[Amended 3-15-1993 by Ord. No. 93-4807A; 2-10-2014 by Ord. No. 13/14-1005614E]
The Mayor shall appoint an Inspector of Wires for a term of
three years. The position of Inspector of Wires shall be a salaried
position.
The Inspector of Wires shall exercise all powers
conferred upon him by law and ordinance and shall see that all laws,
ordinances and regulations relating to electric wires, conduits, generators,
motors, apparatus and appliances are strictly enforced and shall be
deemed sole judge of what constitutes the proper insulation and safe
installation of electric conductors and appliances within buildings
and is hereby authorized and empowered to make such rules and regulations
to ensure the safety of electrical apparatus, conductors and appliances
as he may deem necessary.
Every person owning, leasing or operating wires
carrying an electric current over, under or along any street or way
in the City shall, within 24 hours after written notice served by
the Inspector of Wires or within such other time as he may designate,
make such additions, substitutions, repairs, improvements or changes
in such wires, their supports, appliances and fixtures or the apparatus
or conduits connected therewith as he may require, and the Inspector
may remove or cause to be removed, at the expense of the owner or
lessee thereof, any wires which have not been changed or repaired
in accordance with the provisions of this section.
All electric wires, appliances, apparatus and
fixtures in the interior of any building or on private premises shall
be made and at all times kept suitable and safe and shall be placed,
arranged, attached, changed and maintained by the person owning or
using the same, to the satisfaction of the Inspector of Wires, and
the Inspector or any person authorized by him shall have access at
all reasonable times to such wires, fixtures, appliances and apparatus.
Before any person shall install, arrange, fix or change any wires
designed to carry an electric light or power current, he shall notify
the Inspector of Wires, who shall be given opportunity to inspect
the wires and their arrangement and the fixtures and apparatus connected
therewith before the wires are covered or closed. No wires in the
interior of buildings or on private premises shall be connected with
an outside current which crosses or runs along, over or under any
street or way of the City without written permission therefor having
been first obtained from the Inspector of Wires.
Whenever, in the opinion of the Inspector of
Wires, any electrical conductors, fixtures or appliances within a
building are unsafe or dangerous, the Inspector is authorized to shut
off the current from such conductors or appliances if the existing
defects are not removed within 24 hours after he shall have notified
the owner of the installation in which the defects exist to remedy
the same.
The Inspector of Wires shall render an annual
report to the Mayor and City Council.
No telephone, telegraph or other low-tension
wires in the interior of any building or on private premises shall
be connected with an outside circuit which crosses or runs along,
over or under any street or way until provided with suitable apparatus
and safety appliances to prevent the transmission of high-tension
currents into such buildings nor until such apparatus and appliances
have been approved in writing by the Inspector of Wires.
No person owning, leasing, operating electric
wires or conduits shall permit an unused piece of electric wire to
be left on the surface of any street or sidewalk, nor shall any person
permit an unused coil or loose end of electric wires to remain attached
to any crossarm or post more than 24 hours.
Whenever the Inspector of Wires shall request,
any person operating or using wires carrying an electric current upon,
over or under any street or building shall, within 15 days, furnish
the Inspector of Wires with an accurate detailed written statement
of the number and location of its posts and poles, the number of crossarms
on each, the number of wires thereto attached and the location of
all its subways, manholes and service connections, which statement
shall particularly specify and distinguish each territory wherein
power is furnished for the telegraph, the telephone, electric light
and electric power, the number and location of lamps, motors and other
apparatus, together with full information of the method of operating
such wires.
The Inspector of Wires shall, upon application
to any person operating electric or other wires within the City, be
furnished by such person with such information as to the kind, size
and tested strength of supporting or service wires, energy in volts
and amperes charged and used, together with such information as such
Inspector may consider necessary to the faithful and effectual discharge
of his duties under this chapter.
The gain above the telephone wires and two gains,
if necessary, on all poles erected to support wires and lines for
the transmission of electricity or intelligence by electricity and,
where required by the City, the two gains shall be reserved for the
use of the fire, police and other telegraph and telephone signal wires
belonging to the City and used exclusively for municipal purposes,
and the City shall have the right gratuitously to place thereon a
crossarm or crossarms for its own use.
Exposed wiring in the basement or cellar of
any building shall be of metal.
All wiring in public buildings, or in buildings
used in part for business, shall be of metal.
