NYC Gas Piping Inspection is a safety measure to protect your building’s occupants. The inspection includes a visual survey of exposed gas lines for evidence of excessive atmospheric corrosion, piping deterioration that has resulted in a dangerous condition and illegal connections.
Local Law 152 requires all buildings except those classified as occupancy group R-3 to have periodic inspections by a Licensed Master Plumber (LMP) or qualified individual under LMP’s direct supervision. Inspections are required on a schedule based upon Community District.
In order to ensure your building’s gas piping is safe for its tenants, you must schedule a gas piping inspection. A failure to do so can result in a variety of problems, including poor air quality, fires, or explosions. This is why it’s important to have a qualified professional conduct the inspection and make necessary repairs. To be considered qualified, the inspector must be either a licensed master plumber or an individual who works under the “direct and continuing” supervision of a licensed master plumber who has met additional training requirements. A complete list of qualified inspectors can be found in the NYC rules linked above.
Those who are responsible for the maintenance of the plumbing system in a residential, commercial, or industrial building are required to hire an experienced plumber to perform a gas piping inspection. If you’re not sure who to hire, a search of the Master Plumbers Council database can help you find a qualified inspector. Additionally, if you do choose to hire an inspector, it’s recommended that you check both their current license status and disciplinary and voluntary surrender records.
Local Law 152 states that the City’s Department of Buildings, or DOB, requires certain properties to have their gas piping inspected on a regular basis. These inspections are designed to prevent dangerous conditions such as leaks and fires, and protect the safety of residents, maintenance staff, and city first responders.
Under this law, all buildings except for those in occupancy group R-3 (two family or less) must have their gas piping inspected at least once every four years. Fortunately, the process is fairly simple and requires no significant cost or time to complete.
The inspections must be conducted by a qualified gas piping system inspector who has been approved by the DOB. Depending on the type of building, the inspector must be a licensed master plumber or an individual who has been working under the direct and continuing supervision of a licensed master plumber who has completed additional training.
During an inspection, the inspector will test public spaces, hallways and corridors on floors that contain exposed gas piping or gas utilization equipment. The inspector will also need access to the point of entry to the gas service piping and to boiler and mechanical rooms. If the inspector finds any safety issues, such as a leak or improper installation, he will immediately shut off the gas supply and notify the utility company of the situation.
Inspection Report
Aside from identifying any conditions that could present a hazardous situation, the LMP must also walk the exposed gas piping in all non-tenant spaces, inspect for code violations and illegal connections, and test for combustible gases. The LMP must then provide the building owner with a written report of their inspection findings within 30 days of the inspection.
Once the inspection has been completed, the owner must submit to DOB a Gas Piping System Periodic Inspection Certification signed and sealed by the LMP who conducted or supervised the inspection. This submission must be made no later than the applicable DOB deadline (deadlines based on community district) or else a civil penalty of up to $10,000 will apply.
Local Law 152 of 2016 is a requirement that affects around 280,000 NYC buildings. This regulation aims to eliminate gas leaks and a variety of other unsafe conditions, like corroding pipes or illegal taps into the city’s pipes.
If an LMP finds any conditions that could pose a threat to safety, they are required by law to notify the building owner, the utility providing gas service to the property, and the DOB. The building owner is then required to correct the unsafe condition(s) and bring the building into full compliance with all City construction codes.
Despite the fact that gas piping inspections can be difficult to manage in these COVID times, it’s important to remember that the purpose of these inspections is to keep our residents, employees and tenants safe. It is critical that these inspections take place on schedule to avoid potentially catastrophic events, like the two East Harlem explosions that killed eight people and leveled several buildings back in 2014.
The best way to prepare for your LL152 gas piping inspection is to make sure that you have an experienced, licensed and insured professional conducting your inspection and handling your certification. Contact us now to get your LL152 gas piping inspection scheduled! We can help you meet the upcoming deadlines and avoid any unnecessary penalties. And if you’re not yet due for your LL152 inspection, we can assist in bringing your building up to date.
Corrective Actions
In the wake of several fatal explosions caused by poorly welded Consolidated Edison gas lines, the City of New York passed Local Law 152 in 2016. The law requires all buildings to have their gas piping systems inspected and certified.
Under this requirement, building owners must have a NYC Licensed Master Plumber (LMP) inspect their gas piping system once every four years. The inspection must include a visual survey of all exposed gas line from the point of entry into the building to the service meters. In addition, the LMP must also check public spaces to look for evidence of excessive atmospheric corrosion, piping deterioration that results in dangerous conditions, and illegal connections to the gas utility lines.
Depending on the findings of the LMP, corrective actions may be required to bring the building up to code. This can be anything from replacing a regulator to repairing a leak or clog in a pipe. Corrective actions must be completed, documented and filed with the LMP within 120 days after the inspection. If an inspector finds a dangerous condition such as a gas leak, the building’s gas will be shut off and the fire department will be called. All precautions must be taken, until the area is made safe.
If there are no dangerous conditions found, the building will be certified as in compliance with Local Law 152 and no corrective actions will be required. However, the owner must submit to DOB an Inspection Certification signed and sealed by the LMP who conducted the inspection stating that all conditions identified have been corrected.
A gas safety inspection will uncover clogs, blockages and other problems that could be damaging to your equipment and leading to inefficiency and high energy bills. In addition, a professional will be able to recommend ways to improve efficiency and help you save money on your electric bill. An annual inspection can also catch potential issues early, so you can address them before they become dangerous. In many cases, these problems are more cost effective to repair and easier to resolve than they would be if left untreated.
Certification
The Licensed Master Plumber (LMP) you hire should give you a Gas Piping Inspection Report within 30 days of the inspection. This includes the date of the inspection and a list of any conditions that need to be corrected. It also includes the test results from a pressure test that shows that your system is operating at acceptable levels. If you need more time to make the required corrections, then your LMP can file a one-time 180-day extension of the report due date with DOB.
Once you have made all of the necessary corrections, your LMP will need to certify your building’s Gas Piping System Periodic Inspection Certification with DOB. This can be done online through the GPS2 submission portal. This is an important step because any violations that aren’t submitted by the report due date may result in a civil penalty of up to $10,000.
In order to submit an inspection report, you must have a Licensed Master Plumber (LMP) or an individual working under the direct and continuing supervision of an LMP that has completed additional training. You can find a list of LMPs who have met this requirement by using the Know Your Construction Professional tool. This allows you to search for a licensee by name or business name and review any disciplinary actions they have had with DOB as well as any voluntary surrender records.
Your LMP will need to survey all exposed gas piping in your building from the point of entry of the gas lines into your property, as well as your building service meters. They will also need to survey the public spaces, hallways, and corridors in your building for signs of excessive atmospheric corrosion or piping deterioration that has resulted in a dangerous condition, any illegal connections, and non-code compliant installations.
The inspections must be performed by an LMP and conducted by a registered design professional (a registered architect or licensed professional engineer). A LMP can’t submit a gas piping system periodic inspection certification for a building that doesn’t contain a gas piping system.