Hi Doug:
If I remember correctly, the intro to the NEC says that it is a model for
adoption by various AHJs.
In Oregon, each edition of NFPA 70 is formally adopted with exceptions and
additions. So, most of NFPA 70 is law. The amendments are freely available.
Many other jurisdictions do the same.
<https://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/all-codes-and-standards/codes-and-standards/free-access?mode=view&t=other&c=ORNEC2017>
2017 Oregon Electrical Specialty Code (OESC)
Effective Oct. 1, 2017
Based on the 2017 NFPA 70, National Electrical Code
<https://www.oregon.gov/bcd/codes-stand/Documents/17oesc-table1-E-2020Oct.pdf>
Oregon amendments to the 2017 NEC Updated Oct. 2020
Stay safe!
Rich
From: Douglas Powell <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, October 30, 2020 7:00 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [PSES] NFPA Codes, law or not?
My Friday Question,
NFPA Codes, law or not? Officially the answer is, "No, these are not laws."
I recently saw a clarification stating:
"As a national consensus safety standard, NFPA 70 is not a law and it has not
been incorporated into the Code of Federal Regulations. Therefore, compliance
is not deemed mandatory. Even so, OSHA has cited NFPA 70 in cases where lack of
compliance has resulted in a workplace accident."
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a nonprofit organization and
not a government entity. In the USA, possibly the best known published document
is the NFPA 70 which is the National Electric Code or NEC ®. And indeed, this
code has been translated and adopted in other countries in places like Latin
America
<https://www.nfpa.org/NEC/NEC-adoption-and-use/NEC-adoption-and-use-in-Latin-America>
. Nevertheless, in my view, the whole system is bordering on becoming a legal
requirement, especially at the local level where Authorities Having
Jurisdiction (AHJs) adopt these into their local city and county codes.
Occasionally a discussion is raised on electrical forums where someone wants to
point out that in this country any code which is officially mandated law must
be freely available for public use. NFPA does indeed offer a "free view" but
these are very deficient with regard to usability.
The question then becomes, "Should these codes be law?
Food for thought...
Doug
--
Douglas E Powell
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
http://www.linkedin.com/in/dougp01
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