Town of Blooming Grove, NY Electrical Inspections

Appointment.

The Town Board of the Town of Blooming Grove is hereby authorized to appoint, by duly adopted resolution, a designated individual or individuals to conduct electrical inspections and reinspections within the Town of Blooming Grove and to issue a report for each such inspection to the Town Building Inspector. Any individual or individuals appointed in accordance with this section shall be known as an "electrical inspector."

(2)

The Town Board reserves the right to terminate, by duly adopted resolution, any such appointment at any time following a hearing before the Town Supervisor on at least 10 days' written notice to the appointee should it be determined that the individual is no longer eligible to remain on the list of approved electrical inspectors for any reason. Such may reason(s) include, but are not limited to: (i) improper or incomplete inspections; (ii) overcharging for inspections in relation to accepted industry standards; (iii) conviction of a misdemeanor or felony; (iv) failure to act in a professional manner while scheduling, conducting and/or reporting the results of electrical inspections; and (v) conducting inspections without Town approval. The Town Supervisor shall issue a decision within 30 days of completion of the hearing.

(3)

If an electrical inspector's license is revoked, suspended or otherwise invalid, the Town Board may remove such electrical inspector from the Town list without a hearing until such license is reinstated and the appointee requests reinstatement. If the Town Board determines that, by remaining on the list of approved electrical inspectors, an appointee poses an immediate danger to the health, safety and welfare of the residents of the Town, the Town Board shall have the right to suspend said appointee from the list prior to the hearing provided for in § 111-1A(2).

(4)

The Town Board, or its designee, reserves the right to appoint a licensed electrical inspector to conduct random follow-up electrical inspections to ensure that all inspectors on the approved list are conducting themselves with the highest professional and ethical standards and serving the best interests of the applicants and the public. The cost for such random inspections shall be borne by the Town.

Duties of electrical inspectors.

(1)

It shall be the duty of an electrical inspector to report, in writing, to the Building Inspector of the Town of Blooming Grove all violations, deviations from and/or omissions of the electrical provisions of the State of New York Building Code applicable to the Town of Blooming Grove and of all local laws and ordinances insofar as any of the same apply to electrical installations and electrical wiring.

(a)

The electrical inspector shall make inspections and reinspections of electrical installations in and on properties in the Town of Blooming Grove upon written request of an authorized official of the Town of Blooming Grove or as herein provided. The electrical inspector is authorized to make inspections and reinspections of electrical wiring, installations, devices, appliances and equipment in or on properties within the Town of Blooming Grove where they deem it necessary for the protection of life and property. In the event of an emergency, it is the duty of the electrical inspector to make electrical inspections upon the oral request of an official or officer of the Town of Blooming Grove.

(b)

In no event, however, will the cost or expense of any electrical inspection provided for by Town Code be a charge against the Town of Blooming Grove. Except in an emergency, no inspection is to commence, nor is the approval of any electrical work to be made, by the electrical inspector until a valid building permit has been issued or the Building Inspector has given permission to proceed without a permit.

(2)

When conducting an electrical inspection, the electrical inspector shall have available and displayed, at all times, the identification number provided by the Town.

(3)

It shall be the duty of the electrical inspector to furnish written reports to the proper officials of the Town of Blooming Grove, including the Town Building Inspector, and also to the owners and/or lessees of property where defective electrical installations and equipment are found upon inspection. The electrical inspector shall authorize the issuance of a certificate of compliance when electrical installations and equipment are in conformity with this chapter and all applicable laws, rules, and regulations.

(a)

A certificate of compliance for rough inspection or final inspection will only be issued upon the work being totally completed. Power permits to the utility company will only be issued when the proper work for such a permit has been completed. The electrical inspector shall direct that a copy of the certificate of compliance be sent to the Building Inspector of the Town of Blooming Grove.

Electrical inspector qualifications.

(1)

Licensure. In order to be eligible to conduct electrical inspections in the Town of Blooming Grove, an individual must possess a New York State electrical engineer's license or have been issued the certificates for electrical inspector, one- and two-family dwelling, electrical inspector, general, electrical inspector, plan review by the Board of Governors of the National Certification Program for Construction Code Inspectors of the International Association of Electrical Inspectors.

(2)

Upon the filing with the Town Building Inspector of a certified copy of the appropriate professional licenses or certificates along with the required evidence of insurance, and payment of an annual application fee to be established by the Town Board, and upon the Town Board's review and appointment of an individual in accordance with § 111-1A, the Building Inspector shall add the inspector to the approved list and issue each electrical inspector an identification number.

(3)

All written documentation submitted to the Town or the applicant by an electrical inspector shall set forth the inspector's identification number. Any electrical inspector authorized by the Town Building Inspector to perform commercial and multifamily inspections shall also be permitted to conduct residential electrical inspections.

Restriction of electrical inspectors. No electrical inspector shall engage in any activity inconsistent with his duties or with the interests of the Town under this chapter; nor shall he, during the term of his appointment, be engaged directly or indirectly in any building, electrical or alarm business, in the furnishing of labor, materials, appliances or equipment for the construction, alteration or maintenance of buildings or their systems or the preparation of plans or specifications thereof, within the Town, excepting only that this provision shall not prohibit any inspector from such activities in connection with the construction of a building or structure owned by him and not constructed for sale.

Electrical inspection fees. Fees for inspection by electrical inspectors shall be submitted to the Town Board for its approval. Payment of inspector fees shall not be required by an applicant prior to any inspection being conducted by any inspector. The current approved list of electrical inspectors shall be maintained with both the Office of the Town Building Inspector and the Office of the Town Clerk and shall be made available for review by applicants and members of the public during normal business hours. Applicants may select any electrical inspector on the approved list to conduct electrical inspections pursuant to this section. The Town and its officials and employees shall recommend any electrical inspector on the list.

Liability insurance. Prior to being appointed by the Town Board to conduct electrical inspections within the Town of Blooming Grove, individuals seeking to be included on the approved list shall be required to submit evidence of liability insurance and completed operations coverage naming the Town of Blooming Grove as an additional insured. Residential electrical inspectors shall carry insurance in an amount not less than $1,000,000. Commercial electrical inspectors shall carry insurance in an amount not less than $3,000,000.

Offenses against provisions pertaining to electrical installations. It shall be a violation for any person, firm or corporation to install or cause to be installed or to alter electrical wiring or to replace worn or damaged wiring for light, heat or power in or on properties in the Town of Blooming Grove until a building permit has been issued or otherwise expressly permitted, in writing, by the Town of Blooming Grove Building Inspector. It shall be a violation for a person, firm or corporation to connect or cause to be connected electrical wiring in or on any properties for light, heat or power to any source of electrical energy supply prior to the issuance of a certificate of compliance and power permit to utility by the electrical inspector. Provisions of this section and shall be enforced by the Building Inspector and/or the Building Inspector's designee. The penalties for violation and the procedure set forth in § 128-15 of this Code shall apply.