The director of labor and industries of the state of Washington and the officials of all incorporated cities and towns where electrical inspections are required by local ordinances shall have power and it shall be their duty to enforce the provisions of this chapter in their respective jurisdictions. The director of labor and industries shall appoint a chief electrical inspector and may appoint other electrical inspectors as the director deems necessary to assist the director in the performance of the director's duties. The chief electrical inspector, subject to the review of the director, shall be responsible for providing the final interpretation of adopted state electrical standards, rules, and policies for the department and its inspectors, assistant inspectors, electrical plan examiners, and other individuals supervising electrical program personnel. If a dispute arises within the department regarding the interpretation of adopted state electrical standards, rules, or policies, the chief electrical inspector, subject to the review of the director, shall provide the final interpretation of the disputed standard, rule, or policy. All electrical inspectors appointed by the director of labor and industries shall have not less than: Four years experience as journey level electricians in the electrical construction trade installing and maintaining electrical wiring and equipment; or four years experience as a journey level electrician performing the duties of an electrical inspector employed by the department or a city or town with an approved inspection program under RCW
19.28.141, except that for work performed in accordance with the national electrical safety code and covered by this chapter, such inspections may be performed by a person certified as an outside journeyperson lineworker, under RCW
19.28.261(5)(b), with four years experience or a person with four years experience as a certified outside journeyperson lineworker performing the duties of an electrical inspector employed by an electrical utility. Such state inspectors shall be paid such salary as the director of labor and industries shall determine, together with their travel expenses in accordance with RCW
43.03.050 and
43.03.060 as now existing or hereafter amended. As a condition of employment, inspectors hired exclusively to perform inspections in accordance with the national electrical safety code must possess and maintain certification as an outside journeyperson lineworker. The expenses of the director of labor and industries and the salaries and expenses of state inspectors incurred in carrying out the provisions of this chapter shall be paid entirely out of the electrical license fund, upon vouchers approved by the director of labor and industries.
