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The new electrical code editions and their importance
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By George Doll
In January 2002, the National Fire Protection Assn. (NFPA), Quincy, MA, published (for field use) an updated set of standards by which the electrical industry must operate. As a subset of the electrical industry, the electric-sign industry needs to understand and abide by these changes.
Many in our industry believe that permits apply only to zoning or a proposed display's aesthetics. Unfortunately, this is a sad scenario. In reality, obtaining electrical permits and installing those displays per the electrical-code standards are issues of paramount importance. Doing so protects both the safety and liability of all concerned parties.
In fact, if you design, sell, coordinate, erect, install, maintain or inspect electrical signs, these code books should not only be on your desk, but also on the dashboard of any vehicle you drive to jobs that involve wiring. How it affects our industry Sadly, many signmakers have little, if any, knowledge of the electrical code.
Many years ago, this point was driven home to me when an electrical inspector in Burlington, VT, asked us to oversee two out-of-state sign installers working at a mall. At the mall, we found two men installing high-voltage (HV) cable for neon border tubing using 30- and 40-ft. lengths of silvery-metallic, telephone-receiver raceway.
Upon further examination, we discovered that the lads, while having secured grounding conductors to their transformers, didn't tie the wires off to anything. Instead, the conductors' ends just hung loosely from the transformer boxes. We asked the installers, who had assembled neon projects throughout New England, if they had a code book.
They responded, "What is 'the code?'" and "What kind of code book do we need?" Despite the installers' ignorance, their company had, miraculously, only caused three minor neon fires. And fortunately, no one was hurt in those mishaps.
What is the electrical code?
The National Electrical Code® (NEC) is published by the NFPA. The Canadian Electrical Code® (CEC) is published by the Canadian Standards Assn. (CSA), Rexdale, Ontario, Canada.
These books present facts and safety directives regarding electrical practices that initially went into effect after the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. As living documents, the two publications are constantly being revised. The NEC is revised every three years; recent revisions took place in 1993, 1996, 1999 and 2002, and will take place again in 2005. The CEC is revised every four years -- 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006.
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