HOUSE BILL No. 5533


     February 4, 1998, Introduced by Reps. Kilpatrick, Murphy, Hanley, Price, Callahan, Cherry, Thomas, Scott, Llewellyn, Rhead, Hammerstrom, Middaugh and Raczkowski and referred to the Committee on Regulatory Affairs.


        A bill to amend 1984 PA 192, entitled

   "Forbes mechanical contractors act,"

   by amending section 2 (MCL 338.972).

               THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 1         Sec. 2.  (1) As used in this act:

 2         (a) "Board" means the board of mechanical rules.

 3         (b) "Department" means the department of labor.

 4         (c) "Air conditioning" means the process of treating air to

 5    meet the requirements of a conditioned space by controlling,

 6    either simultaneously or individually, the air's temperature,

 7    humidity, cleanness, and distribution.

 8         (d) "Cooling" means air conditioning as defined in subdivi-

 9    sion (c).

10         (e) "Ductwork" means the air distribution arrangement for

11    supply, return, and exhaust in air conditioning systems and in


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 1    nonair conditioning systems, the materials and methods of which

 2    are specified in the Michigan mechanical code, or an equivalent

 3    nationally recognized model mechanical code.  Ductwork includes

 4    flues, vents, and chimneys.

 5         (f) "Enforcing agency" means an enforcing agency as defined

 6    in section 2 of the state construction code act of 1972,  Act

 7     No. 230 of the Public Acts of 1972, being section 125.1502 of the

 8     Michigan Compiled Laws  1972 PA 230, MCL 125.1502.

 9         (g) "Equivalent nationally recognized model construction

10    code" means a nationally recognized model construction code

11    adopted  pursuant to  UNDER section 8 of the state construction

12    code act of 1972,  Act No. 230 of the Public Acts of 1972, being

13     section 125.1508 of the Michigan Compiled Laws  1972 PA 230, MCL

14    125.1508.

15         (h) "Equivalent nationally recognized model mechanical code"

16    means a nationally recognized model mechanical code adopted

17     pursuant to  UNDER section 8 of the state construction code act

18    of 1972,  Act No. 230 of the Public Acts of 1972, being section

19     125.1508 of the Michigan Compiled Laws  1972 PA 230, MCL

20    125.1508.

21         (i) "Fire suppression system" means an integrated combina-

22    tion of a fire alarm system and fire suppression equipment INSIDE

23    A BUILDING OR STRUCTURE which as a result of predetermined tem-

24    perature, rate of temperature rise, products of combustion,

25    flame, or human intervention will discharge a fire extinguishing

26    substance over a fire area.





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 1         (j) "Governmental subdivision" means a governmental

 2    subdivision as defined in section 2 of the state construction

 3    code act of 1972,  Act No. 230 of the Public Acts of 1972, being

 4     section 125.1502 of the Michigan Compiled Laws  1972 PA 230, MCL

 5    125.1502.

 6         (k) "Heating", used alone, means the use of any fuel or

 7    electricity to generate heat in an air conditioning system.  When

 8    used with a qualifying term such as "hydronic", the term heating

 9    assumes the limited meaning expressed by  such  THE

10    qualification.

11         (l) "Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning" or "HVAC"

12    means the application of equipment and systems to provide air

13    conditioning for occupants of buildings and structures.  HVAC

14    does not include the installation of portable self-contained

15    refrigeration equipment and window-type air conditioners of not

16    more than 1-1/2 horsepower.

17         (m) "Hydronic heating and cooling" means the application of

18    equipment and systems which provide air conditioning by the con-

19    trolled forced circulation of fluids or vapors in pipes.

20         (n) "Michigan mechanical code" means part 9 of the general

21    rules of the state construction code commission, being

22    R 408.30907 to R 408.30998 of the Michigan administrative code.

23         (o) "Process piping" means any piping which is not part of a

24    system designed to provide air conditioning or of a refrigeration

25    system.  Process piping includes pipes which transfer chemicals

26    and other fluids, gases, or vapors for systems other than air





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 1    conditioning systems as covered by the Michigan mechanical code

 2    or an equivalent nationally recognized model mechanical code.

 3         (p) "Refrigeration" means the use of equipment and systems,

 4    including refrigeration piping, employing the refrigeration cycle

 5    to generate low temperatures for other than air conditioning

 6    equipment and systems.  Refrigeration includes such equipment and

 7    systems as supermarket refrigeration, industrial refrigeration,

 8    the preservation of biological materials, and food storage

 9    facilities.  Refrigeration does not include the installation of

10    portable self-contained units such as refrigerators, dehumidifi-

11    ers, and other similar equipment of not more than 1.5 horsepower

12    or other equipment exempted from the Michigan mechanical code.

13         (q) "Specialty license" means a license granted  pursuant

14     to  UNDER this act which allows the licensee to perform work

15    within limits established by the board in 1 or more of the work

16    classifications set forth in section 6(3).

17         (r) "Servicing" means the maintenance, repair, and servicing

18    of previously installed equipment and systems.

19         (s) "State construction code" means the rules promulgated by

20    the state construction code commission under section 4 of the

21    state construction code act of 1972,  Act No. 230 of the Public

22     Acts of 1972, being section 125.1504 of the Michigan Compiled

23     Laws  1972 PA 230, MCL 125.1504.

24         (t) "Limited heating service" means the servicing of

25    gas-designed sectional boilers having inputs of not more than 1

26    million British thermal units, utilizing a combustion safeguard

27    designed to shut off the main gas supply 10 or more seconds after



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 1    pilot flame failure, and all other gas-fired or solid-fuel

 2    equipment and systems limited to input ratings of less than

 3    400,000 British thermal units per unit; or oil-fired equipment

 4    and systems designed for the use of number 1 or number 2 fuel

 5    oil, having a maximum firing rate of less than 5 gallons per hour

 6    per unit; or electrical furnaces and electric boilers using the

 7    same kilowatts that are equivalent to the fossil fuel British

 8    thermal units generated.

 9         (u) "Limited refrigeration and air conditioning service"

10    means the servicing of refrigeration equipment and systems and

11    air conditioning equipment and systems employing the refrigera-

12    tion cycle of unlimited capacity utilizing group 1 refrigerants

13    as listed in the Michigan mechanical code or an equivalent

14    nationally recognized model mechanical code.

15         (v) "Unlimited heating service" means the servicing of heat-

16    ing equipment and systems without restrictions concerning thermal

17    capacity or grade of fuel oil or type of fuel.

18         (w) "Unlimited refrigeration and air conditioning service"

19    means the servicing of refrigeration equipment and systems and

20    air conditioning equipment and systems employing the refrigera-

21    tion cycle unlimited as to thermal capacity or type of

22    refrigerant.













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