[HISTORY: Adopted by the Fiscal Court of Henderson County 3-20-2012 by Ord. No.
12-03. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Building Code — See Ch. 101.
The Henderson County Fiscal Court may appoint or contract an
individual(s), pursuant to KRS Chapter 198B, as the Henderson County
Electrical Inspector. The aforementioned Fiscal Court may also remove
said Henderson County Electrical Inspector for cause.
A.
The purpose of this chapter is to reduce the personal hazard and
the fire hazard from electrical causes. To accomplish this, the requirements
set out herein are intended to provide a minimum standard for electrical
installations within the County, outside the corporate limits of the
City of Henderson.
B.
This chapter shall apply to all electrical wiring and electrical
equipment used, installed or maintained in the County, outside the
corporate limits of the City of Henderson.
The following words and phrases, when used in this chapter,
shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them:
Pertains to the installation of wires and conduits for the
purpose of transmitting electricity, and the installation of fixtures
and equipment in connection therewith.
Any individual, partnership or corporation that engages in
the business of or employs others for the construction, alteration,
or repair of any electrical wiring used for the purpose of furnishing
heat, light or power. Each electrical contractor shall be or at all
times have in his employ at least one licensed electrical contractor.
Each electrical contractor shall comply with KRS 227.480(2) (the requirements
for worker's compensation insurance and unemployment insurance laws
and regulations).
Any person certified by the Commissioner of Housing, Buildings
and Construction pursuant to KRS 227.489 who, for compensation, inspects
the construction and installation of electrical conductors, fittings,
devices and fixtures for light, heat or power service equipment to
ascertain the compliance with the National Electrical Code incorporated
in the Uniform State Building Code promulgated to KRS 198B.050 or
the standards of safety of the state.
Any person who is employed by an electrical contractor and
is engaged in the construction, alteration or repair of any electrical
wiring used for the purpose of furnishing heat, light or power.
An owner and on-site resident of a single-family dwelling.
All installations, construction, maintenance and operation of
electrical wiring, appliances and devices in and about buildings and
on private public property, if not otherwise specifically covered
in this chapter, shall be installed, constructed, maintained, operated
and supplied in accordance with the rules and regulations set forth
in the edition of the National Electrical Code most recently adopted
by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Department of Housing, Building and
Construction, a copy of which code is on file in the offices of the
County Clerk and the Electrical Inspector and which code is hereby
adopted by the County and incorporated herein by reference.
A.
The provisions
of this chapter shall be administered by the Henderson County Electrical
Inspector(s), who shall issue permits for and inspect all electrical
wires, conduits, raceways and apparatus, and look after the enforcement
of the laws, rules and regulations relating to the use of public streets
for electrical wires, supports and apparatus in public and private
buildings. The Electrical Inspector shall answer any relevant questions
concerning, or give any desired information with respect to, the meaning
of, intent or application of this chapter; however, he cannot lay
out work or act in the capacity of a consulting engineer for inexperienced
contractors, mechanics or owners.
B.
The Electrical
Inspector(s) shall keep, or cause to be kept, a full and complete
daily record of all work permits issued and inspections made.
All electrical work and installation of electrical equipment
and conductors covered by this chapter shall be inspected by the Electrical
Inspector. No work shall be concealed unless approved by the Electrical
Inspector and tagged with a signed red "rough-in" inspection sticker.
Failure by the Electrical Inspector to make the requested "rough-in"
inspection within three working days shall be considered as approval
to conceal such electrical work. When installation, repair or alterations
of electrical wiring or equipment have been completed, the Electrical
Inspector shall be notified, and an inspection shall be made within
three working days. If the Electrical Inspector refuses to approve
any electrical installation, he shall notify the installer or contractor
within three days. Such notice shall state the name of the ordinance
and section of the electrical code that has been violated. The electrical
work in violation shall be corrected, removed or an appeal filed in
Henderson Circuit Court within 30 days from the date the inspection
was made. Failure to timely correct violations not appealed may subject
the installer or contractor to the penalties set forth in KRS 198B.990
as provided by the Kentucky Building Code.
The Electrical Inspector is hereby authorized to reinspect all
wiring, appliances, devices, fixtures and equipment covered by this
chapter. When the installation of any such wiring, appliance, device,
fixture or equipment is found to be in a dangerous or unsafe condition,
the person owning, using or operating the same shall be notified to
make the necessary repairs or changes required to place such wiring,
appliances, devices, fixtures or equipment in a safe condition, and
shall have such work completed within 10 days after notification or
within such further reasonable times as may, upon request, be prescribed.
All electrical wiring, apparatus or equipment within or attached to
any building within the area of the County subject to this chapter
may be systematically reinspected every two years. It shall be unlawful
for any person to hinder or interfere with the Electrical Inspector
in the discharge of his duties.
The Electrical Inspector is authorized to disconnect or order
the discontinuance of electrical service to such conductors or apparatus
found to be in an unsafe or hazardous condition that poses an imminent
threat to life or property, or to have been installed without a permit,
or not in accordance with this chapter. He shall thereupon post a
written notice in a conspicuous place stating the reason why the conductors
or apparatus have been disconnected, and it shall be unlawful for
any person to remove the notice of disconnection or to reconnect such
defective conductors or apparatus until the same have been installed
in a safe and secure condition and have been approved for use by the
Electrical Inspector.
The Electrical Inspector shall issue a certificate of compliance
when the electrical installation is completed and found to comply
with this chapter. No certificate shall be issued on any incomplete
work.
[Amended 11-18-2014 by Ord. No. 14-05]
The Electrical Inspector shall have the right, during reasonable
hours, upon the showing of proper credentials, to enter any building
and to discharge his official duties or for the purpose of making
inspection or test of the installation of any electrical device or
any electrical material contained therein, in accordance with the
Kentucky Building Code Administration, Section 110.
[Amended 11-18-2014 by Ord. No. 14-05; 10-6-2015 by Ord. No. 15-08; 7-25-2023 by Ord. No. 23-08]
A.
General. It shall be unlawful for any person to install, alter or
repair any electrical work covered by this chapter without first obtaining
a permit from the Electrical Inspector. If the cost of an electric
installation is less than $200, a permit shall be required but no
fee shall be charged. The life of a permit may be extended, if necessary,
upon application, but all permits shall be voided within 60 days if
the work is not begun within that time. If work for which a permit
is required commences prior to obtaining a permit, the fee hereinafter
provided shall be double, but payment of such double fee shall not
relieve any person from full compliance with the requirements of this
chapter in the execution of the work performed or any other penalties
prescribed. Permits shall be issued only to a licensed electrical
contractor, except those issued to the County homeowner, or holders
of a limited license, issued by the electrical examining board. Special
one-time permits may be issued to others for the installation of specialized
systems.
B.
Fee structure. Electrical permit fees are hereby established as follows:
(1)
Single-family residential: $75 per inspection.
(2)
Industrial and commercial: 1.5% of documented total dollar value
of electrical contract, inclusive of labor and material costs. Inspection
fees shall not exceed $10,000 per property per year unless a request
by the Inspector to increase the maximum for a particular property
is approved by the Fiscal Court.
(3)
Small commercial: $1.25 per amp (based on size of service enrollment).
C.
For the purpose of electrical permit fees, each condominium unit
shall be considered as single-family residential.
D.
Any electrical production or storage facility whose siting and construction
are subject to approval by the Kentucky Public Service Commission
shall be deemed a utility and not subject to County electrical inspection.
Permits and inspection fees shall not be required for minor
repair work, such as repairing flush or snap switches, replacing fuses,
changing lamp sockets and receptacles, taping bare joints and repairing
drop cords, nor for experimental electrical work of a temporary nature
in testing laboratories in electrical shops, educational institutions
and the like.
A permit to perform electrical work in or about the home may
be issued to a homeowner, provided that all work is performed by homeowner
or a member of the immediate family. The Electrical Inspector, however,
shall not issue such permits unless the person who is to perform the
work is named in the permit and appears before the Electrical Inspector
and shows by answering such questions as may be asked that said person
has sufficient knowledge to properly perform such work. If it is apparent
from the character of the work performed that the homeowner is not
competent to perform the work under any permit issued, the Electrical
Inspector may require such portion of the work in violation to be
changed, altered, or repaired by a licensed electrical contractor
at the expense of the homeowner. A permit shall be issued without
fee to such electrical contractor and the permit to the owner shall
be cancelled.
Permits for temporary installation of indoor or outdoor decorative
lighting in a public building or areas shall be issued only when permission
has been granted as follows:
A.
During festivals, fairs, conventions and similar community events,
the Electrical Inspector may grant a special permit for a period not
exceeding 10 days for the installation of approved systems of decorative
light over roadways or sidewalk areas. If an extension of time is
desired, for not more than 20 days, such permit may be renewed at
the discretion of the Electrical Inspector. A special permit from
the Electrical Inspector shall be required for any such installation
to be maintained for a period of more than 30 days.
B.
A special permit from the Electrical Inspector shall be obtained
before any system of decorative lighting can be installed over any
roadway or sidewalk area when installed at a time when no festival,
fair, convention or the like is in progress.
When the exact amount of work to be done under any permit cannot
be definitely determined at the time of application for a permit,
the Electrical Inspector may issue a partial or working permit.
Every person making application for any permit to do electrical
work under this chapter may be required by the Electrical Inspector
to file a set of plans and specifications in sufficient detail to
enable the Electrical Inspector to determine if the work will be in
compliance with the rules, regulations and provisions of this chapter.
A key to the symbols used shall accompany all plans. If mains, feeders,
branches and distributing panels are shown on the plans, they shall
be designated by letters or numbers.
It shall be unlawful for any person to make any electrical connection
to any electrical wiring or equipment until approval has been given
by the Electrical Inspector. The Electrical Inspector is hereby authorized
to disconnect any electrical installation or equipment which has been
connected before the approval for service has been given. He shall
thereupon attach a written notice which shall state that the wiring
or equipment has been disconnected by the Electrical Inspector. It
shall be unlawful for any person to remove such notice or reconnect
the wiring before the same has been approved by the Electrical Inspector.
The Electrical Inspector is further authorized to deny the issuance
of a permit to any person licensed under the provisions of this chapter
who fails to correct any defect, error or deficiency in any electrical
work installed by him until such time as such defects, errors and
deficiencies are corrected. It shall be unlawful to perform any electrical
work, other than correcting such deficiencies, during the period additional
permits are being denied.
This chapter shall not be construed to affect the responsibility
or liability of any party owning, operating, controlling or installing
any electrical equipment for damages to persons or property caused
by a defect therein. Neither the County nor any of its agencies, boards,
inspectors or employees shall assume any liability by reason of the
inspection, reinspection or other examination of electrical work or
equipment authorized, or by reason of the certificate of compliance
as herein provided, or by reason of the approval or disapproval of
any equipment authorized herein.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter or
failing to conform to any of its provision, or failing to obey any
order of the Electrical Inspector issued pursuant to this chapter
shall, upon conviction, be fined not less than $25 nor more than $250,
or be imprisoned for a term not to exceed 90 days, or both.
