Legislature(1997 - 1998)
03/03/1998 01:38 PM Senate L&C
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SB 269 - PLUMBING CODE
CHAIRMAN LEMAN announced SB 269 to be up for consideration.
SENATOR MACKIE moved to adopt the committee substitute to SB 269.
There were no objections and it was so ordered.
MS. ANNETTE KREITZER, Staff to the Labor and Commerce Committee,
reviewed the proposed committee substitute. The bill as previously
written had two problems. First, the Northern Lights case vs.
Sweeney means you can't delegate the authority or the public notice
provisions of law in terms of adopting publications year after
year. The bill had to be rewritten to meet the problems that were
presented in that case. The second amendment begins on line 13
which Mr. Doug Green would discuss.
Number 270
MR. DWIGHT PERKINS, Special Assistant, Department of Labor,
concurred with naming the various codes and the dates being the
wisest thing to do and had no opposition to the proposed committee
substitute.
MR. DONALD LAUGHLIN, Director of Administration, International
Association of Plumbing & Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) read his
letter which said that they have published the Uniform Plumbing
Code (UPC) since the early 1950's and Alaska has adopted it for
years. The 1997 edition is the most technologically advanced
plumbing code ever published.
IAPMO and its co-sponsors, the National Association of Plumbing,
Heating, Cooling Contractors (NAPHCC), and the Mechanical
Contractors Association of American (MCAA) utilize an industry
consensus process to develop and maintain the provisions contained
in the UPC. Then all effected parties have the opportunity to vote
on amendments made to the Code. It is updated annually and
published every three years.
Number 325
MR. PETER JURSACK, State Plumbing Inspector, Department of Labor,
said he supported adopting Appendix 29 of the 1997 Uniform Plumbing
Code rather than Table 4-1. He thought the Department of Labor
could work with either of those tables as there are pros and cons
to both of them. The Uniform Building Codes has an occupancy rate
which allows them determine the number of facilities for a certain
type of occupancy. It also allows flexibility for smaller types of
businesses where it is needed and eliminate confusion with the
engineering and design community.
CHAIRMAN LEMAN asked to reduce the chance of someone misusing the
table, couldn't the 97 UPC be provided with a warning sticker on
it with reference to the UBC table.
MR. JURSACH said he thought something could be done.
Number 377
MR. DOUG GREEN, Anchorage Architect, said he is a member of the
Alaska Professional Design Council. He felt that it's definitely
in the best interests of the design community and the State of
Alaska to adopt the Uniform Building Code fixture schedule. The
main reason they see this as important is typically Juneau,
Anchorage, and Fairbanks do the same amendment for uniformity
throughout the State, but as you move out of the urban areas,
plumbing fixtures become a very important item in the design of any
building. It has been historically the case and currently so that
the Uniform Plumbing Code creates a larger fixture count in these
buildings than are necessary. This is because the it is determined
upon exiting requirements. One of the problems he has with that
table is that it says the optimum load shall be determined by
minimum exiting requirements and doesn't reference anywhere for
that requirement. Typically, you have to go back to the Uniform
Building Code to get those requirements, anyway. These numbers are
intended to generate safety for exiting purposes, not for plumbing
counts. The Building Code is much more integrated as a tool to
utilize the occupant load calculations to determine the number of
occupants utilizing a building than for the fixture count in the
toilet room. It has historically required fewer toilets which in
the bush is a big plus, because they require more water and waste
handling systems which are a premium out there. He strongly
supported the amendments in the committee substitute.
MR. PERKINS said the Department supports the bill as written. He
suggested amending some language within the Code that refers to
Table 1 on page 1, line 13 as "excluding 41.3.1 and...." which
directs you to Table 4-1, a cleanup issue.
Number 435
MR. GREEN agreed with that amendment.
CHAIRMAN LEMAN said a better approach would be to reference the new
table by leaving in the language and where it says "Table 4-1"
insert "Table 8-29-A."
MR. PERKINS said that would be O.K.
MR. AL DWYER, Director, Labor Standards and Safety, said the books
are sold state-wide and they wouldn't be able to revise them. He
thought the best thing would be in the statute delete 4.13.1 and
they would not have to renumber the rest of the Code Book.
CHAIRMAN LEMAN asked if they needed a reference to the other table.
MR. DWYER said they could do that in the statute. They talk to
most journeymen plumbers and administrators in their seminars where
this can be brought up.
MR. PERKINS thought it might be less confusing if they delete it in
statute and then when the Division goes into the communities with
their courses, they bring the most recent edition of the Uniform
Building Code. Then he noted there would be no reference to the
table anywhere.
MR. JURSACK commented that he thought they needed to leave 4.13.1
in and substitute Table 4-1 with an appendix from the Building Code
by regulation.
SENATOR MILLER moved CSSB 269 from Committee with individual
recommendations. There were no objections and it was so ordered.
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