This chapter provides for the comprehensive and uniform regulation of plumbing throughout Allegheny County to protect public health against the hazards of inadequate or insanitary plumbing; sets forth definitions; provides for a Division of Plumbing Inspection, a Plumbing Board, the contracting for inspection services with municipalities and provides for permits, fees, licenses, administration and imposing penalties.
A. 
The Allegheny County Health Department shall administer and enforce the provisions of this chapter and any rule or regulation pursuant thereto.
B. 
Any city, borough, or township in Allegheny County may administer the provisions of this chapter and the standards adopted by the Allegheny County Health Department pursuant thereto provided that a contract is entered into between the County of Allegheny and such jurisdiction whereby the latter would administer this chapter for mutually agreeable service charge. The persons who shall serve as inspectors in the contracting communities shall be appointed by the governing body of such city, borough or township and shall have such qualifications as set forth by the Department.
C. 
The Department shall approve or disapprove the applications and conduct examinations for licensing of Journeyman and Master plumbers and the registration of apprentice plumbers.
D. 
The Department shall revoke or suspend licenses for serious or repeated violations of this chapter.
E. 
No person appointed Chief Plumbing Inspector, Assistant Chief Plumbing Inspector, Supervisor or Inspector shall directly or indirectly be engaged in business or work regulated by this chapter during his employment with the Department.
A. 
The Board of County Commissioners shall appoint a Plumbing Board, hereafter referred to as the Board, to consist of the following 10 members:
(1) 
One representative of a City of the Second Class.
(2) 
Two representatives who shall be a Licensed Professional Engineer.
(3) 
One representative who shall be a Licensed Architect.
(4) 
One representative who shall be a Licensed Master Plumber.
(5) 
One representative of the Allegheny County League of Municipalities.
(6) 
One representative representing the Building Industry Liaison Committee.
(7) 
One representative from the Home Builder's Association.
(8) 
Two representatives who shall be a Licensed Journeyman Plumber.
B. 
Each Board member, except if he be a regular employee of the Allegheny County Health Department, shall be reimbursed for expenses actually incurred and shall be remunerated on a per diem basis for time actually spent in performance of the functions of the Board at a rate which shall be fixed from time to time by the Board of County Commissioners.
C. 
The Plumbing Board shall consist of 10 members as specified in Subsection A. Two members shall be appointed for a term of one year, two members for a term of two years and the remainder for a term of three years. Upon expiration of any term, all succeeding terms shall be for a term of three years, or until their successors are appointed and qualified. Excessive absenteeism shall be cause of dismissal of any member by the Board of County Commissioner.
D. 
The Plumbing Board shall elect its own Chairman and Vice-Chairman, and shall have the power to elect new officers in the event of a vacancy. A quorum shall consist of a majority of the presently appointed voting members of the Board. It shall meet within 30 days following the adoption of this chapter, and after, at the call of the Chairman, or such times as may be necessary for proper performance of its duties, but at least once during any six month period. The Board of County Commissioners shall appoint additional members to fill all vacancies. The Director and the Chief Plumbing Inspector shall be ex-officio members of the Board without the right to vote. The Chief Plumbing Inspector shall serve as Secretary for the Plumbing Board.
E. 
The policy of the County of Allegheny is hereby declared to be that through the combined participation of representatives of Government officials, industry and the public, the Director and Board shall strive continually to prevent public health hazards through improper plumbing installations and to promote sound plumbing practices.
F. 
The Board's duties shall include:
(1) 
Naming members of the Board to serve on behalf of the total Board to conduct hearings on appeals for the acceptance of new materials and/or methods pursuant to § 860-60. The Appeals Committee consisting of three Board members will be responsible for determining the acceptability of materials or practices, subject to the approval of the Board.
(2) 
Review the material standards and specifications at least once every two years and recommend changes, revisions, amendments, or additions of new sections to the article when conditions warrant such changes or additions.
(3) 
Act as an advisor to the Administrative Authority administering the provisions of this chapter.
Any person aggrieved by a notice may request and shall be granted a hearing pursuant to Chapter 805, Article I, provided that hearings related to new materials and methods shall be conducted pursuant to § 860-60. The person requesting a hearing shall, within 10 days from the day the notice was served, file in the office of the Director a petition for a hearing. A time and place for the hearing shall be set and the petitioner given written notice thereof.
Any interested party may request a variance from the provisions of this Code from the Director. All requests must be in writing, state the reasons for the request, and provide evidence that the variance will comply with the 23 principles contained in this Code and that it poses no real or potential hazard to the health, safety or welfare of the public or any individuals.
A. 
Summary offenses. Any person who violates any of the provisions of this chapter or any rule or regulation of the Allegheny County Department of Health, or who interferes with the Director or any other agent of the Department of Health in the discharge of his official duties, shall, for the first offense, upon conviction thereof in a summary proceeding before any alderman or justice of the peace of Allegheny County; or before any police magistrate if such offense be committed in a city of the second class, be sentenced to pay the costs of prosecution and a fine of not less than $30 nor more than $300 and, in default thereof, to undergo imprisonment of not less than 10 days not more than 30 days.
B. 
Misdemeanors. Any person, who violates any of the provisions of this chapter or any rule or regulation of the County Department of Health, or who interferes with a Health Director or any other agent of the Department of Health in the discharge of his official duties, convicted of a second or subsequent offense, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $1,000 or to undergo imprisonment not exceeding one year, or both.
C. 
Separate offenses. for the purpose of this section, violations on separate days shall be considered separate offenses. Each violation of any separate subsection or section of this chapter shall constitute a separate offense.
In the event of the failure to comply with an order issued pursuant to any section of this Code, the Director may institute appropriate actions or proceedings at law or in equity to restrain, correct or abate the violation of the order, or he may cause the order to be carried out at the expense of the County. The County may recover the amount of the expense by action of assumpsit, or, where appropriate in the manner provided by law for the collection of claims under the Act of May 16, 1923, P.L. 207,[1] or any amendment or reenactment thereof.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. 7101 et seq.
This chapter shall become effective July 1, 1969.
Should any section, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of these rules and regulations be declared unconstitutional or invalid for any reason, the remainder of said rules and regulations shall not be affected thereby.