jar546
Forum Coordinator
A company for a self serve 24 hour vending machine calls to inquire about the requirements for the installation of a machine outside of a convenient store.
They are directed to the zoning department which handles these situations due to vending ordinances and directed to the building department for issues on our end.
I discuss with them the location outside to ensure that it is not blocking any accessible routes or violating any egress routes. They fax me the electrical requirements to our office and I see that it will be hard wired with a disconnect located outside. (feeder from service to single ocpd panelboard). They are instructed to apply for an electrical permit after they clear zoning and await approval before they proceed.
Zoning never hears from them again, we never hear from them again. A few months later I notice the machine installed at the convenient store and notify zoning so they can take care of their end.
On my end, I notice that the panelboard is installed outside between machines with just enough space to get someones arm back there but still unreachable and nowhere within the working space requirements. I write up a notice of violation concerning working without a permit and also state that the disco does not have the required working space. I gave 2 business days for them to secure a permit and hand it to the convenience store manager.
The next business day, an out of town electrical company calls and has a permit application faxed to them. Two days later it gets faxed back. I call them and give them the price for the permit, add a re-inspection fee to it and tell them to send the money and call for an inspection. I am told they were already there and the working space is taken care of.
The next day while waiting for their check I am near the store so I go to take a look and see that they moved the machines and now have the required working space. I open up the disconnect/panelboard and have an NEC violation present. I get permission to go back to the electrical room and proceed to write up a grand total of 5 NEC violations. They actually ran NM cable out of the service panelboard and up the wall without securing it. Now I am sort of PO'd. I fax the electrical company the inspection results (even though a permit still has not been issued waiting for their check) and tack on another re-inspection fee. They now have another 2 days to make repairs.
At what point would you folks just fine them? My reasons for wanting to are:
1) The company was told from day 1 to get a permit.
2) The company blew off zoning and building anyway.
3) Not only did they not secure a permit but did not call for inspections.
4) The installation was not compliant on multiple levels (5)
5) It is an out of town company that not registered with the muni
I really see no reason to just arbitrarily fine people and have only done so once in the past 3 years but in this case I am thinking some precedence needs to be set because the only lesson they are learning other than having to drive 2-1/2 hours 1 way to fix a job are the 2 $75 reinspection fees.
They are directed to the zoning department which handles these situations due to vending ordinances and directed to the building department for issues on our end.
I discuss with them the location outside to ensure that it is not blocking any accessible routes or violating any egress routes. They fax me the electrical requirements to our office and I see that it will be hard wired with a disconnect located outside. (feeder from service to single ocpd panelboard). They are instructed to apply for an electrical permit after they clear zoning and await approval before they proceed.
Zoning never hears from them again, we never hear from them again. A few months later I notice the machine installed at the convenient store and notify zoning so they can take care of their end.
On my end, I notice that the panelboard is installed outside between machines with just enough space to get someones arm back there but still unreachable and nowhere within the working space requirements. I write up a notice of violation concerning working without a permit and also state that the disco does not have the required working space. I gave 2 business days for them to secure a permit and hand it to the convenience store manager.
The next business day, an out of town electrical company calls and has a permit application faxed to them. Two days later it gets faxed back. I call them and give them the price for the permit, add a re-inspection fee to it and tell them to send the money and call for an inspection. I am told they were already there and the working space is taken care of.
The next day while waiting for their check I am near the store so I go to take a look and see that they moved the machines and now have the required working space. I open up the disconnect/panelboard and have an NEC violation present. I get permission to go back to the electrical room and proceed to write up a grand total of 5 NEC violations. They actually ran NM cable out of the service panelboard and up the wall without securing it. Now I am sort of PO'd. I fax the electrical company the inspection results (even though a permit still has not been issued waiting for their check) and tack on another re-inspection fee. They now have another 2 days to make repairs.
At what point would you folks just fine them? My reasons for wanting to are:
1) The company was told from day 1 to get a permit.
2) The company blew off zoning and building anyway.
3) Not only did they not secure a permit but did not call for inspections.
4) The installation was not compliant on multiple levels (5)
5) It is an out of town company that not registered with the muni
I really see no reason to just arbitrarily fine people and have only done so once in the past 3 years but in this case I am thinking some precedence needs to be set because the only lesson they are learning other than having to drive 2-1/2 hours 1 way to fix a job are the 2 $75 reinspection fees.
