Ord 1148 1/8/1934 F
r.
GAS ORDINANCE #1148
AN ORDINANCE O'FEATING A BOARD TO BE KNOWN AS THE "EXAMINING
BG� RD OF GAS FITTERS" ; PRESCRL ING THE M MBE=LSHIB OF S AID BOARD;
PRESCRIBING FOR EXAMINA 'ION OF AND ISSUANCE OF LICENSE TO GAS FITTERS:
PRESCRIBING THE 1ORK TO BE DONE BY LIBENSED GAS FITTERS; REQUIRING
PERMITS AND PRESCRIBING INSPECTION FEES; PROVIDING FOR INSPECTOR M
D FINING INSPECTORS DTITTES; `PRESCRIBING SPECIFICATIONS FOR GAS PIPING,-
REPEALING ORDINANCES #149 AND 267, PROVIDING A PENALTY; AND
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOAR) OF ALDWMEN OF THE CITY OF 7ICHTTA
FALT,S, TEXAS :
SECTION 1. Examin M7 Board of Gas Fitters Created: There Is
rAreblr created a Board to be known as the "Examining Board of Gas
Fitters" , which Board shall consist of the following; persons and members,
to-wit :
The City Engineer of th.p. City of Vficbl to Falls, the City Inspector
of Plumbing of the Ci tv of1vVichita Falls and the City Fire !�arshall of
the City of Wichita Falls, and two persons ha ing not less than five (5 )
years active and continuous experience in the installation of piping and
appliances in buildings and structures for the conve?rance and use of eras
for fuel. nunposes . Three members shall constitute a nuorum. l
SECTION 2 . Membership and Anpointment. The City Engineer, City
Inspector of Pl.umbi rm, andCit'r Fire Marshall shall be deemed ex-offi cio
members of said Board b,- virtue of the respective offices which they hold.
The other members of spdd Board shall. be a.npointecl bo tre Itf17^r 6f
;Jiclilta Falls, and such -r.no-1ntmentB gnnrovpd b- the Board of Aldermen.
All of the members of said Board sh^ 11 hold their respective positions
for a term i-.n be prescribed by the Board of Aldermen of the City of
eVichi to Falls, subject to the terms of this Ordin2nce and the qu all fi-
cations and disqualificat;.-ns prescribed by the CI tv Charter 7overn .ng
City employees and officers in their relation with the n,?bli.c.
SECTI('N % Cornersatjnn: Each rember of said Board shall serve
wi.th.nlit ^.onrensation.
SECTION 4. Duties of Board: It shall be the duty of said Board
to examine all a.nrllca.nts fairly and imnartially for the nurnn^e of
determining their respective oualifica_tinns; to re-examine anpl.i,cant4
who have been refused a gas fitters license; and to issue a ?as fitters
license +o each applicant -Pound to be, r-nif;k1if 3 ed . The name and address of
eanh person +-- •,hom a rras fi +;ters 13tense is igaued. shall be recorded b?r
the Bo++rd in a well bound book, which book shah also shorn; the number arcl
date of, each such gas fitters license. Said book shall be kept at all
times in the office of the City Inspector of Plumbing.
SECTION 5. Rules of Proceedur, e: Said Board, as noon after annolnt-
ment as practicable, shall prescribe rules of proceedure for the examin-
ation and re-examination of applicants for gas fitters license, providing
for the examination of each such applicant within a reasonable time after
application for license is prbsented to the Board. An application for a
gas fitters license shall be deemed to have been made to the Board when
a written application therefor stall have been delivered to the Secretary
of the Board, the City Engineer or the City Plumbing Inspector.
SECTION 6. Emergency License : Whenever an annli_cant for teas
fitters license having on file an a.nnlication therefor -hall present
to the Ci.t1r Engineer an af_ficavi.t signed by two credible persons stating
that they have each had at least five (5) .years experience in gas fitting
and that they have examined into such applicants qualifications to work
as a gas fitter and believe him qualified, it shall be the duty of the
Ci.t-xr E nalneer to issue forthwith to such applicant an emergency gas
fitters license, which shall be effective until the hoard has ermined
said applicant and granted or refused him a license.
SECTION 7. Re-examination and appeal: Should any anplicant for a
gas fitters license be unable to answer correctly more than seventy (70 )
per cent of the questions in his first examination, he may submit to the
Board a written request for re-examination, which re-examination shall be
given him w16.thin ninety (90) days after delivery of such written request
to the Secretary of the Board. It shall then be the duty of the Board to
prerare the questions to be asked such applicant iinon re-examination and
at the same time to lod7e with the City Attorney the correct written
answers to such questions . If. upon re-examination, the Board shall re-
.fuse a1_1ch -nnl i.cant a_ 1 i tense, he ma-7 anne:91 to the Citv Manager for a
review of his examination paner and his answers thereto, and it shall
thereupon be the duty of said Bo-,,,.rd to submit to the City Attorney the
written answers of said anplicant to the re-examination questions . The
City Attorney shall. then compare the same with trQ correct; written
answerer thereto previously _1_odfred with him by the Board and make a written
report the-Pon to the C t?r Manager for his action. Tn so doing, the City
Attorney ma-Y c4ll to his aid such asglstance as he gees fit. If it annears
from the Cit-r Attorneyt s report that said �ppl3 cant has correctly a..nswer, e�?
seventy (70) per cent of the questions propounded to him on re-examination,
the City Manager shall forthwith., upon comnliance by said annl i cant wi tb
the other nrovisi.ons of this Ordi_nar.ce, cRuse to be issued to him a gas
fitters license, But if it should, appear that said applicant has f.ii led.
to onsiver aorr.ectly seventy* (70 ) per cent; of the nuestions Aronoi.l.ndRd to
him on re-examination, the action of the Board in refusing him a gas
fitters license sl all be aff .rried„
SECTION S. Exf:mination, Fee : Each annlicant for examination or
re-el,,amination, shall nay to the Board an examination fee of Two ( 2.00)
Doi 1 -rs , .'-1 ch fee shall. be, used to defray the legitimate Pxnenses of the
Board.
SECTION 9. License ,nd License Fee: Each gas fitters license shall
be effective during the calendar year in which same is issued. The license
shall be Six ( 6*00) Dollars, paylrble to the City Clerk of the City of
V11,chtt'a. Falls . Each holder of an 1anrevoked license shall. be erti.tled to
renew said license annually !^ri.thout being re-examined by the Board by pay-
ment- of said license fee. 1here ^ -as fitters l .(^ense is issued at a time
when the same will be effective for only a, norti.on of a year, the license
fee shall be at the rate of Fifty (50) bents per nonth for each month or
part thereof during which s-)id License shall be effective.
:;SECTION 10. Bond: All persons, firms, or corporations carrying on
a gas fatting business in the City of Wichita Falls under the terms of this
Ordinance shall execute and deliver to the Ctty of Wichita Falls a surety_
bond in the sum of One Thousand ($1,000.00) Dollars, payable to the
City of Wichita Falls, which bond shall be conditioned that all persons,
firms, or corporation engaging in the business of gas fitting shall do
all gas fitting in houses and on premises within the City limits of Wichita
Falls so that such gas fitting shall, conform to the rules and regulations
provided by this Ordinance. In caseiany person, firm or corporation so
engafged in the gas fitting business shall tail or .refuse to install,
construct , or repair any gas pining or apnliances in accordance with the
remilaticns of this ordinance the owner of any such house or premises who
may be aggrieved or injured thereby may have recourse on said bond;
n.rovid.ed that in such case such work iq disapproved b, the inspectdr of
plumbing as herein provided. If the said gas fitter fails or refuses to
recti.fv or change such gas pining or a.npliancPs so as to comply tith the
gas fitting regulations, then after three (3 ) days from the time notice
wa.s given it sh:al, be the dutTr of said sureties on the bond herein sreci-
fi ed to make the reau .red changes . Said bond shall be written for the
eff6ctiire neriod of the license issued to the persons, firma , or corno»a-
t .ons , n r,r7 !hall be renewed each ;7ear on January 1.
SECTTON 11. Licenser Non-Transferable. No gas fitters license
shall be transferred. No ,person, firm or corporation carrying on a gas
.fitting business shall allow hi.s, her, or their names to be used by any
person directly, or indirectly, ,
either to obtain a permit or hermits
or do any work' under his , her, or their license . Any person , firm or
cor. nnratinn guilty of this nractIce 4.11. have his * rer or their license
revoked.
SECTION .12 . Licensed Plumbers not Required to Obtain Gas Fitters
Licenses No Licensed journeyman plumber having; an effective and un-
revoked master plumbing license front the City of Wichita Falls to engage
in plumbing work therein shall be required to obtain a gas fitters
license in order to engage In the business of gas fitting. He shall,
however, executd the bond nrovi.ded for in Section 10,
SECTION 13. Property Owner Not Required to Have Licenses Nothing
in this Ordinance shall be constni.ed to nrohi.bi_t an owner of nrorerty
installing gas pines and making repairs to broken or ,�_amaged gap nines
^n his own nronerty. The owner shall also have the ric�b.t to connect gas
stoves to any outlet. Owners of gas stoves, or appliances, shall have the
right to disconnect their stoves from gas lines and connect them to gas
ou-t, ets where they exrnect to become consumers of gas . In making such re-
na.irs, or to connect or disconnect such stoves, the nronerty or stove
owners shall have the right to cut off the gas at the meter. , but in each
case where R stove is disconnected. the nronerty owner or stove owner
performing the work must pronerly cap the outlet to prevent any gas that
may be In the hol,ise pipir_p, from escaning; into the house. To perform
these flinctions on his own premises the owner of the nronerty or stove
shall hot be required to become a licensed has fitter, provided that all
such work performed shall comply with the Ci.tv' s regulations. A%:Xxwx=wt14
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SECTION 14. Powers and Duties of City Plumbing Inspector: The
City Plumbing Inspector qnd his assistants are hereby authorized, em-
powered and directed to enforce the provisions of this ordinance and
discharge the duties hdrein given them, and in so doinr.= shall be subject
to the control and direction of the City Er4neer,
SECTION 15. Permit Required : No hci ise Ras pining or nermanent
apnli ante shall be installed, constructed, reconstructed or repaired
within the City of Wichita Falls until a. hermit to do such work shall
have first been obtained from the City Plumbinn Tnspector; nrovided no
perrn t sha1.1 be required for repair or replacement of parts on any slier.
appliance i.vhere no chanize or ad.i,istment of house gas piping is required.
SECTION lc>. Certificate of Inspection Required: It shal.1 be un-
lawful. for any ;public utility company serving gas to serve gag through
any system of house gas ni.ning; hereafter installed until. the City Plumbing
Inspector has given a certificate showing; that such sys tern has been in-
spected and is found to oe in accordance with the nrov1lions of this
Ordinance. Every person hereafter obtaining a permit to reconstruct or
repair any system of rouse gag nipinR shall furnish. the nubl o utility
then serving the premises on which said mrst•em of house gas piping is
located with a copy of such permit and information. as to when the gas
Is to be cut off to mrmit such work and after the gas is cut off for
such purpose, it shall be unlawful for such public utility company, or
person, to turn gas into s-,*stem of house gas piping until the Plumbing
Inspector shall have furnished his certificate that said work has been
comnleted in compliance with provisions of this ordinances
vVh.ile repairs are being made to gas fired appliances licensed
gas fitters must cut off the gas at the meter and cap the appliance
outlet before turning on the gas.
SECTION 17. permits : Before issuing any hermit provided in this
Ordinance, the City Plumbing Inspector may require the applic.a.nt therefor
to file wI th .h m plans and snecifications of the work to be done pursuant
to such perniit.
SECTION 18. Inspection: Annlication for. insnect,.nn b,.r tre City
Plumb r- Tnsnector of anv system of house gas pipinm and every perma.nenf
ann i,ance hereafter inst:�.11ed, reconstructed, remodeled or re-�,,tred shall
be made bar the person obtaininn, the permit therefor after suoh tirork has
been comnieted and all outlets canned, but wh le all work done is still
accessible and subject to visual inspection- and it shall be unlawful for
ang person to conceal from view or make ina.ncessible to actual vi ^tial
insne^tion an7r su^h work hereafter done until the same has been inspected
by the City Plumbing; Inspector and his certificate thereof furnished. Such
Insnector shall satisfy himself that such work is in conformity with the
Ordinances of the City of 0lichito Falls and does not leak under a pressure
of ten inches (10" ) of mercury column for a period of fifteen (15) minutes ,
such test to be made in the presence of the Plumbing; Insnector b?* the
person havinn; the nermi t for the work. Such Tnsnector shall be rerluired
to make an insnec'- ,on of all house gas nininq �_nd nermanent annliances
before any part thereof shall be concealed from view, and a final inspection
w?,en 9.11 (11itlets are properly closed and nermanent f i.>tures installed and.
connected. A cony of the Tnspectort s certifi,ca.te shall be filed, wit? the
.Ta1ibli.c ut-il.i.t-v servi nm the buildi.nr; iinmediatelv upon the comnle'tion nf'
the insne,,ti_nn and shah be retained bzr the rnub l is uti.l.i t,r servinfT the
l� ti.l�Ji.n{ or strunture in which has equinment is located at the time the
aas is turned Into the rouse gas pininrr.
SECTION l.�a . T,ea.kl.rr' or Defective Gas Pine and Enuinment : Every
person learning of a leak or defect in a.nir system of house r^a.s nininr*,
o» nn-r pas nininr, a.nnliance or fixture shall fortt��rr +�,. reran^+ -I facts
In connection therewith in writinq, to the City pllzmbin * Insnector. The
Cite Pliimbin7 Insnector shall, thereupon inspect all Fas -oi.rinrr and equip"
ment in the bui,Trlinsr a-nd structure named in such report, and if he finds
leaks or defects in anv aas enuipment therein, he may order the public
utili tv se ry .nrr such bli:t i.dinc! nr structure to turn off the ryas; and it
shall thereafter be unlawful for any p?ab" ^ uti li.ty, or perso3.lto turn
on such -,as again until the PluT bar r Insnector has given his cerui fi. ate
s,,,nh. " eak or def'ent has been repaired or rEemoveci.
SECTION 20. Permit and. inspect _nn Fees : All nermit a.nd i_r.snec!- .on
fees shall. be paid to t"he City En-i.rPer. 71here a nermit has been obtained
to do ,!ork, such nermi. fee shall r a_over nd i.}-iclud.e o -�ne nsnectio
t; n there-
of b,r tl-,e pl .i.riblr- 'Ins-e^t t?r . The minimum nerml.t fee shall be One
($1 .00) Dollar. For re-inspection of house ^-as pining or n :rrnanent
anrli..ances not foijnd to be In nccordannn ^pith CitTT Ordin,�nee, a fee; of
Ore (81.00 ) Doll — ^ha.l l be. ch;.irf.v.ed. For s -as fired grater heater and its
outlet, tl,e fee shall. be +-he same ,as nno nlumbinr, fixture, as provided
in t�?8 (!It" U1?7rnb Tics Ordinance • For insnec.t` On of A{i. ztl.n,* bras ni.n nrz'
and er,111nment '.n i or Strunture to determine leaks or defects.,
after rennrt t-ti,ereof, the inspection fee shall be One ($1. .00 ) Dollar*
SECTION 21. Specifications for Gas Piping, Fitting, and
Appliances; (a) No person, except the public utility owning the main.. to
which such pipe is connected, shall install any pipe leading from the
main in the street, alley, or easement to the cut-off location.
(b ) Gas meters and meter locations prepared for gas meters shall
be so located as to make the meter readily accessible for examination,
reading and replacement. Deters and meter locations shall in all cases
be placed at a safe distance from equipment where there is an unguarded
flame or the possibility of electric sparks.
(c ) When, to accomodate different tenants, one or more meters
are desired in a given building, the public utility companies will set
as many meters as there are separate consumers, connecting the meters to
one service pipe, provided that the meter loops leading; to the different
tenants are extended to makifold service nine.
(d) Pipe used in gas installation shall be of the best quality
steel or irrought iron, black or galvanized, free from splits or other
defects,
(e ) That hereafter all pipes placed for the conveyance of natural
gas in any house, residence, building or structure in the City of Jichita
Falls shall be of the following dimensions :
FOR HOUSE FIVE ROOMS OR LESS:
Main line to meter 14 inch.
Meter to small boiler or furnace, not less than 14 inch.
Meter to first opening, three firea or less, 1 inch.
Meter to first opening, more than three fires, 14 Inch.
First N+ second opening, 1 inch .
Sect-nd to fourth � inch.
N(1USES OVER 77TE -POTNIS 7T TH TEN OR TESS:
No. FIRES LEiJCxTH PIPE SIZE
1 io 1-2
1 30 3-4
1 100 1
1 350 1 1-4
2 20 3w4
2 60 1
2 16n 1 1-4
3 40 1
3 120 1 1-4
4 20 1•
4 90 1 1-4
5 70 1, 1Q4
5 125 1 36-2
6 40 1 1-4
6 90 1 1-2
7 30 1 1-4
7 75 1 1-2
8 1.5 1 1-4
8 50 1 1-2
9 40 1 1-2
10 30 1 1-2
For more than ten fires or houses larger than ten rooms, the
City Plumbintr Inspector shall. nrescribe the necessary; sizes and lengths .
For houses of from f1ve to ten rooms the ni-oe from main line to meter
91i.a11 be 1 1-2 inch.
(f) Gas lines to water heaters shall be run in the most direct
manner with what is known as a preferred connection, a connection on
which all other branches are taken off the side and not from the topf�n
order that there will always be enough gas to the water heater and prevent,
as far as practicable, the nvssibility of the pilot light being, extir_truished
when the deriand of the fixtures or appliances is healy.
(g ) The house pining shall be securer fastened to the floor joists
or sills with either galvanized pipe straps or ripe hooks or with per-
fors.ted pipe straps, such supports to be at intervals not to e_xceed ten
(10) feet and graded to low point.
(h) No person shall install or conneet a.n-r hot water beater for
heating water by lisp, of natural or artificial 7as as fuel unless it is
provided with ^ metall.i.c hood to Which shall be connected a suitable
ventilating pipe, not less in any case than three (3) inches in. diameter
and in no case smaller than the d1pneter of the vent connection in the
hood. Bents shall, be installed as provided in Ordinance 4, 1070.
(i ) Gas fired boilers used for hea`-i.ng, or otherwise, mazr have an
automatic pressure control regulator so connected with. boiler that same
will. raise or lower the flow of 7as as the boiler pressure raises or lowers ,
and boilers shall be equipped with a pilot connected ahead of regulator.
When regulator is controlled by steam pressure no control valve on steam
line bd allowed unless same has a lock shield and then same shall be
placed immediately at -point where control line ].eaves steam connection on
header of boiler, as the case may be. Each boiler shall be separately
controlled bs,T an automatic pressure control v-,lve, unless boilers are
worked continuously in batteries. No cross connection of control rev�rlators
fib} will be permitted. Tn all cases a valve must be placed ahead of
regulator so that the gas ma.tr be turned off in case regulator valves rl^
nct function.
(i ) Gas connection to stoves, ranges, cooking; stoves, radiators
and hot water heaters and any other gas fired appliances shall, in all
cases, be made by rl.gid metal connections in all residences and buildings,
except flexible tubing approved by the National Board of Fire Underwriters,
hot over six (6 ) feet in length may be used for connections for small
portable heating appliances in :�ri.vate residences, provided. there is no
valve on such portable heatintz annl.i_ance.
(k) White or red lead, and pine cement of anTr kind must be used
in liquid form so as not to clog the pine and. shall be annlied on male
threads only.
(1 ) No cast iron fitting smaller than .four (4 ) inches shall be
used.
(m ) No gas fired appliance nor any portion of same which comes in
direct c.nntact with the etas flames or hot gases shall be placed closer
than six (6 ) Inches to any woodwork or wood lath and plaster partition
unless such woodwork or partition isubronerly protected by asbestos or
metallic shields . Such shields shall be securely attached so as to pre-
serve space of not .less than one (1 ) inch between shield and woodwork,
and where such shield is so placed the clearance, as hereinbefore sneci-
fi ed, may be reduced to four (4) inches.
(n ) Unions and valves must not be used in concealed, work but
long', threads, or right ar.d left hand fitting, if necessary, shall re used.
All iizlions must be of ground joint type. Fittings used in conjunction with
nine laid in ground or concrete shall be galvanized. No service sunnlTr
line from the ,urb cut-off to the rieter shall be laid under a building
unless it is impossible to re9ch the meter location otherwise.
(o) Bushings shall not in any case be used. Where necessary to
reduce pipe sizes reducers shall be used if reducing fitting is not
available.
(p) No soft seat valves or gate valves shall be allowed and all
stems of valves installed shall be repacked with graphite or asbestos
packing. Valves must be left in an accessible place so that the stuffing
box of the valves can be repacked. All valves shall be placed with the
pressure side to the pressure.
(q) The use of split pipe and fittings, or fittings with sand
holes, will not be allowed but must be replaced with perfect material,
The use of gas fitters' cement , or other compounds, for repairing leaks,
is prohibited. The use of rusty, pitted, or corroded pipe and fittings
will be condemned. Branch outlet pipes shall not be taken from below
mains of running lines.
(r) Lead pipe, lead or rubber washers must not be used under
any circumstances.
(s) No gas burning appliance which does not meet the specifi-
cations of the American Gas Association shall be installed or approved
unless the sans is connected with a vent . No heater concealed in the
wall or floor shall be installed unless it bears the approval of the
National Board of Fire Underwriters Laboratories.
(t) All vent pipes passing through attic spaces, or otherwise
concealed, shall be of rust and corrosion resistant materials. If
sheet metals are used they shall be not less than twenty six (26) gauge
in thickness.
SECTION 22. Any person, firm, or corporation violating any of
the provisions of this ordinance shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor
and upon conviction thereof shall be fined in any sum not to exceed
� 200.00.
SECTION 23. Ordinance Numbers 149 and 267, and all other
ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby
repealed.
SECTION 24. The fact that the City has no adequate gas fitters
ordinance creates an emergency requiring suspension of the rules
requiring that ordinances be read on three separate days and such rules
are hereby suspended and this ordinance is hereby declared an emergency
measure and shall take effect immediately after its passage and approval.
PASSED AND APPROVED this 8th day of January 1934.
^dalter 141elson, Jr. , Mayor
ATTEST:
W. E. PicBroom, City Clerk