Chapter 3703 | Plumbing

Section 3703.01 | Division of industrial compliance - powers and duties.

• Effective: September 30, 2021
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 110 - 134th General Assembly

(A) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the division of industrial compliance in the department of commerce shall do all of the following:

(1) Inspect all nonresidential buildings within the meaning of section 3781.06 of the Revised Code;

(2) Condemn all unsanitary or defective plumbing that is found in connection with those places;

(3) Order changes in plumbing necessary to insure the safety of the public health.

(B)(1)(a) The division of industrial compliance, boards of health of city and general health districts, and county building departments shall not inspect plumbing or collect fees for inspecting plumbing in particular types of buildings in any municipal corporation that is certified by the board of building standards under section 3781.10 of the Revised Code to exercise enforcement authority for plumbing in those types of buildings.

(b) The division shall not inspect plumbing or collect fees for inspecting plumbing in particular types of buildings in any health district that has given the division written notice that it intends to inspect plumbing in the particular types of buildings and that either:

(i) Employs one or more plumbing inspectors, certified pursuant to section 3781.10 of the Revised Code, to enforce Chapters 3781. and 3791. of the Revised Code and the rules adopted pursuant to those chapters relating to plumbing in those types of buildings;

(ii) Has a contract with a board of county commissioners or another board of health, entered pursuant to division (C) of this section, that authorizes a county building department or the other board of health to inspect plumbing in the particular types of buildings in the health district.

(2) No county building department shall inspect plumbing or collect fees for inspecting plumbing in any type of building in a health district unless the department is authorized to inspect that type of building pursuant to a contract described in division (C)(1) of this section.

(3) No municipal corporation shall inspect plumbing or collect fees for inspecting plumbing in types of buildings for which it is not certified by the board of building standards under section 3781.10 of the Revised Code to exercise enforcement authority.

(C)(1) The board of health of a health district may enter into a contract with a board of county commissioners to authorize the county building department to inspect plumbing in buildings within the health district. The contract may designate that the department inspect either residential or nonresidential buildings, as those terms are defined in section 3781.06 of the Revised Code, or both types of buildings.

(2) The board of health of a health district may enter into a contract with the board of health of another health district to authorize that board to inspect plumbing in buildings within the contracting board's district. The contract may designate the inspection of either residential or nonresidential buildings as defined in section 3781.06 of the Revised Code, or both types of buildings.

(D) Standards and methods prescribed in local plumbing regulations shall not be less than those prescribed in Chapters 3781. and 3791. of the Revised Code and the rules adopted pursuant to those chapters.

(E) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the division shall make a plumbing inspection of any building or other place that there is reason to believe is in a condition to be a menace to the public health.

Last updated August 18, 2021 at 1:51 PM

Section 3703.03 | Division to enforce rules governing plumbing.

• Effective: September 30, 2021
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 110 - 134th General Assembly

In the administration of sections 3703.01 to 3703.08 of the Revised Code, the division of industrial compliance shall enforce rules governing plumbing adopted by the board of building standards under authority of sections 3781.10 and 3781.11 of the Revised Code.

Plans and specifications for all plumbing to be installed in or for buildings coming within such sections shall be submitted to and approved by the division before the contract for plumbing is let.

Last updated August 18, 2021 at 1:52 PM

Section 3703.04 | Plumbing inspectors.

• Effective: September 10, 2012
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 487 - 129th General Assembly

The superintendent of industrial compliance shall appoint such number of plumbing inspectors as is required. The inspectors shall be practical plumbers with at least seven years' experience, and skilled and well-trained in matters pertaining to sanitary regulations concerning plumbing work.

Section 3703.05 | Right of entry.

• Effective: September 10, 2012
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 487 - 129th General Assembly

Plumbing inspectors employed by the division of industrial compliance assigned to the enforcement of sections 3703.01 to 3703.08 of the Revised Code may, between sunrise and sunset, enter any building where there is good and sufficient reason to believe that the sanitary condition of the premises endangers the public health, for the purpose of making an inspection to ascertain the condition of the premises.

Section 3703.06 | Issuance and posting of certificate - revocation.

• Effective: September 10, 2012
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 487 - 129th General Assembly

When any building is found to be in a sanitary condition or when changes which are ordered, under authority of this chapter, in the plumbing, drainage, or ventilation have been made, and after a thorough inspection and approval by the superintendent of industrial compliance, the superintendent shall issue a certificate, which shall be posted in a conspicuous place for the benefit of the public at large. Upon notification by the superintendent, the certificate shall be revoked for any violation of those sections.

Section 3703.07 | Application for plumbing work permit - fees.

• Effective: September 10, 2012
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 487 - 129th General Assembly

No plumbing work shall be done in any building or place coming within the jurisdiction of the division of industrial compliance, except in cases of repairs or leaks in existing plumbing, until a permit has been issued by the division.

Before granting such permit, an application shall be made by the owner of the property or by the person, firm, or corporation which is to do the work. The application shall be made on a form prepared by the division for the purpose, and each application shall be accompanied by a fee of twenty-seven dollars, and an additional fee of seven dollars for each trap, vented fixture, appliance, or device. Each application also shall be accompanied by a plan approval fee of eighteen dollars for work containing one through twenty fixtures; thirty-six dollars for work containing twenty-one through forty fixtures; and fifty-four dollars for work containing forty-one or more fixtures.

Whenever a reinspection is made necessary by the failure of the applicant or plumbing contractor to have the work ready for inspection when so reported, or by reason of faulty or improper installation, the person shall pay a fee of forty-five dollars for each reinspection.

All fees collected pursuant to this section shall be paid into the state treasury to the credit of the industrial compliance operating fund created in section 121.084 of the Revised Code.

The superintendent of industrial compliance, by rule adopted in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, may increase the fees required by this section and may establish fees to pay the costs of the division to fulfill its duties established by this chapter, including, but not limited to, fees for administering a program for continuing education for, and certifying and recertifying plumbing inspectors. The fees shall bear some reasonable relationship to the cost of administering and enforcing the provisions of this chapter.

Section 3703.08 | Duty to comply with notice.

• Effective: September 10, 2012
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 487 - 129th General Assembly

Any owner, agent, or manager of a building in which an inspection is made by the division of industrial compliance, a board of health of a health district, or a certified department of building inspection of a municipal corporation or a county shall have the entire system of drainage and ventilation repaired, as the division, board of health, or department of building inspection directs by its order. After due notice to repair that work is given, the owner, agent, or manager shall notify the public authority that issued the order when the work is ready for its inspection. No person shall fail to have the work ready for inspection at the time specified in the notice.

Section 3703.10 | Prosecutions and proceedings for violations.

• Effective: September 10, 2012
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 487 - 129th General Assembly

All prosecutions and proceedings by the division of industrial compliance for the violation of sections 3703.01 to 3703.08 of the Revised Code, or for the violation of any of the orders or rules of the division under those sections, shall be instituted by the superintendent of industrial compliance. All fines or judgments collected by the division shall be paid into the state treasury to the credit of the industrial compliance operating fund created by section 121.084 of the Revised Code.

The superintendent, the board of health of a general or city health district, or any person charged with enforcing the rules of the division adopted under sections 3703.01 to 3703.08 of the Revised Code may petition the court of common pleas for injunctive or other appropriate relief requiring any person violating a rule adopted or order issued by the superintendent under those sections to comply with the rule or order. The court of common pleas of the county in which the offense is alleged to be occurring may grant injunctive or other appropriate relief.

The superintendent may do all of the following:

(A) Deny an applicant certification as a plumbing inspector;

(B) Suspend or revoke the certification of a plumbing inspector;

(C) Examine any certified plumbing inspector under oath;

(D) Examine the records and books of any certified plumbing inspector if the superintendent finds the material to be examined relevant to a determination described in division (A), (B), or (C) of this section.

Section 3703.21 | Backflow advisory board - certification of backflow technicians - civil penalty.

• Effective: December 29, 2023
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 131 - 134th General Assembly

(A) Within ninety days after September 16, 2004, the superintendent of industrial compliance shall appoint a backflow advisory board consisting of not more than ten members, who shall serve at the pleasure of the superintendent. The superintendent shall appoint a representative from the plumbing section of the division of industrial compliance, three representatives recommended by the plumbing administrator of the division of industrial compliance, a representative of the drinking water program of the Ohio environmental protection agency, three representatives recommended by the director of environmental protection, and not more than two members who are not employed by the plumbing or water industry.

The board shall advise the superintendent on matters pertaining to the training and certification of backflow technicians.

(B) The superintendent shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to provide for the certification of backflow technicians. The rules shall establish all of the following requirements, specifications, and procedures:

(1) Requirements and procedures for the initial certification of backflow technicians, including eligibility criteria and application requirements and fees;

(2) Specifications concerning and procedures for taking examinations required for certification as a backflow technician, including eligibility criteria to take the examination and application requirements and fees for taking the examination;

(3) Specifications concerning and procedures for renewing a certification as a backflow technician, including eligibility criteria, application requirements, and fees for renewal;

(4) Specifications concerning and procedures for both of the following:

(a) Approval of training agencies authorized to teach required courses to candidates for certification as backflow technicians or continuing education courses to certified backflow technicians;

(b) Renewal of the approval described in division (B)(4)(a) of this section.

(5) Education requirements that candidates for initial certification as backflow technicians must satisfy and continuing education requirements that certified backflow technicians must satisfy;

(6) Grounds and procedures for denying, suspending, or revoking certification, or denying the renewal of certification, as a backflow technician;

(7) Procedures for issuing administrative orders for the remedy of any violation of this section or any rule adopted pursuant to division (B) of this section, including, but not limited to, procedures for assessing a civil penalty authorized under division (E) of this section;

(8) Any provision the superintendent determines is necessary to administer or enforce this section.

(C) The superintendent shall certify a backflow technician in accordance with Chapter 4796. of the Revised Code if either of the following applies:

(1) The individual holds a license or certification in another state.

(2) The individual has satisfactory work experience, a government certification, or a private certification as described in that chapter as a backflow technician in a state that does not issue that certification.

(D) No individual shall engage in the installation, testing, or repair of any isolation backflow prevention device unless that individual possesses a valid certification as a backflow technician. This division does not apply with respect to the installation, testing, or repair of any containment backflow prevention device.

(E) Whoever violates division (D) of this section or any rule adopted pursuant to division (B) of this section shall pay a civil penalty of not more than five thousand dollars for each day that the violation continues. The superintendent may, by order, assess a civil penalty under this division, or may request the attorney general to bring a civil action to impose the civil penalty in the court of common pleas of the county in which the violation occurred or where the violator resides.

(F) Any action taken under a rule adopted pursuant to division (B)(6) of this section is subject to the appeal process of Chapter 119. of the Revised Code. An administrative order issued pursuant to rules adopted under division (B)(7) of this section and an appeal to that type of administrative order shall be executed in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.

(G) As used in this section:

(1) "Isolation backflow prevention device" means a device for the prevention of the backflow of liquids, solids, or gases that is regulated by the building code adopted pursuant to section 3781.10 of the Revised Code and rules adopted pursuant to this section.

(2) "Containment backflow prevention device" means a device for the prevention of the backflow of liquids, solids, or gases that is installed by the supplier of, or as a requirement of, any public water system as defined in division (A) of section 6109.01 of the Revised Code.

Last updated December 29, 2023 at 7:06 AM

Section 3703.99 | Penalty.

• Effective: September 10, 2012
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 487 - 129th General Assembly

Whoever violates sections 3703.01 to 3703.08 of the Revised Code, or any rule the division of industrial compliance is required to enforce under such sections, shall be fined not less than ten nor more than one hundred dollars or imprisoned for not less than ten nor more than ninety days, or both. No person shall be imprisoned under this section for the first offense, and the prosecution always shall be as for a first offense unless the affidavit upon which the prosecution is instituted contains the allegation that the offense is a second or repeated offense.