NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGES ON ELECTRICAL CODES, AMUSEMENT RIDES, TRAMWAYS, BOILER SPECIAL INSPECTOR COMMISSIONS, BOILER REPAIR TRACER TRACKING, AND JOURNEYMAN CERTIFICATES OF FITNESS IN THE REGULATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The Department of Labor and Workforce Development proposes to change regulations to adopt current electrical and tramway codes, to change the inspection and reporting requirements for amusement rides and tramways, to require an annual schedule for amusement rides, to adopt fees in the boiler program, and to require classroom hours for journeyman certificates of fitness.

The Department of Labor and Workforce Development proposes to adopt regulation changes in Title 8 of the Alaska Administrative Code, dealing with electrical codes, amusement rides, tramways, boiler special inspector commissions, boiler repair tracer tracking, and journeyman certificates of fitness, including the following:

1. 8 AAC 70.025 will be amended to adopt by reference the current versions of the National Electrical Code and the National Electrical Safety Code.

    

2. 8 AAC 78.020 will be amended to allow email notification of a new amusement ride and to require an operator to submit an inspection report and receive a certificate of operation every year before opening the ride to the public that year.

    

3. 8 AAC 78.025 will be amended to require an operator to submit an annual operating schedule of amusement rides.

    

4. 8 AAC 78.150 will be amended to allow fax, e-mail, or hand delivery of proof of insurance and to set out a procedure for reporting and inspection of amusement ride occurrences involving fatalities, injuries, and ride failures.

    

5. 8 AAC 78.250 will be amended to adopt by reference the current 2017 edition of the ANSI standards on tramways.

    

6. 8 AAC 78.290 will be amended to allow mail, fax, e-mail, or hand delivery of proof of insurance and to set out a procedure for reporting and inspection of tramway occurrences involving fatalities, injuries, and ride failures.

    

7. 8 AAC 80.040 will be amended to adopt a fee for a boiler special inspector commission identification card.

    

8. 8 AAC 80.120 will be amended to adopt a fee for boiler repair tracer number tracking.

    

9. 8 AAC 90.130 will be amended to require classroom hours to qualify for a certificate of fitness as a plumber journeyman and to clarify the types of apprenticeship and training programs that may be substituted for work experience.

    

10. 8 AAC 90.160 will be amended to require classroom hours to qualify for a certificate of fitness as an electrician journeyman and to clarify the types of apprenticeship and training programs that may be substituted for work experience.

     

11. 8 AAC 90.162 will be amended to require classroom hours to qualify for a certificate of fitness as a power lineman journeyman and to clarify the types of apprenticeship and training programs that may be substituted for work experience.

You may comment on the proposed regulation changes, including the potential costs to private persons of complying with the proposed changes, by submitting written comments to Becky Weimer, Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Labor Standards and Safety, P.O. Box 111149, Juneau, AK 99811-1149. Additionally, you may submit comments by facsimile at (907) 465-6012 and by electronic mail at becky.weimer@alaska.gov. Comments may also be submitted through the Alaska Online Public Notice System by accessing this notice on the system and using the comment link. The comments must be received not later than 3:30 p.m. on March 19, 2018.

You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action to Becky Weimer by e-mail at becky.weimer@alaska.gov or by mail to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Labor Standards and Safety, P.O. Box 111149, Juneau, AK 99811-1149. The questions must be received at least 10 days before the end of the public comment period. The Department will aggregate its response to substantially similar questions and make the questions and responses available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System.

If you are a person with a disability who needs a special accommodation in order to participate in this process, please contact Becky Weimer at (907) 465-6002 not later than March 9, 2018 to ensure that any necessary accommodation can be provided.

A copy of the proposed regulation changes is available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System or by contacting Becky Weimer, Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Labor Standards and Safety, P.O. Box 111149, Juneau, AK 99811-1149 or becky.weimer@alaska.gov or (907) 465-6002.

A copy of material proposed for adoption by reference may be viewed at the agency’s office at 1251 Muldoon Road, Suite 113, Anchorage, AK 99504.

After the public comment period ends, the Department of Labor and Workforce Development will either adopt the proposed regulation changes or other provisions dealing with the same subject, without further notice, or decide to take no action. The language of the final regulation may be different from that of the proposed regulation. You should comment during the time allowed if your interests could be affected.

Statutory authority: AS 05.20.070; AS 18.60.180; AS 18.60.220; AS 18.60.315; AS 18.60.360; AS 18.60.580; AS 18.60.600; AS 18.62.060.

Statutes being implemented, interpreted, or made specific: AS 05.20.020; AS 05.20.030; AS 05.20.040; AS 05.20.060; AS 05.20.070; AS 18.60.180; AS 18.60.220; AS 18.60.240; AS 18.60.315; AS 18.60.360; AS 18.60.580; AS 18.62.020; AS 18.62.030; AS 18.62.050; AS 18.62.070.

Fiscal information: The proposed regulation changes are not expected to require an increased appropriation.