Wisconsin law contains important requirements you must follow before you may file a lawsuit for defective construction against the contractor who constructed your dwelling or completed your remodeling project or against a window or door supplier or manufacturer.
Section 895.07 (2) and
(3) of the Wisconsin statutes requires you to deliver to the contractor a written notice of any construction conditions you allege are defective before you file your lawsuit, and you must provide your contractor or window or door supplier the opportunity to make an offer to repair or remedy the alleged construction defects. You are not obligated to accept any offer made by the contractor or window or door supplier. All parties are bound by applicable warranty provisions.
101.148(2)(b)
(b) The notice required under
par. (a) shall be conspicuous and in writing and may be included within the contract between the contractor and the consumer.
101.148 History
History: 2005 a. 201.
101.149
101.149
Carbon monoxide detectors. 101.149(1)(am)
(am) "Carbon monoxide detector" means an electronic or battery-operated device that sounds an alarm when an unsafe level of carbon monoxide is in the air.
101.149(1)(b)
(b) "Residential building" means a tourist rooming house, a bed and breakfast establishment, or any public building that is used for sleeping or lodging purposes. "Residential building" does not include a hospital or nursing home.
101.149(1)(d)
(d) "Unit" means a part of a residential building that is occupied by one or more persons as a home, residence, or sleeping place.
101.149(2)(a)(a) Except as provided in
par. (b), the owner of a residential building shall install a carbon monoxide detector in all of the following places not later than the date specified under
par. (c):
101.149(2)(a)1.
1. In the basement of the building if the basement has a fuel-burning appliance.
101.149(2)(a)2.
2. Within 15 feet of each sleeping area of a unit that has a fuel-burning appliance.
101.149(2)(a)3.
3. Within 15 feet of each sleeping area of a unit that is immediately adjacent to a unit that has a fuel-burning appliance.
101.149(2)(a)4.
4. In each room that has a fuel-burning appliance and that is not used as a sleeping area. A carbon monoxide detector shall be installed under this subdivision not more than 75 feet from the fuel-burning appliance.
101.149(2)(a)5.
5. In each hallway leading from a unit that has a fuel-burning appliance, in a location that is within 75 feet from the unit, except that, if there is no electrical outlet within this distance, the owner shall place the carbon monoxide detector at the closest available electrical outlet in the hallway.
101.149(2)(b)
(b) If a unit is not part of a multiunit building, the owner of the residential building need not install more than one carbon monoxide detector in the unit.
101.149(2)(c)1.1. Except as provided under
subd. 2., the owner of a residential building shall comply with the requirements of this subsection before the building is occupied.
101.149(2)(c)2.
2. The owner of a residential building shall comply with the requirements of this subsection not later than April 1, 2010, if construction of the building was initiated before October 1, 2008, or if the department approved the plans for the construction of the building under
s. 101.12 before October 1, 2008.
101.149(2)(d)
(d) Any carbon monoxide detector that bears an Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., listing mark or similar mark from an independent product safety certification organization satisfies the requirements of this subsection.
101.149(2)(e)
(e) The owner shall install every carbon monoxide detector required by this subsection according to the directions and specifications of the manufacturer of the carbon monoxide detector.
101.149(3)(a)(a) The owner of a residential building shall reasonably maintain every carbon monoxide detector in the residential building in the manner specified in the instructions for the carbon monoxide detector.
101.149(3)(b)
(b) An occupant of a unit in a residential building may give the owner of the residential building written notice that a carbon monoxide detector in the residential building is not functional or has been removed by a person other than the occupant. The owner of the residential building shall repair or replace the nonfunctional or missing carbon monoxide detector within 5 days after receipt of the notice.
101.149(3)(c)
(c) The owner of a residential building is not liable for damages resulting from any of the following:
101.149(3)(c)1.
1. A false alarm from a carbon monoxide detector if the carbon monoxide detector was reasonably maintained by the owner of the residential building.
101.149(3)(c)2.
2. The failure of a carbon monoxide detector to operate properly if that failure was the result of tampering with, or removal or destruction of, the carbon monoxide detector by a person other than the owner or the result of a faulty detector that was reasonably maintained by the owner as required under
par. (a).
101.149(4)
(4) Tampering prohibited. No person may tamper with, remove, destroy, disconnect, or remove batteries from an installed carbon monoxide detector, except in the course of inspection, maintenance, or replacement of the detector.
101.149(5)
(5) Exceptions. Subsections (2) and
(3) do not apply to the owner of a residential building if the residential building does not have an attached garage and any of the following applies:
101.149(5)(a)
(a) The residential building does not have any fuel-burning appliances.
101.149(5)(b)
(b) All of the fuel-burning appliances in the residential building have sealed combustion units that are covered by the manufacturer's warranty against defects.
101.149(5)(c)
(c) All of the fuel-burning appliances in the residential building have sealed combustion units that are inspected as provided in the rules promulgated by the department under
sub. (6) (b) or in the rules promulgated by the department of health services under
s. 254.74 (1) (am).
101.149(6)(a)(a) The department shall promulgate rules establishing a procedure under which the owner of a residential building may apply to the department for a waiver of the requirements under
sub. (2).
101.149(6)(b)
(b) The department shall promulgate rules, in consultation with the department of health services, under which the department of commerce shall authorize certified heating, ventilating, and air conditioning inspectors to conduct regular inspections of sealed combustion units, as required under par.
(5) (c), for carbon monoxide emissions in residential buildings other than hotels, tourist rooming houses, and bed and breakfast establishments. The rules shall specify conditions under which it may issue orders as specified under
sub. (8) (a). The rules may not require the department of commerce to authorize inspection of sealed combustion units during the period in which the sealed combustion units are covered by a manufacturer's warranty against defects.
101.149(7)
(7) Inspection. To ensure compliance with
subs. (2) and
(3), the department, or a building inspector certified by the department, shall inspect the common area of residential buildings other than hotels, tourist rooming houses, and bed and breakfast establishments and may inspect a unit within such buildings at the request of the owner or occupant of the unit to be inspected.
101.149(8)(a)(a) If the department of commerce or the department of health services determines after an inspection of a building under this section or
s. 254.74 (1g) that the owner of the building has violated
sub. (2) or
(3), the respective department shall issue an order requiring the person to correct the violation within 5 days or within such shorter period as the respective department determines is necessary to protect public health and safety. If the person does not correct the violation within the time required, he or she shall forfeit $50 for each day of violation occurring after the date on which the respective department finds that the violation was not corrected.
101.149(8)(b)
(b) If a person is charged with more than one violation of
sub. (2) or
(3) arising out of an inspection of a building owned by that person, those violations shall be counted as a single violation for the purpose of determining the amount of a forfeiture under
par. (a).
101.149(8)(c)
(c) Whoever violates
sub. (4) is subject to the following penalties:
101.149(8)(c)1.
1. For a first offense, the person may be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned for not more than 9 months, or both.
101.149(8)(c)2.
2. For a 2nd or subsequent offense, the person is guilty of a Class I felony.
101.15
101.15
Mines, tunnels, quarries and pits. 101.15(1)
(1) If any shaft or workings of a mine, or any tunnel, trench, caisson, quarry, or gravel or sand pit is being operated or used in violation of the safety orders of the department applicable thereto, the owner or operator upon receiving notice of such violation from the department shall immediately cease such operation or use. The operation or use of such shaft or workings of a mine, or of such tunnel, trench, caisson, quarry or gravel or sand pit, shall not be resumed until such safety orders have been complied with.
101.15(2)(a)1.
1. "Excavation" or "workings" means any or all parts of a mine excavated or being excavated, including shafts, tunnels, drifts, cross cuts, raises, winzes, stopes and all other working places in a mine.
101.15(2)(a)2.
2. "Mineral" means a product recognized by standard authorities as mineral, whether metalliferous or nonmetalliferous.
101.15(2)(a)3.
3. "Shaft" means an opening made for mining minerals, for hoisting and lowering persons or material, or for ventilating underground workings.
101.15(2)(b)
(b) No excavation of a shaft may be commenced unless a permit is first issued therefor by the department. Permits for such excavation shall be issued upon fee payment and application filed with the department, if the department is satisfied that the shaft or the excavation and workings will be in compliance with the safety orders adopted by the department and applicable thereto. Application shall be made upon forms prescribed by the department and shall be furnished upon request.
101.15(2)(c)
(c) Paragraph (b) does not apply to shafts which will be less than 50 feet in depth wherein persons are not employed, or which are not equipped with power driven hoists used for hoisting persons in and out of the shafts, or which are not covered with a flammable building.
101.15(2)(d)1.
1. Employ additional mining inspectors, who shall have had at least 10 years experience in underground mining or be a graduate of a recognized college with a degree of mining engineering.
101.15(2)(d)2.
2. Cause the inspection of all underground mines, quarries, pits, zinc works or other excavations.
101.15(2)(e)
(e) The department shall promulgate rules to effect the safety of mines, explosives, quarries and related activities. Such rules shall provide for the establishment of uniform limits on permissible levels of blasting resultants to reasonably assure that blasting resultants do not cause injury, damage or unreasonable annoyance to any person or property outside any controlled blasting site area.
101.15(2)(f)1.1. The department shall cause the inspections of underground mines and similar establishments at least once every 2 months and shall cause the inspections of surface mines and similar establishments at least once each year. In the making of the inspections the owner and the labor union identified as the bargaining representative of the employees of the mine or establishment shall be permitted to accompany the inspector engaged in the tour of inspection. The department shall cause a report of any inspection so made, to be submitted to representatives of the operator and of the employees.
101.15(2)(f)2.
2. The department may apply to a court of record for the closing of any underground mine, quarry, pit, zinc works or other excavation where the same is being operated in violation of any of its rules or orders, and the owners or operators have failed within a reasonable time to correct any unsafe methods of operation. The failure of any owner or operator to comply with the order or judgment of the court subjects the party or parties to contempt proceedings.
101.15 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also chs.
Comm 7 and
8, Wis. adm. code.
101.15 Annotation
When an inspector determines that there is a violation of safety orders and a condition of extreme and imminent danger to a worker's life exists, the inspector may seek the assistance of a local law enforcement officer. The local law enforcement officer has a duty to render assistance unless in the officer's opinion other priority assignments take precedence. 59 Atty. Gen. 12.
101.16
101.16
Liquefied petroleum gas. 101.16(1)(a)
(a) "Department of transportation cylinder" means a container that holds liquefied petroleum gas and that meets the specifications established by the federal department of transportation.
101.16(1)(b)
(b) "Liquefied petroleum gas" means any material which is composed predominantly of, or any mixtures of, any of the following hydrocarbons including their isomers:
101.16(1)(c)
(c) "Propane gas system" means an assembly consisting of one or more containers that has a total water capacity of at least 100 gallons and a means of conveying propane gas from the container or containers to a point of connection with devices used to consume the propane gas. A "propane gas system" includes all piping and other components associated with the assembly that are used to control the quantity, flow, pressure, and physical state of the propane gas.
101.16(1)(d)
(d) "Retail supplier" means a person engaged in the business of filling containers that have a water capacity of at least 4 pounds with liquefied petroleum gas that is intended to be used directly from the containers as fuel. "Retail supplier" does not include a person who fills such containers with liquefied petroleum gas for the person's own use.
101.16(2)
(2) Rules. The department shall promulgate rules to ascertain, fix, and order such reasonable standards, rules, or regulations for the design, construction, location, installation, operation, repair, and maintenance of equipment for storage, handling, use, and transportation by tank truck or tank trailer, of liquefied petroleum gases for fuel purposes, and for the odorization of said gases used therewith, as shall render such equipment safe.
101.16(3)
(3) Filling, evacuating, and use of containers. 101.16(3)(a)(a) Except as provided in
par. (b), no person, other than the owner of a liquefied petroleum gas container or a person authorized by the owner, may fill, refill, evacuate, or use in any other manner the container for any purpose.
101.16(3)(b)
(b) A retail supplier may evacuate a liquefied petroleum gas container not under its ownership in order to transfer the remaining liquefied petroleum gas that is in that container into a container that is under its ownership.
101.16(3g)(a)(a) No retail supplier may distribute liquefied petroleum gas without holding a license issued by the department. The department, subject to
s. 101.02 (20) and
(21), shall issue a license to be a retail supplier upon receiving the fee established under
s. 101.19 (1) (L) or
(1m) and upon obtaining proof of financial responsibility as required under
sub. (3r) (c). The term of the license shall be set by the department, not to exceed 2 years.
101.16(3g)(b)
(b) The department shall publish an annual list of all retail suppliers holding valid licenses under
par. (a).
101.16(3r)(a)(a) Except as provided in
par. (b), a retail supplier shall maintain proof of financial responsibility in the amount of $1,000,000 per occurrence with an annual aggregate of $2,000,000 for compensating 3rd parties for bodily injury and property damages for incidents associated with the release of liquefied petroleum gas.
101.16(3r)(b)
(b) A retail supplier who only fills department of transportation cylinders or who only fills containers for engine and recreational vehicle fueling systems shall maintain proof of financial responsibility in the amount of $500,000 per occurrence with an annual aggregate of $1,000,000 for compensating 3rd parties for bodily injury and property damages for incidents associated with the release of liquefied petroleum gas.
101.16(3r)(c)
(c) A retail supplier may obtain any of the following to prove financial responsibility as required under
par. (a) or
(b):
101.16(3r)(c)1.
1. A surety bond that is issued by a surety company that is listed as an acceptable surety for federal bonds on the date that the surety bond is obtained in the most recently published U.S. department of the treasury's circular 570.
101.16(3r)(c)2.
2. An irrevocable letter of credit that is issued by a financial institution that is authorized to do business in this state or that is federally chartered. The letter of credit shall be for an initial period of at least one year.
