Marylanddid not have a state wide license until about 2005. So, the state of Maryland Legislature established a statewide license for stationary engineers. Title Section 6.5-102 of the Maryland Stationary Engineers Act, (Business Occupations and Professions Article, Annotated Code of Maryland).
Maryland has a very-very-broad definition of what facility or plant or building requires a licensed engineer, and if a facility does not have a boiler then a Maryland Stationary Engineer is still needed. Here is Maryland's State Board of Stationary Engineer's scope that a stationary engineer is needed: the scope of the law includes all equipment actually or normally found in a facility which may be known as a power plant, or plant of machinery, or boiler room, or factory, or industrial or commercial enterprise, or educational or residential or health related facility, or place of private or public gathering. Furthermore, The equipment may include a boiler, a pressure vessel, a furnace, a heater, a heat exchanger, an autoclave or sterilizer or cooker, a motor, an engine, a generator, a fan, a pump, a compressor, a separator, a precipitator, a refrigerator, a chiller, an air handler, a filter, a water treatment system, a fire suppression system, a press, a roller, a mill, a welder, a hydraulic system, a cylinder, an extruder, or any other equipment or system which may create a hazard to life, limb, or property if not operated or maintained in accordance with codes, standards, manufacturer's recommendations, or good engineering practice.
Also, Maryland State Board of Stationary Engineer's scope includes diesel-powered engines (Section 6.5-101 of the Maryland Stationary Engineers Act), so an appropriately-licensed stationary engineer is required. Section 6.5-101(f) of the Act states that to "provide stationary engineer services" means to oversee the operation of a power plant, plant of machinery, or boiler, each generating pressure of more that 15 PSI and operating at 30 or more horsepower.
License Law is required for all boilers including leased and portable boilers. The grade of license required is based on the horsepower and operating pressure for the largest, single piece of equipment located in the plant, and not the combined total, or source of power, or any other information.
Refrigeration equipment requires a stationary engineer's license even when there are no boilers. A licensed Stationary Engineer will have oversight and responsibility of the refrigeration plant and/or refrigeration equipment.
Thus, you are required to complete 15 professional development hours (PDH) every 2 years. You must have an ethics-related topic for at least one PDH. You are allowed to carry a maximum of 8 credit hours forward into the next licensing term. All engineering licenses are renewed on the last day of the month from the date of issue every 2 years.
In Maryland, engineering is regulated by the Maryland Board for Professional Engineers. You have to earn 16 PDH credits every 2 years. The courses you take must come from qualified programs and should improve your professional competency as well as improve, extend and enhance your professional engineering knowledge and skills.
All course providers are pre-approved by the Board, and all of your courses must be taken with one of the approved sponsors. For ease of finding these courses, you might consider checking out PDH-Pro, which is a Maryland-approved provider of continuing education courses.
You have to be able to certify that you have earned the required number of PDH credits. While submission of certificates is not required during each 2-year renewal period, you must maintain your records for at least 4 years. The Board conducts random audits, and if you are audited, you must provide proof that you have completed all of the hours that you claimed. You can submit this information online.
Engineering impacts most aspects of society. Since it plays such a vital role, it is important that engineers not only have technical expertise, but that they also understand and adhere to high ethical standards. To ensure that you are incorporating the code of ethics into your daily work, the Board mandates that you complete at least one PDH credit in ethics to fulfill the continuing education requirements for Maryland engineers.
You are responsible for keeping track of the documents that say you have fulfilled your continuing education requirements for Maryland engineers. Every year, the Board conducts audits for engineers that are renewing their license. If you get audited, you must provide the correct documentation that proves you have met the conditions necessary for license renewal.
When it comes to continuing education requirements for Maryland engineers, any course or activity that will improve or expand your skills and knowledge in your field of engineering will be accepted by the Board. The Board has the final say in whether a course or activity qualifies for continuing education credit. Some of the courses you can take include the following:
If you take a self-directed or self-study online course, they must have a clear outcome that is measured in the form of a test, report, study, narrative or research paper for the Board to accept it. There is no limit on the number of PDH credits that can be earned online.
While these courses are similar to online courses, they take the activities one step further and allow you to interact with the presenter. As long as the webinar meets the standards set forth by the Board, it will be accepted to fulfill your continuing education requirements.
The regular duties you perform for your job are not considered to be qualifying activities. Other activities that do not meet the continuing education requirements for Maryland engineers include the following:
Any course or activity that is related to your engineering field and increases your knowledge and improves your skills are accepted by the Board. The course or activity should have a stated purpose, content that is well defined, and a duration that is clearly stated. The course or activity should not focus solely on business skills or personal use.
Due to the advances in technology, the number of courses you can take online has increased exponentially, making live webinars and other interactive courses common. Educational institutions such as Caltech, Harvard, MIT and Stanford provide massive open online courses (MOOCs) led by subject matter experts that are mostly free of charge.
The continuing education requirements for Maryland engineers mandate that any course or activity you take should improve, maintain or expand your skills and knowledge as they pertain to your field of practice, as defined in the Maryland Department of Labor Subtitle 23 Board for Professional Engineers Chapter 06 Continuing Professional Competency Requirements.
Today, there is a lot of overlap when it comes to the engineering disciplines. Since many projects are multidisciplinary in nature, the Board recognizes that engineers must have knowledge in a wide range of technical areas.
Who needs a contractors license? When are you engaged in construction activity that requires a license?When are you just a supplier How much activity makes you a contractor? What are the penalties for operating without a required contractor license?
If you have a contract for a hundred thousand dollars, then that is how much this problem can cost you. If you are supposed to be licensed and are not, a debtor customer can simply refuse to pay. The courts will back the customer up and refuse to enforce an illegal contract. Proper licensure is also a requirement under most mechanic's lien statutes.
Operating without a required contractor's license can be a criminal violation. There are usually civil penalties. Operating without a required contractor license would also be a violation of the Consumer Protection Act. By complying with state licensing requirements you can avoid civil and criminal penalties and protect the ability to enforce your contract and/or lien rights.
The primary purpose of licensing requirements is to protect the general public. This is a very legitimate police power by the state. It is best to err on the side of caution. Even if the need for a license is arguable, it is a far better policy to have one.The downside risks are great. Although you may eventually prevail, even the need to argue about it will have great costs in time and legal fees.
The Division of Occupational & Professional Licensing of the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing & Regulation ("DLLR") oversees 22 boards, commissions, and programs that regulate 26 different professions, including construction contractors.[1]
Maryland law requires a construction license for any person or business organization that does construction business in the state.[2]Construction business is defined as paving or curbing a sidewalk, street, or other public or private property, excavating earth, rock, or other material, doing work on or in a building or other structure that requires the use of a building material, including paint, stone, brick, mortar, wood, cement, structural iron or steel, sheet iron, galvanized iron, metallic piping, tin, lead, electric wiring or other metal, or any other building material; or paving or curbing on sidewalks or streets; or excavating.[3]
These definitions seem to include any general contractor, construction manager or subcontractor, doing work on or in a building or other structure.This does not seem to include a material supplier who is not doing work on or in a building or other structure.A contractor or subcontractor who holds an MHIC (Home Improvement) license, discussed below, is not required to also hold a state construction license.[4]
Maryland law distinguishes between state construction contractor licenses requiring an exam and county licenses that may not require an exam. State construction contractor licenses are required for home improvement contractors,[5] home builders[6] and specialty trades or professionals, such as architects,[7] engineers,[8] land surveyors,[9]landscape architects,[10] electricians,[11] plumbers.[12] heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration[13] contractors. Some specialty trade licensing is also handled at the local level.
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