(A) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the division of industrial compliance in the department of commerce shall do all of the following:

(1) Inspect all nonresidential buildings within the meaning of section 3781.06 of the Revised Code;

(2) Condemn all unsanitary or defective plumbing that is found in connection with those places;

(3) Order changes in plumbing necessary to insure the safety of the public health.

(B)

(1)

(a) The division of industrial compliance, boards of health of city and general health districts, and county building departments shall not inspect plumbing or collect fees for inspecting plumbing in particular types of buildings in any municipal corporation that is certified by the board of building standards under section 3781.10 of the Revised Code to exercise enforcement authority for plumbing in those types of buildings.

(b) The division shall not inspect plumbing or collect fees for inspecting plumbing in particular types of buildings in any health district that employs one or more plumbing inspectors certified pursuant to division (D) of this section to enforce Chapters 3781. and 3791. of the Revised Code and the rules adopted pursuant to those chapters relating to plumbing in those types of buildings.

(c) The division shall not inspect plumbing or collect fees for inspecting plumbing in particular types of buildings in any health district where the county building department is authorized to inspect those types of buildings pursuant to a contract described in division (C)(1) of this section.

(d) The division shall not inspect plumbing or collect fees for inspecting plumbing in particular types of buildings in any health district where the board of health has entered into a contract with the board of health of another district to conduct inspections pursuant to division (C)(2) of this section.

(2) No county building department shall inspect plumbing or collect fees for inspecting plumbing in any type of building in a health district unless the department is authorized to inspect that type of building pursuant to a contract described in division (C)(1) of this section.

(3) No municipal corporation shall inspect plumbing or collect fees for inspecting plumbing in types of buildings for which it is not certified by the board of building standards under section 3781.10 of the Revised Code to exercise enforcement authority.

(4) No board of health of a health district shall inspect plumbing or collect fees for inspecting plumbing in types of buildings for which it does not have a plumbing inspector certified pursuant to division (D) of this section.

(C)

(1) The board of health of a health district may enter into a contract with a board of county commissioners to authorize the county building department to inspect plumbing in buildings within the health district. The contract may designate that the department inspect either residential or nonresidential buildings, as those terms are defined in section 3781.06 of the Revised Code, or both types of buildings, so long as the department employs or contracts with a plumbing inspector certified pursuant to division (D) of this section to inspect the types of buildings the contract designates. The board of health may enter into a contract regardless of whether the health district employs any certified plumbing inspectors to enforce Chapters 3781. and 3791. of the Revised Code.

(2) The board of health of a health district, regardless of whether it employs any certified plumbing inspectors to enforce Chapters 3781. and 3791. of the Revised Code, may enter into a contract with the board of health of another health district to authorize that board to inspect plumbing in buildings within the contracting board's district. The contract may designate the inspection of either residential or nonresidential buildings as defined in section 3781.06 of the Revised Code, or both types of buildings, so long as the board that performs the inspections employs a plumbing inspector certified pursuant to division (D) of this section to inspect the types of buildings the contract designates.

(D) The superintendent of industrial compliance shall adopt rules prescribing minimum qualifications based on education, training, experience, or demonstrated ability, that the superintendent shall use in certifying or recertifying plumbing inspectors to do plumbing inspections for health districts and county building departments that are authorized to perform inspections pursuant to a contract under division (C)(1) of this section, and for continuing education of plumbing inspectors. Those minimum qualifications shall be related to the types of buildings for which a person seeks certification.

(E) The superintendent may enter into reciprocal registration, licensure, or certification agreements with other states and other agencies of this state relative to plumbing inspectors if both of the following apply:

(1) The requirements for registration, licensure, or certification of plumbing inspectors under the laws of the other state or laws administered by the other agency are substantially equal to the requirements the superintendent adopts under division (D) of this section for certifying plumbing inspectors.

(2) The other state or agency extends similar reciprocity to persons certified under this chapter.

(F) The superintendent may select and contract with one or more persons to do all of the following regarding examinations for certification of plumbing inspectors:

(1) Prepare, administer, score, and maintain the confidentiality of the examination;

(2) Maintain responsibility for all expenses required to comply with division (F)(1) of this section;

(3) Charge each applicant a fee for administering the examination in an amount the superintendent authorizes;

(4) Design the examination for certification of plumbing inspectors to determine an applicant's competence to inspect plumbing.

(G) Standards and methods prescribed in local plumbing regulations shall not be less than those prescribed in Chapters 3781. and 3791. of the Revised Code and the rules adopted pursuant to those chapters.

(H) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the division shall make a plumbing inspection of any building or other place that there is reason to believe is in a condition to be a menace to the public health.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.127, HB 487, §101.01, eff. 9/10/2012.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.9, HB 1, §101.01, eff. 10/16/2009.

Effective Date: 09-26-1996; 05-27-2005; 09-29-2005; 2008 SB192 04-08-2008; 2008 HB562 09-22-2008