Education Hour and Course Content Requirements

(1) Board Certification Required. (a) All Public, Private, Proprietary, Occupational Trade Schools, College/University programs, or other educational programs must be certified by the Board in order to qualify for credit towards a Board issued license. (b) Educational Programs not certified by the Board shall not be granted any credit towards licensure unless the Board deems, in its discretion, that there was good cause for the program's failure to obtain certification. This paragraph shall not be deemed to prevent the Board from granting credit towards relevant non-plumbing/gas fitting education. (c) All educational programs certified by the Board must divide the education provided into Tiers as described in 248 CMR 11.00. (2) Administrative Requirements for Educational Programs. (a) Instructor Qualifications. 1. All instructors of plumbing courses must hold a master plumbers license. All instructors of gas fitting or undiluted liquefied petroleum gas installer courses must hold either a master gas fitter or master plumbers license. The Board may approve other individuals who would not otherwise qualify as instructors where those individuals have a demonstrated competency in subject areas applicable to the plumbing and gas fitting industry which is substantially equivalent to that held by normally qualified Board approved instructors. Additionally, the Board may approve individuals who possess specialized knowledge relating to the subject being taught. Subject to proper disclosure to the Division of Professional Licensure and to the Board, an agent or employee of the Division of Professional Licensure who would otherwise qualify as an instructor under 248 CMR 11.06 may serve, when not on duty, as an instructor for licensing education programs put on by a private or nonprofit entity. Such an individual may only serve as such an instructor so long as they take no part in any Board function regarding policies, procedures, approvals, or other official actions which could create a conflict of interest pursuant to relevant public ethics laws. (b) Education Hours Requirements for Apprentice Plumbers Who Must Follow the 550-clock Hour Program. 1. The course shall be segregated into five Tiers. 2. Each Tier shall contain 110 clock hours. Each Tier shall be consecutive and shall be designed to coincide with the years of experience of the apprentice student. 4. Each Tier shall be administered and designed in compliance with the standards issued by the Board. 5. Students shall be required to demonstrate proficiency and competency in each Tier by passing an examination designed by the school and/or the instructor. 6. Each Tier shall include coverage in but shall not be limited to the following subject areas: a. M.G.L. c. 142: Supervision of Plumbing; b. 248 CMR 3.00 through 11.00; c. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Rules and Regulations including the Construction Outreach Training Program; d. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS); and e. Dig Safe Systems in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, M.G.L. c. 82 § 40. 7. Students may not advance from one Tier to another until the clock hour and examination requirements of that Tier has been successfully completed. The Board may waive this requirement for good cause shown. Students need not complete all Tiers with the same school/provider, however, each individual Tier must be completed with the same school/provider. Notwithstanding this prohibition, a student may petition the Board to be permitted to complete an incomplete Tier with a different school/provider when the new provider is able to certify that the student will be able to complete all content areas of said Tier. (c) Education Experience for Apprentice Gas fitters Who Must Follow the 330-clock Hour Program. The 330-clock hour gas fitting educational program shall be segregated into three Tiers. 2. Each Tier shall contain 110 clock hours. Each Tier shall be consecutive and shall be designed to coincide with the years of experience of the apprentice student. 4. Each Tier shall be administered and designed in compliance with the standards issued by the Board. 5. Students shall be required to demonstrate proficiency and competency in each tier by passing an examination designed by the school and/or the instructor. 6. Each Tier shall include coverage in but shall not be limited to the following subject areas: a. M.G.L. c. 142: Supervision of Plumbing; b. 248 CMR 3.00: General Provisions Governing the Conduct of Plumbing and Gas Work Performed in the Commonwealth; c. 248 CMR 4.00: Massachusetts Fuel Gas Code; d. 248 CMR 5.00: Amendments to NFPA 54; e. 248 CMR 7.00: Large Gas Utilization Equipment; f. 248 CMR 8.00: Amendments to NFPA 58; g. 248 CMR 11.00; h. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Rules and Regulations including the Construction Outreach Training Program; i. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS); and j. Dig Safe Systems in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, M.G.L. c. 82, § 40. Students may not advance from one Tier to another until the clock hour and examination requirements of that Tier has been successfully completed. The Board may waive this requirement for good cause shown. 8. Students need not complete all Tiers with the same school/provider, however, each individual Tier must be completed with the same school/provider. Notwithstanding this prohibition, a student may petition the Board to be permitted to complete an incomplete Tier with a different school/provider when the new provider is able to certify that the student will be able to complete all content areas of said Tier. (d) Education Experience for Undiluted Petroleum Gas Installer Applicants Who Must Follow the 220-clock Hour Program. The 220-clock hour gas fitting educational program shall be segregated into two Tiers. 2. Each Tier shall contain 110 clock hours. Each Tier shall be consecutive and shall be designed to coincide with the years of experience of the apprentice student. 4. Each Tier shall be administered and designed in compliance with the standards issued by the Board. 5. Students shall be required to demonstrate proficiency and competency in each tier by passing an examination designed by the school and/or the instructor. 6. Each Tier shall include coverage in but shall not be limited to the following subject areas: a. M.G.L. c. 142: Supervision of Plumbing; b. 248 CMR 3.00: General Provisions Governing the Conduct of Plumbing and Gas Work Performed in the Commonwealth; c. 248 CMR 4.00: Massachusetts Fuel Gas Code; d. 248 CMR 5.00: Amendments to NFPA 54; e. 248 CMR 7.00: Large Gas Utilization Equipment; f. 248 CMR 8.00: Amendment to NFPA 58; g. 248 CMR 11.00; h. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Rules and Regulations including the Construction Outreach Training Program; i. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS); and j. Dig Safe Systems in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, M.G.L. c. 82, § 40. Students may not advance from one Tier to another until the clock hour and examination requirements of the preceding Tier has been successfully completed. 8. Students need not complete all Tiers with the same school/provider, however, each individual Tier must be completed with the same school/provider. Notwithstanding this prohibition, a student may petition the Board to be permitted to complete an incomplete Tier with a different school/provider when the new provider is able to certify that the student will be able to complete all content areas of said Tier. (e) No Grandfathering. All educational programs accepted by the Board for credit towards a license must meet the latest Board requirements regardless of when they were initially certified.