OAR 837-039-0016: Certification and Training Requirements for Conducting Fire Code Enforcement

(1) These rules establish statewide standards for certification and training requirements of fire officials responsible for administration of a Fire Code approved by the State Fire Marshal. (a) Every person who performs fire code enforcement must possess an Oregon Fire and Life Safety Competency Recognition certificate from the Department of the State Fire Marshal for the scope of work being performed. (b) Every person who is transitioning between recognition levels or newly hired must receive the necessary on-the-job training experience and related technical instruction under the direct supervision of an appropriately recognized fire official. (A) When the fire code official determines that a newly promoted or hired fire official responsible for fire code enforcement are fully qualified to perform the duties of an Oregon Fire Inspector I, II, or Oregon Fire Marshal, the newly hired fire official may work independently without direct supervision. (B) The newly promoted or hired fire official responsible for fire code enforcement must meet the requirements of OAR 837-039-0016(1)(a) within 12 months from date of hire. (2) All persons who seek to perform fire code inspections within the scope of practice of a Company Inspector must successfully complete the Company Inspector course provided by the Department of the State Fire Marshal. (a) This course will also be made available to be taught by a qualified instructor of a local Authority Having Jurisdiction. (b) Qualified instructors can apply through the Department of the State Fire Marshal to obtain the curriculum and to teach the course for their local Jurisdiction. Course curriculum shall not be altered without approval of the Department of the State Fire Marshal. (3) All persons who seek to perform the scope of practice of an Oregon Fire Inspector I shall possess an ICC Fire Inspector I Certification, NFPA Fire Inspector I Certification and have completed the Building Code, Mechanical Code courses and completed the Oregon Fire Code Update course for each Oregon Fire Code adoption cycle provided by the Department of the State Fire Marshal. (4) All persons who seek to perform the scope of practice of an Oregon Fire Inspector II shall possess, in addition to the requirements of OAR 837-039-0016(3), an ICC Fire Inspector II Certification and NFPA Fire Inspector II Certification. (5) All persons who seek to perform the scope of practice of an Oregon Fire Marshal shall complete, in addition to the requirements of OAR 837-039-0016(3) and OAR 837-039-0016 (4), the Oregon Fire Marshal course provided by the Department of the State Fire Marshal. (6) To obtain a Fire and Life Safety Competency Recognition certificate, an application to the Department of the State Fire Marshal must be submitted. The application will be submitted by the local Authority Having Jurisdiction verifying and attesting that the required training and certifications outlined in OAR 837-039-0016(3), OAR 837-039-0016(4) and/or OAR 837-039-0016(5) have been met prior to the submission of the application. (7) Any Competency Recognition certificate is considered not active if any of the required trainings or certifications outlined in OAR 837-039-0016(3) and/or OAR 837-039-0016(4) lapse or the person is no longer employed by a local Authority Having Jurisdiction within Oregon. To reactivate a Competency Recognition certificate, the local Authority Having Jurisdiction shall submit a new application to the Department of the State Fire Marshal. (8) Fire officials who do not have a current Oregon Fire Inspector I, II or Oregon Fire Marshal certificate shall not perform work within the respective scope of practice. (9) Any fire official who is currently employed by a local Authority Having Jurisdiction in Oregon and holds a Fire and Life Safety Specialist I certificate, Fire and Life Safety Specialist II certificate or Oregon Fire Marshal certificate prior to January 1, 2023, shall be grandfathered into the new recognition levels based on their equivalent level and will be subject to the current rules as of January 1, 2023, as outlined in OAR 837-039-0016.