of what they can file on an LAA application, how they should file it, and how the application should be completed. The need for clarification not only applies to the applicants but to the Department and its staff members whose primary objective is to ensure public safety.

THE ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF MANUAL LAA APPLICATIONS

While the industry and the Department are working on this issue there are some steps that can be taken to improve the process. We recently proposed a concept to the Division for the electronic submission of a manual LAA application. This concept would allow an applicant to electronically submit a “manual” application (including payment of the fee and any applicable supporting documentation). If the submitted application is accepted, the Department would issue the permit. If the permit application needs to be corrected, or additional documentation needs to be submitted, it can easily be done through e-mail. This system will provide an accurate “time stamp” for when permits are actually submitted and create an easy to follow ‘paper trail” for every permit. Submissions to the Department can be sorted electronically by type (supersede, PAA, etc.).

Recently, Commissioner Chandler stated that his main initiatives are to reduce foot traffic and the amount of paper documents at the DOB. Our proposed idea could help to achieve this. We also believe that this will shorten the wait time for all LAA applications.

Let us know your thoughts. Email us at [email protected].


Meet our Affiliate Members

City Water Meter Repair Co., Inc.

Support these vendors, who support our industry.

A licensed professional has an LAA work permit that has expired before it can be signed off.

What should they do to close out the permit?

• Applicant can “renew” or file for a new permit in conjunction with the original.*

• Applicant can obtain a new permit and conduct all inspections and signs off new permit.

How is the original (expired) permit signed off?

For (expired) jobs that have previous inspections listed, you must send an OP-98 to the Borough office and request a sign off. Be sure to reference the new permit number on the OP-98.

OR

For (expired) jobs that have NO previous inspections listed, you must send a letter that is signed, notarized and sealed by the owner or LMP to the DOB LAA Division and a request sign off. Be sure to reference the second application in the letter.

*Permits are not technically “renewed”. The proper terminology is that the original permit is superseded.

ADMINISTRATIVE SIGN OFFS FOR LAA WORK PERMITS


Many readers had questions about the Emergency Work procedures we presented in our January 2015 Issue. As a result, we decided to address those questions below.

1. What do we do if an emergency occurs on the weekend or after office hours? Do we start the work? What if the EWN is rejected?

If an emergency occurs during the weekend or after hours, we encourage you to submit an EWN request prior to starting the work. It is important that you research the premise before starting the work to ensure there are no vacate orders or unsafe building violations on the property. Finally, in any case where there is a chance an EWN may be rejected, you can always perform minimal work necessary to resolve the hazardous circumstance and then restore the premise to prior legal condition.

2. Can we obtain an EWN if there is a WWP or stop work order in an unrelated space? Example: Need a replacement boiler in basement, but the building has work without permit violations for the first floor? Can we submit an EWN and will it be granted?

When there is a WWP or a partial stop work order in an unrelated space the EWN should be granted.

3. Can we obtain an EWN if there is a WWP or stop work order in a related space? Example: Need replacement boiler in a basement, but the building has work without permit violations for the basement? Can we submit a EWN and will it be granted?

In an instance where the stop work order and/or WWP are in a related space, there is not a definitive answer regarding if the EWN will be granted because it is dependent upon the specific circumstance.

4. Assuming an EWN is provided for either of the above, would we follow standard manual submission with L2 for WWP in unrelated spaces, pay the DOB fine and submit receipt with manual submission with L2 for WWP in related spaces?

When paying the DOB fine at the time of the LAA submission and there is only one violation on the premise, an L2 form is not required. If there are

multiple violations, but you are only paying one fine, an L2 form is required with all supporting documents. The only time an L2 and receipt is required for related space is when you are requesting an override, reduction or waiver of a specific violation and are providing proof that the civil penalty payment was made.

The primary goal of the DOB SUB OPS Committee is to clarify all of the current procedures and protocols as we are continuously working toward making these processes more efficient. We fully recognize that the process of completing emergency work (and the overall LAA application process) can be very complicated. In our opinion, E filing should be expanded and the entire process should be much more straightforward and streamlined. For the time being, we are all subject to the rules and regulations that have been set in place.

Please note that the staff members at the LAA Division have not created these code changes or rules. Many of them have dedicated much of their time to working closely with the industry to help implement the code changes and make the process work for everyone. They understand that you need a permit to do the work and operate your business. The changes that will be required to “fix” the LAA procedures will be made at the highest levels of the DOB. Before that can happen, we need to identify the issues and provide appropriate solutions to them. These changes will inevitably take time and while we wait it is beneficial for the industry to follow the current published rules and procedures related to filing both manual and electronic permits.

LAA EMERGENCY WORK NOTIFICATIONS


DOB OPS COMMITEE

We want to hear from you!Are there any specific reasons why a licensed master plumber should not be able to sign and submit the Schedule C Form?

Let us know what you think. Email us at dob@nycmpc. org.

When the code changed in December of 2014, the Schedule C Form was also updated. Section 8 is of particular interest to plumbers because it lists chimney information. The Boiler Division has informed us that this new form will be a work in progress. In an effort to keep our members informed, the MPC is working on creating a “How to Conduct a Boiler Inspection Procedure” that will be published in a future issue. In addition, we would like to hear from those who have any questions or concerns in regards to this form. It must also be pointed out that although the B-08 Form is listed on the DOB website as a required document, it is no longer being utilized by the Department.

An important procedural change to make note of is that the Department is now requiring that the OBI sign and seal the Schedule C Form when submitting the document for an initial boiler inspection on any permit with a PL, BL and/or FB work type. While the code permits the licensed master plumber to be the permit holder of the

BL work type, the Department would prefer that the OBI be the one who signs and seals the Schedule C Form when it is submitted because the OBI is the only person capable of obtaining the FB work type signoff. As we are all aware, a successful boiler inspection is a prerequisite to obtaining the BO-12 Card, which is required to be submitted in order to obtain gas authorization and sign off of the PL work type.

CHANGES TO THE SCHEDULE C FORM


JOHN J. FIGLIOLIALMP# 419

We were recently informed that the administration of the written exam for Licensed Master Plumbers has been suspended as of January 2015. The reason given was that the exam was not updated to reflect the new code changes that came into effect on December 31, 2014. The License Board has said the updated exam may be ready to administer within the next couple of months.

DIRECTORS COMMENTS:

The 2014 code revisions were approved by the City council almost one year ago and were originally due to come into effect in October 2014. The date was extended to provide additional time for the industry to prepare for compliance. It is unfortunate that the License Board is still unable to have an updated test available, even after six months, but we are hopeful that this issue will be resolved in a timely manner.

LICENSED MASTERPLUMBERS WRITTEN EXAM

POSTPONED~19th Annual Golf Outing~

Sponsored by: NYC Master Plumbers Council

to benefit...

“United Cerebral Palsy”Monday, June 15, 2015

Village Club at Lake Success

Golf Package Includes:

Green fees, carts, breakfast, barbeque lunch, snacks, refreshments, cocktail hour, open bar, dinner & awards

Donation: $350.00 per golfer

Non-golfers:

Please come and enjoy the cocktail hour, open bar and dinner

Donation: $110.00 per person

Sponsorships available.For more information or to receive a reservation form please contact: Barbara Tavella

E: [email protected] T: 516-297-9736 F: 516-487-3408


240-21 BRADDOCK AVENUEBELLEROSE, NY 11426

T. 718.793.6300F. 516-677-5374

JOHN F. DELILLO, JR.EXECUTIVE DIRECTORE. [email protected]

Master Plumbers Councilof the City of New York, Inc.240-21 Braddock AvenueBellerose, NY 11426(718) 793-6300

Gregory T. ChillinoAttorney at Law

Former Director of Prosecutions and Investigative Attorneyfor NYC Department of Buildings

Administrative Hearings, Licensing Matters and DisciplinaryProceedings, Article 78’s, ECB Violations, Civil Litigation.

315 Madison AvenueSuite 901New York, NY 10017

(646) [email protected]

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDFLUSHING, NY

PERMIT No. 1045

vol. 15, issue 2 the voice april 2015 · master plumbers council of the city of new york, inc. fie...

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