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House Bill 1603

Florida House of Representatives - 1997 HB 1603 By Representative Fuller 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to fire safety; amending s. 3 633.021, F.S.; clarifying a definition; 4 amending s. 633.061, F.S.; limiting the number 5 of licenses a person may hold; revising certain 6 trainee criteria; revising State Fire Marshal 7 rulemaking authority; amending s. 633.071, 8 F.S.; providing fire extinguisher and 9 preengineered systems tagging requirements; 10 amending s. 633.511, F.S.; revising 11 requirements for eligibility for membership on 12 the Florida Fire Safety Board; amending s. 13 633.514, F.S.; clarifying board review 14 authority; providing an effective date. 15 16 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 17 18 Section 1. Paragraph (d) of subsection (17) of section 19 633.021, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 20 633.021 Definitions.--As used in this chapter: 21 (17) A "preengineered system" is a fire suppression 22 system which: 23 (d) Must be installed using components specified by 24 the manufacturer or components that are classified listed as 25 equal parts by a nationally recognized testing laboratory such 26 as Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., or Factory Mutual 27 Laboratories, Inc. 28 29 Preengineered systems may incorporate special nozzles, flow 30 rates, methods of application, pressurization levels, and 31 1 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. Florida House of Representatives - 1997 HB 1603 527-134-97 1 quantities of agents designed by the manufacturer for specific 2 hazards. 3 Section 2. Subsection (1), paragraph (b) of subsection 4 (4), and subsections (5) and (6) of section 633.061, Florida 5 Statutes, are amended to read: 6 633.061 License or permit required of organizations 7 and individuals servicing, recharging, repairing, testing, 8 marking, inspecting, or installing fire extinguishers and 9 preengineered systems.-- 10 (1) It is unlawful for any organization or individual 11 to engage in the business of servicing, repairing, recharging, 12 testing, marking, inspecting, or installing any fire 13 extinguisher or preengineered system in this state except in 14 conformity with the provisions of this chapter. Each 15 organization or individual which engages in such activity must 16 possess a valid and subsisting license issued by the State 17 Fire Marshal. All fire extinguishers and preengineered 18 systems required by statute or by rule must be serviced by an 19 organization or individual licensed under the provisions of 20 this chapter. The licensee is legally qualified to act for 21 the business organization in all matters connected with its 22 business, and the licensee must supervise all activities 23 undertaken by such business organization. Each licensee shall 24 maintain a specific business location. A further requirement, 25 in the case of multiple locations where such servicing or 26 recharging is taking place, is that each licensee who 27 maintains more than one place of business where actual work is 28 carried on must possess an additional license, as set forth in 29 this section, for each location. No licensee shall possess a 30 license for more than five locations at any time. A licensee 31 is limited to a specific type of work performed depending upon 2 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. Florida House of Representatives - 1997 HB 1603 527-134-97 1 the class of license held. Licenses and license fees are 2 required for the following: 3 (a) Class A.......................................$150 4 To service, recharge, repair, install, or inspect all types of 5 fire extinguishers, including recharging carbon dioxide units, 6 and to conduct hydrostatic tests on all types of fire 7 extinguishers, including carbon dioxide units. 8 (b) Class B.......................................$100 9 To service, recharge, repair, install, or inspect all types of 10 fire extinguishers, including recharging carbon dioxide units 11 and conducting hydrostatic tests on water, water chemical, and 12 dry chemical types of extinguishers only. 13 (c) Class C.......................................$100 14 To service, recharge, repair, install, or inspect all types of 15 fire extinguishers, except recharging carbon dioxide units, 16 and to conduct hydrostatic tests on water, water chemical, and 17 dry chemical types of fire extinguishers only. 18 (d) Class D.......................................$125 19 To service, repair, install, or inspect all types of 20 preengineered fire extinguishing systems. 21 (e) Licenses issued as duplicates or to reflect a 22 change of address..........................................$10 23 (4) 24 (b) No trainee shall perform work requiring a permit 25 unless an individual possessing a valid and current fire 26 equipment permit for the type work performed is physically 27 present. The trainee's registration shall be valid for a 28 180-day 90-day period from the date of issuance and is 29 nontransferable and nonrenewable. The trainee must: 30 1. Be at least 16 18 years of age. 31 3 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. Florida House of Representatives - 1997 HB 1603 527-134-97 1 2. Possess on his person at all times a valid Florida 2 driver's license or a valid state identification card, issued 3 by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. A 4 trainee must produce identification to the State Fire Marshal 5 or his designated representative upon demand. 6 3. Pay a fee for registration of $10 per trainee for a 7 180-day 90-day period. 8 (5) The State Fire Marshal shall adopt rules providing 9 for the time, place, and curriculum of each training course 10 required by this section. 11 (6) Every permittee must have a valid and subsisting 12 permit upon his person at all times while engaging in the 13 servicing, recharging, repairing, testing, inspecting, or 14 installing of fire extinguishers and preengineered systems, 15 and every licensee or permittee must be able to produce such 16 license or permit upon demand. In addition, every permittee 17 shall at all times carry an identification card containing his 18 photograph and other identifying information as prescribed by 19 the State Fire Marshal, which shall be produced on demand. 20 The State Fire Marshal or his or her designee shall supply 21 this card at a fee which shall be related to the cost of 22 producing the card. 23 Section 3. Subsection (1) of section 633.071, Florida 24 Statutes, is amended to read: 25 633.071 Standard service tag required on all fire 26 extinguishers and preengineered systems; serial number 27 required on all portable fire extinguishers.-- 28 (1) The State Fire Marshal shall adopt by rule 29 specifications as to the size, shape, color, and information 30 and data contained thereon of service tags to be attached to 31 all fire extinguishers and preengineered systems required by 4 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. Florida House of Representatives - 1997 HB 1603 527-134-97 1 statute or by rule, whether they be portable, stationary, or 2 on wheels when they are placed in service, installed, 3 serviced, repaired, tested, recharged, or inspected. Fire 4 extinguishers shall be tagged only after meeting all standards 5 as established by the National Fire Protection Association and 6 all manufacturers' requirements. Preengineered systems shall 7 be tagged only after a system's report, as specified by rule, 8 has been completed in detail indicating any deficiencies and 9 deviations from the requirements and standards of the 10 manufacturer and the National Fire Protection Association, a 11 copy of which shall be forwarded to the Division of Hotels and 12 Restaurants within 30 days after the date of service. It shall 13 be unlawful to place in service, service, test, repair, 14 inspect, install, or recharge any fire extinguisher or 15 preengineered system without attaching one of these tags 16 completed in detail, including the actual month work was 17 performed, or to use a tag not meeting the specifications set 18 forth by the State Fire Marshal. 19 Section 4. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section 20 633.511, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 21 633.511 Florida Fire Safety Board; membership.-- 22 (2) 23 (b) To be eligible for appointment, each fire 24 equipment dealer shall personally hold a current Class 1, 25 Class 2, or Class 3, and Class 4 fire equipment dealer license 26 issued by the State Fire Marshal, together with an unexpired 27 occupational license to operate as a fire equipment dealer 28 issued by an incorporated municipality or a county; shall be 29 actively engaged in such business and have been so engaged for 30 a period of not less than 5 consecutive years before the date 31 5 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. Florida House of Representatives - 1997 HB 1603 527-134-97 1 of appointment; and shall be a citizen and resident of this 2 state. 3 Section 5. Subsection (1) of section 633.514, Florida 4 Statutes, is amended to read: 5 633.514 Board duties; meetings; officers; quorum; 6 compensation; seal.-- 7 (1) The board shall act in an advisory capacity to the 8 State Fire Marshal and shall meet regularly as the need 9 presents itself. The board shall have the authority to review 10 complaints and disputed administrative action and make 11 recommendations for disciplinary action to the division at the 12 request of the licenseholder, permitholder, or 13 certificateholder. The board will serve in an advisory 14 capacity to the division regarding rules, codes, standards, 15 interpretations, and training. As soon as practicable after 16 the effective date of this act, the board shall meet to elect 17 officers from its membership, whose terms shall expire on June 18 30 and annually thereafter. A majority of the board shall 19 constitute a quorum. No member of the advisory board shall be 20 paid a salary as such member, but each shall receive necessary 21 expenses while attending advisory board meetings and 22 reimbursement, including travel in performance of his duties, 23 as provided in s. 112.061. 24 Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 1997. 25 26 ***************************************** 27 HOUSE SUMMARY 28 Revises fire safety provision relating to allowable 29 number of licenses, trainee criteria, fire extinguisher and preengineered systems tagging, Florida Fire Safety 30 Board membership eligibility requirements, and board review authority. See bill for details. 31 6