[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of
Franconia 12-27-1973 by Ord. No. 77. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Building construction - See Ch. 47.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Franconia Electrical
Code."
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
Any inspection agency which has registered with and been approved
by resolution of the Township Supervisors, and no other.
[1]Any installation, construction or any other object which is used
or intended to be used for the transmission of an electrical energy or impulse,
except when performed by or on behalf of any regulated public utility or any
regulated radio or television transmission system, on equipment, cables, wires
or equivalent facilities, or on electrical circuits connected to or supported
by such equipment or facilities if the use of the equipment or facilities
is required in the operating of or services rendered by the regulated entity.
It shall not include the manufacturing of any device, equipment, apparatus
or other object used or intended to be used for the transmission of an electrical
energy or impulse, but shall include electrical wiring systems connected to
air-conditioning equipment, protective signaling devices (fire and burglar)
and swimming pools.[2]
NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE
Standard No. 70 of the National Board of Fire Underwriters for electrical
wiring and apparatus, as recommended by the National Fire Protection Association,
approved 1897 (1971 or subsequent Edition) by American Standard Association,
and as referred to in the BOCA code heretofore adopted.
[3]The Board of Supervisors does hereby adopt and incorporate as fully
as if set out at length herein that certain electrical code known as the "National
Electrical Code." Only the material, fittings and devices enumerated in the
List of Inspected Appliances of Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., as revised
from time to time, shall be used in electrical work regulated by the National
Electrical Code and this chapter. Three copies of the National Electrical
Code shall be kept on file in the office of the Township Secretary for use
by the public during regular business hours.
Any electrical work in the township shall be performed in accordance
with the requirement and standards of the National Electrical Code, the BOCA
Code and this chapter.
A.
No person shall perform any electrical work in the township
unless he first obtains a permit from the Township Secretary.
B.
An applicant for a permit shall make application to the
Township Secretary setting forth:
(1)
The nature of the electrical work to be performed.
(2)
The place where the electrical work will be done.
(3)
The name and address of the person who will perform the
electrical work.
(4)
Any other information, including electrical drawings,
plans or specifications, which is deemed necessary and desirable.
The provisions of the National Electrical Code and this chapter shall
not apply to:
Applicants for permits to be issued under this chapter shall pay, at
the time of receipt of permit, to the Township Secretary, the fee, as set
from time to time by resolution of the Board of Supervisors, for each $1,000
or fraction thereof of the total valuation of electrical work.
A.
Inspections and tests to determine whether the provisions
of the National Electrical Code, BOCA Code and this chapter have been complied
with shall be made by an approved inspecting agency or a registered professional
electrical engineer.
B.
The inspections required by this chapter are as follows:
(1)
An open wall inspection, which inspection shall be held
during the course of construction and following which a certificate by an
approved inspection agency, be furnished to the Township Supervisors or their
authorized representative not later than 15 days after said inspection.
(2)
Upon completion of any electrical work, a final inspection
and a certificate of inspection and approval governing said final inspection
and issued by an approved inspection agency be furnished to the Township Supervisors
or their authorized representative not later than 15 days after the completion
of the installation of the electrical work.
(3)
In addition, the Township Supervisors or their authorized
representatives shall have the authority to secure an inspection by an approved
inspection agency or a registered professional electrical engineer at any
time during the construction of electrical work, which inspection shall be
in addition to and not in lieu of any open wall or final inspection.
C.
All decisions as to whether or not electrical work complies
with the provisions of the National Electrical Code, BOCA Code and this chapter
shall be made on the basis of an inspection performed by an approved inspection
agency or a registered professional electrical engineer.
D.
The Township Supervisors or their authorized representative
shall not accept any certificate of inspection from an inspection agency which
has not been approved by resolution of the Township Supervisors which will
investigate the qualifications, method of operation, completeness of inspectional
activity and type of report before approving such agency.
E.
The Township Supervisors may, in their sole discretion,
withhold, or if once approved revoke, the approval of any inspection agency
which, in the opinion of the Township Supervisors, fails to comply with this
chapter or to discharge its duties in a competent, forthright, professional
and workmanlike manner.
F.
The person or firm who is performing said electrical
work shall pay directly to the approved inspection agency all fees in conjunction
with any inspection requested by the township or required by it.
A.
The Township Secretary may revoke any permit when:
(1)
Any work for which a permit is granted is done in violation
of the provisions of the National Electrical Code, BOCA Code and this chapter,
or the approved final drawings therefor, or in an unsafe and dangerous manner;
(2)
Any condition of the permit is violated; or
(3)
Active work thereunder is not commenced within six months
from the date of issuance.
B.
When the Township Secretary determines that grounds exist
for the revocation of a permit, he shall serve notice upon the holder of such
permit stating the nature of the violation and that compliance with all requirements
shall be achieved within 10 days of receipt of notice. The notice may also
prescribe a course of remedial action.
C.
If, at the expiration of the time allowed for compliance,
the violation has not been corrected, the Township Secretary shall revoke
the permit.
A.
In order to safeguard person and property against the
hazards and perils of existing, defective electrical wiring, apparatus or
equipment, the Township Supervisors or their authorized representative are
hereby given the authority to cause to be inspected by an approved inspection
agency or a registered professional electrical engineer, at reasonable times,
any building, structure, including swimming pool, or premises in the township,
to determine whether any electrical work theretofore installed therein is
defective or unsafe.
B.
If, as a result of said inspection, it is determined
that any electrical work in any building, structure, including swimming pool,
or premises is in an unsafe and dangerous condition or not in compliance with
the provisions of the National Electrical Code, the BOCA Code or this chapter,
the Township Secretary shall serve notice upon the owner or occupant thereof,
stating the nature of the violation and that compliance with all requirements
shall be achieved within the period of time specified in the notice. The notice
may also prescribe a course of remedial action.
C.
If, at the expiration of the time allowed for compliance, the violation has not been corrected, the Township Supervisors or their authorized representative shall institute proceedings, as provided in § 68-14 hereof, to collect from the owner or occupant the fines or penalties specified for violations of this chapter.
The installation and maintenance of fluoroscope, X-ray or other electrical
apparatus so constructed or so used as to interfere with the radio communications
of the Police Department, the Fire Department or the Public Works Department
of the township is hereby prohibited.
No occupancy permit may be issued for any dwelling or premises within
the township until the Township Secretary is in receipt of a certificate from
an approved inspection agency governing said premises and issued pursuant
to the authorized inspection and indicating that said work complies with the
requirements of the National Electrical Code, BOCA Code and this chapter.
Any electrical work performed contrary to the provisions of the National
Electrical Code, BOCA Code or this chapter is hereby declared to be a common
or public nuisance and abatable as such.
[Amended 9-12-1988 by Ord.
No. 147; 6-10-1996 by Ord.
No. 237]
Any person who violates or permits a violation of this chapter shall,
upon being liable therefor in a civil enforcement proceeding commenced by
the township, pay a fine not exceeding $1,000 plus all court costs, including
reasonable attorney's fees incurred by the township. No judgment shall be
imposed until the date of the determination of violation by the District Justice.
If the defendant neither pays nor timely appeals the judgment, the township
may enforce the judgment pursuant to the applicable Pennsylvania Rules of
Civil Procedure.