---
kind: "section"
citation: "49 C.F.R. § 192.285"
title: "49"
number: "192.285"
heading: "Plastic pipe: Qualifying persons to make joints."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/49/192.285"
---

# §192.285. Plastic pipe: Qualifying persons to make joints.

- (a) No person may make a plastic pipe joint unless that person has been qualified under the applicable joining procedure by:
  - (1) Appropriate training or experience in the use of the procedure; and
  - (2) Making a specimen joint from pipe sections joined according to the procedure that passes the inspection and test set forth in [paragraph (b)](#b) of this section.
- (b) The specimen joint must be:
  - (1) Visually examined during and after assembly or joining and found to have the same appearance as a joint or photographs of a joint that is acceptable under the procedure; and
  - (2) **In the case of a heat fusion, solvent cement, or adhesive joint—**
    - (i) Tested under any one of the test methods listed under [§ 192.283(a)](/cfr/49/192.283.md?p=a), and for PE heat fusion joints (except for electrofusion joints) visually inspected in accordance with ASTM F2620 (incorporated by reference, see [§ 192.7](/cfr/49/192.7.md)), or a written procedure that has been demonstrated to provide an equivalent or superior level of safety, applicable to the type of joint and material being tested;
    - (ii) Examined by ultrasonic inspection and found not to contain flaws that would cause failure; or
    - (iii) **Cut into at least 3 longitudinal straps, each of which is—**
      - (A) Visually examined and found not to contain voids or discontinuities on the cut surfaces of the joint area; and
      - (B) Deformed by bending, torque, or impact, and if failure occurs, it must not initiate in the joint area.
- (c) A person must be re-qualified under an applicable procedure once each calendar year at intervals not exceeding 15 months, or after any production joint is found unacceptable by testing under [§ 192.513](/cfr/49/192.513.md).
- (d) Each operator shall establish a method to determine that each person making joints in plastic pipelines in the operator's system is qualified in accordance with this section.
- (e) For transmission pipe installed after July 1, 2021, records demonstrating each person's plastic pipe joining qualifications at the time of construction in accordance with this section must be retained for a minimum of 5 years following construction.

## Notes

### Amendments

[Amdt. 192-34A, 45 FR 9935, Feb. 14, 1980, as amended by Amdt. 192-34B, 46 FR 39, Jan. 2, 1981; Amdt. 192-93, 68 FR 53900, Sept. 15, 2003; Amdt. 192-120, 80 FR 12779, Mar. 11, 2015; Amdt. 192-124, 83 FR 58718, Nov. 20, 2018; Amdt. 192-125, 84 FR 52245, Oct. 1, 2019; 86 FR 2240, Jan. 11, 2021]

### Authority

Authority: 30 U.S.C. 185(w)(3), 49 U.S.C. 5103, 60101 et. seq., and 49 CFR 1.97.

### Source

Source: 35 FR 13257, Aug. 19, 1970, unless otherwise noted.

### Amendments

[Amdt. 192-34A, 45 FR 9935, Feb. 14, 1980, as amended by Amdt. 192-34B, 46 FR 39, Jan. 2, 1981; Amdt. 192-93, 68 FR 53900, Sept. 15, 2003; Amdt. 192-120, 80 FR 12779, Mar. 11, 2015; Amdt. 192-124, 83 FR 58718, Nov. 20, 2018; Amdt. 192-125, 84 FR 52245, Oct. 1, 2019; 86 FR 2240, Jan. 11, 2021]