[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Health
of the Borough of Metuchen 9-26-1966 as Ch. 30A of the 1966 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
For the purposes of this chapter, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to
them by this section:
Maintain or undertake to maintain any such self-service laundry
equipment, either as owner, lessee, agent or manager.
Any retail establishment where a series of washing, drying,
ironing or dry-cleaning machines are installed for the use of the
general public, and for the use of which a special charge, payment
or other consideration is required, either by insertion of a coin,
payment to an attendant or otherwise. The provisions of this chapter
shall not apply to the home of a person performing laundry work for
a regular family trade.
Any automatic or semiautomatic washing, drying, ironing,
dry-cleaning or other laundry machine or group, or battery of such
machines regardless of type or make, installed in any multiple dwelling,
project, housing development or unit for the use of the tenants of
such multiple dwelling, project, housing development or unit, and
for the use of which a special charge, payment or other consideration
is required either by insertion of a coin, payment to an attendant
or otherwise.
No person shall provide or operate rental or residential self-service laundry equipment in the borough without securing from the Board of Health a license for such purpose. Application for such license shall be made on forms provided by the Secretary of the Board of Health. Such license shall expire on the 30th day of June following the date of its issuance. No license shall be issued unless the premises in which the self-service laundry equipment complies in all respects to the requirements of this chapter, the uniform construction codes and the Uniform Fire Code. The annual license fee for the full year or any portion thereof shall be as set forth in Chapter 87, Fees, of the Code of the Borough of Metuchen.
It shall be unlawful for any self-service laundry
equipment to be operated between the hours of midnight and 6:00 a.m.
unless an attendant is on the premises.
The entire premises devoted to the operation
of self-service laundry machines shall be kept in a clean and sanitary
condition. The floors shall be kept clean and dry, the premises adequately
ventilated and provided with not less than sixty foot candles of general
illumination measured at counter height. The inner and outer surfaces
of tubs and cylinders of the machines shall be kept visibly clean,
sanitary and free from accumulation of residues and other debris.
Within 24 hours after the licensee or his or her representative has
been notified that any washing machine or other installation controlled
or operated by him or her is broken or defective, he or she shall
cause such machine or machines to be inspected by a capable repairperson
and to be properly repaired, replaced or disconnected from service.
No retail establishment providing a rental self-service laundry shall
be open for business or continue to be open for business unless the
entire premises where the washing and drying are done shall be visible
from the exterior.
The storage of flammable liquids shall be in
underground tanks. Dry-cleaning machines shall be installed and vented
in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications and shall comply
with all applicable borough codes and ordinances. All premises governed
by this chapter shall be equipped with suitable fire extinguishing
equipment as approved by the Code of National Fire Underwriters and
the Borough Fire Inspector.
All clothes dryers shall be installed and properly
vented in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications and shall
comply with all other applicable borough codes and ordinances.
No machinery used in the operation of a laundry
or of premises devoted to the use as licensed herein shall be operated
in such manner as to cause unnecessary or unreasonable noise, vibrations,
odors or atmospheric pollutants to the annoyance of residents in the
surrounding neighborhood or to the detriment of the well-being of
the neighborhood or to the persons or premises in the neighborhood.
All washing units shall be capable of laundering
by a high temperature process. The high temperature process shall
mean and include the washing of fabrics in water of a temperature
of 140° F. for a minimum of cleansing and an adequate series of
rinses to render negligible any danger of bacterial contamination.
Washing units capable of laundering at lower temperatures should be
conspicuously marked. Where practicable, water temperature shall be
measured at the delivery point of the machine unit.
All plumbing fixtures, machines and appliances
shall be properly installed and connected in accordance with the requirements
of the Plumbing Code.[1]
The officials charged with enforcing this chapter
shall be the Sanitary Inspector and Plumbing Inspector of the Board
of Health and any police officer of the borough.
