The provisions of this chapter do not apply to:

(1) licensed mechanical plumbing contractors holding a group four or five plumbing classification who install standpipe systems, including hose connections, hose cabinets, and related branch lines if they do not supply water to fire sprinkler systems. Under this exception for these systems, shop drawings must be submitted and approved by the State Fire Marshal's Office or his designee before installation, and the installation must comply with NFPA Standard 14;

(2) a manufacturer's factory trained and certified individual or entity performing maintenance or repair on fire pumps, fire pump control panels, and fire pump drivers; a manufacturer's factory trained and certified individual or entity shall contact the authority having jurisdiction to approve the work and witness any testing that is required by NFPA standards;

(3) licensed mechanical contractors holding a group four or five plumbing classification performing emergency repair work on a fire sprinkler system if the total cost of the labor does not exceed one thousand dollars per occurrence; the plumbing contractor shall contact the authority having jurisdiction to approve the work and witness any testing that is required by NFPA standards;

(4) persons engaged in emergency repair work of fire sprinkler systems on their own property or that of their full-time employer or persons engaged in the repair, maintenance, testing, or inspection of a fire sprinkler system, water spray system, or water foam system, who are employed by a public institution of the State, as defined in Section 59-103-5, to repair, maintain, test, or inspect fire sprinkler systems, water spray systems, or water foam systems on property owned by the public institution, provided that such work shall be conducted by persons under the direct control or supervision of a person holding certification in NICET Level III, Inspection and Testing of Water Based Systems; provided that the State Fire Marshal may review inspection and maintenance records upon request; and provided that the public institution shall remain responsible for the actions or omissions of its employees exempted under this subsection;

(5) an individual or entity who is certified by and has successfully passed the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) approved backflow prevention assembly training seminar and who holds a current Tester Certification Certificate to test backflow prevention assemblies. The backflow test must be conducted in accordance with applicable NFPA Standards. DHEC's certified tester assumes full responsibility and liability when testing the backflow prevention assembly; the appropriate people must be notified including, but not limited to, the fire department, fire marshal, customer/owner, building official, or insurance company, when the backflow prevention assembly is shut down for testing; if repairs to the backflow prevention assembly are necessary, any such repair must be made by a DHEC certified backflow prevention assembly tester;

(6) licensed water and sewer line contractors holding a group four or five classification limitation installing underground water mains, hydrant mains, fire pumps, and fire hydrants, or fire protection sprinkler system underground mains to a flanged outlet 1'- 0" above the finished floor in compliance with National Fire Protection Association Standard 24. The water and sewer line contractor shall use design or shop drawings approved by the State Fire Marshal's Office or his designee. Flushing and testing certificates must be delivered to the authority having jurisdiction and upon request to the performing licensed fire sprinkler contractor. General contractors in this license classification may not engage in water and sewer line work from the right-of-way to a residential structure unless the entity is a subcontractor to a licensee holding a plumbing classification;

(7) an individual who installs, repairs, trouble shoots, provides diagnostic analysis, or provides services in any manner to a backflow prevention assembly if the individual has current certification from the Department of Health and Environmental Control approved backflow assembly prevention training seminar and has completed some level of educational training or certification with backflow prevention assembly.

(8) properly licensed alarm and electrical contractors that connect to a fire sprinkler system for the purpose of monitoring the activation of the system.

HISTORY: 2005 Act No. 177, Section 1; 2007 Act No. 93, Section 1.