HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance - 292-1925 - Creating Office Of Inspector Of Plumbing - 04/10/1925~ . ~ J-..
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AN ORDINANCE creating the Office of Iftlp~ctor of Plumbing; defining his qualifications
and duties ; providing for the examination and qualifications of Plumbers defining
Master Plumbers and Journeyman Plumbers creating a Board for the Examination of
Plumbers, fixing the number of members of such Board, their terms of service, duties
and qualifications, defining their powers; repealing all Ordinances in conflict herewith
fixing penalties and declaring an emergency account of the danger to the health of
the people of the City from insanitary plumbing
BE IT ORDAINED by the City Commission (Council) of the City of Lubbock, Texas:
Section 1. That under the authority of Articles 986 to 997, inclusive of Title 22
of the Revised Civil Statutes of 1911 of the State, and by virtue of the general
laws and special Charter governing cities of more than 5,000 population, there is
hereby created the Office of Inspector of Plumbing, who shall be appointed by the
Commission, and shall serve at the pleasure of the Commission and be paid such salary
as voted by the Commission.
Section 2. The officer in charge of such Office shall be known as the Inspector of
Plumbing for the City of Lubbock, Texas; he shall be experleoeed in the knowledge of
the strength durability and quality of the materials and devices necessary for perfect
work in tanks, taps, traps, fittings and fixtures and in the making of taps and
connections in such manner as will prevent the escaping of noxious vapors, gasses,
and odors for the conveyance of gas, water, sewage and he shall be skilled and
experienced in the actual work of properly and safely installing same in all classes
of building, and in making proper and sanitary connections for same, and in thuroughly
testing wuch; he shall be of good moral character.
Section 3. Asststants•The Duties of the Inspector of Plumbing (Or any assistant) shall
be to receive approve and countersign, either in person or by an authorized representative,
all applications for permits to do plumbing or to make sewer connections in this City,
and to personally inspect and pass upon all p~umbing and sewer work and connections now
in use or hereafter constructed within the City, and to issue his certificate of approval
thereof, if he approve, or if not approved, to direct by written order to the owner,
agent in charge of the building, tenant, or the person installing the same, of any
premises whereon such plumbing shall be located to stop the use of, or to reconstruct
the same, or cease construction, until such plumbing shall have been properly repaired
or constructed, as may be defined in the Ordinances of the City; he shall be empowered
to enter any house in the City between the hours of 9 o'clock A.M. and 4 o'clock P.M.
upon notice to the person in charge of his intention so to do, if complaint has been
made, to examine the plumbing or sewer connection thereto; to investigate all alleged
violations of any plumbing Ordinance; to file complaints for infractions of such
Ordinances and to supervise and oversee and plumbing and sewer work, now or hereafter
installed, and such other duties as may be imposed upon h~ by law or City Ordinance ;
and the Commissioners may appoint such asststants as they deem advisable, each of whom
shall have the power herein conferred upon the Inspector of Plumbing.
Section 4. Powers•The Inspector of Plumbing shall have power, and it shall be his duty,
or where any building, premises or construction contains improper or defective plumbing
or connection, or where same has been installed without a permit as provided for in
Ordinances of the City, to immediately cut off, or cause to be cut off, the water and
sewer connection thereto until such defective plumbing or connection, or construction
is made to fully comply with the Ordinan~ of the City, and a certificate of the
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Inspector shall have been issued permitting connection.
Section 5. Definitions-The term Pewson, means and includes individuals partnerships,
associations and corporations however formed; The term Master Plumber (or Employing
Plumber) means one who has the qualifications for Plumbing Inspector. except residence.
but who does not hold himself out as intending to do the actual work of such installations,
but purposes to make and carry out contracts for, and to properly and carefully supervise,
the work of such installation; provided, that he shall take and pass the examination for
Journeyman Plumbers if he intends, or does, the actual work of any installation whether
contracted by himself of others; The term Journeyman Plumber, means one whose principal
work is manual, skilled and experienced in the actual physical work of installing
tanks, taps, traps, pipes, fittings and fixtures, and connections in such manners as
will prevent the escaping of noxious gas, vapor and odors, in all buildings, and in
making proper and sanitary connections for the same, and who holds himself out as
intending to actually do such work under the employment of a Master (or Employing)
Plumber, as herein defined. but who does not contract for, or cause to be done, such
work as a Master Plumber, as herein defined.
Section 6. Examining and Supervising Board-There is hereby created a Board to be known
as the Examining and Supervising Boards of Plumbersfor the City of Lubbock, Texas, which
Board shall consist of Five members-one of whom shall be a member of the Board of
Health, or the City Physician, as designated, by the Commissioners, one of whom shall
be the City Engineer (or the Chief Building Inspector) as d'lignated by the City, and
the Inspector of llumbing of the City all of whom shall be known as ex-officio mambers
of such Board, a Master Plumbers of not less than Ten years experience as such and one
Journeyman Plumber of at least five years active experience; each member of such Board
shall bold his office during the pleasure of the Commission, and the ex-officio members
so long as they shall serve in their respective office.
Section 7. Duties-It shall be the duty of the Examining Board, herein provi4ed for,
to meet as soon after thett appointment as practicable, and organize by selecting one
of their number as Chairman, another as Secretary who shall keep a full record of all
their proceedings; and such Board shall prov~e itetif with proper books of record,
forms stationery and supplies for the conduct of ita business, which shall be paid for
out of the fees afterwards named; and such Board shall, whenever in its judgement
same is advisable, submit to the City written suggestions for improving the plumbing
regulations of the City; such members shall serve without extra compensation whatever.
Section 8. Powers of the Board, -Power is hereby granted such Board, to
A. Adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of the business ~f examination
of applicants, and for its own government in carrying out its duties provided that
same shall not be inconsistent with the laws or ordinances of the City.
b. To provide proper forms for applicants for examination as Master Plumber,
Inspector of Plumbing and Journeyman Plumber and to require all applicants to properly
fill out and file same with the Board.
c. To fix reasonable times for the examination of applicants, under the terms
hereof, and to specify the hours thereof and place where same shall be held.
d. To provide suitable examinations for Master Plumbers, Inspector of Plumbing
and for Journeyman Plumbers and to determine if same shall be oral, or written or
partly oral and partly written, or partly manual, and to make all rules necessary for
the fair, speedy and sufficient examination of all applicants under the provisions
of this Ordinance.
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e. To make rules and regulations for a re-examination, and the nature and extent ,
thereof, provided, however, that where an applicant has failed it shall be the duty of
the Board to point out to said applicaoo wheeein he is deficient and render hUn reasonable
assistance to overcome such deficiency
f. In the event of a second failure, to made rules and regulations for a second
reexamination, same to be done on the request of the City Attorney for the City of Lubbock,
en application to bUD by the candidate provided such City Attorney shall have reason to
believe the applicant should be permitted to have a second reexamination.
g. To make rules and regulations providing for an appeal from~e decision of
the Board to the Commissioners, if the applicant shall feet that he is not fairly
treated, and shall be able to establish to the satisfaction of the Commissioners
that he should have still further re-examination touching his fitness and qualifications
as a plumber, either Master or Journeyman, or Inspector, as defined herein; and if the
Commissioners think proper they s-.aaat may request the Board to give such further
examination, and it shall do so within a reasonable time.
Section 9. Removal•Any member of such Board may be removed at the pleasure of the
Commission, or upon hearing b~ought by any persons feeling himself aggrevied, presenting
under oath, his ~istinct specifications or charges, which shall be delievered to such
member, also, not less than t Ceft daye before a hearing thereon, and such pe~son and
the member shall have such notice of the hearing.
Section 10. Fees for Examination-Each applicant for examination as Master Plumber, or
Inspector of Plumbing, shall at the time of filing his applicant, pay to the Secretary
of the Board the sum of $3.00 and each applicant for examination as Journeyman Plumber
shall, at the t~e of making such application pay to the Secretary of the Board $2.00
which fees may be used by the Board to pay its necessary expenses, as above provided
for, and the excess shall be paid to the Secretary of the City.
Section 11. Certificates of Qualification, The Board shall~sue to each successful
applicant a Certificate of Qualification that such applicant has been found competent
in the grade for which he was examined,as the case may be, which shall entitled him
to a license to do the business of Master Plumber ofJourney man Plumber in this City,
which certificate shall continue in force for one year from date of issuance, and shall
be renewable on application by the holder within thirty days prior to its expiration,
such renewal shall be endorsed upon the original certificate, and he sl&ll pay a fee
of Fifty cents for each renewal thereof; provided, that if in the opinion of the Board
the business or moral integrity of the applicant, or his ability to do the work is not
sufficient to entitled him thereto, the Board may refuse to issue a renewal. Sueh certificates
are not, in any manner, transferable, and are revocanle for sufficient cause shown, on
charges filed by any member of the Board, or person feeling himself aggreived which
charges shall be in writing, distinctly specifying the unfitness or incompetency, a
copy of which shall be delivered to the holder ten days before the day set for hearing
before the Board, which shall have full power to act. The finiings of the Board shall
be duly certified to the Commissioner, which may adopt the same, or recommend other
action. The Board shall keep a record of all its proceedings in a well bound book,
showing the names, residence, date of issuance of Certificates, and such other facts
and will fully inform all parties, of the qualifications of holders of certificates,
and which shall be a permanent record of the City.
Section 12. First Examination hereunder, All persons now engaged in the plumbing business,
whether as Master or Journeyman Plumber, in the City shall made application to the Board
within thirty days from the time this Ordinance goes into effect, and the Board shall
publish, in some newspaper publish in the City, a notice of the time and place of
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examination, in at least three issues thereof and all persons required hereby to be
examined shall make application to said Board and be examined at the time and place
fixed by such notice, or, failing to do so, shall not continue in the plumbing business
in the City of Lubbock after such date, until they have applied for and ebtained a
certificate of qualification as provided for in this Ordinance.
Section 13. Plumbing Inspector, All persons desiring to apply to the Commissioners for
a position as Plumbing Inspector, except the first Inspector, shall apply to the Board
and be examined and obtain a certificate of qualification, and a license to act as
Inspector, as provided for Master Plumbers, and no person not so holding a certificate
may apply for such Inspector.
Section 14. Saving Clause; It is specially enacted that if any protion of this Ordinance
is declared &llegal by a court of competent jurisdiction, that it is the intention to
enact each Section of this Ordinance, separately, and those portions not found invalid
shall continue in force.
Sec~on 15. All Ordinances and parts of Ordinances in conflict herewith are expressly
repealed.
Section 16. Penalties, Any person violating any section hereof, or attempting to do
plumbing, either as Master or Journeyman, as defined herein, without have first
obtained his certificate of qualification, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor,
as shall be any person who refuses to conform to any other p~~tion hereof, and shall
be punished. upon conviction, by a fine of not less than $25.00 Twenty-five Dollars
nor more than Two Hundred ($200.00) and each day shall be a s,parate offense.
Section 17. Emergency The fact there is no adequate Ordinance providing for the
licensing of plumbers, and that such work is being done which is insanitary and a
menance to the health of the inhabitants hereof, creates and emergency and pulbic
necessity that the rule of the Charter requiring an ordinance to be read at m.ore than
one meeting, be, and the same is, hereby suspended, and this Ordinance passed at the
meeting of its introduction, and it is so enacted, and this Ordinance shall be in force
from and after ten days from its first publication.
The foregoing ordinance passed by a unanimous vote of the Commission, and approved
this lOth day of April 1925
Attest
J. a. Germany,
City Secretary, Ctty of Lubbock, Texas. F. a. Friend,
Mayor