255.285 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 subdivisions (b) and (c) of this section.#

(b)The specimen joint must be 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.#

(c)Additionally, in the case of a heat fusion, or adhesive joint, the joint must be:#

(1)tested under any one of the test methods listed under section 255.283(a), or for PE heat fusion joints (except for electrofusion joints) visually inspected and tested in accordance with ASTM F2620 (as described in section 10.3 of this Title) applicable to the type of joint and material being tested; or#

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

(3)cut into at least three longitudinal straps, each of which is visually examined and found not to contain voids or discontinuities on the cut surfaces of the joint area and deformed by bending, torque, or impact, and if failure occurs, it must not initiate in the joint area.#

(d)A person must be requalified 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 section 255.507 or 255.511 of this Part, by inspection by other than the joiner, or a combination of both.#

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