PLUMBER APPRENTICE

Omaha Municipal Code ch. 49, art. II, div. 4

in effect

Omaha Municipal Code § 49-250 Registration required.

Sec. 49-250. - Registration required. Any person employed as a plumber apprentice must register annually with the plumbing board recording secretary by providing his/her name, address and place of employment. Any change of employment or residence must be reported to the plumbing board within 30 days of said change. All registrations shall expire on December 31 of each calendar year. (Ord. No. 40524, § 1, 10-20-15)

Omaha Municipal Code § 49-251 Registration fee.

Sec. 49-251. - Registration fee. The original and renewal plumber apprentice registration fee shall be $20.00. (Ord. No. 40524, § 1, 10-20-15)

Omaha Municipal Code § 49-252 Apprenticeship program certification requirements.

Sec. 49-252. - Apprenticeship program certification requirements. The plumbing board shall certify that all apprenticeship programs comply with the following components and requirements: (a) A specific affirmative action plan, including measurable performance objectives, detailing methods to recruit members of minority groups and women. (b) A minimum of four consecutive year of practical on-the-job training with a minimum of 300 hours each of the seven years to accrue a minimum total of 7,000 hours. (c) A minimum of 696 classroom instruction hours related to the plumbing trade as outlined in section 49-255. (d) Any apprentice program may have their program decertified for falsifying attendance and requirements of section 49-255 this chapter. (Ord. No. 40524, § 1, 10-20-15)

Omaha Municipal Code § 49-253 Apprenticeship program entrance requirements.

Sec. 49-253. - Apprenticeship program entrance requirements. Any applicant to an apprenticeship program must be at least 18 years of age and possess a high school diploma or a general equivalency certificate (GED). It shall be unlawful for any plumbing business to employ an unregistered plumber apprentice. (Ord. No. 40524, § 1, 10-20-15)

Omaha Municipal Code § 49-254 Apprenticeship programs for groups.

Sec. 49-254. - Apprenticeship programs for groups. Any group, organization or union may have a joint apprenticeship program with multiple persons, firms and corporations, engaged in the plumbing trade. Any joint apprenticeship program shall meet the minimum requirements of section 49-252 and 49-255 and adhere to the ratios stated in section 49-258. (Ord. No. 40524, § 1, 10-20-15)

Omaha Municipal Code § 49-255 Classroom instruction requirements.

Sec. 49-255. - Classroom instruction requirements. The plumbing board shall establish standards for classroom instruction and certify instructional programs annually. Classroom instruction requirements must be fulfilled through organized programs that have been plumbing board approved prior to the commencement of classes. Any instructional program approved by the plumbing board must meet the following minimum requirements: (a) Four years of classroom instruction comprised of a minimum of 696 verifiable hours (b) A minimum of 300 hours of plumbing code instruction as well as instruction in the use of plumbing tools, construction safety, design drawing reading, plumbing system design, installation of the various types of plumbing materials, welding, plumbing-related math and other trade-related subjects. (c) All associated instructors must hold a master or journeyman plumber license issued by the plumbing board or be a mechanical engineer licensed by the State of Nebraska. (d) All existing instructional programs shall, at the end of each annual classroom schedule and before commencement of the following annual schedule, submit an annual report to the board. The report shall contain the following information: (1) Names and qualifications of the reported session's instructors. (2) Subjects taught during the reported session. (3) Approximate time spent on each topic. (4) Names of apprentices attending each class. (5) Number of classroom hours completed by each apprentice during the session. (Ord. No. 40524, § 1, 10-20-15)

Omaha Municipal Code § 49-256 Credit for extra-jurisdictional area experience.

Sec. 49-256. - Credit for extra-jurisdictional area experience. An apprentice may request credit for on-the-job hours or classroom hours accumulated in another jurisdiction. The apprentice and the apprentice sponsor shall appear before the plumbing board and provide a written record of the apprentice's prior extra-jurisdictional area on-the-job or classroom training for which credit is being sought. Credit may be given the apprentice at the discretion of the plumbing board. In the event the apprentice has no classroom training but seeks credit for prior knowledge gained through other means, the plumbing board will determine final placement pending the results of a classroom equivalency test given by the planning department. (Ord. No. 40524, § 1, 10-20-15)

Omaha Municipal Code § 49-257 Apprentice-to-licensed-plumber ratio.

Sec. 49-257. - Apprentice-to-licensed-plumber ratio. (a) One apprentice may be employed in a plumbing business for each regularly employed journeyman or master plumber. (b) If a master plumber is the business' sole employee, the business may employ one apprentice. (c) Ratios shall be applicable to the business' overall work force and to individual job site staffing. A plumbing business may be granted a temporary ratio exception of up to six months to allow for journeyman plumber layoffs or resignations. In the event the plumbing business ratio falls short of compliance, the apprenticeship sponsor for the plumbing business shall notify the plumbing board in writing of the circumstances, intention, and time frame required to resolve the ratio imbalance. (Ord. No. 40524, § 1, 10-20-15)

Omaha Municipal Code § 49-258 Required supervision.

Sec. 49-258. - Required supervision. An apprentice shall only perform plumbing duties while working on behalf of the employer and under the direct supervision of a licensed journeyman or master plumber until the final apprenticeship year. During the final year, the apprentice may perform service and repair work without direct supervision. Service and repair work shall include, for the purpose of this section only, the following: (a) Cleaning stoppages in drains, soil, waste or vent pipe. (b) Leak repair in pipes and valves not involving the rearrangement of valve or pipes. The total distance of the pipe to be replaced shall not exceed 15 feet. (c) Replacement of water closets, lavatories, water heaters, disposals, dishwashers, and kitchen sinks when such replacement does not require the rearrangement of water, waste and vent piping. An apprentice shall not set fixtures in a structure under construction or renovation unsupervised by a journeyman or master plumber. (d) Replacement or repair of faucets, traps and supplies on existing fixtures. (e) Installation and replacement of sill cocks, pressure reducing valves, backflow preventers and similar devices. In the event any apprenticeship extends beyond the fourth year, the apprentice shall work under the direct supervision of a licensed journeyman or master plumber until such time the apprentice passes the journeyman license examination and a journeyman plumber license is issued. (Ord. No. 40524, § 1, 10-20-15)

Omaha Municipal Code § 49-259 Revocation or suspension of apprentice privileges.

Sec. 49-259. - Revocation or suspension of apprentice privileges. An apprentice may have their apprentice privileges revoked or suspended for any of the following: (a) Installing or repairing plumbing while not in the employment of a master plumber. (b) Installing or repairing plumbing while not under the supervision of a master or journeyman (except as noted in section 49-258). (Ord. No. 40524, § 1, 10-20-15)

Source: City of Omaha, Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ne/omaha/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=OMMUCOCHGEORVOII_CH49PL_ARTIILI_DIV4PLAPFetched: 10/28/2026