WESTERN BURGLAR & FIRE ALARM ASSOCIATION (WBFAA)
Sponsor of the
FIRE/LIFE SAFETY CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
UNILATERAL APPRENTICESHIP AND TRAINING COMMITTEE (UATC)

BACKGROUND
The California Alarm Association (CAA) and the California Automatic Fire Alarm Association (CAFAA) united under the Western Burglar & Fire Alarm Association (WBFAA) to sponsor an apprenticeship program to comply with the State of California requirement under Assembly Bills (AB 931) (AB 921) signed by Governor Davis in October 1999.

AB 931 Electrician Certification:
Existing law provides for apprenticeship programs within the Division of Apprenticeship Standards in the Department of Industrial Relations. This bill would require the division to establish and validate minimum standards for the competency and training of electricians, as defined, through a system of testing and certification; establish fees necessary to implement those requirements; and establish and adopt regulations for enforcement purposes; and to establish an advisory committee and panels, as specified. Discrimination for or against any person based upon union or nonunion membership would be prohibited. These requirements would not be applicable with respect to electrical connections under 100 volt-amperes.

The new laws passed by the State of California legislature and signed by the Governor will have a major impact on the way Fire/Integrated systems companies conduct their business and, in some cases, their ability to continue to stay in business. The CAA and CAFAA had flagged AB 931 and AB 921 when they were introduced, but a review of the language did not divulge their ultimate objectives.

The law requires that all workers that make electrical connection of devices of 100 volt amperes (VA) or more be certified or be in an apprenticeship program. This means all workers making these connections must get certified by meeting a certain criteria first, take a test and pass, or join a state approved apprentice program to work in California.

The law places the responsibility and authority with the Division of Apprentice Standards (DAS), a part of the Department of Industrial Relations. They are to establish and validate minimum standards for the competency and training of workers (that hook up electrical devices 100 VA or more) through a system of testing and regulations.

The law required the DAS to form an advisory committee and the California Electrician Certification Advisory Committee (CECAC) was formed. Under CECAC, there are six subcommittees, or panels, to advise CECAC. The majority of those serving on the committee and panels are affiliated with non-merit segment of the industry.

About 12 member names from CAA and CAFAA had been submitted to the DAS for consideration to be placed on the six panels. By having members on these panels we hoped to have some input on the direction CECAC takes.


OPTIONS FOR COMPLIANCE
After reviewing the legislation that was passed, it was clear that the fire/integrated systems industry would fall under the mandate of an apprenticeship program, industry leaders viewed several options. Attacking the legislation from a legal perspective was seen as an exercise in futility based on the support it had from other entities in the state. The option chosen was to comply with the requisites and regulations created by AB 931 by establishing a statewide apprenticeship program that offered relevant and supplemental education.


THE WBFAA APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM
CAA and CAFAA are the only two statewide non-profit trade associates committed to representing the interests of the fire/integrated systems industry in the whole state. It fell within their independent mission statements to develop an apprenticeship program and collateral training that was relevant to the work being done in the fire/integrated systems industry.

CAA and CAFAA joined together under the WBFAA to serve as the program sponsor for the Fire/Life Safety Certification Program. The program sponsor is charged with the responsibility of creating a viable apprenticeship program that is acceptable to the California Apprenticeship Council (CAC), a publicly appointed entity that has final approval over all apprenticeship programs in the state.

The WBFAA will be developing request for grants from the State of California to assist in the development and operation of the apprenticeship program and journeyman upgrading programs. The WBFAA is in the process of submitting an application to the DAS, and this process takes a minimum of six months for approval. The objective is to have a program that will be in place when compliance of the mandate is set, which is estimated to be July 2001 and is governed by the creation of the certification exam.

The WBFAA, through the CAA and CAFAA, has conducted a survey of its members to gather information necessary for the development of the apprenticeship program. The survey is designed to gather information to develop work processes that include all on-the-job training, to show the type of work that the industry has been doing, and to demonstrate a history of training and continuing education. The survey requested information on wages and benefits so that the committee could recommend a chart of wages and benefits that will be included as part of an approved apprenticeship program. This is important to develop compensation tables that are relevant to the work and the industry and not set in an arbitrary manner.

The WBFAA has a budget of approximately $40,000 for the first six months to develop the program and establish the organization. Both CAA and CAFAA have contributed funds to pay initial costs, and are seeking financial support from companies and associations who are affected by this program and will benefit from its development.

HOW THIS WILL AFFECT YOU
If you are currently holding a C-10 or a C-10/C-7 (C10 electrical contractor, C-7 low voltage contractor) license you will be required to become certified (if you perform the work) along with all of your employees currently involved in the installation of fire/integrated systems. Certification requires a high school diploma or general education diploma (GED) and a passing grade on the certification exam. You may obtain a waiver of the apprenticeship program for each person who can submit a verifiable 4,000 hours of fieldwork. You must then take and pass the certification exam. If you do not pass the certification exam, you will then be required to enter into an approved apprenticeship program and eventually pass the certification exam.

New employees entering the industry will be required to enter an approved apprenticeship program.

Wages and benefits will be required to meet the minimum standards set by the approved apprenticeship program.