Virginia SB 461: Boiler operators; definitions, certification, continuing education, penalty.

Bill Text

2022SESSION
SENATESUBSTITUTE
22104654D
1SENATEBILLNO.461
2AMENDMENTINTHENATUREOFA SUBSTITUTE
3(ProposedbytheSenateCommitteeonGeneralLawsandTechnology
4onJanuary19,2022)
5(PatronPriortoSubstitute––SenatorBell)
6ABILLtoamendtheCodeofVirginiabyaddinginChapter11ofTitle54.1anarticlenumbered7,
7consistingofsectionsnumbered54.1-1149through54.1-1154,relatingtoDepartmentofProfessional
8andOccupationalRegulation;contractors;boilerandpressurevesseloperatorlicense;penalty.
9Beit enactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofVirginia:
101.ThattheCodeofVirginiaisamendedbyaddinginChapter11ofTitle54.1anarticle
11numbered7,consistingofsectionsnumbered54.1-1149through54.1-1154,asfollows:
12Article7.
13CertificationofBoilerOperators.
14§ 54.1-1149.Definitions.
15Asusedinthisarticle,unlessthecontextrequiresa differentmeaning:
16"Boiler"meansaclosedvesselinwhichwaterisheated,steamisgenerated,orsteamis
17superheated,oranycombinationthereof,underpressureorvacuumforuseexternallytoitselfbythe
18directapplicationofheat."Boiler"includesfiredunitsforheatingorvaporizingliquidsotherthan
19waterwheretheseunitsareseparatefromprocessingsystemsandarecompletewithinthemselves.
20"Boileroperator"meansanindividualwhoisengagedinoperating,repairing,maintaining,or
21adjustingboilersratedbetween30and499horsepower,regardlessofuse.
22§ 54.1-1150.Necessityforcertification.
23A.Noindividualshallpresenthimselfasacertifiedboileroperatorunlesshehasbeencertified
24undertheprovisionsofthisarticle.
25B.Thecertificationprogramsetforthinthisarticleshallbevoluntaryandshallnotbeconstruedto
26preventoraffectthepracticeofboileroperatorsnotcertifiedbytheBoard,solongasanyrequirements
27oftheapplicablelocalgoverningbody'sprogramsrelatingtoboileroperatorspursuantto§  15.2-910
28aremet.AlllocalgoverningbodiesshallacceptcertificationbytheBoardofboileroperatorsasproof
29ofexperienceandtrainingwithoutrequiringadditionalexamination.
30C.Individualscertifiedasboileroperators,pursuanttothisarticle,shallnotberequiredtoholdany
31otherprofessionaloroccupationallicenseorcertification;however,nothinginthisarticleshallprohibit
32anindividualfromholdingmorethanoneprofessionaloroccupationallicenseorcertification.
33§ 54.1-1151.Issuanceofcertification;examination;expiration.
34A.Anyindividualdesiringtobecertifiedasa  boileroperatorshallfilea  writtenapplicationona
35formprescribedbytheBoard.Theapplicationshallbeaccompaniedbya feesetbytheBoardpursuant
36to§  54.1-201.Theapplicationshallcontain,ata  minimum,theapplicant'sname,placeofemployment,
37businessaddress,andinformationregardingtheapplicant'sknowledge,skills,abilities,andeducationor
38training.
39B.TheBoardshallissuea certificationtoanyapplicantwhohassubmittedsatisfactoryevidencethat
40hehassuccessfully(i)completedtheeducationalandexperiencerequirementsasrequiredbytheBoard
41and(ii)passedanexaminationofferedorapprovedbytheBoard.
42C.Anapplicantwhoholdsa  validcertificateorlicensefromanystateorlocalgovernmentoutside
43theCommonwealthmaybecertifiedwithoutexaminationuponpresentationofdocumentationthat
44verifiescompletionofeducationalandexperiencerequirementsdeemedbytheBoardtobesubstantially
45equivalent.
46D.Acertificationasa  boileroperatorissuedpursuanttothisarticleshallbevalidforthreeyears
47fromthelastdayofthemonthinwhichit wasissued.
48§ 54.1-1152.Renewalofcertification;continuingeducation.
49A.Asaconditionofrenewalorreinstatementofcertification,acertifiedboileroperatorshall
50completethreehoursofcontinuingeducationrelatingtoboileroperationfroma  providerapprovedby
51theBoard.
52B.TheBoardmayestablishadditionalrequirementsforcontinuingeducationasa  prerequisiteto
53renewalofa  boileroperatorcertification.Inaddition,theBoardmayrequirecontinuingeducationfor
54anyindividualwhoisfoundtobeinviolationofthestatutesorregulationsgoverningthepracticeof
55boileroperatorscertifiedpursuanttothisarticle.
56§ 54.1-1153.Prohibitedacts;penalty.
57Noindividualshallrepresenthimselfasa  certifiedboileroperatorunlesshehasbeencertifiedby
58theBoard.Anyindividualengagingorofferingtoengageinboileroperatoractivitieswithinthe
59meaningofthisarticlewho,throughverbalclaim,sign,advertisement,orletterhead,representshimself
SENATE
SUBSTITUTE
SB461S1
7/29/22
14:24

SB461S12 of2
60asacertifiedboileroperatorwithoutholdingsuchacertificatefromtheBoardshallbeguiltyofa
61Class1 misdemeanor.
62§ 54.1-1154.Exemptions.
63Theprovisionsofthisarticleshallnotapplytooperatorsof:
641.BoilersandpressurevesselsonboatsorvesselsoperatedundertheregulationsoftheU.S.Coast
65Guard'sOfficeofCommercialVesselCompliance;
662.Steam-drivenvehiclesusedsolelyfortractionorshowpurposes;
673.Hotwaterheatingboilersnotexceeding100boilerhorsepower;
684.Low-pressuresteamboilerscontaininggravityortrapreturns;or
695.NuclearplantfacilitiesunderthecontroloftheU.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommission.