The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(1) "Advisory board" means the state advisory board of plumbers.

(2) "Department" means the department of labor and industries.

(3) "Director" means the director of department of labor and industries.

(4) "Journey level plumber" means any person who has been issued a certificate of competency by the department of labor and industries as provided in this chapter.

(5) "Like-in-kind" means having similar characteristics such as plumbing size, type, and function, and being in the same location.

(6) "Medical gas piping" means oxygen, nitrous oxide, high pressure nitrogen, medical compressed air, and other medical gas or equipment, including but not limited to medical vacuum systems.

(7) "Medical gas piping installer" means a journey level plumber who has been issued a medical gas piping installer endorsement.

(8) "Plumber trainee" or "trainee" means any person who has been issued a plumbing training certificate under this chapter but has not been issued an appropriate certificate of competency for work being performed. A trainee may perform plumbing work if that person is under the appropriate level of supervision.

(9) "Plumbing" means that craft involved in installing, altering, repairing and renovating potable water systems, liquid waste systems, and medical gas piping systems within a building as defined by the plumbing code as adopted and amended by the state building code council, and includes all piping, fixtures, pumps, and plumbing appurtenances that are used for rainwater catchment and reclaimed water systems within a building.

(10) "Plumbing contractor" means any person, corporate or otherwise, who engages in, or offers or advertises to engage in, any plumbing work covered by the provisions of this chapter by way of trade or business, or any person, corporate or otherwise, who employs anyone, or offers or advertises to employ anyone, to engage in any plumbing work as defined in this section. The plumbing contractor is responsible for ensuring the plumbing business is operated in accordance with rules adopted under this chapter.

(11) "Residential service plumber" means anyone who has been issued a certificate of competency limited to performing residential service plumbing in an existing residential structure.

(a) In single-family dwellings and duplexes only, a residential service plumber may service, repair, or replace previously existing fixtures, piping, and fittings that are outside the interior wall or above the floor, often, but not necessarily in a like-in-kind manner. In any residential structure, a residential service plumber may perform plumbing work as needed to perform drain cleaning and may perform leak repairs on any pipe, fitting, or fixture from the leak to the next serviceable connection.

(b) A residential service plumber may directly supervise plumber trainees provided the trainees have been supervised by an appropriate journey level or specialty plumber for the trainees' first two thousand hours of training.

(c) A residential service plumber may not perform plumbing for new construction of any kind.

(12) "Residential service plumbing" means plumbing work in residential structures where previously existing fixtures, fittings, and piping that are outside the interior walls or above the floor are repaired or replaced often, but not necessarily in a like-in-kind manner, or plumbing work being performed as necessary for drain cleaning.

(13) "Residential structures" means single-family dwellings, duplexes, and multiunit buildings that do not exceed three stories.

(14) "Specialty plumber" means anyone who has been issued a specialty certificate of competency limited to:

(a) Installation, maintenance, and repair of the plumbing of single-family dwellings, duplexes, and apartment buildings that do not exceed three stories;

(b) Maintenance and repair of backflow prevention assemblies; or

(c) A domestic water pumping system consisting of the installation, maintenance, and repair of the pressurization, treatment, and filtration components of a domestic water system consisting of: One or more pumps; pressure, storage, and other tanks; filtration and treatment equipment; if appropriate, a pitless adapter; along with valves, transducers, and other plumbing components that:

(i) Are used to acquire, treat, store, or move water suitable for either drinking or other domestic purposes, including irrigation, to: (A) A single-family dwelling, duplex, or other similar place of residence; (B) a public water system, as defined in RCW 70A.120.020 and as limited under RCW 70A.120.040; or (C) a farm owned and operated by a person whose primary residence is located within thirty miles of any part of the farm;

(ii) Are located within the interior space, including but not limited to an attic, basement, crawl space, or garage, of a residential structure, which space is separated from the living area of the residence by a lockable entrance and fixed walls, ceiling, or floor;

(iii) If located within the interior space of a residential structure, are connected to a plumbing distribution system supplied and installed into the interior space by either: (A) A person who, pursuant to RCW 18.106.070 or 18.106.090, possesses a valid temporary permit or certificate of competency as a journey level plumber, specialty plumber, or trainee, as defined in this chapter; or (B) a person exempt from the requirement to obtain a certified plumber to do such plumbing work under RCW 18.106.150.

(15) "Unsatisfied final judgment" means a judgment or final tax warrant that has not been satisfied either through payment, court-approved settlement, discharge in bankruptcy, or assignment under RCW 19.72.070.

Reviser's note: The definitions in this section have been alphabetized pursuant to RCW 1.08.015(2)(k).

Explanatory statement—2021 c 65: See note following RCW 53.54.030.

Part headings not law—2003 c 399: See note following RCW 19.28.006.

Effective date—1997 c 326: "This act takes effect July 1, 1998." [ 1997 c 326 s 7.]