2. a. Except as provided in subsection b. of this section, to be eligible to be certified to install, improve, repair or maintain medical gas piping, an applicant shall be of good moral character and submit to the State board satisfactory evidence that he:

(1) (a) is a master plumber, or a journeyman plumber who has successfully completed an apprenticeship program accredited and approved by the United States Department of Labor;

(b) is an apprentice plumber who has successfully completed not less than three years of an apprenticeship program accredited and approved by the United States Department of Labor;

(c) is a pipe fitter or steam fitter employed by a plumbing contractor; or

(d) is certified in his area of expertise in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association standards;

(2) has successfully completed not less than 32 hours of classroom training relating to the most recent edition of the Standard on Gas and Vacuum Systems issued by the National Fire Protection Association; and

(3) (a) has passed an examination offered by the National Inspection Testing and Certification Corporation (NITC), or a substantially equivalent examination approved by the State board, that demonstrates the applicant’s competence to install, improve, repair and maintain medical gas piping;

(b) has passed an examination as a brazer offered by the American Welding Society, and has successfully completed a training program in the installation of medical gas piping approved by a major medical gas producer; or

(c) is certified in accordance with the appropriate American Society of Sanitary Engineering standards for the operations being performed.

The successful completion of any such examination provided for in this paragraph may have been accomplished before the effective date of this act.

b. To be eligible to be certified to perform only brazing duties incidental to the installation, improvement, repair or maintenance of medical gas piping, an applicant shall be of good moral character and submit to the State board satisfactory evidence that he:

(1) (a) is a master plumber, or a journeyman plumber who has successfully completed an apprenticeship program accredited and approved by the United States Department of Labor;

(b) is an apprentice plumber who has successfully completed not less than three years of an apprenticeship program accredited and approved by the United States Department of Labor;

(c) is a pipe fitter or steam fitter employed by a plumbing contractor; or

(d) is certified in his area of expertise in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association standards;

(2) has successfully completed not less than 20 hours of classroom training relating to the performance of brazing duties required in the installation, improvement, repair or maintenance of medical gas piping; and

(3) (a) has passed an examination offered by the National Inspection Testing and Certification Corporation (NITC), or a substantially equivalent examination approved by the State board, that demonstrates the applicant’s competence in performing brazing duties incidental to the installation, improvement, repair or maintenance of medical gas piping;

(b) has passed an examination as a brazer offered by the American Welding Society and has successfully completed a training program in the brazing of medical gas piping approved by a major medical gas producer; or

(c) is certified in accordance with the appropriate American Society of Sanitary Engineering standards for the operations being performed.

The successful completion of any such examination provided for in this paragraph may have been accomplished before the effective date of this act.

L.2003,c.205,s.2.