§ 5-6-29. Persons and work exempt. (a) The provisions of this chapter do not apply to:

(1) The electrical work and equipment for the generation and primary distribution of electric current, or the secondary distribution system up to and including the meters, where that work and equipment is an integral part of the system owned and operated by an electric light and power company in rendering its authorized service; or to the electrical work and electrical equipment employed in connection with the manufacture and distribution of gas, where that work and equipment is an integral part of the system owned and operated by a gas company in rendering its authorized service.

(2) The electrical work and equipment employed in connection with the operation of signals, or the transmission of intelligence, where that work and equipment is an integral part of the communication system owned and operated by a municipality or by a telegraph or telephone company, or any community antenna television system (CATV) subject to regulation under title 39 by the division of public utilities or any subcontractor of a CATV system, including the work of a telephone company of installing, repairing, or replacing all wiring on the load side of the last fused distribution point, and all of the emergency wiring installed, replaced, or repaired by a telephone company; or any community antenna television system (CATV) subject to regulation under title 39 by the division of public utilities or any subcontractor of such CATV system.

(3) The electrical work and equipment in mines, ships, railway rolling stock, or automotive equipment, or devices subject to the provisions of chapter 33 of title 23.

(4) Any work involved in the manufacture, test, or repair of electrical equipment in the manufacturer's plant, but not including any electrical wiring other than that required for testing purposes.

(b) This chapter does not apply to installations in suitable laboratories of exposed electrical wiring for experimental purposes only.

(c) This chapter does not forbid the installation of electrical work in a single-family or two-family dwelling on the immediate premises of the dwelling by the owner of the dwelling if living on, or about to live on, the premises.

(d) This chapter does not apply to any person who now holds or subsequently holds a hoisting engineer's license issued by the state and who excavates for and installs underground conduits; provided, that hoisting engineers shall be prohibited from installing electrical wiring and/or making the service connection of any such electrical wires and/or cables. A city, town, or such other authorized official shall issue a building permit to a licensed hoisting engineer for excavation and installation of such underground conduits upon submission of a completed application to the appropriate building official; provided, that a building permit will not be required if the work is performed for an electric-distribution company.

(e) This chapter shall not apply to any person, firm, partnership, corporation, limited-liability company, or other business entity who or that holds or subsequently holds a certificate of registration as required by the Rhode Island department of environmental management for work in the operation, installation, maintenance, servicing, and testing of onsite wastewater treatment systems and its equipment and related components; provided, however, this shall not permit any electric wiring or equipment maintenance between the electric meter and the onsite wastewater treatment system.

History of Section. (P.L. 1942, ch. 1234, § 11; P.L. 1943, ch. 1263, § 1; P.L. 1943, ch. 1381, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 5-6-29; P.L. 1989, ch. 63, § 1; P.L. 1989, ch. 142, § 2; P.L. 1997, ch. 266, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 214, § 1; P.L. 2003, ch. 227, § 1; P.L. 2003, ch. 360, § 1; P.L. 2006, ch. 208, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 122, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 137, § 1.)