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103.3 Residential Building Department Personnel Certification
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The residential department shall have personnel qualified to execute the duties required to enforce the rules of the board. Only those certified individuals employed by or under contract with a particular political subdivision are authorized to exercise enforcement authority within that same jurisdiction.
Exception: Inspectors performing residential industrialized unit inspections on behalf of the board of building standards.
103.3.1 Residential Building Department Personnel Certification Classifications
The certifications issued by the Board of Building Standards for residential departments are as follows:
2. Residential plans examiner.
2.1. Residential plans examiner trainee.
2.2. Electrical plans examiner.
3. Residential building inspector.
3.1. Residential building inspector trainee.
4. Residential mechanical inspector.
4.1. Residential mechanical inspector trainee.
5. Electrical safety inspector.
5.1. Electrical safety inspector trainee.
6. Residential industrialized unit inspector.
7. Residential plumbing inspector.
7.1. Residential plumbing inspector trainee.
103.3.2 Multiple Personnel Certifications Held
A person may hold more than one residential certification.
103.3.3 Conflict of Interest
No certified employee or person who contracts for services within the jurisdictional area of a residential department shall perform services for the residential department which would require that person or employee to exercise authority or make an evaluation of any work furnished by him or by a private contractor that employs him on a full-time, part-time, or incidental basis. Further, such employee or person shall not engage in conduct that is prohibited or considered a conflict of interest pursuant to Chapter 102. of the Revised Code.
103.3.4 Seals
No holder of a residential certification issued by the board of building standards is authorized to secure a seal in any form or of any type for use in the performance of any of their duties.
103.3.5 Experience Requirements of the Applicant
1. Only experience directly related to buildings or structures within the scope of groups regulated by the "OBC" or regulated by the "RCO" shall be acceptable for any certification.
2. In addition to the experience described in item 1 above, enforcement, inspection, or plans examination experience performed in compliance with any of the following shall also be acceptable for certification:
2.1. For an agency or jurisdiction outside the state of Ohio enforcing a model residential building code of a national model code organization or a code adopted for residential buildings or structures of the types regulated by the rules of the board; or
2.2. An employee of a certified residential or non-residential building department who is a holder of a board certification other than that for which application is being made. Certified residential building department employees who are applicants for residential plumbing inspector certification and do not comply with Section 103.3.5.6 shall enter the plumbing inspector trainee program; or
2.3. Certification by the department of Commerce, division of industrial compliance, as a plumbing inspector when application is made for board certification as a residential plumbing inspector; or
2.4. In evaluating experience of an applicant, the board of building standards shall not credit experience gained while acting in violation of rules adopted by the board to establish equivalent experience. The board of building standards may credit experience which provides knowledge of different construction methods, processes, or types as it determines applicable, but shall not credit construction experience that does not provide required knowledge including, but not limited to, the installation of floor and wall coverings, the installation of roofing materials or roofing systems, or the finishing of concrete.
2.5. Certification by the board as a non-residential building official, master plans examiner, or building inspector.
3. For a residential building, mechanical, or plumbing inspector applicant, one year of the required experience may be obtained through education credit pursuant to Section 103.3.12.6.
103.3.5.1 Residential Building Official
An applicant for a building official certification shall meet one of the following requirements:
1. Ohio registration as an architect or professional engineer;
2. At least five years experience as a residential contractor or non-residential contractor or superintendent with responsibility for obtaining approvals and inspections of structures regulated by the rules of the board; or
3. Experience as specified in Section 103.3.5(2).
103.3.5.2 Residential Plans Examiner
An applicant for a residential plans examiner certification shall meet one of the following requirements:
1. Ohio registration as an architect or professional engineer; or
2. At least five years experience in building design and construction for residential or non-residential buildings or structures regulated by the rules of the board;
3. Experience specified in Section 103.3.5(2); or
4. Successful completion of a trainee program pursuant to Section 103.3.12.
103.3.5.3 Electrical Plans Examiner
An applicant for an electrical plans examiner certification shall meet the following requirement:
1. At least five years experience as a full-time electrical safety inspector in a certified building department.
103.3.5.4 Residential Building Inspector
An applicant for a residential building inspector certification shall meet one of the following requirements:
1. At least three years experience as a contractor or supervisor for residential or non-residential buildings or structures regulated by the rules of the board;
2. At least three years experience as a skilled tradesman for work subject to inspection under a code adopted for buildings or structures regulated by this code or the OBC;
3. Experience specified in Section 103.3.5(2); or
4. Successful completion of a trainee program pursuant to Section 103.3.12.
103.3.5.5 Residential Mechanical Inspector
An applicant for a residential mechanical inspector certification shall meet one of the following requirements:
1. At least three years as an HVAC system contractor or supervisor for residential or non-residential buildings regulated by the rules of the board;
2. At least three years experience as a skilled tradesman for HVAC systems and the associated refrigeration, fuel gas, and heating piping for residential or non-residential buildings regulated by the rules of the board;
3. Experience specified in Section 103.3.5(2); or
4. Successful completion of a trainee program pursuant to Section 103.3.12.
103.3.5.6 Residential Plumbing Inspector
An applicant for a plumbing inspector certification shall meet one of the following requirements:
1. At least seven years experience as a plumbing contractor or supervisor for residential or non-residential buildings or structures regulated by the rules of the board);
2. At least seven years experience as a skilled tradesman for plumbing work subject to inspection under a code adopted for buildings or structures regulated by this code or the OBC;
3. Experience specified in Section 103.3.5(2); or
4. Successful completion of a trainee program pursuant to Section 103.3.12.
103.3.5.7 Electrical Safety Inspector
An applicant for an electrical safety inspector "(ESI)" certification shall meet one of the following requirements:
1. Journeyman electrician or equivalent for four years, two years as an electrician foreman, and two years experience as a building department "ESI" trainee;
2. Journeyman electrician or equivalent for four years and three years experience as a building department "ESI" trainee;
3. Four years experience as a building department "ESI" trainee;
4. Journeyman electrician or equivalent for six years; or
5. An electrical engineer registered in the state of Ohio;
103.3.5.8 Residential Industrialized Unit Inspector
An applicant for a residential industrialized unit inspector certification shall meet one of the following requirements:
1. At least three years experience as a construction contractor or supervisor for residential or non-residential buildings or structures within the scope of groups regulated by the rules of the board, or
2. At least three years experience as a skilled tradesman for work subject to inspection under a code adopted for buildings or structures regulated by this code or the OBC;
3. Experience specified in Section 103.3.5(2); or
103.3.6 Examination Requirements for Certification
Applicants shall furnish evidence of passing the appropriate board approved examinations issued by a national model code organization or testing agency or entity recognized by the board for each residential certification type listed in Section 103.3.1. Individuals are not required to have an application on file with the board before they can begin testing. Examinations may be completed before application is made for certification by the board.
Exception: Individuals seeking board certification as a residential building official, plans examiner, or building inspector holding board certification as a non-residential building official, master plans examiner, or building inspector.
103.3.6.1 Interim Approval
If, at the time of application for a residential building official, plans examiner, inspector certification, the applicant has not passed the examinations required in this section, but has met all other requirements for the appropriate classification, the board may grant an interim certification for a one-time, eighteen-month period during which the applicant shall pass the prescribed examinations. The interim certification shall expire eighteen months from date of approval if the applicant fails to show evidence of successfully completing the examinations within the interim period.
103.3.7 Personnel Certification Application, Filing and Processing
Applications for certification shall be sent to the office of the board. The application shall expire if not approved within one year of receipt by the board.
Each applicant shall also submit, with the application, evidence sufficient to show the board that the applicant is qualified. Such evidence may include proof of the statements made in the application, documentary evidence, affidavits, transcripts, diplomas, published data, photographs, or legible reproductions of the same, or any other documentation.
103.3.7.1 Certification Process
Upon receipt of a completed application, the board of building standard's certification committee shall review the application and any recommendation received from the Residential Construction Advisory Committee, and shall make a recommendation to the board of building standards. The committee may ask for additional information to be submitted by the applicant prior to making a recommendation to the board. If the committee requests additional information from the applicant, failure to submit the requested information within ninety days from the date of the request may be cause for disapproval of the application by the board. After receiving a recommendation from the personnel committee, the board shall hold a certification hearing to take action on the application. The applicant may be present at the hearing to respond to any questions from the board and all interested persons appearing at such hearing may be given an opportunity to comment.
103.3.7.1.1 Certification, Approval or Denial
Following the hearing, the board may approve, table pending further review and/or receipt of additional documentation, deny the application for residential certification, or take such other action as the board deems appropriate. If the board requests additional information, failure to submit the requested information within ninety days from the date of the request shall be cause for disapproval of the application by the board. The board may require personal appearance by the applicant at the public hearing. Failure to appear shall at the time and place designated by the board for the public hearing may be cause for disapproval of the application by the board.
If the application is denied, in whole or in part, by the board of building standards, the applicant shall be notified in writing of such denial, the reason for the denial, and their rights of appeal pursuant to Sections 3781.10, 3781.101, and Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.
103.3.7.1.2 Records
The board shall retain, as a part of applications which have been approved, any or all documents submitted or electronic versions of such documents, which shall be properly marked for identification and ownership.
103.3.7.1.3 Board Action
All applications shall be considered individually by the board and the action taken shall be recorded in the minutes, noted on the application form, and the applicant notified as required.
103.3.8 Issuance of Certificate and Renewal
An appropriate certificate shall be issued to the applicant upon meeting of the qualification requirements of Section 103.3, and payment of an initial fee of thirty dollars. The certificate shall state the residential certification classification being approved, expiration date, and limitations, if any, under which it has been issued.
The same fee shall apply to applicants granted interim approval and the term of the certification, if subsequently issued, shall begin on the date of interim approval.
103.3.8.1 Renewal
The certificate holder shall renew at three-year intervals.
103.3.8.2 Applications for Renewal
Applications for renewal of a residential certification shall be submitted to the board of building standards at least thirty days prior to the expiration date. In addition to a completed application form prescribed by the board, applicants for renewal shall submit a certification renewal fee of thirty dollars and evidence of having attended board-sponsored required continuing education courses or their board-approved equivalents and successfully completed thirty hours of approved educational courses prior to the expiration of the current certification.
103.3.8.3 Failure to Renew
Any individual whose residential certification has expired through failure to renew may obtain a renewal within one year from the date of its expiration provided the holder has met all requirements for renewal, including payment of the renewal fee. All applications for renewal of expired residential certifications shall be processed as renewals during the one year period following expiration. All applications for renewal of expired residential certification submitted more than one year following the expiration shall be processed as a new application. In addition, a holder of an expired residential certification that submits an application for renewal more than one year following the expiration shall also be required to satisfy the continuing education requirements prior to recertification. The holder of a residential certification that has expired shall not perform any duties for which a certification is required.
103.3.9 Continuing Education
Holders of board certifications shall attend mandatory continuing education courses and complete a total of at least thirty hours of board approved continuing education in their respective classification prior to the expiration date of the certification.
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