[1982 Code, Ch. VI, § 10]
The Assistant Superintendent of Wires shall be appointed by the City Manager, subject to the provisions of Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 31, §§ 1 et seq., and its rules and regulations.
[1982 Code, Ch. VI, § 11]
The Assistant Superintendent of Wires is hereby designated as
Inspector of Wires, under the provisions of Section 36 of Mass. Gen.
Laws Ch. 166 in amendment thereof. The Inspector of Wires shall have
all the powers and be subject to all the duties conferred and required
by law. The Assistant Superintendent of Wires is hereby authorized
to delegate his or her authority to one or more assistants as the
duties of the office may require.
[1982 Code, Ch. VI, § 12]
The Assistant Superintendent of Wires shall make rules and regulations
not inconsistent with this code to provide safe and proper installation
of wiring systems, apparatus and materials both for outside and inside
construction. A certified copy of all the rules and regulations shall
be filed with the City Clerk.
[1982 Code, Ch. VI, § 13]
(A)
The Assistant Superintendent of Wires shall have the supervision
and management of:
(1)
The erection and maintenance of all wires owned by the City,
including the fire alarm telegraph, police telegraph and electrical
signal and telephone systems and traffic signal lights;
(2)
The apparatus, machinery and other property connected therewith;
and
(3)
The posts and other supports erected or owned by the City.
(B)
He or she shall supervise the erection of all wires, posts, supports,
electrical equipment, machinery and other electrical equipment appliances
required by the City in all departments and shall see that the same
are maintained in good order and condition.
[1982 Code, Ch. VI, § 14]
The Assistant Superintendent of Wires shall supervise every
wire over and under streets, or buildings in the City, and every wire
within a building which is designed to carry an electric current.
He or she shall promptly notify the person owning or operating the
wire whenever its attachment, insulation, supports, or appliances
are unsuitable or unsafe or whenever the tags or marks thereon required
by Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 166, § 32 are insufficient or illegible.
[1982 Code, Ch. VI, § 15]
The Assistant Superintendent of Wires shall remove every wire,
the use of which has been abandoned and every wire not tagged or marked
as required by law, and shall see that all laws, ordinances and regulations
relative to wires are strictly enforced, and shall perform the other
duties as are or may hereafter be imposed upon him or her by law.
[1982 Code, Ch. VI, § 16]
The Assistant Superintendent of Wires shall supervise all poles
carrying electric wires upon or over the streets and buildings within
the City, and all supports of all wires when attached to buildings
and ascertain if the poles and supports are kept in proper condition,
and not weakened by decay or other causes. In case any person, firm
or corporation owning, leasing, or operating wires shall neglect or
refuse to maintain the supports in proper condition for safety, the
Assistant Superintendent of Wires shall cause the fixtures and supports
to be put in proper condition at the expense of the person, firm or
corporation, owning or operating the same, after first giving notice
in writing of his or her intended action. He or she may require the
owner or user of the poles, supports, or fixtures, to furnish to him
or her, at their expense, adequate assistance to enable him or her
to make a thorough examination of the poles, supports, or fixtures.
[1982 Code, Ch. VI, § 17]
The Assistant Superintendent of Wires shall have the supervision
of all street lamps installed by order of the City Manager. He or
she shall attend to all complaints arising from lack of service by
any light, and shall see that continuous schedule service is maintained
throughout the City, and shall report each month to the supplier of
this service the number and style of all lights reported as not lighted
during the previous month.
[1982 Code, Ch. VI, § 18]
All wires, cables, conduits, race-ways, fittings, appliances
and apparatus in or on public or private property which are intended
for the transmission of electricity, either for lighting, heating,
or power or to be connected with an outside circuit, shall be made,
placed and kept safe to the satisfaction of the Assistant Superintendent
of Wires, and he or she may, at all proper and reasonable times, have
access to the property for the purpose of inspecting the equipment
and materials.
[1982 Code, Ch. VI, § 19]
No current of electricity shall be connected with a system of
wiring or apparatus intended to be used for power, lighting or heating
without permission being first obtained and a written permit granted
by the Assistant Superintendent of Wires. The jurisdiction of the
Assistant Superintendent of Wires shall include all public and private
electrical systems.
[1982 Code, Ch. VI, § 20]
No person shall cover or cause to be covered in any building
a system of wiring designed to carry light, heat or power current
unless permission is given by the Assistant Superintendent of Wires
to do so.
[1982 Code, Ch. VI, § 21]
No wires shall be placed in that portion of any building in
the process of alteration or construction where gas, water, heating,
refrigerating, and ventilating pipes and ducts are planned to be installed
until the same have been placed in proper position. The work of the
electrician shall not at any time precede the installation of the
above mentioned items unless it is shown that it is an emergency and
permission is obtained from the Assistant Superintendent of Wires.
[1982 Code, Ch. VI, § 22]
The Assistant Superintendent of Wires shall cause to be kept
records of all inspections made and permits issued, and these records
shall be open to inspection at all reasonable times by any interested
parties.
[1982 Code, Ch. VI, § 23]
The Assistant Superintendent of Wires may in case of the violation
of any provision of this chapter, or of any rule and regulation adopted,
after due notice in writing to occupant or owner of the property where
a violation exists, disconnect or order disconnected service from
the wires of any outside circuit or isolated plant where the violation
occurs. If in the opinion of the Assistant Superintendent of Wires
a condition of emergency or hazard to life or property exists, he
or she may disconnect or order disconnected the electric service immediately.
[1982 Code, Ch. VI, § 24]
This chapter shall not be construed to relieve or lessen the
responsibility of any party owning, operating or controlling any electrical
equipment, for damages to property or to anyone injured by reason
of any defect therein, nor shall the City be held as assuming the
liability by reason of the inspection authorized herein, or by permit
given by its officers or agents exercising the rights or power given.
[1982 Code, Ch. VI, § 25]
In any underground conduit system, the sufficient space as shall
be determined by the City Manager shall be reserved free of expense
for the use of the City, for municipal purposes. The City, by the
Assistant Superintendent of Wires and other proper servants, shall
be allowed access to the conduits at all times and the City shall
be allowed equal facilities and privileges with others using the same
conduits in putting in, taking out, and repairing wires.
[1982 Code, Ch. VI, § 29]
An inspection of all commercial and industrial occupancies shall
be made when a change in tenancy occurs before a current of electricity
can be connected for the new tenants. No permits shall be required
for this service unless alterations, additions or changes are made
to the existing wiring.
[Ord. 46, passed 6-11-1991; amended Ord. 141, passed 12-19-1995]
(A)
No public utility, including without limitation electrical companies
or telephone companies, shall add, relocate, or site poles on any
street or way or public property in the City without first petitioning
and obtaining the permission of the City Council therefor, with due
notification to abutters; provided, however, that the provisions of
this section shall not apply to repair work done to existing poles.
(B)
Except for temporary emergencies of durations not to exceed three
days, a public utility seeking to add, replace, or increase the size
of existing electrical wires, or to increase the electrical load carried
by the existing wires, shall, before proceeding, notify the Inspector
of Wires of the location, specification, and reason for the intended
construction. If the Inspector approves the petition, within seven
days of notification of the petition the Inspector shall forward it
to the City Council, with due notification to abutters, for approval
subject to the provisions of division (C) of this section.
(C)
The Inspector shall forward to the City Council utility petitions
made under the provisions of division (B) of this section whenever
one or more of the following conditions apply:
(1)
The petition concerns owners of any building, excluding one
and two-family residences, seeking to install or replace electrical
service larger than 200 amperes or to increase their current supply
of electricity provided by extant lines by more than 200 amperes.
(2)
The petition concerns wires or transformers used to supply bulk
electricity, as defined by Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 164, § 1.
(3)
The petition concerns increases in the current of electricity
in a facility as defined by Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 164, § 69G.
[1982 Code, Ch. VI, § 26]
No wiring, devices, appliances and equipment for the transmission
or distribution of electricity for any purpose shall be installed
within or on any building or structure nor shall any alterations or
addition be made on any existing wiring, devices, appliances or equipment
without first securing a permit from the Assistant Superintendent
of Wires.
(A)
No permit shall be required for minor repair work, for the replacement
of lamps or for the connection of portable devices to suitable receptacles
which have been permanently installed. Any damage to wiring caused
by fire, water, heat or explosion shall not be considered a minor
repair.
(B)
No permit shall be required for the installation, maintenance or
alteration of electric wiring, devices, appliances and equipment to
be installed by or for a public service corporation for the use of
the corporation in the generation, transmission, distribution or metering
of electric energy, or for the use of a corporation in the operation
of signals or the transmission of intelligence, or the operation of
electric railways except as is provided by the General Laws of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
(C)
Application for permits, describing the work to be done shall be
made by the person, firm or corporation installing the work on forms
furnished by the Assistant Superintendent of Wires and the permit
when issued shall be in the name of the applicant. The application
shall be accompanied by the plans, specifications and schedules necessary
to determine whether the installation complies with this chapter.
(D)
The permit when issued shall be for the installation as is described
in the application and no deviation therefrom shall be made without
the approval of the Assistant Superintendent of Wires.
(E)
No permit for the installation or alteration of any electric wiring,
devices, appliances and equipment shall be issued to any person, firm
or corporation unless the person, firm or corporation is the holder
of a license, issued by the State Examiners of Electricians of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, or is exempt from the provisions of
Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 141 and amendments thereof, entitling the person,
firm or corporation to secure permits for and to execute work described
in the application for the permit.
[1982 Code, Ch. VI, § 27]
Upon application, an annual permit shall be issued to any person, firm or corporation regularly employing one or more electricians for the installation and maintenance of electric wiring devices, appliances and equipment on premises owned or occupied by the applicant for the permit. The application shall be made in writing to the Assistant Superintendent of Wires and shall contain a description of the premises within which the work is to be done under the permit. The person, firm or corporation to which an annual permit is issued shall keep a record of all electric wiring, devices, appliances and equipment installed under the permit and the Assistant Superintendent of Wires shall have access to the record. Each annual permit shall expire on December 31 of the year in which it was issued. Holders of annual permits shall be excepted from provisions of § 51.02 of this chapter.
[1982 Code, Ch. VI, § 28]
The fee schedule for permits to install wiring for electricity
or electrical fixtures shall be established by the City Manager and
posted in the Wire Department office.
