Township of Swatara, PA Article V Electrical Code

[Adopted 4-11-1990 by Ord. No. 1990-1 (Ch. 5, Part 3, of the 1990 Code)]

§ 128-36 Adoption of standards by reference.

There is hereby adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Swatara that certain Electrical Code known as the "National Electrical Code, 1987 Edition (NFPA 70-1987)" as published by the National Fire Protection Association, as the Electrical Code of Swatara Township and each and all of the regulating provisions, conditions, and terms of the National Electrical Code, 1987 Edition, are hereby referred to, adopted, and made part thereof, as if fully set out in this article, with additions, insertions, deletions, and changes, if any, hereinafter set forth, copies of which have been and are now filed in the office of the Secretary of the Township of Swatara, Township Municipal Building, 599 Eisenhower Boulevard, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and the same are hereby adopted and incorporated as fully as if set forth at length herein and the provisions thereof shall apply within the corporate limits of the Township of Swatara from the date of which this article shall take effect.

§ 128-37 Saving clause.

Nothing in this article or in the National Electrical Code hereby adopted shall be construed to affect any suit or proceeding now pending in any court, or any rights acquired, or liability incurred, nor any cause or caused of action accrued or existing, under any act or ordinance repealed hereby. Nor shall any right or remedy of any character be lost, impaired or affected by this article.

§ 128-38 Severability.

The invalidity of any section or provision of this article or of the National Electrical Code hereby adopted shall not invalidate other sections or provisions thereof.

§ 128-39 Interpretation and purpose.

In interpreting and applying the provisions of this code, they shall be held to be the minimum requirements for the promotion of the health, safety and general welfare.

§ 128-40 Administration and enforcement.

A. Office of Code Enforcement. The administration and enforcement of this article and of the National Electrical Code herein adopted shall be carried out by the Office of Code Enforcement of the Township in accordance with the procedures established in the Code of the Township of Swatara, Chapter 128, Code Enforcement, Article I, Administration, and by the National Electrical Code adopted herein. Said Chapter 128, Article I, of the Code of the Township of Swatara provides for certain powers and duties of a Code Enforcement Officer, for the creation of a Code Hearing Board and for procedures relative to applications, fees, permits, inspections, appeals, penalties and other matters.

B. Designation of inspection agencies.

(1) Any accredited electrical inspection agency operating under the terms and provisions of the "Standard of the National Board of Fire Underwriters for Electrical Wiring and Apparatus" as recommended by the National Fire Protection Association, may be designated as an inspection agency upon the approval of the Building Official and shall continue to function as an inspection agency until approval is withdrawn for cause.

(2) Electrical inspection agencies designated as approved agencies for the Township of Swatara shall comply with all terms and provisions of the Standards for Approved Electrical Inspection Agencies as established by the Office of Code Enforcement of the Township of Swatara. These standards may be amended from time to time as warranted.

(3) A list of approved inspection agencies is on file at the Swatara Township Building, 599 Eisenhower Boulevard, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

(4) The Code Enforcement Officer upon approving an inspection agency shall notify the office of the local electrical utility of such approval.

C. Inspections. In addition to the general provisions for inspections set forth in the Code of the Township of Swatara, Chapter 128, Code Enforcement, Article I, Administration, the following additional requirements shall govern the inspection of new or altered electrical systems:

(1) The person or persons installing or altering electrical wiring systems shall file an application for inspection with an approved inspection agency. A service, rough wire and final electrical inspection are required where applicable by an approved electrical inspection agency with a copy of the approval submitted to the Code Enforcement Office not later than 15 days after completion of the installation of the electrical work. The payment of all electrical inspection fees and charges by an approved electrical inspection agency shall be borne by the applicant.

(2) Work in connection with an electrical wiring system shall not be covered or concealed until it has been inspected, approved and permission to do so has been granted by the electrical inspection agency or the Code Enforcement Officer. When such work has been covered or concealed before inspection and approval, it shall be exposed for inspection.

(3) Whenever the inspection by an approved electrical inspection agency shows that the provisions of the Township Electrical Code have not been complied with, said agency shall send a notice of noncompliance to the installer and to the Office of Code Enforcement, and shall be handled in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 128, Article I, hereof.

(4) Upon completion of the corrections, the installer shall arrange for reinspection by the inspection agency originally issuing the notice of noncompliance.

(5) It should be understood that all construction permits involving changes in the electrical system must be accompanied by an approval certificate from the responsible inspection agency prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy or the closeout of the construction permit.

(6) In order to provide safety against existing hazards or defective electrical wiring and apparatus the Code Enforcement Official(s) and/or his authorized representative, including an approved electrical inspection agency, shall, when requested by proper authority or when public interest so requires, cause inspections to be made of any structure in the Township to insure that the existing electrical wiring and apparatus is not defective or unsafe. The Code Enforcement Officer shall notify the owner of the structure of any unsafe or defective conditions that are found and shall require owner to abate/ correct the unsafe or defective condition in accordance with the Township's Electrical Code within a reasonable length of time.

§ 128-41 Violations and penalties.

Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provisions of this article and/or the Township's Electrical Code shall, upon conviction in a summary proceeding before any Magisterial District Judge, be sentenced for each such violation to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 plus costs and, in default thereof, to undergo imprisonment for a period not to exceed 30 days. Whenever any such person shall have been notified by the Code Enforcement Officer of such violation, by prosecution or in any other manner, each day hereafter that such violation shall continue shall constitute a separate violation hereof and may be punishable as such hereunder.