For the purpose of this article, the following words and terms
shall have the meanings hereinafter ascribed to them:
The Electricians' Examining Board of the Borough of Chambersburg
as hereinafter established.
The Mayor and Town Council of the Borough of Chambersburg,
commonly known as the "Borough of Chambersburg" and/or its duly authorized
representative acting in its behalf.
The act of installing, repairing, or removing any electric
wiring, electric wiring device(s), or electric appliance(s), as the
same are defined herein. This shall not include the direct, in-kind
replacement of existing receptacles, switches, light fixtures, etc.,
as long as such replacement does not alter the current carrying ability
of the device(s) and/or add load to a circuit.
Any electric current-consuming equipment, fixed or portable,
using, or Intended to use in its operation or control, electric energy
at a potential in excess of 50 volts, excepting such portable devices
supplied through flexible cords equipped as the same is defined herein.
Any person performing or assisting in the performance of
electrical work as defined above.
Electric conductors of any kind carrying or intended to carry
electricity at a potential in excess of 50 volts.
Any unit of an electric system which is intended to carry
or control, but not consume, electric energy or to enclose, protect,
or directly support any such unit(s).
An electrician, as defined above, licensed by the Borough
as hereinafter provided, who is responsible for the performance of
and/or supervision and direction of others in the performance of electrical
work as defined above.
Any individual, firm, corporation, association, partnership,
limited-liability company, trust, entity or company.
The act of installing any electric wiring or electric appliance(s)
included in the following schedule:
Electric wiring in any new structure or building or part thereof.
Electric wiring or appliance(s) which will require any change
in the Borough's electric service or metering equipment for any reason.
Electric wiring or appliance(s) of any of the following types,
or electric wiring intended to serve any such appliance(s):
New or modified electric service entrance, metering, and/or
distribution panel equipment.
Temporary services.
Electric wiring or equipment of any kind installed under any
of the conditions listed in the National Electric Code under the heading
"Hazardous Locations."
Installation of more than 4 KW of additional electric heat load.
New installation or upgrade of all heat pump and air-conditioning
systems.
New installation or upgrade of electric water heaters.
Installation of motors totaling five hp or greater, or greater
than or equal to five kW of load.
The installation, alteration or repair of generation, transmission,
distribution, metering or other related equipment that is, by established
right, under the ownership and control of public service agencies
are excluded from the terms of the above definitions.
The Town Council of the Borough of Chambersburg.
No person not licensed as a master electrician by the Borough
of Chambersburg, as hereinafter provided, shall do any electrical
work within the corporate limits of the Borough, except that the work
of a person working under the immediate supervision of such a licensed
master electrician, and actually employed by him or by the master
electrician's employer, shall be deemed to be the work of the master
electrician, and the master electrician shall be responsible for the
work of such person. Under no circumstances shall any electrician
assume responsibility for electrical work done by any other person
except as provided above.
A.
Any person who shall desire to obtain a license as a master electrician
shall apply, in writing, to the Director of Utilities of the Borough
of Chambersburg on a form to be provided for that purpose, furnishing
all information required thereon, and shall pay an application fee
in accordance with the schedule.
B.
Such application shall thereupon be referred to the Electricians'
Examining Board for consideration. If the Electricians' Examining
Board, as hereinafter constituted, shall, after consideration of the
electrical wiring training, experience (minimum of four years or two
years' experience with two years' training from an accredited school),
and integrity of the applicant, deem such applicant to be qualified
for examination, the applicant shall be examined by the Board as to
his skill and knowledge of the requirements of the trade of master
electrician. If, by such examination, the applicant evidences to the
satisfaction of the Board that he is competent to practice the electrician's
trade, he shall be granted a license as a master electrician and shall
be entitled to practice the trade of master electrician in the Borough
of Chambersburg and shall be subject to all of the privileges, responsibilities
and duties which have been and which may hereafter be established
for such licensees by the Borough of Chambersburg.
(1)
Except as provided hereinafter, the license of a master electrician
shall be valid during the lifetime of the holder thereof unless sooner
suspended or revoked, subject to annual registration as hereinafter
required.
(2)
If an applicant shall fail to pass the qualifying examination, he
may, upon request, be reexamined at a later regular examination (but
not sooner than six months) upon payment of a fee in accordance with
fee schedule for each such reexamination.
(3)
No additional fee shall be required for the issuance of a license
to a successful candidate and for registration for the balance of
the then current year. If the Board, in its discretion, does not accept
an applicant for examination, the fee paid by the applicant shall
be returned to him. All sums received from electrician's license,
examination and registration fees shall be credited to the general
receipts of the Electric Department of the Borough.
[Added 11-9-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-09]
Each registered master electrician shall carry standard policies
of public liability and property damage insurance for the entire period
that he is engaged in the practice of his trade.
[Amended 11-9-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-09]
A special license may be issued to perform and/or supervise and direct the electrical work involved in a single specified contract job to any person who shall furnish evidence satisfactory to the Borough of his skill, experience, training, and current active practice as an electrician, as indicated by a license issued by another municipality or other evidence of comparable achievement, upon payment of a fee according to the fee schedule. Each such special license shall designate the work for which it was issued and shall become void upon the completion of said work. Such special license may be suspended or revoked for cause. A special license may also be issued as provided in § 135-9 hereof.
A.
Plant license. A firm or other establishment ("employer") which employs
on a full-time basis a person competent to perform routine electrical
work within its own plant may request, in writing, that said employee
be issued a limited license as master electrician, and the Borough
may, at its discretion, issue said limited license, under such terms
as it may prescribe, upon payment of a fee according to the fee schedule.
An examination may be required by the Borough to determine the competence
of the applicant. Said limited license shall entitle the holder thereof
to perform and/or supervise and direct electrical work on the premises
of his employer, and not elsewhere, as long as he remains a full-time
employee of said employer, and said license shall become void upon
termination of said employment. Such limited license shall not authorize
the holder thereof to supervise or assume responsibility for electrical
work performed by any person not a bona fide employee of said employer.
[Amended 11-9-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-09]
B.
Electric water heater (EWH) license. The EWH license shall be issued
to a Borough of Chambersburg master plumber for the purpose of connecting
an electric storage-type water heater to a building's electric wiring,
which does not add additional load to the electric system. This license
shall not entitle the licensee to perform any electric work other
than specified herein. The master plumber must successfully pass an
examination on installation of electric water heaters before receiving
his EWH license.
A.
Each licensed master electrician, including each holder of a limited
license, shall be subject to registration on a calendar-year basis.
Each licensee wishing to continue in the practice of his trade as
an electrician shall, prior to the first day of January of each year,
apply at the office of the Director of Utilities for the registration
of his license for the ensuing calendar year and shall pay a fee in
accordance with the fee schedule. Any electrician whose license has
not been properly re-registered shall be considered as an unlicensed
person. Any licensee changing the address of his place of business
shall notify the office of the Director of Utilities promptly of such
change. A registry shall be kept by the Director of Utilities of all
persons holding licenses as master electricians which shall indicate
the address and the current status of the registration of the holder
thereof.
B.
The license of a master electrician may be revoked or suspended for
cause by the Borough.
[Amended 11-9-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-09]
[Amended 11-9-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-09]
Each licensee, other than those to whom a special license has
been issued, shall be issued a permanent certificate showing that
he has been granted a license as a master electrician by the Borough
of Chambersburg and an annually renewed license showing that his license
is registered for the current year. Such new license shall be issued
each year to each licensee upon payment of the fee aforesaid. An electrician
may allow his license to lapse for a period no longer than three years
and during the same period request the re-registration thereof upon
payment of the required fee without penalty or examination, provided
that he does not practice his trade within the terms of this article
during the time his license has lapsed. After the three years have
elapsed, the applicant must be reexamined as a new applicant.
[Amended 11-9-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-09]
In the event that a registered master electrician shall die
or become incapacitated, the Borough may, in its discretion, issue
a special license to a qualified representative of the business enterprise
associated with said electrician authorizing the business to continue
operation thereof for a period not longer than 12 months.
A.
Adoption of code. The edition of the National Electrical Code as
incorporated into the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, as that
Code and the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry regulations
issued thereunder are revised and updated from time to time, copies
of which are on file in the office of the Borough Secretary, is hereby
adopted as the Electrical Code of the Borough of Chambersburg, Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania, for the regulation of all matters concerning electrical
work as therein provided. No electrical work shall be installed or
approved which does not meet and/or conform to or exceed the requirements
thereof.
B.
A master electrician holding an active license, as herein defined,
must obtain a permit to do regulated electric work for any regulated
electrical work to be completed prior to commencing the work. Permit
applications can be obtained at the Borough Service Center at 80 South
Franklin Street or on the Borough's website at www.chambersburgpa.gov.
The fully completed application shall be submitted at the Service
Center or as otherwise authorized by the Borough.
[Amended 11-9-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-09]
C.
All regulated electrical work shall be inspected within seven days
after completion for conformity with the code by a qualified representative
of a Borough-approved, industry-recognized inspection agency. The
Borough of Chambersburg is not responsible for inspection or fees.
A master electrician shall provide proof of said inspection to the
Borough.
[Amended 11-9-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-09]
D.
No newly wired premises shall be connected to the electrical system
within the Borough until such installation has been approved by an
authorized inspection agency.
E.
Continued failure on the part of an electrician to rectify defects
in his work which have been reported as violations of the code by
an approved inspector shall constitute a violation of these rules
and regulations.
F.
Nothing contained within this Article I of Chapter 135 shall rescind any separate regulations, primarily located in Chapter 113 of this Code, referring to the implementation and enforcement of the stipulations set forth in the Incorporated Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code. Under certain circumstances, permit and inspections may be required pursuant to provisions of the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code. Inquiry concerning application of that Code to the proposed electrical work should be referred to the Borough's Building Code Official.
[Amended 6-29-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-07]
A.
There is hereby constituted an Electricians' Examining Board whose
duty it shall be to examine applicants for licensure by the Borough
as master electricians and to certify the names of those applicants
who qualify for such licensure as hereinbefore provided and to perform
such other duties as are herein prescribed. Such Board shall be composed
of five members who shall serve without compensation, appointed by
Town Council at the organization meeting of Town Council in January
every even year, who shall serve until the next organization meeting,
or until their successors are appointed, unless sooner removed by
action of Town Council. All vacancies in the Board shall be filled
by motion passed by Town Council.
[Amended 11-9-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-09]
B.
The Board shall establish such reasonable minimum requirements of
training and experience for applicants for licensure as it may deem
proper. The Board shall elect from among its members a Chairman and
a Secretary who shall perform the duties usually associated with such
offices. Proper records of all formal actions of the Board shall be
kept by the Secretary.
C.
The Electricians' Examining Board shall meet during the first month
of each semiannual calendar period to review examination results of
previously approved candidates for examinations conducted the prior
month. Notice of the time and place of the examination shall be given
to each applicant at least seven days prior to the date of the examination.
The Chairman of the Electricians' Examining Board may call such special
meetings of the Board as he may deem proper, giving not less than
24 hours' notice to all members.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 135-12, Bonding, was repealed 11-9-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-09.
A.
Any person who shall violate any provision of these rules and regulations
shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine of not
more than $300, and costs of prosecution, and, in default of payment
of such fine and costs, to imprisonment for not more than 30 days.
In case of continued violation, each day the violation continues may
constitute a separate violation.
B.
The conviction of a master electrician of any violation of these
rules and regulations shall be cause for suspension or revocation
of said electrician's license by the Borough. A suspended or revoked
license may be reinstated by the Borough at its discretion under such
terms as it may determine.
[Amended 11-9-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-09]
C.
Property owners will be responsible for fees from any inspections
that result in a code violation.
