At any time that the office of the chief inspector may become vacant, the secretary of public safety shall appoint a person who shall have had at the time of such appointment not less than five years' experience in the construction, installation, inspection, operation, maintenance, or repair of boilers as a mechanical engineer, steam operating engineer, boilermaker, or boiler inspector, and who shall have passed the same kind of examination as that prescribed under § 34-29A-9, to be chief inspector. This examination may be waived by the secretary of public safety for a period of twelve months.
SDCL 34-29A-3