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Public Act 103-0761 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning regulation. | ||||
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, | ||||
represented in the General Assembly: | ||||
Section 5. The Fire Sprinkler Contractor Licensing Act is | ||||
amended by changing Sections 10 and 17 as follows: | ||||
(225 ILCS 317/10) | ||||
Sec. 10. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the | ||||
context otherwise requires: | ||||
"Designated certified person" means an individual who has | ||||
met the qualifications set forth under Section 20. | ||||
"Fire protection system layout documents" means layout | ||||
drawings, catalog information on standard products, and other | ||||
construction data that provide detail on the location of | ||||
risers, cross mains, branch lines, sprinklers, piping per | ||||
applicable standard, and hanger locations. "Fire protection | ||||
system layout documents" serve as a guide for fabrication and | ||||
installation of a fire sprinkler system and shall be based | ||||
upon applicable standards pursuant to Section 30. | ||||
"Fire sprinkler contractor" means a person who holds | ||||
himself or herself out to be in the business of providing | ||||
service for a fire sprinkler system or contracts with a person | ||||
to provide service for a fire sprinkler system. | ||||
"Fire sprinkler contractor license" means a license issued |
to a qualified fire sprinkler contractor. | ||
"Fire sprinkler inspector" means an individual who is | ||
qualified to perform routine inspection or testing of fire | ||
sprinkler systems pursuant to Section 17 and who is employed | ||
or contracted by a single fire sprinkler contractor at a time | ||
to perform fire sprinkler inspections . | ||
"Fire sprinkler inspector license" means a license issued | ||
to a qualified fire sprinkler inspector. | ||
"Fire sprinkler system" means any water-based automatic | ||
fire extinguishing system employing fire sprinklers, including | ||
accessory fire pumps and associated piping, fire standpipes, | ||
or underground fire main systems starting at the connection to | ||
the water service after the approved backflow device is | ||
installed under the requirements of the Illinois Plumbing Code | ||
and ending at the most remote fire sprinkler. "Fire sprinkler | ||
system" includes but is not limited to a fire sprinkler system | ||
in a residential, commercial, institutional, educational, | ||
public, or private occupancy. "Fire sprinkler system" does not | ||
include single sprinkler heads that are in a loop of the | ||
potable water system, as referenced in 77 Ill. Adm. Code | ||
890.1130 and 890.1200. | ||
"Licensee" means a person or business organization | ||
licensed in accordance with this Act. | ||
"NICET" means the National Institute for Certification in | ||
Engineering Technologies. | ||
"Office" means the Office of the State Fire Marshal. |
"Person" means an individual, group of individuals, | ||
association, trust, partnership, corporation, limited | ||
liability company, firm, business, person doing business under | ||
an assumed name, the State of Illinois, or department thereof, | ||
any other state-owned and operated institution, or any other | ||
entity. | ||
"Responsible managing employee" means the individual | ||
designated by the fire sprinkler contractor that is not | ||
required to have a designated certified person under Section | ||
120. | ||
"Routine inspection or testing" means inspection or | ||
testing to verify the condition of an existing fire sprinkler | ||
system at predetermined intervals in accordance with the | ||
standards of the National Fire Protection Association. | ||
"Rules" means the rules adopted pursuant to this Act. | ||
"Service" means work on a fire sprinkler system, | ||
including, but not limited to, installation, repair, | ||
inspection, testing, and maintenance, within the scope of this | ||
Act. | ||
"Standards" means those standards or codes referenced in | ||
this Act or its rules. | ||
"Supervision" means the direction and management by a | ||
designated certified person or responsible managing employee | ||
of the activities of non-certified personnel in the service of | ||
fire sprinkler systems. | ||
(Source: P.A. 102-612, eff. 8-27-21.) |
(225 ILCS 317/17) | ||
Sec. 17. Fire sprinkler inspector license; application; | ||
minimum qualifications for routine inspection or testing. | ||
(a) Any individual who performs routine inspection or | ||
testing of any fire sprinkler system under this Act shall: (i) | ||
be employed by a single licensed fire sprinkler contractor at | ||
a time to perform fire sprinkler inspections ; and (ii) meet | ||
the minimum qualifications of this Section except where the | ||
individual is exempted by subsection (c). | ||
Beginning January 1, 2024, any individual who performs | ||
routine inspection or testing of any fire sprinkler system | ||
under this Act shall be individually licensed and possess on | ||
his or her person a fire sprinkler inspector license including | ||
a photo identification issued by the Office. | ||
A person applying for an initial fire sprinkler inspector | ||
license or renewing a fire sprinkler inspector license shall | ||
demonstrate to the Office proof of minimum qualifications as | ||
required by subsection (b) of this Section, except where the | ||
individual is exempted by subsection (c). | ||
(b) Any individual who performs routine inspection or | ||
testing of any fire sprinkler system under this Act shall | ||
possess proof of: | ||
(1) current certification by a nationally recognized | ||
certification organization, such as NICET certification in | ||
Inspection and Testing of Water Based Systems, at an |
appropriate level, or the equivalent; on or after the | ||
effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General | ||
assembly through December 31, 2022, an appropriate level | ||
in NICET certification in Inspection and Testing of Water | ||
Based Systems shall be level II; on and after January 1, | ||
2023, an appropriate level in NICET certification in | ||
Inspection and Testing of Water Based Systems shall be | ||
level III; | ||
(2) current ASSE 15010 certification in inspection, | ||
testing, and maintenance for water-based fire protection | ||
systems by the American Society of Sanitary Engineering; | ||
or | ||
(3) satisfactory completion of a certified sprinkler | ||
fitter apprenticeship program approved by the U.S. | ||
Department of Labor. | ||
(c) The following are exemptions to the licensing | ||
requirements of this Section: | ||
(1) State employees who perform routine inspection or | ||
testing on behalf of State institutions and who meet the | ||
requirements of subsection (b) need not be licensed under | ||
this Section or employed by a fire sprinkler contractor | ||
under this Act in order to perform routine inspection or | ||
testing duties while engaged in the performance of their | ||
official duties. | ||
(2) The requirements of this Section do not apply to | ||
individuals performing inspection or testing of fire |
sprinkler systems on behalf of a municipality, a county, a | ||
fire department, a fire protection district, or the Office | ||
while engaged in the performance of their official duties. | ||
(3) The requirements of this Section do not apply to a | ||
stationary engineer, operating engineer, or other | ||
individual employed on a full-time basis by the facility | ||
owner or owner's representative performing weekly and | ||
monthly inspections and tests in accordance with | ||
applicable standards adopted under the rules. | ||
(d) Each fire sprinkler inspector shall be subject to the | ||
requirements for license renewal and continuing education | ||
under Section 35. | ||
(e) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit an | ||
individual who is licensed as a fire sprinkler inspector from | ||
being employed by another employer or self-employed to perform | ||
duties that would not require a fire sprinkler inspector | ||
license. | ||
(Source: P.A. 102-612, eff. 8-27-21.) |