Job-Site Safety, Licensure Responsibilities, and Business Practices
Safety fundamentals
Expect OSHA-based questions. Key thresholds: trench and excavation protection is required once a trench reaches 5 ft in depth (and sooner in unstable soil); spoil piles and ladders matter; confined spaces require hazard evaluation, atmospheric testing, ventilation, an attendant, and entry procedures. Add PPE, ladder angle and tie-off, housekeeping, and lockout/tagout for working on equipment.
Two plumbing-specific hazards dominate. Soldering requires a fire watch, shielding from combustibles, and awareness that a torch near insulation or framing starts fires hours later. Gas work requires recognizing a leak - smell, soap-bubble testing, never a flame - and knowing to evacuate, ventilate, shut off the gas, and call the utility rather than trying to chase the leak with a lighter.
Licensure and supervision
Know who may do what. A master holds the license that permits contracting and permit-pulling; a journeyman performs work under a master; an apprentice must be registered and supervised within the required ratio and must not work unsupervised or hold out as licensed. Continuing education, license renewal, and immediate reporting of changes are the licensee's responsibility. Advertising, vehicle lettering, and estimates must not misrepresent license status.
Business practices
Residential remodeling work typically triggers Home Improvement Contractor registration and written-contract requirements, deposit and payment terms, lien rights, insurance and workers' compensation, and the consumer protection statute covering unfair or deceptive practices. Keep permits, inspection results, and test records on file.
Worked example
An unlicensed helper installs a water heater while the master is on another site. The violation is unlicensed practice and inadequate supervision, not a paperwork error - the master who took the permit bears responsibility, and the job also lacks the required inspection.