Certificate of Occupancy Compliance

If you have been cited for a code violation or need to configure your space in a manner that is more suitable to your mission, call us at Ossie Electric to resolve open permits, expired permits un-permitted work previously done, or to support applications for zoning variances.

If you are a commercial customer, there are typically three main drivers for being cited as “violating code”. The National Electrical Code (NEC) is updated every three years and what may have been acceptable when first installed may now be outdated, if not illegal years later. The second possibility stems from projects undertaken by the previous tenant that was not appropriately permitted or reviewed by local authorities. The third situation arises when your business requires a use that is not zoned for your area or property type.

Although considered annoying by some, it is hard to argue with the effectiveness of the NEC - annual fires have declined almost 60% in the past 40 years from a high of 1,098,000 events in 1977 to 475,000 in 2016 in the United States. Authored by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and first published towards the end of the 19th century, the guide currently measures at about 1,000 pages. The NFPA reviews statistical data, changes in lifestyles and upgrades to appliances in publishing its guidelines.

Insurance companies subscribe to its recommendation as way of reducing their own liabilities and municipalities enforce compliance to lessen demands on resources (firefighters and EMS) and reduce recriminations for loss of life.

Although outside of this country, consider the recent inferno at Grenfell Tower in London. Started by an electrical fire from a tenant’s refrigerator, the structure had numerous prior complaints about electrical surges. What made the matter disastrous was improper cladding insulation material, inadequate ventilation, and insufficient fire doors, to name a few. With those type of lessons learned, there will be no delay in implementing revised codes for new building and rolling out remediation calendars for existing buildings.

When the nature of a violation becomes dangerous or the magnitude of a renovation reaches a certain level, then a facility needs to be brought up to code. Codes are about establishing standards aimed at ensuring the health and safety of properties and their surrounding structures.

We are licensed electricians and our technicians are current with the NEC. Upon complete review of your property, we guarantee our code violation work. Our service area includes Westchester and Putnam Counties.