Statement of Scope
Department of
Safety and Professional Services
Relating to
:
|
Certification to inspect fire detection, prevention, and suppression devices.
|
1. Finding/nature of emergency (Emergency Rule only):
This emergency rule will establish requirements and procedures for certification of inspectors of fire detection, prevention, and suppression devices
which will include certification by the National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA)
as a Fire Inspector 1 or an equivalent certification as defined by the department
.
Inspection of fire detection, prevention, and suppression devices
by qualified inspectors certified by the state and the NFPA is in the best interest of public safety.
An expeditious promulgation of this rule will enable timely certification of inspectors, better
ensuring the safety of Wisconsin citizens.
2
.
Detailed description of the objective of the
proposed
rule
:
The proposed rule will bring current Wisconsin Administrative Code into compliance with new legislation,
2013 Wisconsin Act 270
.
3
.
Description of the existing policies relevant to the rule, new policies proposed to be included in the rule, and an analysis of policy alternatives
:
In addition to reviewing new construction of public buildings, DSPS also reviews building projects that involve alterations of, and additions to, existing public buildings.
Inspections of construction, alteration and addition projects for public buildings
, other than inspections of the installation of fire safety devices, must be performed by inspectors
who are certified under rules promulgated by DSPS
(e.g., installation of electrical, plumbing, boilers, elevators, etc.)
.
By contrast
, the installation of fire detection, prevention and suppression devices
(e.g., manual fire alarm systems, smoke and heat detection devices, fire extinguishers, standpipes, automatic fire suppression systems, automatic fire sprinkler systems, etc.)
are not subject to inspection by inspectors
who are
certified by the department.
2013 Wisconsin Act 270
requires DSPS to promulgate rules
that
establish procedures and requirements for
issuing certifications to individuals who perform
inspections of fire detection, prevention and suppression devices
, which
are installed during the construction, alteration of, or addition to, public buildings.
The proposed rule will require that in order to perform inspections of fire detection, prevention and suppression devices, a person will hold a valid certification from the National Fire Protection Association as a Fire Inspector 1, or in the alternative
,
will hold a valid equivalent certification as determined by DSPS.
4
.
Detailed explanation of statutory authority for the rule
(including
the
statutory citation and language):
2013 Wisconsin Act 270
created
Section
101.
14
(
4r
)
(c)1.
,Stats.,
requires the department to
“
promulgate rules establishing
procedures
and
requirements for issuing certifications
”
that allow persons to perform inspections of fire detection, prevention and suppression devices installed during construction, alteration of, or addition to, public buildings
and places of employment
.
Under
2013 Wisconsin Act 270
, the department’s rule must include a requirement “that the person hold a valid certification from the national fire protection association qualifying him or her as a certified fire inspector I or that he or she hold a valid equivalent certification”
as determined by the department.
The determination of “valid equivalent certifications
…
shall not be promulgated as rules.
” Section
101.14(4r
)(
c)2.
, Stats.
5
.
Estimate of amount of time that state employees will spend developing the rule and of other resources necessary to develop the rule
:
State employees will spend approximately
5
0
hours developing the proposed rule.
6
.
List with description of all entities that
may
be affected by the proposed rule
:
The proposed rule will affect
individuals who perform inspections of fire detection, prevention and suppression devices installed during construction, alteration of, or addition to, public buildings
and places of employment
.
7
.
Summary and preliminary comparison with any existing or proposed federal regulation that is intended to address the activities to be regulated by the proposed rule
:
An Internet-based search revealed no specific existing or proposed federal regulation that is intended to address the activities to be regulated by the proposed rule.
8
. Anticipated economic impact of implementing the rule
(note if the rule is likely to have a significant economic impact on small businesses)
:
This rule is likely to have minimal or no economic impact
. It is not likely to have a significant impact
on small businesses.
