Chapter 26.01
TITLE AND SCOPE
(New Title substituted by Ordinance No.
171978, effective March 1, 1998.)
Sections:
26.01.010 Title
26.01.020 Purpose
26.01.030 Code Adoption
26.01.010 Title.
This Title shall be known as Title 26, Electrical Regulations and will be referred to herein as “this Title.”
26.01.020 Purpose.
The purpose of this Title is to provide minimum standards to safeguard life or limb, health, property, and public welfare by regulating and controlling the design, construction, installation, quality of materials, location, operation and maintenance of all electrical systems within the City of Portland’s area of regulatory responsibility.
26.01.030 Code Adoption.
(Amended by Ordinance No. 174891, effective September 13, 2000.) The provisions of the State of Oregon Electrical Specialty Code, 2000 Edition, as published by the National Fire Protection Association and known as the National Electrical Code (NEC) 1999 Edition and amended by the Building Codes Division of the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, including the appendices and Electrical Standards adopted by the State of Oregon, are hereby adopted by reference as a part of this Title.
The provisions of the State of Oregon Dwelling Specialty Code, 2000 Edition, as published by the International Code Council as the International One- and Two-Family Dwelling Code, 1998 Edition and amended by the Building Codes Division of the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services is hereby adopted by reference as a part of this Title.
These codes and standards are on file in the Development Services Center of the City of Portland. This Title shall prevail except where specifically prohibited by the Oregon Revised Statutes and the Oregon Administrative Rules.
Chapter 26.02
DEFINITIONS
Sections:
26.02.010 General
26.02.020 Approved
26.02.030 Bureau of Buildings
26.02.040 Director
26.02.050 Electrical Code
26.02.060 Electrical Inspection Supervisor
26.02.070 Emergency Electrical Work
26.02.080 Inspector
26.02.090 OAR
26.02.100 ORS
26.02.110 Owner
26.02.120 Supervising Electrician
26.02.130 Unanticipated Electrical Work
26.02.010 General.
For the purpose of this Title, certain terms, phrases, words, and their derivatives shall be construed as specified herein. Words used in the singular include the plural and the singular. Words used in the masculine gender include the feminine and the feminine the masculine. Terms, words, phrases and their derivatives used, but not specifically defined in this Title, or if not herein defined, shall have the meanings commonly accepted in the community.
26.02.020 Approved.
Approved means electrical installations, equipment, product or materials acceptable under ORS 479 to the City of Portland, Bureau of Buildings.
26.02.030 Bureau of Buildings.
The Bureau shall mean the City of Portland Bureau of Buildings, hereinafter referred to as “the Bureau,” which may be represented by any duly authorized employee.
26.02.040 Director.
Director shall mean the Director of the Bureau of Buildings or a duly authorized representative of the Director. The Director serves as the Building Official and the authority having jurisdiction for enforcement of this Title.
26.02.050 Electrical Code.
The Electrical Code shall mean the current State of Oregon Electrical Specialty Code, (including appendices and Electrical Standards) and the electrical provisions of the One and Two Family Dwelling Specialty Code, as adopted by the State of Oregon.
26.02.060 Electrical Inspection Supervisor.
Electrical Inspection Supervisor shall mean the supervisor of the Bureau of Buildings’ Commercial Electrical Section.
26.02.070 Emergency Electrical Work.
Emergency electrical work is an acute, unplanned and immediate need for electrical repair or replacement involving an existing electrical installation or product or both.
26.02.080 Inspector.
Inspector means a person certified by the State of Oregon as competent in electrical code regulation and employed by the Bureau for enforcement of this Title.
26.02.090 OAR.
The OAR shall mean the Oregon Administrative Rules.
26.02.100 ORS.
The ORS shall mean the Oregon Revised Statutes.
26.02.110 Owner.
The person whose name and address is listed as the owner of the property by the County Tax Assessor on the County Assessment and Taxation records.
26.02.120 Supervising Electrician.
A Supervising Electrician is a person possessing a valid general or limited supervising electrician’s license issued by the State of Oregon.
26.02.130 Unanticipated Electrical Work.
Unanticipated electrical work is electrical work, including a new installation, requested by a customer where the timing of a request for commencement of work does not reasonably allow the contractor time to obtain an electrical permit before starting the work. Unanticipated electrical work includes, but is not limited to, additional work assigned at the work site as well as preassigned work when the customer requests service at an unplanned date or time. Unanticipated electrical work does not include electrical work where a permit already exists covering all or part of the work.
Chapter 26.03
ORGANIZATION AND ENFORCEMENT
Sections:
26.03.010 Director
26.03.020 Right of Entry
26.03.030 Conformity Required
26.03.040 Qualifications Required
26.03.050 Violations and Penalties
26.03.060 Administrative Appeal and Alternate Methods
26.03.070 Electrical Board of Appeal
26.03.080 Stop Orders
26.03.090 Electrical Power Disconnect
26.03.100 Maintenance
26.03.110 Electrical Fences
26.03.120 Liability
26.03.010 Director.
The Director of the Bureau of Buildings serves as the Building Official and will be referred to herein as the Director. The Director shall be responsible for the enforcement of this Title. The Director shall appoint technical officers, certified inspectors and other employees necessary to enforce this Title. The Director shall have the power to render interpretations of this Title and the Electrical Code and to adopt and enforce supplemental regulations in order to clarify the application of requirements. Such interpretations, rules and regulations shall be in conformance with the intent and purpose of the Electrical Code.
26.03.020 Right of Entry.
The Director may enter and inspect any building or premises when:
A. It is necessary to enforce the requirements of this Title; or,
B. There is reasonable cause to believe a dangerous, hazardous or unsafe condition exists which is in violation of this Title.
The Director may inspect occupied buildings or premises at reasonable times by presenting credentials to the occupant(s) and requesting entry. To request entry to and inspect unoccupied buildings or premises, the Director shall first make a reasonable effort to locate the owner or other persons controlling the property. If entry is refused or if the owner or persons controlling the property cannot be located, the Director shall have recourse to the remedies provided by law to secure entry.
26.03.030 Conformity Required.
Any electrical equipment, product or material used or intended to be used under the scope this Title must be approved under ORS 479. To be accepted by the Bureau, such equipment, product or material shall be installed, constructed, altered, renovated, repaired and maintained in compliance with the requirements of this Title.
Nothing in this Title is intended to permit the design, construction, installation, quality of materials, location, operation and maintenance of equipment which is not in accordance with any applicable sections of Title 24 (Building Regulations), Title 25 (Plumbing Regulations), and Title 27 (Heating and Ventilating Regulations), Title 28 (Floating Structures) and Title 32 (Signs and Awnings) of the Code of the City of Portland.
Any portion of any installation, construction, alteration, renovation, or repair made in violation of this Title shall be removed or corrected to comply with the requirements of this Title.
Whenever there is insufficient evidence of compliance with any of the requirements of this Title or evidence that any equipment, product, material or construction does not conform to the requirements of this Title, the Director may require tests as proof of compliance. All tests shall be made by an agency approved by the State of Oregon. The tests shall be made at no expense to the City. Test methods shall be as specified by the Electrical Code or by other recognized test standards. If there are no recognized and accepted test methods for the proposed equipment, product, material, or construction, the Director shall determine test procedures. Reports of such tests shall be retained by the Director for the period required for the retention of public records.
26.03.040 Qualifications Required.
Any person, other than the owner, performing any electrical work regulated by this Title shall possess appropriate State of Oregon electrical license(s) and/or registration(s) indicating qualifications appropriate to the type of work involved. If requested, the required license(s), and/or registration(s) shall be shown to the Director.
26.03.050 Violations and Penalties.
A. Violations.
1. It shall be unlawful for any person to fail to comply with the provisions of this Title.
2. It shall be unlawful for any person to remove correction notices, proceed with electrical work, or cover defective work prior to approval by the Bureau.
3. It shall be unlawful for any person to continue unauthorized work after issuance or posting of a stop work notice unless authorized by the Director.
4. It shall be unlawful for any person to reconnect power to any structure, installation or equipment after issuance of a notice to disconnect or after such power was disconnected by the Director, unless authorized by the Director.
5. It shall be unlawful for any person to remove, alter or destroy any notice to stop work or to disconnect power.
6. It shall be unlawful for any person to overfuse any conductor, motor or apparatus in excess of the amount allowed by this Title. It shall be unlawful for any person to install any substitute for an approved fuse or circuit breaker or to interfere with or alter any circuit or automatic device so as to remove or reduce the required factor of safety as identified in OAR 918.251 through 918.311.
7. Electrical equipment which was unlawful at the time of installation, and which would be unlawful under this Title if installed after the effective date of this Title, shall constitute a continuing violation of this Title.
B. Penalties.
1. In the event the property owner or permit holder, or the agent of the owner or permit holder, fails or neglects to carry out any requirement, or fails to correct any noted violations of this Title, the Director may gain compliance by any of the remedies outlined in Section 3.30.015 of the Code of the City of Portland.
2. Any person, firm or corporation found guilty of violating any of the requirements of this Title shall be subject to civil penalties. Penalty amounts shall be those established in ORS, OAR and/or the Code of the City of Portland.
3. When electrical work requiring a permit under this Title is commenced prior to obtaining a permit, the Bureau shall conduct an investigation. (Exceptions to permit requirements are found in Chapter 26.04.) The investigation may involve inspecting the site for violations, checking bureau files, and notifying applicable parties. A fee, as set in Section 26.05.030, may be charged for such investigation. The special investigation shall be made before any permit is issued for the work. The Bureau’s investigation may include determining the nature and extent of the work, checking the work for compliance with this Title, checking bureau records and notifying applicable parties.
An investigation and investigation fee shall be required for any work done under a temporary permit when an electrical permit application and fee are not received or mailed within the time lines set in Section 26.04.070.
26.03.060 Administrative Appeals and Alternate Methods.
An Administrative Appeals Board, consisting of members appointed by the Director who are especially qualified to provide expert opinions in matters of this Title under appeal, shall act in an advisory capacity to the Director. The Board shall review appeals and requests for alternate methods and make recommendations to the Director. Board review shall culminate in a finding by the Director.
26.03.070 Electrical Board of Appeal.
A. Appointment of Board. In order to hear appeals where an applicant is aggrieved by the findings of the Director, the Mayor shall appoint three members to serve on the Electrical Board of Appeal. The Mayor shall appoint three alternate members to serve in the absence of regular members.
1. One member and one alternate member shall be Oregon licensed journeymen electricians whose experience and training provide expertise on matters contained in this Title. One member and one alternate member shall be Oregon registered electrical engineers with substantial experience in electrical design and construction subject to the requirements of this Title. One member and one alternate member shall be electrical contractors experienced in electrical design and construction subject to requirements of this Title.
2. Board of Appeal members and alternate members shall serve three-year terms. Vacancies occurring prior to the end of a term for whatever cause may be filled by qualified persons through appointment by the Mayor for the remainder of the term.
3. Any member may be removed by the Mayor for incompetence, dereliction of duty, incapacity or other sufficient cause.
4. Members of the Board shall neither sit for nor rule on any case in which they are either personally or professionally involved.
5. Members of the Board shall serve without pay.
B. Fees for Appeals. The fees for all appeals shall be in accordance with Paragraph 26.05.040.E.9.
C. Powers and Limitations of Authority of the Board of Appeal. The Electrical Board of Appeal shall determine the suitability of alternate materials and types of construction and provide reasonable interpretations of the requirements of this Title. Any person aggrieved by the final decision of the Board of Appeal may, within 30 days after the date of the decision, appeal to the Chief Electrical Inspector of the State of Oregon.
26.03.080 Stop Orders.
When any work is being done contrary to the requirements of this Title, the Director may order, in writing, that the electrical work be stopped. Notice may be served by either posting the premises or issuing notice to the owner or person(s) causing or performing the unauthorized work. Upon receipt of notice, all unauthorized electrical work shall stop until authorization is received from the Director.
Continuation of unauthorized work after issuance or posting of a stop work notice shall be considered a violation and subject to penalties outlined in this Title, or the disconnection of power to the site in violation.
26.03.090 Electrical Power Disconnect.
A. The Director may order the person or entity who controls the electrical power to disconnect the power to the structure, installation, portions of the installation, or product if the Bureau determines that an electrical installation or product:
1. Fails to comply with minimum safety standards; or,
2. Was installed without an electrical permit; or,
3. Is not in accordance with the requirements of this Title.
Prior to the power disconnection, the Director shall provide written notice to the property owner and the person(s) affected by the power disconnection. The notice shall contain a proposed disconnection date.
B. If the condition of an electrical installation or product constitutes an immediate hazard to life or property, personnel authorized by the Director may cut or disconnect any conductor(s) necessary to remove such hazard. As soon as practical, the Director shall provide written notice to the property owner and the person(s) affected by the power disconnection.
C. The Director shall thereupon attach a notice, in writing, that the conductors or product will be (or have been) disconnected because the installation or product is unsafe to life or property. The notice of disconnection shall not be removed by any person except the Director.
D. When any wiring or product in any building has been disconnected or ordered disconnected by the Director or the Bureau of Fire, the wiring or product shall not be reconnected until placed in a safe and secure condition, and inspected and approved by the Director. Unauthorized reconnection of power may result in penalties as outlined in this Title.
26.03.100 Maintenance.
All existing electrical installations shall be maintained in a safe condition. All required devices or safeguards shall be maintained in conformance with this Title. To determine compliance with this Section, the Director may inspect any electrical installation.
26.03.110 Electrical Fences.
A. Where Permitted. Locations in industrial use categories as defined in Title 33 may have electrically charged fences if the installation meets the requirements of this Title. Electrical fences and obstructions are prohibited at all other locations.
B. Standards for Electrical Fences. Electrical fences shall comply with the following standards:
1. The product shall be listed by a State of Oregon approved testing laboratory.
2. The product shall be installed and used in accordance with the testing laboratory listing.
3. Electrical permits and inspections shall be required for the installation.
4. Warning signs which notify individuals of a dangerous fence shall be posted on the fence, at intervals not to exceed 50 feet. The statement, DANGER - Electrified Fence, (or an equivalent statement) shall be on the warning signs.
26.03.120 Liability.
The Director acting in good faith and without malice in the discharge of the duties required by this Title, shall not thereby be rendered personally liable for any damage that may occur to persons or property as a result of any act or by reasons of any act or omission in the discharge of such duties. Any suit brought against the Director or duly authorized representative of the Director because of such act in the scope of their duties or omission performed by them in the enforcement of any provision of this Title or other pertinent laws or ordinances implemented and enforced by the City shall be defended by the City until final termination of such proceedings, and any judgement resulting therefrom shall be assumed by the City.
This Title shall not be construed to relieve from or lessen the responsibility of any person owning, operating or controlling any electrical installation equipment or product for any damages to persons or property caused by defects, nor shall the Bureau or City be held as assuming any such liability by reason of the inspections authorized by this Title or any permits or certificates issued under this Title.
Chapter 26.04
PERMITS
Sections:
26.04.010 Permit Required
26.04.020 Electrical Permit Application
26.04.030 Permit to Owner
26.04.040 Plans and Specifications
26.04.050 Permit Issuance
26.04.060 Partial Permits
26.04.070 Temporary Permits
26.04.080 Life of Permit Limited
26.04.090 Permit Suspension or Revocation
26.04.010 Permit Required.
A. An electrical permit shall be obtained prior to commencing any work for which an electrical permit is required.
EXCEPTION: Emergency or unanticipated electrical work may be started under a temporary permit provided the nature of the work, and the procedure followed by the contractor, meet the requirements of ORS 479.550 and OAR 918-309-0080.
B. Electrical permits are not required for the following electrical installations:
1. Work performed under a valid electrical Master Permit (Industrial Plant) Program in accordance with OAR Chapter 918 and Chapter 26.08 of this Title;
2. Work defined as a minor installation in OAR Chapter 918 for which a minor label has been obtained from the Bureau;
3. Repair or replacement of light fixtures, light switches, lighting ballast, electrical outlets or smoke detectors in a building used for housing purposes that is owned, leased, managed or operated by a housing authority;
4. Repair, alteration or replacement of existing electrical products at an industrial plant, a commercial office building, a building that is owned, leased, managed or operated by the state or a local government entity or other facilities designated by the Electrical and Elevator Board when the owner, operating manager or electrical contractor of the facility who meets the provisions of ORS 479.630(1) and (2) obtains a master permit for inspection under ORS 479.560(3).
5. Replacing light bulbs, fluorescent tubes, or approved fuses, or connecting approved portable electrical equipment to permanently installed and properly wired receptacles;
6. Experimental electrical work or testing of electrical products in testing laboratories of electric shops, educational institutions, industrial plans, or recognized testing laboratories;
7. Installing heating, ventilating, air conditioning and/or refrigeration components exempted by OAR 918-261-0020, Exemption for HVAC/R Electrical Components.
8. Any other work exempted from permit requirements under ORS and OAR.
26.04.020 Electrical Permit Application.
Applications for electrical permits shall be made on forms furnished by the Bureau. For one and two family dwellings, the electrical subcontractor inspection sticker shall be considered part of the application form. The applicant shall provide all information required in a complete and legible manner. The application shall be signed by the appropriate person as required by OAR. Permit fees and/or plan review fees shall be paid at the time of application. Failure to properly complete the permit application may result in a delay or prevention of permit issuance until required information has been submitted.
EXCEPTION: Any jurisdiction’s electrical permit application may be used for temporary permits (see Section 26.04.070) as long as fees are paid in accordance with Title 26.
26.04.030 Permit to Owner.
A permit to perform electrical work in or about a building may be issued to the owner of that building, subject to the following conditions:
A. All wiring shall be installed in accordance with the Electrical Code and this Title.
B. All work done under such permit shall be performed by the owner or by a member of the immediate family of the owner as defined in the OAR.
C. The owner does not intend to sell, exchange, lease or rent the property. If the Director determines that the property is offered for sale, exchange, lease or rent within 6 months of final approval of permitted work, this shall create a rebuttable presumption that the owner intended to offer the property for sale, exchange, lease or rent at the time the permit was issued. In such case the Director may assess a penalty of up to $500.
D. If any of the above conditions are not met, the permit may be revoked in accordance with Section 26.04.090.
26.04.040 Plans and Specifications.
A. Installations Requiring Plan Review. Plans and specifications shall be submitted to the Bureau if any of the following apply:
1. When the electrical installation involves one or more of the following:
a. A building or structure over 10,000 square feet;
b. Service more than 320 amperes continuous rating metered through a self contained metering device in one and two family dwellings;
c. More than 225 amperes for service in other than one and two family dwellings;
d. 400 amperes or more for feeders in other than one and two family dwellings;
e. A system over 600 volts nominal;
f. A building or structure over three stories in height;
g. Four or more residential units in one structure;
h. Any structure or area with an occupant load of more than 99 persons;
i. A manufactured structures or recreational vehicle park, or alteration thereto, or;
j. Hazardous (classified) locations: Any structure or area containing a special occupancy as described in the Chapter 5 of the National Electrical Code as adopted by the State of Oregon;
2. When the Director determines either before or after permit issuance that the complexity of the installation necessitates submission of additional details, specifications or both to determine compliance with this Title.
3. When changes from original approved plans or specifications are made.
B. Submittal Requirements: All plans and specifications shall be submitted in triplicate on substantial paper. (The third set is requested as a courtesy copy for the job site.) Plans shall be of sufficient clarity to indicate the location, nature and extent of the work proposed. At a minimum, the plans shall show the following:
1. In the title block or conspicuous place: the job address; location of electrical work; project name; name, address and phone number of the contact person; and name, address and phone number of the property or business owner.
2. Identification of the employer, identification and signature of person who prepared the plan, license number if the person is a supervising electrician and professional registration number if the person is an architect or registered professional electrical engineer.
3. The type, rating and locations of all services.
a. Point to point fault current study if Amperage Interrupting Current (AIC) rating is over 10,000 amps. at the line side of the disconnect.
b. All grounding details.
4. A feeder diagram and schedule listing each feeder showing conductor and pipe size, number of conductors in the raceway, and sizes and types of overcurrent devices.
5. The location of panelboards or load centers.
6. The type of occupancy(s).
a. Square footage of each occupancy.
b. If a hazardous location occupancy, show locations of all conduit seal-offs.
7. Load calculations as per this Title. If adding load to an existing service or subdistribution, show the existing load and the new load to be added.
8. Panel schedules.
9. Fixture schedule showing type, location and layout of the fixtures.
10. Available fault current on the line side of the disconnect.
11. All emergency systems, power source, locations of exit lights and exit illumination per Electrical Code, Oregon Structural Specialty Code and the current Bureau of Buildings’ Egress Lighting Program Guide.
12. Equipment proposed for use should be identified.
13. Where required, State of Oregon Energy Code Compliance forms (applicable if the Building Plans Examiner requires compliance with the State Energy Code) shall be submitted with the plans.
14. Written notification of (or two copies of) any pending or approved fire/life safety summary and building code appeals related to the current project shall be submitted with the plans.
26.04.050 Permit Issuance.
When the Director finds that the work described in the permit application, plans and specifications and other data filed therewith conforms to all requirements of this Title, that the electrical permit application has been signed as required, and that the specified fees have been paid, the Bureau shall issue an electrical permit to the applicant. All permits issued shall be subject to the following conditions:
A. Plans, specifications and other data approved at permit issuance shall not be altered without the Director’s authorization.
B. All work shall be done in accordance with approved plans.
C. The issuance of a permit and/or approval of plans and specifications shall not prevent the Director from thereafter requiring the correction of errors or omissions in plans, specifications, other data, actual electrical work or installations when in violation of this Title or other laws and ordinances.
26.04.060 Partial Permits.
The permit for an electrical installation requiring plan review will not be issued, nor may work proceed, until the plans are approved by an electrical plan examiner. However, the Director may authorize the issuance of a partial permit before the entire plans and specifications are submitted or approved. Adequate information shall be submitted showing the areas of work to be covered by the partial permit and compliance with pertinent portions of the Electrical Code. Applicants will be notified in writing of which portions of the work may proceed and of the conditions under which work may proceed. Issuance of a partial permit, or authorization to commence an installation, shall not constitute assurance to the applicant that a permit on the entire installation will be issued, or that corrections will not be required on the portions of the installation granted preliminary authorization.
26.04.070 Temporary Permits.
The Bureau shall have a temporary permit program and procedure for emergency or unanticipated electrical work. Temporary permits shall only be used by licensed electrical contractors. Temporary permits are valid for 7 days.
When work is being done under a temporary permit, the permit application and fees shall either:
A. Be received by the Bureau within 7 calendar days of the start of work; or,
B. When mailed, be postmarked within 7 calendar days of the start of work.
26.04.080 Life of Permit Limited.
(Replaced by Ordinance No. 174880, effective October 6, 2000.) If no inspection approval has taken place within six months after permit issuance, the permit shall become void, and no further electrical work shall be done at the premises until a new permit has been secured and a new fee paid. Each time an inspection approval is granted, the permit shall be deemed to be automatically extended for six months, until final approval is granted. The Director may extend a permit for one period of six months upon finding that the permittee was unable to commence or continue work for reasons beyond his or her control. Extension requests shall be in writing and must be received by the Director before the permit expiration date. If an inspection approval has not been granted within this extended time period, the permit shall be void. A permit that has been expired for six months or less may be renewed provided no changes have been made in the original plans and specifications for such work. No permit may be renewed if it has been expired for more than six months. A permit may be renewed only once. If an inspection approval has not been granted within the time period of permit renewal the permit shall be void. The renewal fee shall be one half the amount required for a new plumbing permit.
26.04.090 Permit Suspension or Revocation.
The Director may, in writing, suspend or revoke a permit issued under requirements of this Title whenever the permit is issued in error, or on the basis of incorrect information supplied, or in violation of any law, ordinance, or requirement of this Title.
Chapter 26.05
FEES
Sections:
26.05.010 Permit Fees.
26.05.020 Refund of Fees.
26.05.010 Permit Fees.
(Replaced by Ordinance No. 174721, effective August 21, 2000.) All required fees are stated in the Fee Schedule adopted by City Council. Fees will be updated annually or on an as needed basis. The approved Fee Schedule will be available at the Development Services Center.
26.05.020 Refund of Fees.
(Replaced by Ordinance No. 174721, effective August 21, 2000.) When permit or plan review fees were paid incorrectly due to an error on the part of the City, permit and plan check fees will, as a general rule, be refunded in full when the services covered by the fees have not commenced. When a permit applicant requests a refund, but the City was not at fault in accepting payment, fees shall be retained to cover the cost of plan review or inspections actually performed and 20% of the amount remaining. State surcharge fees are only refundable when a permit was issued in error. Refund requests shall be made within 6 months of payment or permit issuance, whichever is later. Refunds shall be made to the same person or firm who paid the fee. Fees will be refunded within 3 months of receipt of the refund request. Exceptions to the above requirements may be made by the Director.
26.05.030 Investigation Fees.
(Repealed by Ordinance No. 174721, effective August 21, 2000.)
26.05.040 Permit Fees.
(Repealed by Ordinance No. 174721, effective August 21, 2000.)
26.05.050 Electrical Master Permit (Industrial Plant) Program Fees and Master Permit/Annual Facilities Program Fees.
(Repealed by Ordinance No. 174721, effective August 21, 2000.)
26.05.060 Refund of Fees.
(Repealed by Ordinance No. 174721, effective August 21, 2000.)
Chapter 26.06
INSPECTION
Sections:
26.06.010 Required Inspections
26.06.020 Other Inspections
26.06.030 Scope of Inspectors’ Duties
26.06.040 Inspection Requests
26.06.050 Corrections
26.06.060 Electrical Connections
26.06.070 Electrical Reconnections
26.06.080 Reinspection
26.06.090 Inspections in Other Jurisdictions of Custom-Built Electrical Products
26.06.010 Required Inspections.
All electrical installations requiring an electrical permit shall be subject to inspection. Work shall not be covered prior to inspection. The Bureau may inspect electrical installations in the following sequence or at such other times deemed necessary to obtain compliance with this Title.
A. Temporary service completion.
B. Underground or underfloor.
C. Prior to cover (ceiling and wall).
D. Service.
E. Final or completed installation.
26.06.020 Other Inspections.
In addition to the required inspections specified in Section 26.06.010, the Director may make or require other inspections of any electrical installation to ascertain compliance with this Title.
26.06.030 Scope of Inspectors’ Duties.
Inspectors inspect electrical installations and provide public information on the meanings or applications of electrical code provisions, but do not lay out work or act as consultants for electrical contractors, property owners or users.
26.06.040 Inspection Requests.
It is the responsibility of the person doing the work authorized by the permit to notify the Bureau when the work is ready for inspection. A person requesting an inspection shall ensure access and means for the Bureau to perform the required inspection. The Director or City shall not be liable for expenses entailed in removal or replacement of any material required for inspection.
26.06.050 Corrections.
A. The Bureau shall provide written notice of corrections required to be made to defective electrical wiring, equipment or installations. Notice of correction shall be placed on the premises, the electrical panel box, or such other conspicuous place as the Director may determine. In addition the Bureau shall send a duplicate of the correction notice by mail or FAX to the person responsible for the work.
Corrections shall be completed and an inspection requested within 20 calendar days of the correction notice. Extensions may be granted by the Bureau for reasonable cause. Failure to complete corrections and request an inspection within the time provided may result in the Bureau gaining compliance by:
1. Any of the remedies outlined in Section 3.30.015; or,
2. Revoking the permit.
B. If the premises affected become vacant, the premises shall not be occupied for dwelling purposes until necessary permits are obtained, corrections are completed, and the corrections are inspected and approved by the Bureau.
26.06.060 Electrical Connections.
Connecting electrical installations to an electrical supply source shall be done only after approval by the Bureau. Such inspection approval is identified by the City of Portland Electrical Inspection Record initialed by the Director and posted on the panel box or other conspicuous place.
Exceptions: An electrical installation under this Title may be legally energized prior to inspection provided:
A. An emergency service tag, issued by the Bureau, is attached to the installation. These tags may only be issued to and used by Oregon licensed electrical contractors. The electrical contractor shall request an inspection prior to or immediately after attaching the tag to the installation. When signed by the contractor or authorized representative and bearing a number issued by the Bureau, the tag will authorize the electrical utility to make connections pending final approval by the Director; or,
B. The electrical contractor is performing minor electrical work utilizing a valid minor installation label or when the installation is under an Electrical Master Permit (Industrial Plant) Program.
26.06.070 Electrical Reconnections.
When a building has been vacant and the power has been off for 6 months, the Director shall inspect the building prior to reconnection of power. A reconnection permit fee shall be paid prior to the inspection.
26.06.080 Reinspection.
A reinspection may be required, and a reinspection fee may be assessed, if any of the following conditions exist:
A. Access to the work to be inspected is unobtainable or denied upon arrival of the Director; or,
B. Unapproved installation has been covered in a manner which prevents the Director from determining compliance with this Title; or,
C. Corrections required from a previous inspection have not been completed; or,
D. Work has not been started or is substantially incomplete.
26.06.090 Inspections in Other Jurisdictions of Custom-Built Electrical Products.
Electrical products intended for use within the City shall meet the requirements of this Title even when fabricated in another jurisdiction. The Director may require in-plant or on-site inspection of the fabricating process to ensure acceptability of the finished fabrication for use within the City.
Such in-plant or on-site inspection costs as determined by the Director shall be paid by the product fabricator prior to Bureau authorization for product use within the City.
Chapter 26.07
REGISTRATION OF ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS
Sections:
26.07.010 Electrical Contractor Registration
26.07.020 Application
26.07.010 Electrical Contractor Registration.
For the purposes of maintaining accurate records, verifying contractors’ and Supervising Electricians’ State of Oregon registrations (ORS 479.560(1)(b) and 479.855(2)(a)(A), and OAR 918-020-0090(2)(f) and 918-309-0000(1)), assisting in the speedy processing of permits, and providing timely notifications, the Bureau shall keep a registry of any individual or firm performing for hire or profit electrical installation work regulated by this Title. All such firms shall register with the Bureau prior to performing such electrical work within the City. Whenever information contained on the registration becomes invalid, the registrant shall provide the Bureau with up-to-date information. Registrations are not transferable.
26.07.020 Application.
Registration application shall be made on forms supplied by the Bureau. The applicant shall provide all information in a complete and legible manner.
Chapter 26.08
ELECTRICAL MASTER PERMIT
(INDUSTRIAL PLANT) PROGRAM
Sections:
26.08.010 Program
26.08.020 Application Requirements
26.08.030 Application Form
26.08.040 License Requirements
26.08.050 No Separate Permit Required
26.08.060 Registration Suspension and Termination
26.08.070 Appeal of Suspension or Termination Order
26.08.010 Program.
The Bureau shall conduct an Electrical Master Permit (Industrial Plant) Program as identified in OAR 918-309-0100. This program shall regulate repair, alteration or replacement of existing electrical products in qualified facilities and electrical installations which are part of a tenant remodel or construction within a covered facility involving a mechanical, plumbing or structural master permit. Electrical product replacement includes installing a product in place of another that does not exceed the capacity or design of the existing electrical system. The following types of facilities are allowed to be registered for the Master Permit (Industrial Plant) Program:
A. Industrial producer or servicer;
B. School;
C. Hospital;
D. Sewer plant;
E. Water plant;
F. Commercial office building;
F. Buildings owned, leased, managed or operated by a state or local government entity;
G. Institution;
H. Any other category of facility designated by the State Electrical and Elevator Board.
26.08.020 Application Requirements.
Applicants for registration in the Electrical Master Permit (Industrial Plant) Program shall be the owner, building operations manager or electrical contractor responsible for all electrical installations in the facility. Each registration shall be limited to a single facility, which may be more than one building in a complex of buildings. Applicants with multiple facility locations on non-contiguous lots shall obtain a registration for each facility.
26.08.030 Application Form.
An application for a registration shall be made on the form furnished by the Bureau. The applicant shall provide all information required in a complete and legible manner. Registration fees shall be paid at the time of application.
26.08.040 License Requirements.
Electrical work shall not be done beyond the scope of the license held. Applicants with Limited Maintenance Electricians or Limited Building Maintenance Electricians on staff are not required to hold an Electrical Contractor’s License or to employ a Supervising Electrician for work within the scope of these limited license categories. Before registration will be granted, applicants shall either:
A. Employ one or more persons possessing an Oregon Limited Maintenance Electrician’s License, a Limited Building Maintenance Electrician’s License, or other Oregon electrical license as allowed by the OAR; or,
B. Contract for electrical work with a licensed electrical contractor employing a signing supervising electrician.
26.08.050 No Separate Permit Required.
When a facility is registered in the Electrical Master Permit (Industrial Plant) Program, no separate permit is required for repair, alteration or replacement of existing electrical products. Any electrical work not covered by the Electrical Master Permit (Industrial Plant) Program requires the completion and submission of an electrical permit application to the Bureau prior to performing such work. Any installation outside the scope of the Electrical Master Permit (Industrial Plant) Program shall be installed by appropriately licensed electricians and shall be inspected by the Bureau.
26.08.060 Registration Suspension and Termination.
If any registrant refuses or neglects to comply with the requirements of this Title or a related regulation (all regulations pertaining to building construction, remodeling or alteration are related regulations) within 30 calendar days after the Bureau has sent the written correction notice, the Bureau may suspend or terminate the registration. In addition, the penalty provided for in this Title may be enforced, and all work shall be corrected and made to comply with the requirements of this Title. A new registration shall not be issued or suspension lifted until all violations cited have been corrected.
26.08.070 Appeal of Suspension or Termination Order.
If the Bureau orders the suspension or termination of a Master Permit (Industrial Plant) registration, the registrant aggrieved may appeal, in writing, to the Electrical Board of Appeal within 15 calendar days after such order. The registrant shall be given not less than 15 calendar days notice of the hearing. The Board shall proceed to hear and determine the appeal. Any suspension of a registration by the Electrical Board of Appeal may be on such conditions as the Board may order. In all cases, decisions of the Board shall be final.
Chapter 26.09
MINOR INSTALLATION LABEL PROGRAM
26.09.010 General.
The Bureau shall operate a Minor Installation Label Program in accordance with OAR Chapter 918, Division 309. The Minor Installation Label Program utilizes minor labels in lieu of regular electrical permits. Random inspections are made to ensure compliance of minor work. The Bureau shall sell minor labels in sets of 10 labels. Minor labels shall be used in compliance with the OAR and this Title.
Chapter 26.10
CERTIFIED ELECTRICAL
PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS
Sections:
26.10.010 Electrical Products to be Approved
26.10.020 Exempt Product Inspections
26.10.010 Electrical Products to be Approved.
No person, firm, or corporation shall sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of any electrical product, material or device which is used or intended to be used in the installations regulated by this Title, unless such product, material or device has been certified or listed as per ORS 479.760.
26.10.020 Exempt Product Inspections.
Some products are exempted from certification by ORS 479.540. The Bureau shall inspect the installation of any exempt product to ensure that Electrical Code requirements are met.