Amendments to the City of Vancouver Electrical By-law

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: October 10, 2002
Author/Local: A. Tsisserev/7561

RTS No. 02987

CC File No. 113

Council: November 5, 2002

TO:

Vancouver City Council

FROM:

City Electrician

SUBJECT:

Amendments to the City of Vancouver Electrical By-law

RECOMMENDATION

A. That Council approve in principle the proposed amendments to the Electrical By-law as described in Appendix A of this report, and

B. That Council authorize the Director of Legal Services to bring forward the By-law amendments substantially as shown in Appendix A of this report.

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of A & B.

COUNCIL POLICY

Under Section 314 of the Vancouver Charter, the Council may provide for regulating and inspecting any electrical works.

SUMMARY:

This report proposes to amend Section 6.1; 6.2 and 6.3 of the Electrical By-law in order to specify the duty of an owner or occupier to allow the City Electrician to enter a building or premises for the purpose of enforcing this By-law. Explanation is provided in Appendix A. This report also proposes an amendment to Section 7.1 in order to reflect adoption of the 19^th Edition of the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I by the order in Council 859.
Explanation is provided in Appendix A.

BACKGROUND:

Although present wording of the Electrical By-law allows the City Electrician to enter any building or premises for the purpose of inspecting electrical installations or electrical equipment, the By-law is silent on the duty of an owner or occupier to permit the City Electrician to enter the building or premises in order to administer and enforce this By-law.
Present wording of the Electrical By-law references the 18^th Edition of the Canadian Electrical Code (CE Code). However, Province of BC has now adopted the 19^th Edition of the CE Code with the relevant provincial amendments.

DISCUSSION:

Appendix `A' provides a summary of the proposed changes to Section 6 and 7 of the Vancouver Electrical By-law.

The proposed amendment clarifies the authority of the City Electrician to inspect electrical equipment and installations and describes the duty of the owner or occupier to allow the City Electrician to conduct these inspections inside Buildings or premises.

This amendment will permit the City to take legal action against an owner or occupier who refuses to allow access for inspection as provided for in the proposed Bylaw. This amendment also provides consistency between the Vancouver Building and Electrical By-laws regarding owners' responsibility to allow access for City inspectors and emphasises duties of owners as provided for in Section 12(c) of the Electrical Safety Act.

With the provincial adoption of the 19^th Edition of the CE Code, the proposed amendment to the Electrical By-law will update the reference to the Code to be consistent with new edition of the BC Electrical Code.

CONCLUSION:

The proposed amendments will update the Electrical By-law and provide improvements to the wording of the By-law in order to assist the City Electrician in effectively administering this By-law.

- - - - -

APPENDIX `A'

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY OF VANCOUVER ELECTRICAL BY-LAW #5563

By-law section number

Wording of the proposed amendment

Existing wording

Explanation

6.1

The City Electrician, or any person authorized by the City Electrician, may:

(a) subject to section 2.1 and to subsection (b) of this section 6.1, inspect any electrical equipment anywhere at any time;

(b) enter any building or premises at any reasonable time for the purpose of inspecting and testing any wiring, appliance, equipment, conduit or apparatus used or designed, or intended for use, for or in connection with the generation, transmission, supply, distribution, or employment of electrical energy for any purpose: and

(c) remove or cause to be removed anything which might constitute an interference with an inspection.

The city Electrician, or any person authorized by him, may inspect any electrical equipment wheresoever situated, and for that purpose may enter any building or premises at any reasonable time.

Reference to section 2.1 in paragraph (a) reflects the fact that electrical work on the City streets is regulated by the City Engineer;
paragraph (b) clarifies the intent of inspections;
paragraph (c) incorporates provisions of the existing section 6.2

6.2

Without restricting the generality of section 6.1(b), an owner or occupier of a building or premises must allow the City Electrician, or any person authorized by the City Electrician, to enter the building or premises at any reasonable time to administer and enforce this By-law.

The City Electrician may remove or cause to be removed anything which in his opinion might constitute an interference with the inspection.

Proposed wording of section 6.2 specifies duties of the owner or occupier to allow the City Electrician to enter the Building for inspection purposes.

6.3

A person must not interfere with, prevent, or impede the City Electrician, or any person authorized by the City Electrician, from carrying out an inspection of electrical equipment under this By-law or any other by-law.

No person shall interfere with or otherwise prevent or impede the City Electrician or anyone authorized by him from carrying out the duties of inspection imposed by this or any other
By-law.

Section 6.3 provides editorial clarifications.

7.1

The Canadian Electrical Code, Part I, 18^th Edition, Safety Standard for Electrical Installations, Canadian Standards Association Standard C22.1-1998, subject to any variations adopted pursuant to the Electrical Safety Act, is adopted and made part of this By-law.

The Canadian Electrical Code, Part I, 19^th Edition, Safety Standard for Electrical Installations, Canadian Standards Association Standard C22.1-2002, subject to any variations adopted pursuant to the Electrical Safety Act, is adopted and made part of this By-law.

19^th Edition of the CE Code has been adopted by the Province of British Columbia.
(Order in Council 859).

* * * * *

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TO:	Vancouver City Council
FROM:	City Electrician
SUBJECT:	Amendments to the City of Vancouver Electrical By-law

By-law section number	Wording of the proposed amendment	Existing wording	Explanation
6.1	The City Electrician, or any person authorized by the City Electrician, may: (a) subject to section 2.1 and to subsection (b) of this section 6.1, inspect any electrical equipment anywhere at any time; (b) enter any building or premises at any reasonable time for the purpose of inspecting and testing any wiring, appliance, equipment, conduit or apparatus used or designed, or intended for use, for or in connection with the generation, transmission, supply, distribution, or employment of electrical energy for any purpose: and (c) remove or cause to be removed anything which might constitute an interference with an inspection.	The city Electrician, or any person authorized by him, may inspect any electrical equipment wheresoever situated, and for that purpose may enter any building or premises at any reasonable time.	Reference to section 2.1 in paragraph (a) reflects the fact that electrical work on the City streets is regulated by the City Engineer; paragraph (b) clarifies the intent of inspections; paragraph (c) incorporates provisions of the existing section 6.2
6.2	Without restricting the generality of section 6.1(b), an owner or occupier of a building or premises must allow the City Electrician, or any person authorized by the City Electrician, to enter the building or premises at any reasonable time to administer and enforce this By-law.	The City Electrician may remove or cause to be removed anything which in his opinion might constitute an interference with the inspection.	Proposed wording of section 6.2 specifies duties of the owner or occupier to allow the City Electrician to enter the Building for inspection purposes.
6.3	A person must not interfere with, prevent, or impede the City Electrician, or any person authorized by the City Electrician, from carrying out an inspection of electrical equipment under this By-law or any other by-law.	No person shall interfere with or otherwise prevent or impede the City Electrician or anyone authorized by him from carrying out the duties of inspection imposed by this or any other By-law.	Section 6.3 provides editorial clarifications.
7.1	The Canadian Electrical Code, Part I, 18^th Edition, Safety Standard for Electrical Installations, Canadian Standards Association Standard C22.1-1998, subject to any variations adopted pursuant to the Electrical Safety Act, is adopted and made part of this By-law.	The Canadian Electrical Code, Part I, 19^th Edition, Safety Standard for Electrical Installations, Canadian Standards Association Standard C22.1-2002, subject to any variations adopted pursuant to the Electrical Safety Act, is adopted and made part of this By-law.	19^th Edition of the CE Code has been adopted by the Province of British Columbia. (Order in Council 859).