Hi Andy:
> Is it possible that a piece of equipment with an NRTL listing can be
> disconnected by a local electrical inspector/electrician enforcing the NEC
> because that paticular NRTL is not "approved" in their jurisdiction?
Yes.
Please recognize:
"NRTL" is an OSHA program governing electrical
products used by employees in the workplace.
Requirements for NRTL are imposed on employers,
and enforced by OSHA inspectors.
NRTL is determined solely by OSHA for OSHA
purposes.
"Approved" is an NEC requirement for equipment
and appliances used in electrical installations.
Requirements for "approved" electrical devices
are imposed by local electrical inspectors
enforcing the electrical code. Licensed
electricians are expected to only install
"approved" electrical devices.
"Approved" is determined by the local
jurisdiction enforcing the code (i.e. a
branch of the local building code
administration).
> Doesn't the NRTL approval by OSHA take precedence over whether or not the
> local authorities accept the NRTL's listing?
No.
These are separate and independent requirements. We
cannot make a generalization that all NRTLs are also
"approved" in every jurisdiction. Some NRTLs (e.g.,
UL, CSA, ITS) are indeed "approved" in every
jurisdiction (because they make it their business to
be so approved).
Likewise, we cannot make a generalization that all
"approved" electrical devices are also NRTL-certified.
Determining an NRTL is easy by going to the OSHA-NRTL
web page.
Determining an "approved" product is not easy as each
jurisdiction makes its own determination. However,
each safety certification house knows which jurisdictions
have approved its certifications. So, determining
whether a product is "approved" in a particular
jurisdiction is a simple matter of asking the
certification house.
Having said all this... products installed after the
electrical construction is complete and signed off
by the local electrical inspector are rarely inspected.
Thus, manufacturers of such products rarely get any
feedback regarding "approval" of their products. So,
it appears that NRTL certification also satisfies
local "approval" whereas in fact such products are
never inspected.
Anecdote: Some years ago, our equipment was installed
in the finished basement of a multi-story building
that was still under construction. The electrical
inspector, during his normal inspection round, returned
to the basement and saw all the various products that
had been installed (plugged in) after he had signed
off the floor. He inspected the products, and found
a number of them without any safety certification.
These were disconnected and red-tagged. The basement
operations were shut down. The customer was irate.
I hope this explains the difference between NRTL and
"approved."
Best regards,
Rich
ps: For our colleagues not familiar with the USA...
NRTL = Nationally Recognised Testing Laboratory
OSHA = Occupational Safety and Health Administration
NEC = National Electrical Code
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