[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.