In addition to the definitions provided in Section 40-1-20, as used in this chapter, unless the context or subject matter indicates otherwise:

(1) "Department" means the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.

(2) "Kind of soil" means a group of natural bodies that has a discrete combination landscape, morphological, chemical, and physical properties.

(3) "Practice of soil classifying" and "practice of professional soil classifying" means any service or work, the adequate performance of which requires education in the physical, chemical, biological, and soil sciences, training and experience in the application of the special knowledge of these sciences to soil classification, soil classification by accepted principles and methods, investigation, evaluation and consultation on the effect of measured, observed, and inferred soil properties upon various uses, the preparation of soil descriptions, maps and reports and interpretive drawings, maps and reports of soil properties and the effect of soil properties upon various uses, and the effect of various uses upon kinds of soil, any of which embraces this service or work, either public or private, incidental to the practice of soil classifying.

A person is construed to practice or offer to practice soil classifying within the meaning and intent of this chapter if the person, by verbal claim, sign, advertisement, letterhead, card or use of some other title, represents himself to be a soil classifier; however, this does not mean or include the practice of soil classifying by persons exempt under the provisions of Section 40-65-40 or the work ordinarily performed by persons who sample and test soil for fertility status or construction materials and engineering surveys and soundings to determine soil properties influencing the design and construction of engineering and architectural projects. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph, a person must not be construed to practice soil classifying unless he offers soil classifying services to or performs soil classifying for the public.

(4) "Responsible charge" means direct control and personal supervision of soil classification.

(5) "Soil" means all of the groups of natural bodies occupying the unconsolidated portion of the earth's surface capable of supporting plant life and having properties due to the combined effect of climate and living organisms, as modified by topography and time, upon parent materials.

(6) "Soil classification" means plotting the boundaries and describing and evaluating the kinds of soil as to their behavior and response to management under various uses.

(7) "Soil classifier" and "professional soil classifier" means a person who, by reason of his special knowledge of the physical, chemical, and biological sciences applicable to soils as natural bodies and of the methods and principles of soil classification as acquired by soil education and soil classification experience in the formation, morphology, description, and mapping of soils, is qualified to practice soil classifying, who has been licensed by the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, and who has passed an examination in the fundamental soil and related subjects as provided for in this chapter.

(8) "Soil-classifier-in-training" means a person who complies with the requirements for education and character and who has passed an examination in the fundamental soil and related subjects as provided for in this chapter.

HISTORY: 2010 Act No. 249, Section 2.A, eff June 11, 2010.

Editor's Note

Prior Laws: 1962 Code Section 56-1546.31; 1974 (58) 2828; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 946; 1976 Code Section 40-65-10.