02 DEPARTMENT OF PROFESSIONAL AND FINANCIAL REGULATION

658 MAINE FUEL BOARD

1. Chapter 3 CATEGORIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF LICENSURE

Summary: This Chapter describes the duties, responsibilities and limitations of licensure.

1. 3.1 Master Oil Burner and/or Solid Fuel Technician
   1. 3.1.1 License Authorities
      1. Capabilities for a master oil burner and/or solid fuel technician are limited to the following license authorities:
         1. 3.1.1.1 1 & 2 oils up to 15 GPH
         2. 3.1.1.2 1 & 2 oils over 15 GPH
         3. 3.1.1.3 4, 5, & 6 oils
         4. 3.1.1.4 1-6 oils
         5. 3.1.1.5 Pellet-fired central heating
         6. 3.1.1.6 Solid fuel
         7. 3.1.2 Mandatory Verification of Licensed Practical Experience

            Upon a valid request for verification of licensed practical experience by an apprentice or journeyman, a master oil burner and/or solid fuel technician shall provide a signed Affidavit documenting all licensed practical experience performed by a journeyman or an apprentice under the master oil burner and/or solid fuel technician’s supervision or employ.

3.1.3 Supervising Master

1. 3.1.3.1 When signing a Certificate of Supervision as required for an application for licensure pursuant to Chapter 4, Sections 4.2.1.4 and 4.3.1.2, a master oil burner and/or solid fuel technician is acknowledging all responsibility as that licensee’s supervising master.
   1. 3.1.3.2 A master oil burner and/or solid fuel technician cannot supervise an apprentice oil and/or solid fuel technician or journeyman oil burner and/or solid fuel technician whose license authority exceeds that of the master oil burner and/or solid fuel technician.
      1. 3.1.3.3 It is the duty of the supervising master to personally inspect any installation work performed by any journeyman for whom the supervising master is responsible at the conclusion of the installation.

3.1.4 Notice of Termination of Status as Supervising Master

1. Whenever a master oil burner and/or solid fuel technician ceases to be an apprentice’s or journeyman’s supervising master, they must notify the Board and supervisee in writing, a copy of which shall be kept in both the supervisee’s and the former supervising master’s file.
   1. 3.1.5 Responsibility for Work and Complete Installations
      1. A master oil burner and/or solid fuel technician who sells, contracts, dispatches or subcontracts any work or installation to another master oil burner and/or solid fuel technician or other licensee is responsible for the completion of the installation and the work performed. The master oil burner and/or solid fuel technician contracting the work and the licensee performing the work both have equal responsibility to ensure that all work complies with the Board’s rules.
      2. 3.1.6 Combination Oil/Solid Fuel Units

         A master oil burner technician may clean a combination unit and service and repair the oil burner assembly without direct supervision if they are licensed as an apprentice solid fuel technician.

      3. 3.1.7 Master 1 & 2 oils up to 15 GPH Installing Parts of Propane and Natural Gas Systems

         A master oil burner technician, who also holds a propane and natural gas helper license, may perform the following tasks.

         1. 3.1.7.1 Under the indirect supervision of a propane and natural gas technician with appliance connection and service authority as set forth in Section 3.7.1.1 of this Chapter may:

1. Set propane or natural gas fired boilers or warm air furnaces;

1. 2. Pipe radiation, vents, valves, etc.;
   1. 3. Install mains and returns to boiler or ductwork to a warm air furnace;
      1. 4. Connect make up water to boiler;
         1. 5. Install backflow preventer;
         2. 6. Install electric wiring to a breaker or fuse box, including service switch, thermal cut off and Emergency switch; and
         3. 7. Connect a tankless or indirect fired water heater within the boiler room or, if not enclosed, with fifteen (15) feet horizontally to the nearest branch water supply.
         4. 3.1.7.2 Under the direct supervision of propane and natural gas technician with appliance connection and service authority as set forth in Section 3.7.1.1 of this Chapter may:

1. Pipe or install any propane or natural gas lines;

2. Connect electrical wiring to any gas appliance control circuit;

3. Install any safety controls;

4. Install any flue pipe or tie appliance into chimney or vent system; and

5. Fire or adjust any gas appliance.

1. 3.2 Journeyman Oil Burner and/or Solid Fuel Technician
   1. 3.2.1 License Authorities
      1. Capabilities for a journeyman oil burner and/or solid fuel technician are limited to the following license authorities:
         1. 3.2.1.1 1 & 2 oils up to 15 GPH
         2. 3.2.1.2 1 & 2 oils over 15 GPH
         3. 3.2.1.3 4, 5, & 6 oils
         4. 3.2.1.4 1-6 oils
         5. 3.2.1.5 Pellet-fired central heating
         6. 3.2.1.6 Solid fuel
         7. 3.2.3 Supervising Master Required

            A journeyman oil burner and/or solid fuel technician must at all times have a supervising master who has signed a Certificate of Supervision that is on file with the Board. A journeyman oil burner and/or solid fuel technician shall not work on any oil burning and/or solid fuel equipment if for any reason they no longer have a supervising master.

         8. 3.2.5 License Authority of Supervising Journeyman vs. Apprentice

            A journeyman oil burner and/or solid fuel technician shall not supervise an apprentice oil burner and/or solid fuel technician whose license authority exceeds that of the journeyman oil burner and/or solid fuel technician.

         9. 3.2.6 Limitation on Number of Apprentices

            A journeyman oil burner and/or solid fuel technician shall not have more than two (2) apprentice technicians working under the journeyman’s direct supervision at any one time.

         10. 3.2.7 Combination Oil/Solid Fuel Units

             A journeyman oil burner technician may clean a combination unit and service and repair the oil burner assembly without direct supervision if they are also licensed as an apprentice solid fuel technician.

         11. 3.2.8 Journeyman 1 & 2 oils up to 15 GPH Installing Parts of Propane and Natural Gas Systems

             A journeyman oil burner technician, who also holds a propane and natural gas helper license may perform the following tasks.

         12. 3.2.8.1 Under the indirect supervision of a propane and natural gas technician with appliance connection and service authority as set forth in Section 3.7.1.1 of this Chapter may:

1. Set propane or natural gas fired boilers or warm air furnaces;

1. 2. Pipe radiation, vents, valves, etc.;
   1. 3. Install mains and returns to boiler or ductwork to a warm air furnace;
      1. 4. Connect make up water to boiler;
         1. 5. Install backflow preventer;
         2. 6. Install electric wiring to a breaker or fuse box, including service switch, thermal cut off and Emergency switch; and
         3. 7. Connect a tankless or indirect fired water heater within the boiler room or, if not enclosed, with fifteen (15) feet horizontally to the nearest branch water supply.
         4. 3.2.8.2 Under the direct supervision of propane and natural gas technician with appliance connection and service authority as set forth in Section 3.7.1.1 of this Chapter may:

1. Pipe or install any propane or natural gas lines;

2. Connect electrical wiring to any gas appliance control circuit;

3. Install any safety controls;

4. Install any flue pipe or tie appliance into chimney or vent system; and

5. Fire or adjust any gas appliance.

1. 3.3 Apprentice Oil Burner and/or Solid Fuel Technician
   1. 3.3.1 License Authorities
      1. Capabilities for an apprentice oil burner and/or solid fuel technician are limited to the are limited to the following license authorities:
         1. 3.3.1.1 1 & 2 oils up to 15 GPH
         2. 3.3.1.2 1 & 2 oils over 15 GPH
         3. 3.3.1.3 4, 5, & 6 oils
         4. 3.3.1.4 1-6 oils
         5. 3.3.1.5 Pellet-fired central heating
         6. 3.3.1.6 Solid fuel
         7. 3.3.3 Supervising Master Required

            An apprentice oil burner and/or solid fuel technician must at all times have a supervising master who has signed a Certificate of Supervision that is on file with the Board. An apprentice oil burner and/or solid fuel technician shall not work on any oil burning and/or solid fuel equipment if for any reason they no longer have a supervising master.

3.3.4 Direct Supervision –Apprentice Oil Burner Technician

1. An apprentice oil burner technician must be under the direct supervision of a journeyman or master oil burner technician at all times while altering, repairing, or installing oil burning equipment.
   1. 3.3.4.1 Exception for cleaning oil burning equipment. An apprentice oil burner technician may clean oil burning equipment without direct supervision if the licensee has either:
      1. 3.3.4.1.1 Successfully completed at least 160 hours of training approved by the Board; or
         1. 3.3.4.1.2 Completed at least one year of supervised oil burner work experience. For the purposes of this subsection, “one year of supervised oil burner work experience” means licensed practical experience as defined in Section 1.14 of Chapter 1 of Board rules.
         2. 3.3.4.2 Exception for bleeding an oil burner. An apprentice oil burner technician may also bleed an oil burner without direct supervision. If the oil burner fails to operate properly after bleeding, the apprentice must refer the problem to a journeyman or master oil burner technician. Failure to conform to this requirement may subject the apprentice and the supervising master to disciplinary action for servicing oil burning equipment without proper supervision.
         3. 3.3.5 Direct Supervision – Apprentice Solid Fuel Technician

            An apprentice solid fuel technician must be under the direct supervision of a journeyman or master solid fuel technician at all times while altering, repairing, or installing solid fuel burning equipment. For the purposes of this subsection, “altering” includes but is not limited to control adjustments.

         4. 3.3.5.1 Exception for cleaning solid fuel burning equipment. An apprentice solid fuel technician may clean solid fuel burning equipment without direct supervision so long as:
         5. 3.3.5.1.1 The licensee has successfully completed at least 160 hours of training approved by the Board; or
         6. 3.3.5.1.2 The licensee has completed one year of supervised solid fuel work experience. For the purposes of this subsection, “one year of supervised solid fuel work experience” means licensed practical experience as defined in Section 1.14 of Chapter 1 of Board rules.
2. 3.4 Oil Energy Auditor
   1. 3.4.1 Scope of Practice
      1. In accordance with 32 M.R.S. § 18138(1), an oil energy auditor is restricted to performing combustion safety and efficiency testing on oil-fired space-heating or water-heating equipment to ensure health and safety standards. Oil energy auditors shall not make any adjustments to oil-fired space-heating or water-heating equipment.
         1. 3.4.2 Obtaining Manufacturer’s Instructions

            Prior to performing a combustion safety and efficiency test, an oil energy auditor must obtain the manufacturer’s installation and operating instructions for the specific equipment to be tested.

         2. 3.4.3 Following Manufacturer’s Instructions

            An oil energy auditor must observe all provisions of the manufacturer’s installation and operating instructions when performing a combustion and efficiency test including, but not limited to, any restrictions or limitations relating to equipment access and pipe penetration.

         3. 3.4.4 Test Results

            Combustion efficiency test results must fall within the guidelines contained in the manufacturer’s installation and operating instructions. The oil energy auditor must provide a copy of the test results to the property owner and must notify the property owner and, if different, the occupant of the property, in writing if the test results do not meet the manufacturer’s guidelines.

3. 3.5 Tank Installer

   In accordance with 32 M.R.S. § 18140(1), an oil tank installer is restricted to installing outside residential heating oil tanks connected to manufactured housing units as set forth in 10 M.R.S. § 9002(7)(A).

4. 3.6 Wood Pellet Technician

   A wood pellet technician’s privileges to practice are set forth in 32 M.R.S. § 18141 and are limited to cleaning the ash pan, cleaning the burn pot, scraping and cleaning the distribution tubes, emptying fines from the collection box and cleaning the fan.

5. 3.7 Propane and Natural Gas Technician
   1. 3.7.1 License Authorities
      1. Except as provided in 3.7.2, a propane and natural gas technician is limited to the following license authorities:
         1. 3.7.1.1 Appliance Connection and Service. An appliance connection and service technician may perform the following tasks.
         2. 3.7.1.1.1 Install and repair all inside or outside piping from the outlet of the valve, meter, second stage regulator or 2psi regulator based upon whichever is closest to the customer’s piping, to the gas utilization equipment.
         3. 3.7.1.1.2 Install, adjust and repair all customer-owned gas utilization equipment including the fuel train, electrical systems and venting systems that are associated with the correct operation of the equipment.
         4. 3.7.1.1.3 If also holds an oil burner apprentice license, and only under the indirect supervision of a master oil burner technician, may:
         5. 1. Set oil fired boilers, water heaters or warm air furnaces;
         6. 2. Pipe radiation, vents, valves, etc;
         7. 3. Install mains and returns to boiler or ductwork to a warm air furnace;
         8. 4. Connect make up water to boiler;
         9. 5. Install backflow preventer;
         10. 6. Install electric wiring to a breaker or fuse box, including service switch, thermal cut off and Emergency switch; and
         11. 7. Connect a tankless or indirect fired water heater within the boiler room or, if not enclosed, with fifteen feet (15) horizontally to the nearest branch water supply.
         12. 3.7.1.1.4 If also holds an oil burner apprentice license, and only under the direct supervision of a master or journeyman oil burner technician, may:

1. Pipe or set oil tank or install any oil lines;

2. Connect electrical wiring to any oil fired appliance control circuit;

3. Install any safety controls;

4. Install any flue pipe or vent system;

5. Connect appliance into chimney or vent system; and

6. Fire or adjust any oil fired appliance.

1. 3.7.1.2 Large Equipment. A large equipment connection and service technician may install and service propane and natural gas appliances and piping within the scope of NFPA 54 to appliances over 500,000 BTUs per appliance.
   1. 3.7.1.3 Delivery Technician. A delivery technician may perform the following tasks:
      1. 3.7.1.3.1 Inspect and maintain propane delivery vehicles;
         1. 3.7.1.3.2 Fill propane containers and cargo tanks on bulk delivery trucks;
         2. 3.7.1.3.3 Make propane deliveries of either containers or bulk propane to customer locations; and
         3. 3.7.1.3.4 Perform a leak check and re-light pilots after interruption of service.
   2. 3.7.1.5 Plant Operation. A plant operator may perform the following tasks:
      1. 3.7.1.5.1 Fill and remove propane from railroad cars, tractor-trailers, trucks, transports or bobtails as required; and
         1. 3.7.1.5.2 Fill and remove propane from storage containers, and repair propane storage containers as needed including valves and gauges.
         2. 3.7.1.6 Tank Setting and Outside Piping. A tank setter/outside piping technician may perform the following tasks:
         3. 3.7.1.6.1 Determine the correct location of and set aboveground or underground propane tanks;
         4. 3.7.1.6.2 Install or maintain pumps or vaporizers associated with product delivery on an end user’s site;
         5. 3.7.1.6.3 Install or repair aboveground or underground piping, risers, valves, regulators or other fittings up to the outlet of the valve, meter, or second stage regulator based on whichever is closest to the customer-owned piping;
         6. 3.7.1.6.4 Transport propane containers solely for the purpose of setting a tank at a customer location;
         7. 3.7.1.6.5 Construct bulk plants and dispensing stations and associated piping; and
         8. 3.7.1.6.6 Perform a leak check and re-light pilots after an interruption of service.
      2. 3.7.2 A licensed propane and natural gas technician may perform duties outside of their license authority while working under the direct supervision of a propane and natural gas technician having that authority.
         1. 3.7.3 Responsibility of Propane and Natural Gas Technician with Delivery Authority
         2. 3.7.3.1 When delivering propane or natural gas to a customer’s location, the delivery technician must notify the tank owner and/or property owner in writing of any code violations related to the tank installation.
         3. 3.7.3.2 If a dangerous condition exists, in the opinion of the delivery technician, no delivery shall be made until the condition is made safe.
         4. 3.7.4 Supervising Propane and Natural Gas Technician
         5. 3.7.4.1 When signing a Certificate of Supervision as required for an application for licensure pursuant to Chapter 4, Section 4.8.1.2, the supervising propane and natural gas technician is acknowledging all responsibility as that licensee’s supervising propane and natural gas technician.
         6. 3.7.4.2 A supervising propane and natural gas technician shall not supervise a propane and natural gas helper outside the scope of their license authority.
      3. 3.7.5 Responsibility for Work and Complete Installations

         A propane and natural gas technician who sells, contracts, dispatches or subcontracts any work or installation to another propane and natural gas technician is responsible for the completion of the installation and the work performed. The propane and natural gas technician contracting the work and the licensee performing the work both have equal responsibility to ensure that all work complies with the Board’s rules.

2. 3.8 Propane and Natural Gas Helper
   1. 3.8.1 License Authorities
      1. A propane and natural gas helper is limited to the license authority or authorities held by the supervising propane and natural gas technician, which may include one or more of the following:
         1. 3.8.1.1 Appliance Connection and Service
         2. 3.8.1.2 Large Equipment
         3. 3.8.1.3 Delivery Technician
         4. 3.8.1.4 Plant Operation
   2. 3.8.1.5 Tank Setting and Outside Piping

3.8.2 Direct Supervision by a Technician Required

1. A propane and natural gas helper may assist in making propane and natural gas installations, delivering propane or natural gas or operating a bulk plant. A propane and natural gas helper must be under the direct supervision of a propane and natural gas technician at all times while: altering, repairing, or installing propane and natural gas burning equipment, delivering propane or natural gas, or operating a bulk plant.
2. 3.9 Temporary License; Plant Operator or Delivery Technician

   A person licensed as a temporary plant operator or delivery technician as set forth in 32 M.R.S. § 18137 is limited to the following license authorities, respectively:

   1. 3.9.1 Plant Operation; or
      1. 3.9.2 Delivery Technician.
3. 3.10 Propane and Natural Gas Energy Auditor
   1. 3.10.1 Scope of Practice
      1. In accordance with 32 M.R.S. § 18139(1), a propane and natural gas energy auditor is restricted to performing combustion safety and efficiency testing on natural gas-fired or propane gas-fired space-heating equipment or water-heating equipment to ensure health and safety standards. Propane and natural gas energy auditors may not make any adjustments to natural gas-fired or propane gas-fired space-heating equipment or water-heating equipment.
         1. 3.10.2 Obtaining Manufacturer’s Instructions

            Prior to performing a combustion safety and efficiency test, a propane and natural gas energy auditor must obtain the manufacturer’s installation and operating instructions for the specific equipment to be tested.

         2. 3.10.3 Following Manufacturer’s Instructions

            A propane and natural gas energy auditor must observe all provisions of the manufacturer’s installation and operating instructions when performing a combustion and efficiency test including, but not limited to, any restrictions or limitations relating to equipment access and pipe penetration.

         3. 3.10.4 Test Results

            Combustion efficiency test results must fall within the guidelines contained in the manufacturer’s installation and operating instructions. The propane and natural gas energy auditor must provide a copy of the test results to the property owner and must notify the property owner, and, if different occupant of the property, in writing if the test results do not meet the manufacturer’s guidelines.

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STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 32 M.R.S. §§ 18123(2), 18132, 18133, 18134, 18134-A, 18135, 18136, 18138, 18139

1. EFFECTIVE DATE:
   1. September 27, 2014 – filing 2014-236

REPEALED AND REPLACED:

September 16, 2023 – filing 2023-159