WAC 296-46B-997   Engineer approval.  (1) This section describes the methods required to obtain recognition and accreditation of professional engineers registered under chapter 18.43 RCW to approve industrial utilization equipment. This section provides assurance to the general consuming public that electrical products have been tested for safety and identified for their intended use.

     (2) Industrial utilization equipment is considered to be safe when it is certified by an engineer accredited by the department.

     (a) The department may declare industrial utilization equipment unsafe if:

     (i) The equipment is not being manufactured or produced in accordance with all standards of design and construction and all terms and conditions set out in the certification report for the equipment referred to in this chapter;

     (ii) The equipment has been shown by field experience to be unduly hazardous to persons or property;

     (iii) An examination of the equipment or of the certification report for the equipment shows that the equipment does not comply with all applicable standards; or

     (iv) An examination of the certification report or the equipment shows that the equipment cannot be installed in accordance with this chapter.

     (b) When the department declares industrial utilization equipment unsafe, the department will notify the product owner and the certifying engineer in writing.


Accreditation - general.


     (3) The department's chief electrical inspector's office reviews requests for accreditation. Applicants must submit supporting data to document and verify the requirements of this section have been met.

     (4) The accreditation of an engineer will be valid for the period of three years.

     (5) On-site inspection of an engineer's facilities.

     (a) On-site inspection of the facility(ies) may be required during the initial application process or the renewal process. Representative(s) of the department will evaluate for compliance with accreditation criteria.

     (b) The applicant must pay all costs associated with the on-site inspection.

     (6) For purposes of chapter 19.28 RCW, all engineers who certify industrial utilization equipment offered for sale in the state of Washington must be accredited by the department.

     (7) Fees are payable as required in WAC 296-46B-911.

     (8) The engineer must apply for renewal of accreditation at least thirty days prior to the accreditation expiration date. The department will renew accreditation for the period of three years or notify the renewing engineer of the department's reason(s) of refusal following receipt of the completed form and renewal fee.

     (9) The department accepts or denies engineer accreditation for engineers seeking to evaluate industrial utilization equipment within the state. Accreditation is determined when an engineer provides evidence to the department that all the requirements of this chapter are met. Accreditation is determined by the department and prior to making a determination, the department may require information and documentation to be provided by the engineer.

     (a) Accreditation is subject to review when deemed necessary by the department. The engineer must pay all costs associated with on-site review.

     (b) Every accredited engineer must continue to satisfy all the conditions specified in this chapter during the period of the accreditation. An engineer must furnish the department an annual report detailing the extent of its activities for the year. The report must include, but not be limited to:

     (i) The number of industrial utilization equipment items approved;

     (ii) Organizational structure of the engineer's company;

     (iii) Statement of ownership of the engineer's company; and

     (iv) Reports of litigation, which in any way were the result of or may affect any accreditation or testing of products covered by this chapter.

     (c) The department will notify the applicant of the accreditation results. A letter of accreditation from the department is proof of the accreditation of the engineer.

     (10) The engineer will be approved to certify industrial utilization equipment.


Suspension or revocation.


     (11) The department may suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew the department's accreditation of any engineer found to be in noncompliance with requirements of this chapter, the laws of the state of Washington, or submitting false information.

     (12) The department will serve written notice of intent prior to suspension, revocation, or refusal to renew the accreditation of an engineer.

     (13) An engineer, whose accreditation has been suspended, may not reapply for accreditation during the period of such suspension. An engineer, whose accreditation has been revoked, may reapply for accreditation no sooner than two years after the date of revocation of accreditation.


Business structure, practices, and personnel.


     (14) The engineer must be an independent, third-party organization with no organizational, managerial, financial, design, or promotional affiliation with owners, manufacturers, suppliers, installers, or vendors of products covered under the engineer's certification or evaluation programs.

     The engineer must have an adequate diversity of clients or activity so that the loss or award of a specific contract regarding certification or evaluation would not be a deciding factor in the financial well-being of the engineer.

     (15) The engineer must adequately meet the following business practices:

     (a) Perform the examinations, tests, evaluations, and inspections required under the certifications programs in accordance with the designated standards and procedures;

     (b) Assure that reported values accurately reflect measured and observed data;

     (c) Limit work to that for which competence and capacity is available;

     (d) Treat test data, records, and reports as proprietary information;

     (e) Respond to and attempt to resolve complaints contesting certifications and evaluation results;

     (f) Maintain an independent relationship between its clients, affiliates, and other organizations so the engineer's capacity to give certifications and evaluations objectively and without bias is not adversely affected; and

     (g) Notify the department within thirty calendar days should it become unable to conform to any of the requirements of this chapter.

     (16) Engineers accredited under this chapter must notify the department within thirty calendar days of any of the following:

     (a) Change in company name and/or address;

     (b) Changes in major test equipment which affect the ability to perform work for which accredited; or

     (c) Change in independent status.

     (17) The engineer must develop and maintain a certification or evaluation program plan that includes, but is not limited to:

     (a) The procedures and authority to ensure the product complies with the standard(s) established by the program;

     (b) A quality control system;

     (c) Verification and maintenance of facilities and/or equipment; or

     (d) Sample selection as applicable for product certifications, and for component testing as necessary for evaluations.

     The plan must demonstrate that the engineer has adequate facilities, and equipment to perform all certifications and testing for which it is accredited by the state of Washington. These elements must be contained in the engineer's operations control manual.

     (18) The engineer must develop and maintain a quality control system adequate to assure the accuracy and technical integrity of its work as follows:

     (a) The engineer's quality control system must include a quality control or engineer's operations control manual;

     (b) The quality control or engineer's operations control manual must be adequate to guide a testing technician or inspector in conducting the inspection, evaluation, and/or test in accordance with the test methods and procedures required for the engineer's certification and/or evaluation program(s); and

     (c) The engineer must have a current copy of the quality control or engineer operations control manual available for the engineer's use.

     (19) The engineer must have training, technical knowledge, and experience adequate to perform the tests, examinations, and evaluations for the certification and/or evaluation activities for which recognition is sought.

     (20) The engineer must:

     (a) Provide adequate safeguards protecting the engineer's status from the influence or control of manufacturers, vendors, owners, or installers of electrical products certified or tested by the engineer; and

     (b) Develop and maintain an adequate training program assuring that the engineer will be able to perform tasks properly and uniformly.


Recordkeeping and reporting - general.


     (21) The engineer must develop and maintain records and reports of those testing, inspection, certification, and evaluation activities associated with each piece of industrial utilization equipment. The engineer must retain these records for a minimum of three years.

     (22) The engineer must make available to the department, upon request, all records required by the department to verify compliance with this chapter.

     (23) Before beginning the work, the engineer must notify the department of the intent to evaluate using forms provided by the department. See WAC 296-46B-906 for fee information. The engineer's evaluation report must include:

     (a) Name and address of the engineer;

     (b) Name of client;

     (c) Address where the evaluated product is or will be installed;

     (d) Designation of standards used to certify or test the product including edition and latest revision (e.g., UL 508, 16th Edition, Feb. 1993, Revision Oct. 9, 1997);

     (e) Description of the overall product evaluated to include full nameplate data and equipment type;

     (f) A statement as to whether or not the results comply with the requirements of the standard;

     (g) Pertinent test evaluation data and identification of tests or inspections including anomalies;

     (h) The engineer's stamp; and

     (i) Any condition of acceptability or restrictions on use/relocation.

     (24) Within ten calendar days after affixing the evaluation mark, the engineer must submit a copy of the evaluation report to:

     (a) The department's chief electrical inspector submitted electronically in a format approved by the department;

     (b) Local electrical inspection office submitted electronically in a format approved by the department; and

     (c) Client submitted in any format acceptable to the client and engineer.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 19.28.006, 19.28.010, 19.28.031, 19.28.041, 19.28.061, 19.28.101, 19.28.131, 19.28.161, 19.28.171, 19.28.191, 19.28.201, 19.28.211, 19.28.241, 19.28.251, 19.28.281, 19.28.311, 19.28.321, 19.28.400, 19.28.420, 19.28.490, 19.28.551. 09-20-032, § 296-46B-997, filed 9/29/09, effective 10/31/09; 08-24-048, § 296-46B-997, filed 11/25/08, effective 12/31/08; 06-05-028, § 296-46B-997, filed 2/7/06, effective 5/1/06.]