(a)
The title of this division shall be "The Beaumont Electrical
Code," and may be cited as such, and may be referred to in this division
as "this code."
(b)
There is hereby adopted by the city for the purpose of establishing
rules and regulations for the construction, alteration, removal, demolition,
equipment, and maintenance of electrical systems, within the corporate
limits of the city that certain electrical code known as the National
Electrical Code being particularly the 2020 edition thereof, one (1)
copy of such National Electrical Code has been and now is filed in
the office of the city clerk and the same is hereby adopted and incorporated
as fully as if set out at length herein, and from the date on which
this section shall take effect, the provisions thereof shall be controlling
the construction, alteration, repair, removal, demolition, equipment,
and maintenance of all electrical systems within the corporate limits
of the city, save and except the portions of the National Electrical
Code which are hereby deleted, substituted, modified or amended, as
set forth in this division.
(1958 Code, sec. 11-1; 1978 Code,
sec. 6-50; Ordinance 10-057, sec.
4, adopted 8/3/10; Ordinance
17-008, sec. 20, adopted 2/7/17; Ordinance 24-011 adopted 3/19/2024)
As used in this code, the following definitions shall apply:
Approved by the electrical inspector. National, state, and
city standards shall be the basis of such approval.
A wire or cable or other form of metal suitable for carrying
electrical current or potential.
All work and material used in installing, maintaining, or
extending a system of electrical wiring, and all appurtenances, apparatus,
and equipment used in connection therewith, inside of or attached
to any building or structure, lot, or premises.
Any person or firm engaged in the business of providing and
selling electrical services. He shall have a permanently established
place of business with a published telephone number. He shall hold
an electrical contractor's certificate or shall employ an individual
who does and carry him on his active payroll. A master electrician
may not qualify more than one contractor. He shall be available to
the inspection authority to answer any questions relating to electrical
work coming under the jurisdiction of this electrical inspection authority.
Conductors, materials, fittings, devices, appliances, fixtures,
signs, apparatus, motors, and the like, used as a part of or in connection
with any electrical installation.
Any person who is employed by a person (who is by training,
experience, and education competent to lay out, design and install
a system of wiring for light, heat, or power to conform to the National
Electrical Code) to do electrical work for wages and who does not
furnish any materials or supplies in the performance of his work and
holds a journeyman electrician license.
Any person who is employed by a master sign electrician to
install signs for wages and who does not furnish any materials and
supplies in the performance of his work and holds a journeyman sign
electrician license.
The act of keeping in a state of safe operating condition
any conductor or piece of equipment used inside or outside, attached
or connected to any building electrical system, by replacement of
units or elements thereof, but shall not include extensions of or
additions to an existing system or branch thereof.
An electrician regularly employed on a permanent basis by
any person and who performs work only in the confines of the building
or in or on the premises where he is regularly employed on a permanent
basis, and who does maintenance work as defined in the definition
of "maintenance and repair" and holds a maintenance electrician license.
Any person who is, by training, experience, and education,
competent to lay out, design, and install a system of wiring for light,
heat, or power, and holds a master electrician license.
Any person who is engaged in the business of manufacturing
and/or installing electric signs and holds a master sign electrician
license.
The installing, maintaining, altering, repairing, or erecting
of any electrical wiring, apparatus, devices, appliances, fixtures,
or equipment located outside of and separate from buildings and on
poles, towers, or other structures designed or constructed to be used
exclusively for the support of such electrical wiring, apparatus,
devices, appliances, fixtures, or equipment for which a permit is
required under the terms of this code, except that overhead conductors
may be attached to buildings.
(1958 Code, sec. 11-2; Ordinance
83-34, sec. 1, adopted 4/5/83; Ordinance 87-41, sec. 1, adopted 5/26/87; Ordinance 88-75, sec. 1, adopted 8/16/88; Ordinance 93-35, sec. 1, adopted 7/6/93; Ordinance 95-23, sec. 1, adopted 4/4/95; 1978 Code, sec. 6-51; Ordinance 07-017, sec. 5, adopted 2/20/07; Ordinance 24-011 adopted 3/19/2024)
The purpose of this code is the practical safeguarding of persons,
and buildings and their contents, from electrical hazards arising
from the improper use of electricity for light, heat, power, radio,
signaling, or for any other purpose.
(1958 Code, sec. 11-3; 1978 Code,
sec. 6-52; Ordinance 24-011 adopted 3/19/2024)
(a)
The provisions of this code shall apply to all installations
of and work done on electrical conductors, fittings, devices, motors,
controls, appliances, fixtures, electronic devices, signs and gaseous
tubing, herein referred to as electrical equipment, within or on public
and private buildings and premises, with exceptions as provided herein.
(b)
On all installations of electrical conductors or equipment hereafter
made, and all existing installations which are altered, or for which
the use has changed, all work shall be done in a manner that will
conform with the requirements for a sufficient and safe electrical
structure and system under this code.
(c)
Repair and maintenance work shall be such that, if any electrical
conductor or equipment is removed and later replaced, same shall be
replaced in accordance with the provisions of this code.
(1958 Code, sec. 11-4; 1978 Code,
sec. 6-53; Ordinance 24-011 adopted 3/19/2024)
(a)
Public utilities.
The provisions of this code
shall not apply to installations made or used by agencies in the generation,
transmission or distribution of electricity, or for the operation
of railways, signals, or transmission of intelligence when located
within or on buildings, enclosures, or premises used exclusively by
such agency or on public thoroughfares; provided, however, such agencies
excepted are operating under a valid franchise agreement with the
city.
(b)
Radio and television stations.
The provisions
of this code shall apply to electrical equipment used for supplying
electrical power for radio transmission in amateur radio transmitting
stations and shall apply to all electrical equipment used for power
supply to radio transmitting equipment, but shall not apply to other
electrical equipment used for radio or television transmission.
(c)
Signs and gaseous tubing.
This code shall apply
to all forms of electrical signs, gaseous tubing, and outline lighting
conductors and equipment. All sign structures, attachments to buildings,
and foundations shall be approved by the building official as set
forth in sections covering the construction and erection of signs
in the building code prior to inspection under this code.
(1958 Code, secs. 11-5–11-7; 1978 Code, secs. 5-54–6-56; Ordinance 24-011 adopted 3/19/2024)
(a)
Prohibited sales.
It shall be unlawful for any
person within the city to sell, expose for sale, offer to sell, dispose
of as a premium, offer for rent, or repair any appliance which has
not been endorsed by the Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc., or
other nationally recognized standards association, or without first
obtaining approval from the chief electrical inspector in absence
of such evidence of safety approval.
(b)
Approval of articles generally.
The chief electrical
inspector shall approve for sale at retail such electrical equipment,
material, conductors, apparatus, or appliances as are reasonably safe
to persons and property, Conformity of such equipment and material
with the standards of the Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc., shall
be prima facie evidence that such equipment is reasonably safe to
persons and property.
(c)
Passing upon articles not on approved list.
(1)
Should any material or equipment be submitted for approval which
is not listed as approved by the Underwriters' Laboratories,
Inc., the chief electrical inspector shall, within ten (10) days of
the receipt of written request for special approval, approve, provisionally
approve, or disapprove such electrical material or equipment.
(2)
Approval shall be based on reasonable safety to persons or property,
and material and equipment shall be considered as adequate for approval
if the standards of the Underwriters' Laboratories Inc., or provisions
of this code are met. When material or equipment is approved by the
chief electrical inspector, such approval shall continue until the
material or workmanship on the article approved is changed. When the
material or workmanship is changed, the article shall be reexamined
for approval.
(3)
When no applicable standard can be used to determine whether
an article is reasonably safe, the chief electrical Inspector may
grant provisional approval and allow its sale until such time as it
can be tested or determined whether the article is safe to persons
or property.
(4)
When an article is disapproved by the chief electrical inspector,
the decision may be appealed for review by the board of appeals.
(5)
The chief electrical inspector shall keep in his office a complete
list of electrical equipment, material, appliances, and devices approved
by Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc., provisionally approved,
or disapproved for sale within the city. This list shall be available
to the public during regular working hours.
(1958 Code, secs. 11-70–11-72; 1978 Code, secs. 6-57–6-59; Ordinance 24-011 adopted 3/19/2024)
