WEST virginia Legislature

2017 regular session

Introduced

Senate Bill 641

By Senators Jeffries, Beach, Miller, Ojeda, Plymale, Prezioso and Stollings

[Introduced March 17, 2017; referred
 to the Committee on Government Organization]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new article, designated §30-41-1 and §30-41-2, all relating to requiring welders working in the State of West Virginia to meet certain certification requirements and to conform to national welding standards.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new article, designated §30-41-1 and §30-41-2, all to read as follows:

ARTICLE 41.  Welders.

§30-41-1. Definitions.

As used in this article, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) “AWS” means the American Welding Society;

(2) “ASME” means the American Society of Mechanical Engineers;

(3) “Accredited testing facility” means a facility that tests and certifies welders and welding inspectors, and the facility has been accredited by the AWS;

(4) “Certified welding inspector” means a person who has been certified by the AWS to inspect structural steel welding projects;

(5) “D1.1” means Structural Welding Code - Steel, approved American National Standard from the AWS;

(6) “D1.5” means Bridge Welding Code, approved American National Standard, from the AWS jointly with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials;

(7) “Structural steel welding” means structural welds, weld repair, the structural system, and the welding of all primary steel members of a structure per D1.1 and D1.5; except where ASME work is required it shall be done by ASME certified welders; and

(8) “Welding standards” means the specifications, guidelines, tests, and other methods used to develop a system of quality control to ensure that welding is conducted in such a manner that all welds must meet, at a minimum, D1.1, D1.5, standards established by the AWS and the West Virginia Building Code.

§30-41-2. Licensing and Standards

To ensure the safety, quality, and integrity of structural steel welding and that all welding standards are met, the requirements of this section shall be mandated by general contractors, project managers, contractors, and subcontractors in all projects involving structural steel welding:

(1) Welders performing structural steel welding on a project in the field shall have been tested and certified by an accredited testing facility;

(2) Structural steel welding performed on a project in the field shall meet welding standards; and

(3) Structural steel welding performed on a project in the field shall be inspected by a certified welding inspector per job specifications.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require welders working in the State of West Virginia to meet certain certification requirements and to conform to national welding standards.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.