Recently, Steve Leyton, an adamant opponent of California’s AB 2288 (Torrico), which will require sprinkler installers to be trained, submitted an article to this site entitled “SPRINKLER FITTERS UNION TO OPPOSE FIRE SPRINKLERS”. While this makes a good headline to get one’s attention, it is not necessarily truthful. Mr. Leyton is opposed to required minimum training and certification of sprinkler fitters, so he authored this article with the intent to persuade those in support of minimum required training, which includes fire departments, fire marshals, fire chiefs, and fire service organizations, to instead oppose our legislative bill. California’s AB 2288 is all about establishing a minimum standard for training for those who install fire suppression systems.

My statement is taken out of context and was made, not on behalf of the USA Sprinkler Fitters Association, but on behalf of my advocacy for the California contingency of sprinkler fitter unions (aka California Sprinkler Fitters Association). And, more importantly, the California Sprinkler Fitters Association do not oppose fire sprinklers, but oppose California’s current legal and regulatory structure that permits anyone, regardless of qualification to install these life safety systems.

Thus, currently in California there are no requirements that a sprinkler installer be trained to install a fire sprinkler system in any occupancy, including highrise office buildings, health facilities, assembly occupancies, to name just a few.

The USA Sprinkler Fitters Association, and the California Sprinkler Fitters Association are adamant and continued supporters of IRC Proposal RB64-07/08, which will provide a requirement for fire sprinklers in one- and two-family dwellings in the International Residential Code (IRC). We urge all ICC members to attend the ICC hearings this September in Minnesota, and those who are eligible, to vote against the decision to disapprove IRC Proposal RB64-07/08. Additionally, both the USA Sprinkler Fitters Association and the California Sprinkler Fitters Association support and have actively lobbied Congress to pass the Federal Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act.

As you know, upon the adoption of a requirement for fire sprinklers in one- and two-family dwellings in the IRC, the individual states and/or local jurisdictions must adopt this model code provision for it to become effective. It will be at this time, in California that the California Sprinkler Fitters Association will only support adoption if adequate training requirements are already in law or contained in the California language with the requirement for fire sprinklers. This is not being opposed to fire sprinklers and is not too much to ask for in light of the lives that training may save.

To label AB 2288 a “union” bill is simply a political maneuver on the part of our opposition who are desperate and willing to say anything to make AB 2288 go away. My challenge to all is to actually read AB 2288. While the union-sponsored apprenticeship program is one method of obtaining the requisite training for certification, it is not the only method. In fact, there are several methods for obtaining certification having nothing to do with sprinkler fitter union apprenticeship programs. It is right there in the language for all to read.

We continue to stand by our position that ALL installers should attend an adequate training program and be qualified to install a life safety fire sprinkler system, and that we fully support the IRC model code adoption of required fire sprinklers in one- and two-family dwellings.

A formal rebuttal to this article has been written by Steve Leyton. Rebuttal to Sprinkler Fitter Unions Support of Fire Sprinklers Article