(1) Each applicant for an electrical contractor’s license, other than an individual, shall designate a supervisory employee or member of the firm to take the required master electrician’s or administrator’s examination. Effective July 1, 1987, a supervisory employee designated as the electrical contractor’s master electrician or administrator shall be a full-time supervisory employee. This person shall be designated as master electrician or administrator under the license. No person may concurrently qualify as master electrician or administrator for more than one contractor. If the relationship of the master electrician or administrator with the electrical contractor is terminated, the contractor’s license is void within ninety days unless another master electrician or administrator is qualified by the board. However, if the master electrician or administrator dies or is otherwise incapacitated, the contractor’s license is void within one hundred eighty days unless another master electrician or administrator is qualified by the board. The contractor must notify the department in writing within ten days if the master electrician’s or administrator’s relationship with the contractor terminates due to the master electrician’s or administrator’s death or incapacitation.

(2) The department must issue an administrator’s certificate to all applicants who have passed the examination as provided in RCW 19.28.051 and this section, and who have complied with the rules adopted under this chapter. The administrator’s certificate must bear the date of issuance, expires on the holder’s birthday, and is nontransferable. The certificate must be renewed every three years, upon application, on or before the holder’s birthday.

(a) If the certificate holder demonstrates to the department that he or she has satisfactorily completed an annual eight-hour continuing education course, the certificate may be renewed by appropriate application without examination unless the certificate has been revoked, suspended, or not renewed within ninety days after the expiration date. For holders of pump and irrigation or domestic pump specialty administrator certificates, the continuing education may comprise both electrical and plumbing education.

(b) The contents and requirements for satisfactory completion of the continuing education course must be determined by the director and approved by the board.

(c) The department must accept proof of a certificate holder’s satisfactory completion of a continuing education course offered in another state as meeting the requirements for maintaining a current Washington state certificate if the department is satisfied the course is comparable in nature to that required in Washington state for maintaining a current certificate.

(3) A fee must be assessed for each administrator’s certificate and for each renewal. An individual holding more than one administrator’s certificate under this chapter is not required to pay fees for more than one certificate. The department must set the fees by rule for issuance and renewal of a certificate. The fees must cover, but not exceed, the costs of issuing the certificates and of administering and enforcing the administrator certification requirements of this chapter.

(4) The department may deny an application for an administrator’s certificate for up to two years if the applicant’s previous administrator’s certificate has been revoked for a serious violation and all appeals concerning the revocation have been exhausted. For the purposes of this section only, a serious violation is a violation that presents imminent danger to the public. The certificate may be renewed for a three-year period without examination by appropriate application unless the certificate has been revoked, suspended, or not renewed within ninety days after the expiration date. If the certificate is not renewed before the expiration date, the individual shall pay twice the usual fee. A person may take the administrator’s examination as many times as necessary to pass without limit.

(5) The designated master electrician or administrator shall:

(a) Be a member of the firm or a supervisory employee and shall be available during working hours to carry out the duties of an administrator under this section;

(b) Ensure that all electrical work complies with the electrical installation laws and rules of the state;

(c) Ensure that the proper electrical safety procedures are used;

(d) Ensure that all electrical labels, permits, and licenses required to perform electrical work are used;

(e) See that corrective notices issued by an inspecting authority are complied with; and

(f) Notify the department in writing within ten days if the master electrician or administrator terminates the relationship with the electrical contractor.

(6) The department shall not by rule change the administrator’s duties under subsection (5) of this section.

Severability—1975 1st ex.s. c 195; 1975 1st ex.s. c 92: See note following RCW 19.28.041.

Effective date—Severability—1974 ex.s. c 188: See notes following RCW 19.28.041.