[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.
[1]
Editor's Note: Penalty, see § 10.99.
[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.
[1]
Editor's Note: Penalty, see § 10.99.
[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.
[1]
Editor's Note: Penalty, see § 10.99.
[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.