Plastic pipe: Qualifying persons to make joints.

(a)No person may make a plastic pipe joint unless that person has been qualified under the applicable joining procedure by:#

(1)Appropriate training or experience in the use of the procedure; and#

(2)Making a specimen joint from pipe sections joined according to the procedure that passes the inspection and test set forth in paragraph (b) of this section.#

(b)The specimen joint must be:#

(1)Visually examined during and after assembly or joining and found to have the same appearance as a joint or photographs of a joint that is acceptable under the procedure; and#

(2)In the case of a heat fusion, solvent cement, or adhesive joint:#

(i)Tested under any one of the test methods listed under § 192.283(a), and for PE heat fusion joints (except for electrofusion joints) visually inspected in accordance with ASTM F2620 (incorporated by reference, see § 192.7), or a written procedure that has been demonstrated to provide an equivalent or superior level of safety, applicable to the type of joint and material being tested;#

(ii)Examined by ultrasonic inspection and found not to contain flaws that would cause failure; or#

(iii)Cut into at least 3 longitudinal straps, each of which is:#

(A)Visually examined and found not to contain voids or discontinuities on the cut surfaces of the joint area; and#

(B)Deformed by bending, torque, or impact, and if failure occurs, it must not initiate in the joint area.#

(c)A person must be re-qualified under an applicable procedure once each calendar year at intervals not exceeding 15 months, or after any production joint is found unacceptable by testing under § 192.513.#

(d)Each operator shall establish a method to determine that each person making joints in plastic pipelines in the operator's system is qualified in accordance with this section.#

(e)For transmission pipe installed after July 1, 2021, records demonstrating each person's plastic pipe joining qualifications at the time of construction in accordance with this section must be retained for a minimum of 5 years following construction.#