A village on the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri has focused more attention on electrical inspections of docks. The Village of the Four Seasons, a village in Camden County, Missouri, has a population of about 2200, but hundreds of tourists visit the lake all year round.
The village's Board of Trustees met in March and amended the requirements of the 2011 Edition of the NEC by adding additional requirements for docks located within the Village of Four Seasons, according to a report on Lake News Online. "Anyone seeking a permit from Ameren Missouri for any of several docks must pass and obtain an electrical inspection performed by the Village building inspector," the report said.
These include:
- Any newly constructed dock after the effective date of the ordinance, which was March 12.
- Any dock that is moved to a new location after March 12.
- Any dock that has an update to its electrical system or structure that results in work being done to the dock’s electrical system.
- Any dock of a private residence that has a transfer of ownership must before obtaining a permit from Ameren obtain an inspection which complies with the 2011 National Electrical Code or any electrical code of the Village of Four Seasons.
Back in 2012, three electrocutions at the Lake of the Ozarks prompted concerns among public safety agencies and owners. The Kansas City Star reported at that time that fire marshals who inspect the wiring were in demand and hardware stores were running out of electrical supplies, as fire departments and the Missouri State Highway Patrol cautioned dock owners to secure their docks.