Enacting a
positive change in the realm of public health and safety, codes and standards were forged in response
to fatalities and disasters.
Codes have
historically caused friction between the Unions, whose function it is to man
the jobs with competent, educated journeymen responsible to their trade and
community, and business, whose interests are chiefly financial.
In a continuing
assault upon the existing Code and any suggested Code improvements, opponent’s,
rather than engage in a facts and figures debate, encourage Legislators and
voters to weaken the existing Codes and refrain from enacting life saving
crucial new standards.
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Plumber Certification
Washington State
Plumber Certifications were launched with the Governor’s signing on April 25,
1973 of Senate Engrossed Bill 2101, the Plumber Certification Law. This was
done in response to the fact that many local municipalities had required
plumbers working in their communities to become certified locally. For the
Plumber, that meant having to test and keep a current license in many different
locations due to the nature of the work. This law took that power and brought
it to the state level for administration, so that a certified plumber only
needed to certify in one location and only had to pay one license fee. This
license is recognized for any plumbing work performed in the State of
Washington.
Many changes
have taken place with the law since its enactment, the last of which was the
passage of the Medical Gas Piping Installer Law. This addition to the Plumbing
law was in recognition of the importance to the community and our health care
system which piping systems play. Medical piping systems play a critical role
in patient care and the proper installation can mean the difference between
life and death.
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UPC Code enacted
The Uniform
Plumbing Code (UPC) was recognized as the code for the State of Washington on
February 16, 1974, when the Governor signed Senate Bill #2634, the State
Building Code Act.
This code has
proven over the long haul to provide the best safe guards against shoddy and
dangerous installations of critical piping systems. This code has come under
attack recently by those who wish to go back to the days in which a bucket and
a hose were considered a plumbing system.
Where Local 32 Stands
When we say
“Plumbers protect the nations health”, we are not exaggerating.
The fact is that
more lives have been saved by the proper
installation of sanitary plumbing systems than all the medicine and
doctors in history. In countries were they do not have sanitary plumbing
systems and codes for proper installation of those systems, there are outbreaks
of diseases that wipe out entire communities.
And just as you
should not be happy with an uncertified physician you should also not be happy
with an uncertified Plumber. Especially since companies do not charge less when
using unlicensed people.
Many are sub par
to industry standard education, qualifications, and certifications, when
compared to the trained journeyman whose dedication to his trade, the local
Plumbing Code and community are documented fact.
This Position Paper was produced by the Political Action Committee
of UA Local 32.
Send all Questions and/or Comments to Wayne Stedman,
UA32PAC Chair by clicking on this link.