Whereas, the Board seeks to ensure that these educational opportunities are provided under safe working conditions including adequate supervision;
Whereas, the Board seeks to ensure that all plumbing and gas fitting projects completed by students provide safe facilities for the members of the public who ultimately become the users of such facilities;
Now, therefore, the Board, after due consideration and in conjunction with meetings held with the Plumbing, Heating, Cooling Contractors Association Massachusetts Chapter of Vocational Technical Schools and Instructors, the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators, and the Massachusetts Department of Education, adopts the following policy in regard to on-the-job training programs for vocational technical school students:
1. The Board will only consider projects provided by vocational-technical programs approved by the Commissioner of Education per G.L. c. 74, et al.
2. Projects will only be considered, on a case-by-case basis, upon receipt of a completed Vocational Technical School Project Approval Application Form (available online).
3. In all instances, no project will be approved if the student-to-licensed plumber/gasfitter/ teacher ratio is greater than ten to one.
4. In determining whether to approve a project, among the factors that the Board will consider are:
a. The quality of the educational experience the project will provide for the students;
b. The safety of the participating students;
c. The safety of the users of the gas and plumbing facilities that are to be installed by the students;
5. The following types of projects generally will be approved:
a. Work in one family residences or duplexes.
b. Work performed within the confines of the vocational school or campus where the school is located.
6. The following types of projects generally will not be approved:
a. Work in condominiums or multistory apartment buildings or residences
b. Work in commercial buildings
c. Work in industrial buildings
d. Work in institutional buildings or public facilities.
The Board may consider, as possible exceptions to this general prohibition, small scale projects which meet the following criteria:
a. Projects involving 56 drainage fixture units or less;
b. Projects involving a two inch water main, or less; and
c. Projects involving gas work of less than 400,000 british thermal units.
Authorizing statue: G. L. c 142 § 3A.