This thread is asking about what 'other' qualifications are there, that you need to have to do your job.

I assume we all know about journeyman cards, contractor licenses, and building permits. Yet, recent events suggest that this is but the tip of the iceberg....

For example, I am told that we will all need some form of "lead abatement' certification to do electrical work - with a 'higher' qualification required if we're going to actually work with, say, walls that have lead paint on them.

Then I hear about some manner of 'OSHA certification" needed to do solar power.

Not to forget our old friend asbestos. It seems that there are, again, multiple levels of certification.

ALL of these, I am told, call for annual renewal, testing,and - naturally - attending expensive seminars EVERY year.

So... do you have any specific information to share? I'm looking for:

1) What other certifications you may know of;

2) Who issues the certification;

3) Citations of the exact source of these requirements; and,

4) The scope of the requirements.

I seek your information .... but,please .... let's not go off on tangents debating the wisdom of these rules; those discussions are for another thread.

I bet the next big thing will be "green certicication" for electricians. The LEED business is already going that way

Reno:
Basically, what you listed above, and most regulations that EC's here in NJ are within the NJUCC (5:23 et al). OSHA is not included, but I hope we all know the multiple pounds of regs, and the $$$$$$ consequences of OSHA violations.

We also have Alarm Lic & an 'exempt' card for data/comm.; but a EC can do it all without those.

Radon remediation is another specialty, but they need an EC to provide wiring.

Not going on a soapbox....I am entertaining the thought of preparing a "UCC & You" course for submission to Vo-Tech for a possible 30 hour class for the electrical trades.
Amazing how many guys never saw/heard of it.

The next hurdle here will be an expanded energy code soon.

The assorted contractor licenses here originate thru the Dept of Law & Public Safety, and thru a laundry list of Professional Boards of Examiners, Dept of Community Affairs, and/or Dept of Consumer Affairs.

Seminars/CEU's, yes....EC's total of 34 hours every 3 years. AHJ's, depending of Discipline Lic & Admin Lic...from 2 to 5 (or more) one day seminars.

BTW, I don't know any local guys (EC's) here that mess with lead paint or asbestos.

Hot Line ... I found that the EPA is requiring ALL personnel involved in nearly any sort of remodeling to get a basic 'lead' cert.

I also need the asbestos certs if I'm going todo somuch as hang a picture in one of the local schools. Indeed, I think I need it to even submit a bid.

Massachusetts:

J-man (B) can be a contractor (name must be: ex: Leland,Electrician.) and work the tools,1 helper (oops,Apprentice) All aspects,Except security. That change came a few yrs ago,now you need some special cert.

Master (A):( company,any name: BGH elec, etc.) must maintain J-man to work with tools,(money maker) Can employ as many J-man as needed. 1 Apprentice/lic.

"D" lic- unrestricted low volt.(less security)
"S" security install. Labor only
"C" security/low volt contractor.('D' needed for work with the tools)

Personally, I have a (B) J-man, (Company and Tax ID.)
All my fire alarm work is coverd under the J-man.
Exception being,dealing with the fire suppression,That is licensed by the State fire marshal. I must provide to them My current employer within 60 days.
This employer is listed on my license.

Massachusetts: Elec: every 3 yrs Plus 21 hrs CE, Fire marshal every 2. (Renewal cycle)

I think that covers it.

Highly desired certification in my line of work:

1) Vendor-specific equipment certification. UPS, generator, PLC, etc; they won't release their proprietary material and software unless you're trained and certified.

Powerware UPS: 5-day course at the factory in Raleigh, NC. You must take a separate course for each subfamily of UPS. The training doesn't expire, but the software time-bombs and you have to do a microsoft-style recert of the software every 6 months.

MGE UPS: It's several months long and costs tens of thousands of dollars. It's more like full-up tech school than a cert.

Liebert UPS: I believe it's a 3-day course.

2) Air-blown Fiber optic certification. Blolite and Sumitomo both require training & certification before you can blow fiber. 2-day course for each, with refresher training required every 2 years.

3) EPA certification for HVAC work. 2 day course, no prior HVAC experience required. Any of us can get it.

4) NAUI/PADI open-water SCUBA ...hey, you fly all the way out to Guam or Hawaii to do some electrical work because your unique certs and experience are so in demand, you can't very well leave without doing a little diving, right?? You need to log a minimum number of dives/year to maintain proficiency.

Steve:

"2) Air-blown Fiber optic certification. Blolite and Sumitomo both require training & certification before you can blow fiber. 2-day course for each, with refresher training required every 2 years."

Could you eleborate on the 'air-blown'.....please

As you eluded to,I must also be MFG recert as we are only a distributor. once a year for most. on line exam.

Here are some I can think of off the top of my head.
I'm sure there will be more later.

Obviously state A and B electrical licenses and of course a local business license.

OSHA 10-hour construction safety certification.
I'm not sure if you can even set foot on jobsite anymore unless you have this.

PATMI or other manufacturer certification each brand and model of powder actuated tools on jobsites. Probably not an issue until someone gets injured.

EPA 608 Universal certification if you want to work with CFC’s and HCFC's for high and low pressure HVAC/R equipment.
Seems ridiculous that none is needed for HFC's though, even though they are considered greenhouse gas pollutants and are still required to be recovered.

EPA 609 for automotive and mobile equipment using R-12 CFC and HCFC's.
Same thing here with HFC's. Any idiot can buy small cans of 134A to recharge his auto's leaky system repeatedly and never recover a single drop.

EPA registration of refrigerant recovery equipment.

R410A certification to show that you know how to properly work with it and systems using it. I'm not sure, but I think at one time Carrier required Puron certification to be a certified installer for their equipment.

Laser certification from the manufacture for low power laser use on jobsites.
I don't know if this is actually enforced everywhere though.

When a building is built, networks of 8mm diameter hollow tubes are installed (combined into 4x, 8x or 19x multiduct trunk cables). Multiduct connection boxes and fiber optic patch panels are installed at regular intervals and in IT rooms and other high-density spots likely to need a lot of fiber. The ducts are then ran, forming a grid pattern between the boxes.

Whenever you want a fiber optic cable from point A to point B, instead of physically pulling a fiber optic cable, you quite literally blow it through the tube. You go into each connection box along the path and use plastic chinese-finger-trap type couplers to joint the tubes until you have one continuous pipe from one and to the other. Then you hook up the blow head and compressor, and it blows the fiber through. The laminar air flow keeps the fiber in the center of the pipe, and it will blow right around 90 degree bends with no issue. BICC uses bare unjacketed fibers (up to 16) with a colored coating, while Sumitomo uses bundles of 6 or 12 and I think 18 now, too. You then put a furcation jacket on the bare fibers so that each ends in an ST (or whatever) connector in the patch panel. And then conventional cable from there. Alternately, they make single-tube cable so you can blow right to the back of the rack.

http://www.futureflex.com/productInformation/fflex_advantage.htm

Thanks Steve

Reno: Interesting that you mention an OSHA certification needed to perform solar. I was trying to find a cert program for solar when I discovered that the definition for the California C-10 (Electrical) contractor license is defined as such:

C10 - Electrical Contractor
California Code of Regulations
Title 16, Division 8, Article 3. Classifications

An electrical contractor places, installs, erects or connects any electrical wires, fixtures, appliances, apparatus, raceways, conduits, solar photovoltaic cells or any part thereof, which generate, transmit, transform or utilize electrical energy in any form or for any purpose.

Authority cited: Sections 7008 and 7059, Reference: Sections 7058 and 7059 (Business and Professions Code)

http://www.cslb.ca.gov/GeneralInformation/Library/LicensingClassifications/C10ELECTRICAL.ASP

So, solar installation is already covered and legal to perform under a California C-10. As far as data/comm, including phone, data, and cable/SAT pre-wire, it apparently goes without saying, as I've never had my credentials called into question during an inspection by a municipality or any of the utilities related to this work. I've also never failed an inspection related to any of these services.

Zap, the State of California and the Federal Government are 'separate soverigns.' That is, the fact youmay comply with State law has no bearing on whether you also meet federal requirements.

It's the same situation with asbestos and refirgerant licensing. The difference is that the refrigerant license is good for a lifetime, while these others need to be renewed annually.