• Nevada Company Profile ...................... Page 4

• Qualified Employee Update ................ Page 5

• Stop Unlicensed Contractors .............. Page 6

• Welder Qualification Record Update .. Page 7

• Electrician Regulation Change ........... Page 9

• Disciplinary Actions ........................... Page 10

• Surviving In This Economy ............... Page 12

• Administrative Citations .................... Page 15

Nevada State Fire Marshal DivisionStresses Licensing Requirements

Page 1

NNeevvaaddaa SSttaattee CCoonnttrraaccttoorrss BBooaarrdd BillboardBillboardEstablished 1941

Committed to Promoting Integrity and Professionalism in the Construction Industry

Jim Gibbons, Governor www.nscb.state.nv.us April - June 2009

Inside This Issue

NSCB Management Team:

Margi Grein - Executive Officer

George Lyford - Director of Investigations

Dan Hammack - Chief of Enforcement

Chris Denning - Deputy Director, Las Vegas

Gary Hoid - Deputy Director, Reno

Nancy Mathias - Licensing Administrator

Kathy Stewart - Licensing Supervisor,Reno

John Roberts - Licensing Supervisor,Las Vegas

Art Nadler - Public Information Officer

By: Lieutenant Mike Dzyak, CFEI

The Department ofPublic Safety’s StateFire Marshal Divisionserves many functions.One of which is nearand dear to me is theregulatory enforcementof the fire protectionindustry in the state ofNevada. As theInvestigation/Enforcement Bureau Chief,I am responsible for ensuring that viola-tions of the Nevada Revised Statutes andAdministrative Codes, with regards toeverything from fire/arson to the cleaningof Type I exhaust hoods and ducts, arethoroughly investigated and enforced.State Fire Marshal James M. Wright hastaken to heart a message from the indus-

try leaders of the need and desire to“clean up” the fire protection industry.

The fire protection industry including,but not limited to, fire sprinklers, firealarms, fire extinguishers and Type Iexhaust cleaning are among thoserequired to obtain licensing and certifica-tion from the State Fire Marshal to con-duct business in Nevada. Each “company”wanting to engage in the above mentionedactivities must first become a “licensed”company through the State Fire Marshal’slicensing program. Employees mustbecome registrants for the particular areasin which both the company is licensed forand for which the employees will performservices. What this means is they mustboth go hand-in-hand. Joe Smith wants tobe a portable fire extinguisher service

How To Contact The Board:

Southern Nevada2310 Corporate Circle, Suite 200

Henderson, NV 89074Phone: (702) 486-1100

Fax: (702) 486-1190

Northern Nevada9670 Gateway Drive, Suite 100

Reno, NV 89521Phone: (775) 688-1141

Fax: (775) 688-1271Help From SCORE Available For Contractors

By Robert M. Cushman, Secretary SCORE

You may not know it, but every con-tractor in Nevada has free business coun-seling available. SCORE, the oldest andlargest business consultancy in Nevada,offers services to small and large busi-nesses by appointment, over the telephoneor online. SCORE is a resource partner ofthe Small Business Administration (SBA).

SCORE’s basic service is one-on-oneconfidential counseling, offered as fre-quently as necessary. For complex needs,a number of consultants can meet withany number of the company’s manage-ment team. SCORE also offers low-costseminars on workforce planning, manag-ing business finances, marketing in diffi-

cult times and obtaining SBA guaranteedloans from various institutions.

During the current recession, SCOREemphasizes the need for contractors torealisticallyassess theircompany’sfuture. Thisis best done by modifying the businessplan, using the revenue figures from thepast two quarters, reducing them by 40percent and projecting out for two years.

This painful exercise should be donehonestly. There are software programsavailable to help management do a busi-ness plan quickly, while staying currentwith jobs. Software is available for $40,

(See Help, Page 3)

(See Nevada State, Page 3)

Mike Dzyak

Jim Gibbons, Governor

BoardGuy M. Wells, Chair

Jerry Higgins, TreasurerWilliam “Bruce” King

Michael EfstratisKevin E. BurkeJohn C. Ellison

Nathaniel “Nat” Hodgson III

Margi Grein, Executive Officer

Mission Statement“The Nevada State Contractors Board is

committed to promoting public confidenceand trust in the competence and integrity oflicensees and to protect the health, safety

and welfare of the public.”

Website:www.nscb.state.nv.us

Art Nadler, EditorRanya Botros, Editorial Assistant

Phone: (702) 486-1139FAX: (702) 486-1176

The Contractors’ Billboard is published by the Nevada State Contractors Board as a service to licensed contractors to promote a better understanding of Nevada contracting law and to provide information of interest to all construction professionals. This information is believed to be accurate at the time of publication.The Contractors Board and the State of Nevada assume no responsibility for any damage that arises from any action that is based on information found in this publication.

C. 2009 Nevada State Contractors Board

Across The BoardJanuary 1, 2009 through March 31, 2009

Investigations Division

Compliance InvestigationsInvestigations Conducted ........................................ 996Investigations Closed ............................................... 972Licenses Revoked ....................................................... 70Fines Assessed .................................................$211,600Investigative Costs Assessed .........................$157,534Recovery Fund Claims Awarded .......................$42,208

Criminal InvestigationsInvestigations Conducted ........................................ 330Investigations Closed ............................................... 322Felony Cases Filed ......................................................10Criminal Complaints Filed with District Attorney ..... 12Citations Issued ........................................................... 62Convictions .................................................................. 31Restitution Ordered by Court ............................ $87,261Fines Assessed by Court .................................. $17,675

Licensing Division

New License Applications Received ....................... 650New Licenses Issued ................................................ 507License Change Applications Received ............... 1,435 Licensed Nevada Contractors ..............................17,719

Page 2

Page 3

(Continued from Page 1)

plus $5 shipping, at: www.scorelv.orgMany contractors may find that their

numbers are negative, and this calls for anorganized effort at re-thinking the business.All of SCORE’s current contractor clientshave asked the same question, “How can Iget work?” The answer for each is asunique as their skills. But many shouldreview their largest dollar jobs, cross refer-ence with their most profitable jobs (bymargin), and see if the results point theway to a niche that will enable them torestructure the manning, marketing andresults for the business. Just cutting costsis not always the answer. SCORE can helpmanage this business review.

Some contractors may need to put theirbusiness on hold for awhile. But they must

close down properly, so at a later datewhen they reopen, their business relation-ships remain strong. SCORE can assistwith this process – and at no cost to thecontractor.

The key to business planning is a posi-tive cashflow. However, even with a posi-tive cashflow projection, contractors maynot do better than breakeven for a coupleof years. But at least they will have sur-vived, until the economy turned around.

Positive cashflow separates the realcontractors from guys who lucked out dur-ing the last expansion. Contractors who arein business for the longhaul know down-turns come with the territory, and theylearn how to manage them. If your busi-ness has a niche, learn how to exploit it. Aspecialty can carry your business fordecades.

A positive cashflow is crucial becauseyou will get financing, when the economyturns around and expansions are needed.Please use SCORE now and become acontractor that thrives.

For more information on SCORE,contact the office in Northern Nevadaat: (775) 784-4436, or in SouthernNevada at: (702) 388-6104.

Robert M. Cushman is an 11-yearmember of SCORE. He has counseleddozens of Nevada businesses during thelast two years. In Massachusetts, he wasresponsible for large office constructionprojects.

Help From SCORE Available For Contractors

technician; he cannot come to the NevadaState Fire Marshal’s office and apply for a“Certificate of Registration” (C of R). Hemust work for a company that is licensedby the State Fire Marshal to serviceportable fire extinguishers. Now, if Joegoes to “Smitty’s Fire ExtinguishingService Company,” which is licensed inNevada to perform this work, and isemployed there, he may apply for, test andpossibly receive a C of R from the StateFire Marshal. However, under certain cir-cumstances, such as being a convictedfelon, Joe may be precluded from getting aC of R, but the method remains the same.

Wise is the general contractor or otherindividuals with the responsibility to hiresubcontractors who ensure they are“licensed” to perform certain work on aproject. Checking for a Nevada StateContractors Board license is a great start,but is by no means the end of a thorough

background check. My disclaimer is that ifit is found that your fire protection projectwork was done by an individual who doesnot possess a C of R, or a company thatwas not licensed by the State Fire Marshal,YOU MAY BE LIABLE. Let’s throw outan example;

Bob is the General Contractor for astrip mall project that will require firesprinklers to be installed. Bob contracts“Sammy’s plumbing” to install the under-ground plumbing going into the fire-sup-pression system. Bob is diligent andchecks that Sammy’s Plumbing has a StateContractors license and gets the projectdone. The pipes are installed right up to thefire sprinkler riser and covered with dirtand concrete. The inspector shows up tosign-off the underground and finds out thatthe employee for Sammy’s doesn’t have aC of R card, and the company hired to dothe work is not licensed by the State FireMarshal. The sprinkler system will not

only fail the inspection, but the entire sys-tem may need to be excavated, AND alicensed and certified company will needto at best, certify the work, at worst, tearit out and rebuild it.

Untold thousands of dollars later youcan clearly see the wisdom in ensuringthat subcontractors have ALL the requiredlicenses and certifications prior to allow-ing them to begin work.

Add to this the misdemeanor citationslikely to be handed out to the responsibleparties here and that research done on thefront end was time well spent.

For questions regarding the SFMLicensing and Registration requirements,contact us at: (775) 684-7500, or go toour website at: www.fire.state.nv.us

Nevada State Fire Marshal Stresses Licensing Requirements (Continued from Page 1)

Page 4

Company Profile

Optimism Prevails At Pahor Mechanical Contractors, Inc. Even in this challenging economy,

Pahor Mechanical Contractors, Inc.,(license numbers 0052B, 46508 and70239) hasn’t lost grip of its core goalsand values.

“We are going to continue to dobusiness the way we’ve been doing itsince 1938, and that is really taking goodjobs and doing good work...,” PresidentSteven Wilson says.

Wilson advises contractors to followthe basics of contracting by monitoringand managing their cash flow and takingon jobs that have the ability to pay.

“All of the (economic) indicators thatyou see make you concerned that it’sgoing to be like this for awhile. I’m muchmore optimistic than that. I think thatwe’re going to see a change within thenext six months or so where it’s going toget better,” Wilson says. If you read aboutand focus on difficulties and troublesothers are facing in this tough economy,he believes you will end up makingwrong business decisions.

Wilson is hopeful there will be manyopportunities for businesses to expand inthis type of economy, if they are properlypositioned. “You’ve got to be more pre-pared to make an investment in thebusiness for the long-haul,” he says.

Contractors should find their corespecialty and concentrate on that.

“A lot of times, when you get outsideyour core expertise, you’re going into anew market that you don’t really knowtoo well, and the chances of failure aremuch higher, and so while it may seemlike an opportunity to chase, it may bejust a mirage that is not really there,”Wilson adds. Also, a contractor cannotwork outside the scope of his or herlicense.

Emil Pahor founded Pahor Mechanical

Contractors, Inc., in 1938. He ran thebusiness until about 1980 and sold it tohis son, Bob Pahor. In 2000, Bob Pahorsold the business to MMC Corp., basedin Kansas City, MO. In 2004, Wilsonbecame president of the company. Thecompany is now a wholly owned sub-sidiary of MMC Corp., which is 100 per-cent owned by employees of the compa-ny.

Pahor Mechanical Contractors, Inc.,provides mechanical systems that incor-porate plumbing, heating, ventilation andair conditioning systems, along withHVAC piping systems. The companyalso specializes in manufacturingcustom ductwork, piping and plumbingassemblies, which are then installed invarious facilities.

The company works on projects thatinclude airports, hospitals, schools, high-rise condominiums, medical facilities,prisons and large commercialinstitutions.

One of the reasons Pahor is sosuccessful is due to mutual respectshared between management andemployees.

“We have really a philosophy hereat Pahor Mechanical that I treat our

employees like I would treat our bestcustomer, and expect that they do thesame…,” he says.

At Pahor Mechanical Contractors,Inc., business is done with integrity.“Integrity is a big word, but we reallycontract with integrity, and that meanswe do what we say we’re going to do.We don’t run from problems if we causethem. We’ll never run from a job, andwe’re always going to finish it,” Wilsonsays.

Wilson recommends that contractorsuse experts within their industry to assistin solving problems encountered on thejob. These experts could be designconsultants, architects or suppliers.Contractors shouldn’t think they have todo it on their own, he explains.

“If you maintain healthy relationshipswith some of your competitors, you maybe able to draw on some of their experi-ence at times and to (have them) help outwith a problem,” he says.

With respect to the construction indus-try as a whole, Wilson is convincedcomputer technologies will be used morein the future. Currently, his companyuses computer technologies to modelbuildings, such as Building InformationModeling (BIM). BIM is a technologyCAD designers use to do a 3D representa-tion of what the building will look likeand where pipes and ductwork will beinstalled.

This technology allows contractors todiscover conflicts they may encounter, orchanges that may need to be made toaccommodate the architect’s design.Contractors who keep up with this tech-nology will most likely thrive in thisindustry, Wilson says.

Steven Wilson, Pahor President

Page 5

Here’s What’s Happening at the Board

Nevada law requires that a licenseeshow a degree of experience, financial responsibility and general knowledge ofthe building, safety, health and lien lawsof the state and the administrative princi-ples of the contracting business.

An applicant may qualify in regard toexperience and knowledge on his/herown; or by a “qualified employee.”

A qualified employee makes technicaland administrative decisions and is incharge of hiring, directing employees orrecommending such action on behalf ofhis/her employer’s business. In addition,a qualified employee must be devotedsolely to his/her employer’s business andnot take other employment which wouldconflict with duties.

A qualified employee is required tosubstantiate experience for the full scopeof the classification held by the licensee.A separate qualified employee for indi-vidual sub-classifications within the clas-sification is not allowed.

If you need further clarification orhave questions, please contact theBoard’s Licensing Department inSouthern Nevada at: (702) 486-1100, orin Northern Nevada at: (775) 688-1141.

Qualified Employees:What You Should Know The Nevada State Contractors Board

has recently begun to upgrade its licens-ing forms on the Board’s website. Thenew forms allow the user to input theirinformation onto a PDF form.Additionally, these forms can be savedas local copies, by the user, and willretain all the data that has been enteredinto them. The form is then simplyprinted and delivered to the Board.

These easy-to-use forms will allowthe contractor to review previously sub-

mitted information and easily updatetheir forms with new data for re-submis-sion in the future.

While these forms are saved in a PDFformat and “portable,” contractors arestill required to submit printed applica-tions to the Board.

Please note that you will need todownload a free version of Adobe ReaderVersion 8 or greater from:www.adobe.com to utilize these forms.

Board Makes Filling Out Licensing Forms Easier

The Board’s criminal investigationdivisions of the Northern andSouthern Nevada offices continue toinvestigate all information receivedthrough the Unlicensed ContractorHotline: (775) 850-7838, Reno, and(702) 486-1160, Las Vegas, in anexpedient manner for both the largerand smaller residential areas.

The Board’s recent decision to usethe administrative citation (previouslyissued mainly against licensedcontractors) for unlicensed activityhas proven to be very effective.

Since Jan. 1, 2009, criminal inves-tigators in Northern and SouthernNevada conducted 44 stings resultingin the issuance of 51 criminal andadministrative citations.

In addition to criminal investiga-tions, investigators investigatecomplaints against licensedcontractors and do backgroundchecks when warranted.

Violations committed by licensedcontractors, such as out-of-scope

license violations and failure to displaya license number or company nameon vehicles, are also vigorouslyinvestigated.

In May 2007, NRS 624.031(5) wassigned into law, which allows individu-als to do work under $1,000 without alicense (unless the work requires abuilding permit or involves work thatrequires an electrical, plumbing, airconditioning and heating or refrigera-tion contract.)

To ensure individuals followthese guidelines, Board criminalinvestigators conduct proactiveenforcement through daily on-viewpatrol, sting operations and when timepermits, attending home shows.

Investigators also conduct seminarsfor senior citizen groups, homeownerassociations and other groups uponrequest.

Criminal Investigators Taking It To The Streets

Here’s What’s Happening at the Board

Page 6

Nevada contractors -- are you tiredof unlicensed contractors taking awayyour business? If the answer is “yes,”then see how the Nevada StateContractors Board can help you fightthis problem.

The NSCB has developed a new“Unlicensed Contractor AwarenessCampaign” that will empower licensedcontractors throughout the state tocombat unlicensed contractors.

The campaign revolves aroundlicensed contractors displaying anddistributing NSCB brochures, a posterand handouts in their businesses. Byeducating homeowners about hiringlicensed contractors, along with waysthey can protect themselves from unli-censed contractors, you may also helpreduce crimes committed by unlicensedcontractors.

If every licensed contractor displaysand distributes our brochures in theirbusinesses, more people will be aware

that allcontractorsneed to belicensedand quali-fied towork intheirrespectivetrades.

As partof the cam-paign, alllicensed contractors may request a freeinformational packet with samples ofbrochures, an Unlicensed ContractorHotline card with contact telephonenumbers for reporting unlicensedactivity, handouts and a laminate“Unlicensed Contractor Awareness”poster, which may be displayed in theirbusinesses.

In the packet, contractors will alsobe provided with instructions on down-

loading other important NSCB onlinebrochures. Contractors will be able torequest other informational materials,free of charge, that may not be availableonline.

By partnering with the NSCB, all ofus can build awareness throughout thestate of dangers in hiring unlicensed con-tractors.

To request your free informationalpacket, please send your name, compa-ny’s name, license number, address andphone number via e-mail to:

nscb_news@lvcoxmail.comAttention: Ranya Botros

(Continued from Page 5)

Board Launches “Unlicensed Contractor Awareness Campaign”

Residential Recovery Fund Awards Over $5 Million The Residential Recovery Fund was

enacted by the Legislature in 1999 forowners of single-family residences, whocontracted directly with a residentialcontractor and sustained damages due toactions of the contractor.

More than 850 claims have beenreceived and over $5 million awarded toinjured homeowners. Owners of town-homes, duplexes, condominiums, rentalproperties and speculative homes are noteligible for awards. Owners must be“natural persons” and occupy the single-family residence. The Board conducts

Residential Recovery Fund Committeemeetings every 60 days.

Homeowners may file claims fordamages up to $35,000. However, theaverage claim paid is approximately$8,500.

Most claims are received against smallindependent residential contractors whoare experiencing difficult economic timesand fail to maintain their financial abilityto continue as a licensed contractor andsubsequently have their licenses suspend-ed or revoked.

All residential contractors are required

to provide homeowners with a writtennotice of their rights under the ResidentialRecovery Fund, or are subject to a fine of$100 for each incident of failing to providenotice to the homeowner.

Contractors who have claims awardedagainst their licenses are subject to collec-tion actions and must repay the RecoveryFund for all valid claims before they can belicensed again in the State of Nevada.

Page 7

Welder Qualification Record Update

(See Welder, Page 8)

By Mark J. Hayes Building Inspection SpecialistClark County Building Department

The American Welding SocietyStructural Welding Code-Steel (AWSD1.1) addresses a welder’s and weldingoperator’s qualification record “Period ofEffectiveness.” Section 4, Paragraph4.1.3 of the AWS D1.1-08 Welding Codestates that a Welding Qualification Record(WQR) shall be considered as remaining ineffect indefinitely unless (1) the welder hasnot engaged in a given welding process,that the welder is qualified in, for a periodexceeding six (6) months, or (2) there is areason to question the welder’s ability.

Previously, it was acceptable to havethe welding inspector on the project signand/or stamp the back of the WQR to veri-fy that a welder was without a lapse ofgreater than 6 months for a qualified weld-ing process. The problem with this report-ing method is that accountability is lackingfor this type of WQR update. In manycases, the signatures are illegible due to theage of the WQR, poor copy quality, ordamaged WQR originals. With all the tech-nical advances made in the last 10 years, itis not a difficult task to create a WQR thatwould indicate that this requirement hasbeen met.

A WQR is intended to serve as an offi-cial document to identify the welder’s abil-ity to produce welds meeting a prescribedstandard. A WQR, like any other officialdocument, must identify who is verifyingand attesting to the welder’s ability. Asdefined by Webster’s II Dictionary, aRecord is “an account officially writtenand kept as evidence or testimony.” It isfor this reason that some accountability isneeded for attesting to a welder’s contin-ued service, without a lapse greater than 6months, for a given welding process.

The Clark County Department of

Development Services-Building Division(CCDDS-BD) requires the welder to pro-vide documentation addressing the Periodof Effectiveness requirements. This docu-mentation shall show that the welder hasnot had a lapse in welding, greater thansix months for the welding process quali-fied. If it is determined that a time periodof greater than six (6) months has lapsed,the welder shall be re-tested in accordancewith AWS D1.1 Section 4 Paragraph 4.32.

A welder’s WQR period of effective-ness requirement, for welders performingfield welding, shall be documented by oneof the following CCDDS-BD approvedreporting methods:

A welder who’s Welder QualificationRecord (WQR) period of effectivenessrequirement has not been documented, orcan’t be verified, shall re-test (ReferenceAWS D1.1 Section 4.32) at a testingagency, and a new WQR shall be issued,upon an acceptable re-test. The testingagency shall issue a new WQR that shallbe stamped and signed by the testingagency’s American Welding SocietyCertified Welding Inspector (AWS/CWI).

A welder who is employed by a con-tracting company shall have his/her origi-nal WQR updated by the welder’s currentemployer. The employer shall attest to theentire period of time covered, commenc-ing from the original WQR date to the

present date. The WQR update letter shallbe on the company letterhead and shall besigned by a company official. All of theattachments requested on the sampleupdate letter shall be provided.

A union welder who has obtained theirWQR from a CCDDS-BD approved testingagency or by an out-of -state testingagency shall have his/her WQR updated bythe same testing agency. The testingagency shall attest to the entire period oftime covered commencing from the origi-nal WQR date to the present date. TheWQR update letter (Sample CopyAttached) shall be on the testing agency’sletterhead and shall be signed and stampedby the testing agencies AWS/CWI. All ofthe attachments requested on the sampleupdate letter shall be provided.

A welder who is a union member ofIronworkers Local 433 or a brother of theInternational Union of Ironworkers shallutilize the ironworkers local training cen-ter, located at: 2485 Marco Street, LasVegas, NV for his/her WQR updates andre-testing. Out-of-town union welders shallreport to the Ironworkers Local 433 train-ing center to verify all required WQR doc-umentation is in order, prior to performingany welding. Welders holding a WQRfrom the local training center, or an affili-ate training center recognized byIronworkers Local 433, shall be updated orre-tested by the ironworker’s local trainingcenter. The ironworker’s local training cen-ter employs Rick Adams and Scott Vick,both of whom are AWS/CWI accredited.The original WQR shall be accompaniedby his/her “Continuity Log Book” (BlueBook) not to be confused with the“National Ironworker Continuity LogBook” (Tan or Light Grey Book). The BlueBook contains the written update informa-tion stamped and signed by one of theironworker’s local training center CWI’s,

Welder Qualification Record Update

verifying the welders “Period ofEffectiveness.” The ironworker’s localtraining center will not update a WQR thatwas issued by a testing agency or an affili-ate ironworker training center not recog-nized by Ironworkers Local 433.

A welder who is a self-employed indi-vidual shall use the WQR update letter(Sample Copy Attached) and attest to theentire period of time covered commencingfrom the original WQR date to the presentdate. The letter shall be on his/her companyletterhead and signed by the individual

welder. All of the attachments requestedon the sample update letter shall beanswered. Self-employed individuals shallalso include a copy of their current StateContractors Board wallet card.

CCDDS-BD approved third partyinspection/testing agencies, providing spe-cial inspections in accordance with aCCDDS-BD Quality AssuranceAgreement (QAA), shall maintain inalphabetical order legible copies of theWQR Card (Front & Back Sides), WQRupdate letter(s) or a copy of the unionironworkers “Blue Book Continuity Log”in the agency’s project file. The agency

shall complete the CCDDS-BD WQRVerification form (Copy Attached) for allwelders performing welding on the projectand shall include a copy of this form in theagency’s final QAA report in accordancewith CCDDS-BD TG-50.

For more information, contactMark J. Hayes at: (702) 455-8089.

(Continued from Page 7)

Page 8

Clark County Opens Customer Routing System

By Rick Wilburg, C.B.O., Assistant Plans Examination ManagerClark County Development Services

As part of Developments Services’ongoing efforts to improve the overallfunctionality and usability of our PermitApplication Center, we instituted the use ofa customized customer routing system,called Q-Matic, on March 31, 2009.

Q-Matic uses ticketing kiosks and over-head display monitors to point customers tothe proper permitting counter within thePermit Center. Customers no longer needto sign in at multiple stations, when permitvisits require stops at Permit Setup,Zoning, Plans Examination, Engineeringand/or Permit Issue. With one ticket, cus-tomers are transferred seamlessly from onecounter to another.

The permitting process begins at any ofthree kiosks located at different areas with-in the Permit Center. Using touch screens,the customer chooses one of three optionsthat detail the reason for the visit: commer-cial construction, residential constructionor general permit questions. The next win-dow displays additional selections to fur-

ther pinpoint the customer’s needs. For instance, tenant improvements,

walls and signs are among the additionalselections. After this secondary selectionis made, a numbered ticket is dispensed.The customer then simply chooses a seatin one of two waiting areas and watchesfor his/her number to be displayed on anyof four large monitors disbursed through-

out the Permit Center. Q-Matic will sendthe customer to the appropriate counterbased upon the selections the customermade at the ticketing kiosk.

Thus far, responses from both cus-tomers and staff who have utilized Q-Matichave been excellent. Please feel free todrop by the Permit Center to try out Q-Matic.

One of three Q-Matic ticketingkiosks in the Permit Center

Architecture BoardAdvises On Copyrights

At the March 2009 NevadaState Board of Architecture,Interior Design and ResidentialDesign meeting, board membersreaffirmed that a registrant’splans are protected under federalcopyright laws. Building ownersand other members of the publicmust have the design profession-al’s permission to get copies ofdrawings or plans.

Page 9

Master, Journeyman’s Electrician Card Regulations ChangeBy Alan M. PetrilloHVACR Today Las Vegas

The Clark County Department ofDevelopment Services’ Building Divisionis stepping up its enforcement of theMaster and Journeyman’s Electrician cardprogram that it administers.

Dennis Hunt, building inspector spe-cialist and electrical trainer, said the divi-sion “has increased our enforcement of theprogram and will be checking cards moreaggressively in the future. A lot of peoplewill be scrambling to get cards who didn’thave them before.”

Hunt pointed out that the regulationsalways required the person in charge on ajob to have a journeyman’s card.

“When we go on an inspection, werequire that person in charge to walk theinspection with us, and we only had beenasking to see the card on a random basis orafter finding a problem,” Hunt said. “As ofJuly 2009, we’ll require that the badge beprominently displayed on the person incharge of the job.”

If the person in charge doesn’t have ajourneyman’s card, the inspector will notperform the inspection, Hunt said, meaningthe inspection will have to be rescheduled,and someone holding a journeyman’s cardwill have to be present for the rescheduledinspection.

“We don’t require that everyone on thejob have a journeyman’s card,” Hunt point-ed out, “only the person in charge of thejob.”

Hunt said his division recommendsanyone working on their own to get a card.“If a person is out by themselves on a serv-ice call, they probably will want to have acard so they won’t get into any trouble,” hesaid. “Some day it may come to the factthat we’ll check all cards on a job. Oncewe get to the point of having the lead per-son’s card prominently displayed, we couldmake the change to everyone on the job,

but that would require a change to ouradministrative procedures, and we’d haveto give everyone a length of time to gettheir cards.”

Hunt added that when the countyamended its procedures in 2005, all otherjurisdictions in Southern Nevada agreed toenforce the Clark County card require-ments. They include the cities of LasVegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas,Mesquite, Pahrump and Boulder City. TheClark County division recently changedits testing company for issuing cards,Hunt noted.

“We now go through the InternationalCode Council (ICC), which also does cer-tification of inspectors,” he said. “Weworked with ICC to determine what thetest would cover in terms of code require-ments, local amendments general tradepractices on the job, how to work on thejob, lockout and tag-out procedures, ropetying for load pickups, crane hand signalsand other such elements.”

Hunt said the test is a computerizedopen-book test with a fee of $100. Thecard has to be renewed every three years,and in order to be renewed, the individualhas to have amassed continuing educationunits during that period — 1.5 units for ajourneyman and 3.0 units for a master.

Hunt pointed out that 0.8 of those con-tinuing education units has to be a classon analysis of the code changes in orderto keep the individual updated with thepresent code.

“We accept CEUs from theInternational Association of ElectricalInspectors, the International CodeCouncil, the National Fire ProtectionAssociation, the International Brotherhoodof Electrical Workers, the AssociatedBuilders and Contractors and others,” hesaid. “Generally these groups requireattendance at a seminar or class for theCEU.”

Hunt said the division does not require

any specific length of service in the indus-try in order to get a card.

“If a person can pass the test, they canget a card,” he said. “The employer gener-ally looks into a person’s work experience.Some apprentices even take the test and getthe card before they become journeymen,so they are prepared when the timecomes.”Hunt added, “If a person has been througha program, like an apprenticeship program,they’ve learned the code book and shouldbe able to take the test without any prob-lem. For people in the trade a long timewho haven’t looked at a code book forawhile or didn’t keep up with codechanges, they might have to do more studytime.”

In addition, he said, some organizationsprovide classes to prepare for the test,which is always an option.

Besides journeyman and master electri-cian, which deal with commercial work,other categories include journeyman resi-dential, journeyman sign electrician and anew category of technician that deals withlow voltage systems. There is no test yetfor the latter category.

Reprinted from HVACR TodayLas Vegas.

Page 10

Board Disciplinary Actions: March 1 - April 30, 2009Code:IC = Investigative Costs F = FineR = Restitution Please refer to the NSCB websiteAdmin. F = Administrative Fine for a list of violations

(See Disciplinary Actions, Page 11)

Board Disciplinary Actions: March 1 - April 30, 2009Code:IC = Investigative Costs F = FineR = Restitution Please refer to the NSCB websiteAdmin. F = Administrative Fine for a list of violations

Page 11

(Continued from Page 10)

On Feb. 20, 2009, the LP-Gas Boardadopted the 2009 edition of the NationalFuel Gas Code (NFPA 54) without excep-tion. This means all new propane installa-tions in Nevada must comply with this edi-tion of the code. In addition, the board alsoadopted the following NFPA codes:• NFPA 58 Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code(2008 edition)• NFPA 1192 Standard on RecreationalVehicles (2008 edition)

• NFPA 501A Standard for Fire SafetyCriteria for Manufactured HomeInstallations, Sites and Communities(2005 edition)• NFPA 160 Standard for the Use ofFlame Effects Before an Audience (2006edition)

Remember when working on LP-Gassystems in Nevada, you must be licensedwith the LP-Gas Board and the NevadaState Contractors Board, and your instal-

lations must be in compliance with thecodes listed above.

Copies of these codes can be viewedand/or purchased from the NFPA websiteat: www.nfpa.org

To apply for a license with the LP-GasBoard, or for further information, contactthe LP-Gas Board office at:(775) 687-4890, or visit its website at:www.lpg.nv.gov

LP-Gas Board Announces New Regulations

Criminal Cases Prosecuted: March 1 - April 30, 2009Code:IC = Investigative Costs F = FineR = RestitutionPB = Plea Bargin

Page 12

* By Nevada law, the Nevada State Contractors Boardhas the authority to issue citations and pursueprosecution of individuals for violations ranging fromcontracting without a license to fraud. The following arethe convictions and penalties imposed by the courts.

By Dennis Wengert

No one needs toexplain to the construc-tion industry how badthings have beenbecome. While otherbusinesses have certain-ly suffered during thiscurrent recession, as agroup, residential andcommercial contractorshave experienced atremendous reduction inbusiness opportunities and revenues.

The definition of “surviving” a downeconomic cycle depends, in large measure,on who is being asked. However, regard-less of where a company’s finances stand,embodied within the survival spectrum lies

several managerial and operational strate-gies that may enable a contractor to makeit to the next up-cycle.

Develop a Turn-Around PlanMany businesses start with the cre-

ation of a business plan. Similarly, anybusiness in distress is a sign to the ownerthere is an immediate need for a writtenTurn-Around Plan. Any company indistress needs a “roadmap” to: a.) identifythe factors that will enable the companyto survive, b.) prioritize those factors, anddevelop a strategy surrounding them, c.)keep a focus on those strategies and d.)effectively execute the strategies. Withoutsuch a plan, there is no other way toeffectively address the three areas allcompanies in distress need to consider:What can be done? What should be done?

What will be done?

Turn-Around StrategiesRule No. 1 – Ask for help. Too many

business owners try to go it alone. Everyday of delaying getting help means thecompany is a day closer to shutting down.The Las Vegas SCORE chapter offers localcompanies the services of a CrisisAssessment Team. Interested businessowners can contact Diane Steenman at:(702) 521-5237, or e-mail her at:dsteenman@aol.com.

When the obvious strategies to cutcosts in the midst of declining revenueshave all been employed, yet companyfinances are still on the critical list, it’stime to look at strategies that may not havebeen previously considered. Such strate-

How Contractors Can Survive The Current Economic Crisis

Dennis Wengert

(See How Contractors, Page 13)

Page 13

gies may include exploring a merger orpartnership with competitors, job sharingof employees between two or more compa-nies, totally revamping the products orservices the company offers and reassess-ing the company’s targeted customer base.

Developing strategies for increasingrevenues is also an essential component ofany turn-around plan. For most companiesin a shrinking market, this means increas-ing their visibility to both existing cus-tomers and prospects. For existing cus-tomers, offer thanks, and keep remindingthem why they chose to use your companyin the first place…and do so with regulari-ty. Send e-coupons for special seasonal

promotions or discounts as a thank youfor being a loyal customer. For prospects,first make sure to focus the company’smarketing messages on what prospectsneed, and then use low-cost ways to getthat message out. Every company needs acredible internet presence, and mustemploy ways for prospects to easily findtheir way to the company website.Explore other ways to access prospectgroups, including getting on local ‘pre-ferred vendors’ lists, or joining one ormore referral groups. Also, there are manyinternet-based sources that offer free orvery low-cost advertising, like Craig’sList, or local media outlets’ classified sec-tions.

Refine, Adjust and PersistFinally, don’t “fall in love” with a strat-

egy if it’s not showing results in a reason-able amount of time. Make adjustmentsand refine targeted activities. But…keeptrying. The cycle will eventually turn, andthe economy will start to improve. One ofthe best lessons a crisis teaches nearlyevery business owner is how to managebetter…even when times are good. So,even though the ‘survival’ process may bepainful, the journey may well prove to beworthwhile.

Dennis Wengert is Nevada DeputyDistrict Director for the U.S. SmallBusiness Administration, and a formersmall business owner.

How Contractors Can Survive The Current Economic Crisis(Continued from Page 12)

By Scott Alquist

As many are aware, exposure to leadcan create serious issues for workers. Thisis why the Environmental ProtectionAgency is implementing new mandates forcontractors this year.

The possibility of diminished mentalcapacity and impotence are only some ofthe effects that can be experienced. Manymay not be aware that, according to histori-ans, there are really no true Romans left inthe world due to their exposure to lead.Romans used lead as part of their watersystems, as storage casks for wines andother liquids and actually used powderedlead as a sweetening agent for their wine.Due to the harmful physical effects of leadexposure, their culture no longer exists.Today we find lead, not only in certainpaints and industries, but also candies andsodas imported from Mexico, as charms oncertain footwear and even used in hobbies,such as reloading and fishing. Due to these

mechanisms of transmission, we are nowexperiencing elevated blood-lead levels inmany children.

OSHA identified this many years agoand created specific regulations to protectworkers from exposure to lead. While ithas taken some time, the U.S. EPA hasnow finalized new lead exposure andabatement requirements that protect thegeneral public.

According to the newest requirements,

contractors that are involved in renovation,repair or painting (RRP) activities thathave the potential to disturb lead and pres-ent hazards must attend EPA accreditedtraining and apply for certification fromthe EPA in order to continue to performthese services. While this is not the onlyset of regulations looming on the horizon,this is the first that will require compli-ance. Other requirements will includetraining for construction, for lead abate-ment workers, inspectors and risk asses-sors.

According to the RRP regulations, anyactivity conducted in pre-1978 residencesor any pre-1978 child-occupied facilitywill require this training and certification.The only way this mandate would notapply would be if an EPA certified leadinspector were to conduct a hazard surveyand certify the residence or facility to belead-free. The implementation timeline is

EPA Implements New Lead Exposure Mandates

(See EPA, Page 14)

Page 14

as follows:

• October 22, 2009, firms can begin toapply to the U.S. EPA for certification toconduct RRP activities and • April 22, 2010, renovations in target

(pre-1978) housing and child-occupiedfacilities must be conducted by certifiedrenovation firms, using renovators withaccredited training, and following the workpractice requirements of the rule.

The mandated training is a combinationof U.S. EPA and Housing and UrbanDevelopment (HUD) requirements and willinclude a total of eight training modules.

• Lead Paint Concerns – this modulewill instruct participants in the heal prob-lems related to lead, why lead is a problemthat must be dealt with and who is put at

risk if activities are not handled correctly.

• Regulations – discusses what U.S. EPAand HUD require of certified firms.

• Pre-work Activities – teaches how todetermine if lead is present, education ofowners and residents of targeted facilitiesand work planning.

• Dust Containment – teaches properwork area set up and containment activi-ties.

• Appropriate Work Practices – teachessafe work practices and what activities arenot allowed per U.S. EPA and HUD.

• Cleanup and Checking Your Work –teaches how to clean up after work iscompleted and how to verify the area isclean.

• Recordkeeping – teaches U.S .EPA andHUD recordkeeping and documentationrequirements.

• Training Non-Certified Workers –teaches how the certified renovator cantrain non-certified renovation workers inthe required safe practices.

Included in the classroom training is aseries of hands-on exercises designed toassist contractors in understanding andimplementing these requirements. TMCC’sWorkforce Development and ContinuingEducation Division offers LeadCompliance Training starting in June.

For details, go to: wdce.tmcc.edu andclick on classroom courses, thensafety/regulatory compliance, or call:(775) 829-9010.

Scott Alquist is Truckee MeadowsCommunity College’s Safety Centermanager.

EPA Implements New Lead Exposure Mandates(Continued from Page 13)

Effective immediately, the ClarkCounty Department of DevelopmentServices –Building Division (CCDDS-BD) will no longer accept the City of LosAngeles Steel Fabrication Certification as asubstitute for the CCDDS-BD requiredAnnual Third Party Steel Fabrication facil-ity Audit. This also applies to fabricatorsrequesting a CCDDS-BD Project SpecificApproval.

Steel fabricators holding a currentAmerican Institute of Steel Construction(AISC) Steel Fabrication Certificationand/or an International AccreditationServices (IAS) steel fabricator accredita-tion will not be affected by this policychange. The CCDDS-BD Annual Renewaland Project Specific approval requirementswill remain unchanged.

Steel fabricators that are currentlyapproved by CCDDS-BD that do not havea current AISC Steel FabricationCertification or an IAS accreditation shallbe required to have a CCDDS-BDapproved third party auditing agency per-form the required annual fabrication facil-ity audit.

The steel fabricator shall complete theCCDDS-BD steel fabricator renewalapplication, indicating on the applicationthe CCDDS-BD approved third partyagency the fabricator wants to performthe required audit and shall submit theapplication along with the requiredrenewal fees to CCDDS-BD.

The approved auditing agency and thesteel fabricator shall schedule a date forthe in-plant audit to be performed. The

auditing agency shall contact CCDDS-BD,and request an audit package, and identifythe auditor who will be performing theaudit. CCDDS-BD will provide an auditpackage to the approved third party audit-ing agency, chosen to perform the audit.After the audit has been completed, theapproved third party auditing agency shallreturn the completed audit package toCCDDS-BD for review and disposition.

Approved steel fabricator third-partyauditing agencies can be found on theClark County website: www.accessclark-county.com.

For more information, contact KennethKonrad, Building Inspection Specialist,Clark County Building Department, at:(702) 455-2734.

Clark County Issues Fabricator Policy Change

Page 15

Administrative Citations: March 1 - Feb. 28, 2009(All Paid Investigative Costs)

The Nevada Construction IndustryRelations Committee (NCIRC) recentlyreleased the 2009 edition of The BlueBook: A Reference Guide for theNevada Construction Industry.

The last edition was released in 2004.NCIRC is composed of representa-

tives from all of the state boards andagencies involved in the design andconstruction industry. Members includethe Board of Architecture, InteriorDesign and Residential Design, theBoard of Professional Engineers andLand Surveyors, the Board ofLandscape Architecture, theNevada State Contractors Board, theState Fire Marshal, the Public WorksBoard and the Nevada Organization of

Building Officials. One of the group’sprimary functions is to publish The BlueBook.

The Blue Book is a free referencemanual developed for building officials,design professionals, contractors and thepublic.

The booklet is intended to providereaders with a summary and guide tokey elements of the laws, regulationsand policies governing design and con-struction in the state of Nevada. Itincludes information about the role andduties of each design and constructionprofessional, as well as informationabout standards for building plans.

The last section in the manual coversFrequently Asked Questions.

The Blue Book can be downloadedfrom the Board of Architecture’swebsite:

(http://nsbaidrd.state.nv.us/publications_forms.htm)

Hardcopies of The Blue Book areavailable at the Nevada State ContractorsBoard offices at: 2310 Corporate Circle,Suite 200, Henderson, NV 89074, or9670 Gateway Drive, Suite 100, Reno,NV 89521.

NCIRC Releases 2009 Blue Book Reference Guide

2009 Nevada State Contractors Board Meetings

The following 2009 Nevada State Contractors Board meetings will take place at: 2310 CorporateCircle, Suite 200, Henderson, NV 89074 and 9670 Gateway Drive, Suite 100, Reno, NV 89521beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Thursdays:

• June 25• July 23• August 27• September 24• October 22• November 19• December 17

Agendas can be viewed on the website at: www.nscb.state.nv.us under “Meeting Agendas &Minutes,” three business days before each meeting. All dates are tentative and subject to change,until a meeting agenda has been officially posted.

Page 16

Don’t Forget To...

Always make sure your license number and monetary limitis on all contracts or bids. - NAC 624.640(5)

Check to ensure that licenses or persons with whom youcontract are valid and active. - NAC 624.650

Know what you are contracting for, verify terms of the contractand comply with terms of the contract. - NRS 624.3013(1)

If it is not in your written contract, it doesn’t exist.Make sure all change orders are in writing and signed byall parties. - NRS 624.3013(1)