[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Freedom at time of adoption of Code; see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Building construction — See Ch. 76.
Fire prevention — See Ch. 112.
This chapter shall be known and cited as the "Freedom Electrical Code."
The administration and enforcement of this chapter shall be the duty of the Code Enforcement Officer, who is hereby authorized to take such action as may be reasonably necessary to enforce the purpose and provisions of this code.
The provisions of this code shall apply to and govern conditions hazardous to life and property arising from the use of electricity and electrical fixtures and equipment in the construction, installation, maintenance, extension and alteration of all electrical wiring, fixtures, appliances and appurtenances within or adjacent to any building or other structure. The purpose of this chapter is to provide for a competent inspection system of all new or altered electrical installations and the abatement of existing defective conditions in compliance with the Freedom Building Code.
It is recognized that only a portion of certain facilities in or adjacent to public streets, referred to in this code, are under the ownership or the control of the owner or occupant of the building or premises to which this code applies.
A. 
Standards adopted.
(1) 
The National Electrical Code, published by the National Fire Protection Association, being the 1993 Edition thereof, Articles 90 through 820, inclusive, Chapter 9, and Appendixes thereto, except such portions thereof as are hereinafter deleted, modified or amended by this chapter, is hereby adopted as the Freedom Electrical Code, and alterations or electrical wiring shall, from the effective date of this chapter, be performed in accordance with its provisions.
(2) 
In the case of discretionary actions and determinations of the Code Enforcement Officer, the relevant facts shall be considered and determinations made in the exercise of reasonable discretion and all such determinations shall be final in absence of abuse of discretion.
B. 
Official copy. Three (3) copies of the National Electrical Code, 1993 Edition, and all amendments thereto, shall be kept on file by the Secretary of the Borough of Freedom for inspection by the public and shall be marked with the words "Freedom Electrical Code - Official Copy."
A. 
Issuance of permit. No electrical work, unless excepted in this section, shall be undertaken prior to the issuance of a permit therefor by the Code Enforcement Officer. A permit shall be issued to the owner upon application and submission of plans to the Code Enforcement Officer.
B. 
Application for permit. Application for a permit shall be made on suitable forms provided by the Borough of Freedom for the Code Enforcement Officer.
C. 
Permit fee. The application shall be accompanied by a permit fee as predetermined from the fee schedule hereby adopted by the Council of the Borough of Freedom, as follows:
Electrical Permit Fees
Number of Outlets
Fee
1 to 10
$1.00
11 to 20
2.00
21 to 30
3.00
31 to 40
4.00
41 to 50
5.00
51 to 60
6.00
61 to 75
7.00
76 to 100
8.00
101 to 150
10.00
151 to 200
12.00
For each 100 or fraction over 200
2.00
Number of Fixtures
Fee
1 to 10
$1.00
11 to 30
2.00
31 to 50
3.00
51 to 75
4.00
76 to 100
5.00
101 to 150
6.00
151 to 200
7.00
For each 100 or fraction over 200
1.00
1 circuit or fewer
3.00
Each additional circuit
0.25
Minor additional wiring for 3 outlets or fewer
2.00
Temporary service for light, heat or power
3.00
Motors
(horsepower)
Fee
Up to 5
$1.00
6 to 10
2.00
11 to 50
3.00
Over 50
4.00
Generators and transformers
(kilowatts or kilovolt-amperes)
Fee
1 to 10
$1.00
11 to 50
2.00
Over 50
3.00
Service range
1.00
Rectifier, amplifier, projector, heater furnace or welder, each
$1.00
Motors, Generators, Rectifiers, Welder, Arc Lamps, Heating and/or Power Units
(horsepower, kilowatt or kilovolt-ampere rating)
Fee
10 (or less)
$ 3.00
11 to 20
4.00
21 to 30
5.00
31 to 40
6.00
41 to 50
8.00
Greater than 50
10.00
D. 
Exceptions.
(1) 
No permit shall be required for minor repair work, such as repairing flush and snap switches, replacing fuses, changing lamp sockets and receptacles, taping joints and repairing drop cords, nor for the replacement of lamps, starters or ballasts or the connection of portable devices to suitable receptacles which have been permanently installed.
(2) 
No permit shall be required for the installation of wiring, devises or equipment for the operation of signals or for the transmission of intelligence where such wiring, devices or equipment are an integral part of the communication system owned and operated by a telephone or telegraph company.
(3) 
No permit shall be required for the installation of electric wiring, devices or equipment installed for or by a public utility corporation operating under a franchise from the Borough of Freedom to transmit and to sell or use electrical energy, provided that such wiring, devices or equipment are for the use of said corporation in its operation as a public utility or in furtherance of services to its customers.
(4) 
No permit shall be required for installation, maintenance and repair work on the premises of a manufacturing firm or corporation regularly employing one (1) or more electrical mechanics capable of performing electrical work in compliance with the provisions covered by the National Electrical Code, provided that the premises are not accessible to the general public, other than employees of the firm and business visitors or invitees.
A. 
Plans and specifications. No permit shall be issued until plans and specifications showing the proposed work in necessary detail have been submitted to the Code Enforcement Officer and he has determined from examination of such plans and specifications that they give assurance that the work will conform to the provisions of this code. If a permit is denied, the applicant may submit revised plans and specifications without payment of an additional fee. If in the course of the work it is found necessary to make any change from the plans and specifications on which a permit has been issued, amended plans and specifications shall be submitted and a supplementary permit, subject to the same conditions applicable to the original application for permit, shall be issued to cover the change.
B. 
Issuance of permits. Permits shall be granted or refused within ten (10) days after the application and the required plans and specifications have been received by the Code Enforcement Officer.
C. 
Permit cancellation. Every permit shall be considered canceled if active work is not commenced within a period of six (6) months from the date of its issue and the work completed within twenty-four (24) months from said date.
A. 
Inspections and tests. It shall be the duty of the Code Enforcement Officer to enforce the provisions of this code and to make the inspections and tests required thereunder. The Code Enforcement Officer shall be appointed by the Council of the Borough of Freedom. Such additional persons may be appointed as the assistants of such Code Enforcement Officer as Council may deem necessary.
B. 
Right of entry. The Code Enforcement Officer shall, after proper identification, have the right to enter any premises for the purpose of inspecting any electrical system at such times as may be reasonably necessary to protect the public health and safety.
Whenever the Code Enforcement Officer shall deny an application or refuse to grant a permit or when it is claimed that the provisions of this code do not apply or that the true intent and meaning of this code have been misconstrued or misinterpreted, the applicant may appeal from the decision of the Code Enforcement Officer to the Freedom Code Review and Appeal Board within thirty (30) days from the date of the decision. The appointment of the membership of said Freedom Code Review and Appeal Board, its powers and procedures and appeals from its decisions shall be governed by the provisions for appeals set forth in the Freedom Building Code.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 76, Building Construction.
A. 
Any person who shall violate any of the provisions of the code hereby adopted or fail to comply therewith, or who shall violate or fail to comply with any order made thereunder, or who shall build in violation of any detailed statement of specifications or plans submitted and approved thereunder, or any certificate or permit issued thereunder, and from which no appeal has been taken, or who shall fail to comply with such an order as affirmed or modified by the Code Enforcement Officer, or by a court of competent jurisdiction, within the time fixed herein, shall severally for each and every such violation and noncompliance, respectively, be punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000.) and, in default of payment of such fines and costs, be subject to imprisonment not to exceed thirty (30) days. The imposition of a penalty for any violation shall not excuse the violation or permit it to continue, and all such persons shall be required to correct or remedy such violations or defects within a reasonable time; and when not otherwise specified, each day that prohibited conditions are maintained shall constitute a separate offense.
B. 
The application of the above penalty shall not be held to prevent the enforced removal of prohibited conditions.